Portugal – Day 4 – Visiting the Small Towns
Off to Nazare and Obidos on the way to Lisbon
Day 4 Itinerary
From Icon Duplo Hotel:
Our Route
Today was dedicated to visiting the small towns between Porto and Lisbon. Getting a litte closer to the country life and small towns of Portugal. We constantly are trying to meet the people of Portugal and understand experience their culture.
The morning we leave Porto I picked up a Hertz rental car and we drove south through a couple of small towns-dropped the car off (same day in Lisbon.)
Our Car For Trip From Porto to Lisbon
I loved our little stick shift car for weaving through the narrow streets of Porto. Learning how to put a European car from Seal car company into reverse gear was a harrowing experience in heavy traffic and pedestrians. I might have used a few expletives. Lauri commented that I might need to find a button for shifting into reverse-she was close-the gear shift must be depressed for reverse.
Nazare – The Big Wave And Surfing Town on the Coast – We saw neither but still had a good time.
Nazaré’s major attractions are the waves and surfing, thanks to the “Nazaré Canyon”, a submarine geomorphological phenomenon that allows the formation of perfect giant waves. It is the largest underwater canyon in Europe, about 170 kilometres along the coast, reaching a depth of 5,000 metres.
Lighthouse at the rocky point of Nazare
Lauri on the high hill jutting out over the Atlantic overlooking the surfing beach of Nazare. Note to our kids: she is not on a sheer cliff.
Nazere Beach
The area of the town of Óbidos is located on a hilltop, encircled by a fortified wall. Óbidos remains a well-preserved example of medieval architecture; its streets, squares, walls and castle are popular tourist destinations.
Lunch in Nazare
Mark’s delicious salad
Fresh caught tuna wrap with boiled egg and mini salad
I hope these ovens were used for bread
The Obidos castle built between 12th and 14th century
Our hotel…hidden treasure in the heart of Lisbon’s most picturesque neighborhood has mastered the art of local integration, offering an elegant, exquisite Lisbon experience with unmatched views of Alfama and Tagus River.
Authentic and contemporary, Memmo Alfama and its 42 rooms offer that special feeling of being at a Portuguese home and the attentive staff will make your visit to Lisbon truly unforgettable.
For Mark’s Birthday, the Memmo Alfama Hotel had champagne and chocolate waiting for us.
Final Thoughts for Our Fourth Day and Visit to Obidos and Nazare
Lauri: Breakfast makes me so happy here. Sitting with Mark for an entire hour savoring absolutely delicious fresh food prepared by someone else is such a luxury! It was a smart idea to rent a car and leisurely travel to a few small towns between Porto and Lisbon-great way to see this region. It was a terrible idea to do this as well because I found it very stressful. Most of the streets, parking and sidewalks are incredibly narrow. People travel crazy fast on the interstate. I did enjoy the fact that using a toll pass made it seamless as we drove. Leaving Porto was bittersweet. The people were so kind and the riverside area was stunning! So rich in culture and beauty. I would highly recommend our hotel to anyone vacationing in Porto.
Mark: Today was our first day traveling by car. We have done planes, metro and trains in Portugal. When in busy, narrow streets of Porto and Lisbon, even the locals say: “No one wants to drive down there!” Visiting Nazare and Obidos was an interesting break from the bustling downtown of Porto for their quaintness. I am constantly stunned with the quality of food in the smallest of eateries in Portugal. Lunch in a little Nazare at Terrase restaurant was a delightful treat.
