portugal 9 - contents - lonely planet...contents ribatejo . . . . . . . . . . . . .285 santarém . ....
TRANSCRIPT
The Algarve(p148)
The Minho(p419)
Porto,the Douro &
Trás-os-Montes(p352)
The Beiras(p295)
Estremadura& Ribatejo(p258)
Lisbon &Around(p58)
The Alentejo(p206)
Portugal
THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY
Regis St Louis, Kate Armstrong, Anja Mutić, Andy Symington
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
Welcome to Portugal . . . . 4
Portugal Map . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Portugal’s Top 25 . . . . . . . .8
Need to Know . . . . . . . . . 20
First Time Portugal . . . . 22
If You Like… . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Month by Month . . . . . . . .27
Itineraries . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Portugal Outdoors . . . . . 40
Eat & Drink Like a Local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Regions at a Glance . . . . 55
LISBON & AROUND . . 58Lisbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Sintra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121WestofSintra . . . . . . . . . . 129Cascais . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130Estoril . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135Queluz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135Mafra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136Setúbal Peninsula . . . . 137CostadaCaparica . . . . . . 137Setúbal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139Sesimbra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144AldeiadoMeco . . . . . . . . . 146CaboEspichel . . . . . . . . . . 147
THE ALGARVE . . . . . 148Faro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149Milreu&Estói . . . . . . . . . . 158SãoBrásdeAlportel . . . . 159Olhão&Around . . . . . . . . 161Tavira . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163IlhadeTavira . . . . . . . . . . . 168VilaRealdeSantoAntónio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169CastroMarim . . . . . . . . . . 170Alcoutim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171Loulé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172SerradoCaldeirão . . . . . . 174Albufeira . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175Carvoeiro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177Silves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178Portimão . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183PraiadaRocha . . . . . . . . . 185Lagos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186LagostoSagres . . . . . . . . 193Sagres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194NorthofSagres . . . . . . . . 199Monchique . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
THE ALENTEJO . . . . 206Alto Alentejo . . . . . . . . . 207Évora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207Évoramonte . . . . . . . . . . . . 221SãoPedrodoCorval . . . . 221Monsaraz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221Estremoz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224Elvas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229Portalegre . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233CastelodeVide . . . . . . . . . 236Marvão . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239Baixo Alentejo . . . . . . . . 241Mértola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241SãoDomingos . . . . . . . . . 244CastroVerde . . . . . . . . . . . 244Beja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245Serpa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249Moura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252Coastal Alentejo . . . . . . 254VilaNovadeMilfontes . . 254ZambujeiradoMar . . . . . 256
ESTREMADURA & RIBATEJO . . . . . . . 258Estremadura . . . . . . . . . 260Ericeira . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260Peniche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263ReservaNaturaldaBerlenga . . . . . . . . . . . .266Óbidos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267FozdoArelho . . . . . . . . . . 270SãoMartinhodoPorto . . 271Nazaré . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272Alcobaça . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275Batalha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276Leiria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279PinhaldeLeiria . . . . . . . . . 281Fátima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282PortodeMós . . . . . . . . . . 283ParqueNaturaldasSerrasdeAireeCandeeiros . . . . 284
PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD
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Contents
Ribatejo . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285Santarém . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285Constância&CastelodeAlmourol . . . . . . . . . . . .289Tomar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .290
THE BEIRAS . . . . . . 295Beira Litoral . . . . . . . . . 298Coimbra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .298FigueiradaFoz . . . . . . . . . 313PraiadeMira . . . . . . . . . . . 316Aveiro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318Piódão . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323Beira Baixa . . . . . . . . . . 324CasteloBranco . . . . . . . . . 324ParqueNaturaldoTejoInternacional . . . . 325Monsanto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326Idanha-a-Velha . . . . . . . . . 327Sortelha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela . . . . . . 329Seia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331Sabugueiro . . . . . . . . . . . . 333Gouveia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333Manteigas . . . . . . . . . . . . .334Torre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337PenhasdaSaúde . . . . . . . 337Covilhã . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337Beira Alta . . . . . . . . . . . . 340Viseu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .340Guarda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .344Trancoso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347Almeida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .350
