Portugal

Coimbra, Lamego, and Braganca Portugal

June 2nd - 5th

Coimbra is located on Mondago River in northern Portugal. It has an old town, a large pedestrian only shopping area, and a very old university located on top of a very steep hill.

Rua F Borges - a pedestrian shopping street.

Church of Santa Cruz

Inside the Church of Santa Cruz. The wall are decorated with blue and white tiles from the 18th century.

 Mercado Municipal - the covered market. It has stalls for everything - fruits and vegetables, bakeries, meat, cheese, fish, flowers and everything else you can think of.

A very nice mural.

University of Coimbra founded in 1537.

Bill looking inside a whale at the university's science museum.

Lamego is a beautiful town we stumbled across while looking for a campground for the night. We found one on top of a very steep hill overlooking the town. This is a view from our camping spot.

This is the view you can't miss as you drive into town. It is the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora Dos Remedios and the amazing staircase leading up to it.

The staircase has lots of terraces between the climbs.

We walked down the staircase to the town for dinner then walked back up as the sun went down. It was a good way to work off the dinner.

Evening view of the church.

 We drove through the Douro Valley to Pinhao, famous for port wine. From there we drove up into the very steep hills. The views of the vineyards were beautiful.

Braganca - We enjoyed walking around this town. It had an old town and a modern side. There were walking trails everywhere.

We parked in a free camping spot with about 25 other camper vans just below the Castelo de Braganca. The castle was a great spot for an evening walk.

Street within the castle walls. 

One of the gates into the castle. 

Portugal

Portugal - May 31st and June 1st

Peniche, Obidos and the Conimbriga Museum

Peniche is a coastal town on a peninsula north of Lisbon.

Trail out to a view point that looks back at Peniche.

Newly retired lifeboat in the center of town.

The town wall is now part of a beautiful park on the land side of town.

Fortaleza built in the 16th century. It now houses a museum dedicated to when the fort was a prison for political dissidents in the 1950's.

Fortaleza wall - wild flowers were in bloom everywhere.

New use for old shoes.

Obidos is a scenic walled town.

Tiled walls inside the main gate.

The 45 foot high wall surrounding the town was built in the 14th century.

View of a home with a yard. Usually homes don't have enough space for a yard. 

Tiled entry to a home with a garden.

Interesting planter.

Conimbriga - Roman ruins from the 2nd century. This is a large outdoor archaeological site . The mosaics are amazing.

House of the swastika mosaic.

 Two mosaics - There were fabulous mosaics everywhere in amazingly good condition.

House of the fountains. Renovations in 1953 show how the water gardens would have looked.

Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal - May 28th

Lisbon has left us with large city burn out. The day started fine, but as the day progressed the crowds increased and the weather deteriorated to pouring down rain. In addition we were in an overcrowded campground that required a very crowded hour long bus ride into town. We could only last for one day of sight seeing.

Lisbon

Old town Lisbon, 25th of April Bridge, and Christ the King monument in the distance.

Sao Jorge Castle sits on a hilltop overlooking old town Lisbon.

Sao Jorge Castle wall.

 Views inside the castle walls.

Castle resident.

 Praco do Comercio on the Tagus River

 Arco da Rua Augusta

Train station entrance.

 Wall art near the Fado Museum.

We took a Tuk Tuk tour. We saw a lot, the driver gave us a lot of info, but what a wild ride up and down the steep hills of Lisbon.

The pedestrian streets, sidewalks, and squares of Lisbon are beautifully paved.