PORTO, THE DOURO & TRÁS-OS-MONTES 352Porto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353ViladoConde . . . . . . . . . . 381Amarante . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385Lamego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .388PesodaRégua . . . . . . . . .390
AltoDouro . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392VilaReal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397ParqueNaturaldoAlvão . .400MondimdeBasto . . . . . . .402Chaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .403Bragança . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407ParqueNaturaldeMontesinho . . . . . . . . . . . . 411MirandadoDouro . . . . . . 414ParqueNaturaldoDouroInternacional . . . . . . . . . . . 417
THE MINHO . . . . . . . 419Braga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421BomJesusdoMonte . . . .428Guimarães . . . . . . . . . . . . .429CitâniadeBriteiros . . . . .434VianadoCastelo . . . . . . .435ValençadoMinho . . . . . . .440Monção . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .442PontedeLima . . . . . . . . . .444PontedaBarca . . . . . . . . .448ArcosdeValdevez . . . . . .449ParqueNacionaldaPeneda-Gerês . . . . . . .450
Portugal Today . . . . . . . 462
History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464
Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479
Architecture & the Arts . . . . . . . . . . . 484
Saudade: the Portuguese Blues . . . . . 492
SURVIVAL GUIDE
Directory A–Z . . . . . . . . 498
Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . 506
Language . . . . . . . . . . . . .514
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . .519
Food Glossary . . . . . . . . .521
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524
Map Legend . . . . . . . . . . 535
UNDERSTAND
SPECIAL FEATURES
Itineraries . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Off the Beaten Track . . . 38Eat & Drink Like a Local . . . . . . . . . . 50Lisbon’s Architectural Highs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90Beaches of the Algarve . . . . . . . . . . 180Wines of the Douro . . . 382
Lisbon’s Architectural HighsLisbon is packed with stunning architectural works that span more than five centuries. You’ll find wildly intricate Unesco World Heritage sites commemorating Portugal’s Golden Age of Discoveries, whimsical works of wrought-iron elegance (with grand views over the old city) and cutting-edge designs of the late 20th century.
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1. Torre de Belém (p81), BelémBuilt in 1515, the Manueline-period architecture of Torre de Belém epitomises the Age of Discoveries era.
2. Gare do Oriente (p83), Parque das NaçõesThe futuristic Gare do Oriente was built by Spanisharchitect Santiago Calatrava for Expo ’98.
3. Elevador de Santa Justa (p63), BaixaRide this neo-Gothic street lift for views of the city.
4. Sé (p71), AlfamaThis iconic Lisbon cathedral was built on the site of a mosque in 1150.
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On the Road
The Algarve(p148)
The Minho(p419)
Porto,the Douro &
Trás-os-Montes(p352)
The Beiras(p295)
Estremadura& Ribatejo(p258)
Lisbon &Around(p58)
The Alentejo(p206)
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Regis St LouisCoordinating Author; Lisbon & Around Regis’ long-time admiration for wine, rugged coastlines and soulful music made him easy prey for Portugal – a country he has travelled extensively over the past decade. Favourite memories from recent trips include borrowing a friend’s VW van to explore the wild beaches and back roads outside of Lisbon; chatting with shepherds in the mountains near Manteigas; hearing avant-garde fado in Lisbon; and feasting on
delectable percebes in the Algarve. Regis has written more than 40 guidebooks for Lonely Planet– including the last three editions of Lonely Planet Portugal – and his travel articles and essays have appeared in the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune among numerous other publications. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. Regis also wrote the Plan Your Trip, Understand Portugal and Survival Guide sections.
Kate ArmstrongThe Algarve; The Alentejo A regular visitor to Portugal, Kate first backpacked around the country more than 20 years ago and fell for the Alentejan countryside, Algarvian seafood and Portuguese hospitality. Lured by the language of fado, she later returned to study Portuguese. For this edition Kate bodysurfed her way along the Algarve, ‘mixed’ with the megaliths, hiked sections of the Costa Vicentina, and consumed quantities (ahem, kilos) of convent cakes. She is
published regularly in Australian and international publications – see www.katearmstrong.com.au.
Anja MutićPorto, the Douro & Trás-os-Montes; The Minho Croatia-born New York–based writer Anja Mutić has had a full-blown love affair with Portugal for nearly a decade. On her first visit in 2005, she fell head over heels; on the second visit in 2006, she met her partner in life and travel and has been returning ever since for stints and longer stays. Anja has covered many a city and corner of Portugal for various publications but has a particularly soft spot for the north and deems
Porto among the most poignant cities on earth. Anja is online at www.everthenomad.com.
OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.
Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.
OUR WRITERS
Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.
Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 9839th edition – March 2014ISBN 978 1 74220 052 1© Lonely Planet 2014 Photographs © as indicated 201410 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in ChinaAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.
Andy SymingtonEstremadura & Ribatejo; The Beiras Though he hails from Australia, Andy’s great-grandfather emigrated to Porto in the 19th century and that side of his family still call Portugal home. This connection means that he’s been a frequent visitor to the country since birth, and now nips across the border even more regularly from his base in Spain. He has authored and co-authored many Lonely Planet and other guidebooks.
Read more about Anja at: lonelyplanet.com/members/AnjaMutic
Read more about Regis at: lonelyplanet.com/members/RegisStLouis
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
Plan Your Trip
MIC
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2 WEEKS
This grand journey takes you from the vibrant Portuguese capital to the sunny beaches of the Algarve and up north to the striking riverside city of Porto. Along the way, you’ll visit Unesco World Heritage sites, stroll medieval town centres and sample the varied cuisines from the north, south and centre.
Start in Lisbon, spending two days explor-ing the city’s enchanting neighbourhoods, fado-filled taverns, atmospheric cafes and restaurants, and late-night street parties. Take in vertiginous tram rides, the hilltop
castle and viewing points, museums and historic sites. On day three, head to nearby Sintra, for quaint village life amid wood-lands and palaces. Next enjoy two days exploring fascinating Évora and its nearby megaliths. From there, go south and spend a day in peaceful Tavira, one of the Algarve’s prettiest towns. Take the ferry out to car-free Ilha de Tavira. Continue west to beach- and nightlife-loving Lagos. Don’t miss the pretty beaches (Batata, Dona Ana and Camilo) south of town. Keep going west until you hit laid-back Sagres, where you can visit its dramatically sited fort, surf good waves
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30 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
Rua Augusta, Baixa (p63), Lisbon
and contemplate the endless horizon at the cliffs near town. Go north back to Lisbon, stopping en route in the coastal town of Vila Nova de Milfontes, a great spot for uber-fresh seafood grilled up to perfec-tion. You can eat it right on the waterfront. Spend one day in Tomar, a sleepy river town that’s home to the staggering Con-vento de Cristo. Then book two nights in the venerable university town of Coimbra, wandering the old quarters, visiting medi-eval convents and churches, and enjoying good meals, lively bars (during the aca-demic year) and live music. Spend your last two days in Porto, Lisbon’s rival in beauty.
Enjoy a day exploring the Ribeira, visiting avant-garde galleries and museums, and taking in the nightlife in the city centre. Then head across the river to Vila Nova de Gaia, for an introduction to the coun-try’s great ports. If time allows, take a boat trip along the Rio Douro, taking in some dramatic gorge scenery and centuries-old vineyards.
31PLAN
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Scenic shorelines, captivating towns and staggering architectural monuments set the stage for this memorable journey down the Atlantic coast.
Begin in Porto, the port-wine capital at the mouth of the Douro. Spend two days exploring its historic centre, museums, parks and gardens, plus the beach neighbourhood of Foz do Douro. On the third day go north to the seaside town of Vila do Conde, a quick and popular beach getaway. Next, head south to Aveiro, for rides along its scenic canals on high-prowed moliceiros (traditional boats). For a fine day trip from here take a bus and ferry out to the Reserva Natural das Dunas de São Jacinto, a scenic nature re-serve and birdwatching site. The popular resort town of Figueira da Foz is the next stop; you’ll find prime surfing, a touch of nightlife and wide people-packed beaches, with more isolated sands out of town. After a day of sunbaking, make an inland day trip to the striking mountain-top castle of Montemor-o-Velho. The picturesque and fun-loving beach town of Nazaré is next and here you can frolic in the waves, enjoy traditional seafood restaurants and take the funicular to a clifftop promontory for superb views. Nazaré is also a good base for exploring the architectur-ally stunning monasteries (and Unesco World Heritage sites) in Alcobaça and Batalha. From there, head south to Óbidos, with its cobblestone lanes and upmarket inns. Go west back to the coast to reach Peniche, where you’ll find excel-lent beaches, particularly in nearby Baleal. From Peniche, be sure to take a boat out to the remote island of Berlenga Grande. You can even stay overnight (reserve well ahead). Continue south to Ericeira, a whitewashed village perched atop sandstone cliffs. Explore the beaches, feast on seafood, then continue on to the fairy-tale setting of Sintra, where picturesque guesthouses make a fine overnight stay. Take the road to the coast, and follow it out to the dramatically set Cabo da Roca and down to the windswept beach of Praia do Guincho. The next stop is the pretty village of Cascais, home to narrow pedestrian lanes, lively outdoor restaurants and leafy gardens. End your journey in Lisbon, spending a few days exploring Portugal’s vibrant capital.
3 WEEKS Exploring the Atlantic
Coast
Top: Ericeira (p260)
Bottom: Traditional boat, Aveiro (p318)
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Dramatic scenery, frozen-in-time villages and clifftop castles make for a charming journey on this loop around Portugal’s often overlooked interior.
From Lisbon head 200km southeast to the historic village of Castro Verde. Visit the royal basilica in town then the LPN Interpretative and Environmental Centre, a great spot for bird-watching some 5km north of town. Drive east to Mértola, a picturesque medieval settlement set high above the placid Rio Guadiana. Wander the old streets, go kayaking on the river, sample wild boar (a local speciality) and overnight in one of the area’s charming inns. From Mértola, drive north to Beja, a lively town with a walled centre, intriguing museums and a 13th-century castle with sweeping views over golden wheat fields beyond town. Keep north to reach Évora, the most vibrant town in the Alentejo. Its large cobblestone centre is a great place to wander, and is packed with history (don’t miss the Bone Chapel and Roman temple). Évora has great traditional restaurants and makes a good base for visiting neolithic sites in the countryside. Head northeast to the marble town of Vila Viçosa, home to a staggering palace and a peaceful town centre. Next up is Castelo de Vide, a wildly remote-feeling town perched on a clifftop. Have a wander through the sleepy streets, have lunch, and then continue to Mon-santo, another photogenic castle-in-the-sky town. Leave early for the two-hour drive to Vila Nova de Foz Côa, gateway to some of Iberia’s most extensive petroglyphs. From here, it’s an easy detour to the vineyards along the Douro. Otherwise, head southwest into the Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela, a scenic, moun-tainous area with great hiking, and peaceful guesthouses where you can soak up the scenery. Manteigas makes a great base. After a day or two in the mountains, head west to the lively university town of Coimbra. Visit the historic campus, stroll the riverbank, feast on hearty Portuguese cooking and catch live Coimbra-style fado. Visit Conímbriga southwest of Coimbra for a look at Roman ruins, then con-tinue to Santarém, with Gothic architecture, atmospheric restaurants and panoramic views, before finishing the tour in Lisbon.
10 DAYS Circling the Centre
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Top: Monsanto (p326)
Bottom: Monsanto resident
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This trip will give you a chance to see spectacular contrasts in scenery by following Portugal’s southern rivers, beaches and ridges.
From Lisbon head to the Costa da Caparica, taking in the festive beaches near the town, and then escaping the crowds on wilder beaches to the south. Next head down to Praia do Meco for more sandy action and some great seafood. Keep going south to reach the desolate cliffs of Cabo Espichel. A good place to stay for the night is at a rural guesthouse outside of Sesimbra, a former fishing village turned resort with open-air restaurants and family-friendly beaches. On the next day, continue east, stopping for a picnic on the forest-lined shores of Parque Natural da Arrábida. At night, stay in Setúbal for more seafood feasting and a wander through the sleepy old-town quarters. The next day, book a dolphin-watching boat trip along the Sado estuary. From Setúbal, take the ferry across to hand-somely sited Tróia. Continue south to overnight in Vila Nova de Milfontes, a lovely seaside town with fine beaches and charming guesthouses. Next is Zambujeira do Mar, a tiny village perched above a pretty beach. Follow the coast to Aljezur, with its unspoilt, cliff-backed sands, and into the rustic town of Carrapateira, with more wild, untouched beaches, plus cafes and guesthouses catering to the surf-loving crowd. Head south, and you’ll reach the southern coast at pretty, laid-back Sagres, another surf-loving town. Visit Sagres’ sea-cliff fortress, then the surreal cliffs of Cabo de São Vicente. Go east to Lagos, one of the Algarve’s liveliest towns with loads of good sleeping, eating and drinking options. Afterwards, go inland to Monchique, with its densely wooded hillsides that offer pic-turesque walking, cycling and pony-trekking opportunities, followed by a spa visit in Caldas de Monchique. Back on the coast, stay overnight in the lively Faro, before journeying out to the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, a lagoon system full of marsh, creeks and dune islands. From there, head to Tavira, set with genteel 18th-century buildings straddling the Rio Gilão.
2 WEEKS Southern Beauty
Top: Lagos (p186) Bottom: Vila Nogueira de Azeitao, Setubal (p139)
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244)
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©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
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