Valença do Minho

Valença do Minho, (Norte Region) Portugal

Valença do Minho sits alongside the River Minho which acts as a natural border separating Portugal from Spain.  When walking around you notice numerous defense walls that served to protect the city from invasions centuries ago.  Click here to get a bird's-eye view of this fortified town and I guarantee you will be impressed with what you see.

Bird's eye view picture taken from http://ntransfers.com/blog/2011/07/valenca/

blue

Valença do Minho, (Norte Region) Portugal

The power of blue... It puts me into a completely different frame of mind.

practicality

Valença do Minho, (Norte Region) Portugal

simple touches

Braga, (Norte Region) Portugal

Rich in culture and history, the area surrounding Braga has been inhabited since the Neolithic era.  Today, Braga is the third most populous city in Portugal.  Details with doors, windows and balconies abound.

abandoned beauty

 

Valença do Minho, (Norte Region) Portugal

Beauty is all around us.  We just need to open our eyes.

simplicity

Valença do Minho, (Norte Region) Portugal

Each and every balcony is a work of art.

green

Braga, (Norte Region) Portugal

Each building has its own unique features, each balcony somewhat different than the rest...

a splash of color

Braga, (Norte Region) Portugal

Ceramic tiles come in a wide assortment of colors and, for me, add a splash of color to my walk around any town!

ceramic tiles and balconies

Valença do Minho, (Norte Region) Portugal

Ceramic tile façades and wrought iron balconies are a wonderful sight in Portugal.

Saldaña

Saldaña, (Palencia) Spain

Plaza Vieja, a square originating from the 10th century and later constructed as you see it now between the 16th and 18th centuries, was home in the year 1128 to one of the first known bullfights taking place in Spain to celebrate a wedding in the Royal family.

a stop on the way to St. James

Burguete/Auritz, (Navarra) Spain

This small town set in the Pyrenees Mountains resting alongside the French border is one of the many towns and villages to be visited along the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James), the ancient pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.  Starting this route in Spain at the French border can take, on average, 4 weeks to cover its almost 750 kilometers.

Ernest Hemingway also mentions Burguete in his 1926 novel, The Sun Also Rises, after staying here for a fishing trip on his way from Paris before heading to Pamplona to see the running of the bulls.

I especially remember this town, early one still morning, walking down the only street that crosses this village from one side to the other, and hearing the trickle of water flowing in tiny canals that line both sides of its main street.  The white houses with red trim have also left a mark on my ever so memorable first day of the Camino.



Seen in this picture is the Church of San Nicolás de Bari.

balconies

Pamplona, (Navarra) Spain

So many different balconies, each one with its own beauty...

Sagres

Sagres, (Algarve Region) Portugal

This magnificent rocky coastline makes up the southwestern most tip of Portugal and forms yet another part of the 110 kilometers of the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park.  The land has almost no vegetation at all here and is quite flat, abruptly dropping several meters when it reaches the Atlantic Ocean.  When standing at the edge of these cliffs, it seems as if you were standing at the end of the Earth!  It's really quite impressive to see in person!

Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Conceição

Vila do Bispo, (Algarve Region) Portugal

This 18th century church is another example of the beautifully painted churches that exist in the south of Portugal.  Its interior walls are completely lined with blue and white ceramic tiles with a hand painted wooden ceiling over the nave.

interior photo taken from:  http://www.pbase.com/diasdosreis/vila_bispo_monumentos
 

Mértola from a distance

Mértola, (Region of Alentejo) Portugal

In this picture you can see the castle of Muslim origin, but reconstructed after the town was taken over by the Christians.  The once mosque, now a church, sits just below the castle to the right.  There are many excavations taking place today exhibiting numerous archaeological finds from Roman houses that existed next to the wall of the city as well as other objects (pottery, glassware, metalwork, coins) from the almost 500 years of Islamic rule.  Mértola is a museum in and of itself!

Mértola up close

Mértola, (Region of Alentejo) Portugal

Mértola is a fascinating town sitting on a hill overlooking the Guadiana River and is filled with a rich history.  Set in a very strategic location, this town served as a very important fluvial commercial port in times of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Moors by transporting agricultural products and area minerals to what is known as present day Spain and Northern Africa.  The Moors ruled in Portugal for almost 500 years (until 1238) and had to add a castle to the Roman walls of the city to protect themselves from further invasions.  A mosque was built next to the castle and after 1238 was converted into a church, still resembling the original mosque with only a few changes.

ceramics and pottery

Sagres, (Algarve Region) Portugal

Portugal has a big tradition in hand-painted ceramics and these unique colorful plates and other pieces can be found in many parts of the country. This particular place in Sagres has decorated the entire exterior of its shop as shown in the picture, completely grabbing your attention when you pass by.

red doors

Porto Covo, (Region of Alentejo) Portugal

This picturesque fishing village set within the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park is a wonderful place to enjoy the unique light and colors all around you.  Red doors are particularly characteristic of this quaint town.

beaches, beaches and more beaches

Aljezur, (Algarve Region) Portugal

The beach of Monte Clérigo is one more of the many beaches in this area to enjoy.  It is tucked away in a small cove forming part of the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park.  This coastline is a hidden treasure!

Arrifana

Arrifana, (Algarve Region) Portugal

Just one cove over from Arrifana beach is this spectacular rock-cliff shoreline facing the Atlantic Ocean.  It forms part of the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park which stretches for over 100 kilometers down the Portuguese coast.  It is definitely worth a visit!

the lone surfer

Arrifana, (Algarve Region) Portugal

This beach, Arrifana, is one of the most sought after beaches for surfing in the Aljezur area located within the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park.  It is protected by tall cliffs and has a stretch of sand of over 500 meters.

and more colorful boats...

Vila Nova de Milfontes, (Region of Alentejo) Portugal

Estrela da manhã (Morning star), yet another colorful fishing boat to be found throughout the many fishing ports of Portugal...

colorful fishing boats

Vila Nova de Milfontes, (Region of Alentejo) Portugal

Pérola de Milfontes translates into "Pearl of Milfontes".  These colorful fishing boats decorate the vast coastline of Portugal and instantly put a smile on my face.

Vila Nova de Milfontes

Vila Nova de Milfontes, (Region of Alentejo) Portugal

Vila Nova de Milfontes is found along the western coast of Portugal at the point where the Mira River flows into the Atlantic Ocean.  It is a popular tourist destination in summer months due to its large number of beaches, ecological tourism and positioning within the Nature Park of the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast.  This park runs over 110 kilometers down the Portuguese coastline and shares its borders with the neighboring Algarve Region.

The port area you see in this picture is located in the estuary and provides a small source of income for the area.  The colorful wooden fishing boats have always been a weakness of mine and it's impossible for me to pass by without photographing them!

Alentejo coastline

Zambujeira do Mar, (Region of Alentejo) Portugal

Beautiful beaches like this one are a common sight to see along the Alentejo coastline.

chapel on the beach

Zambujeira do Mar, (Region of Alentejo) Portugal

This is the same chapel from the previous post, with a very appropriate name: Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Mar - Our Lady of the Sea.  It is one of many stops along a walking trail called the Rota Vicentina, taking you 340 kilometers along the stunning Portuguese coastline with many views like this one.  The Rota Vicentina starts in Santiago de Cacém and ends in Sagres at the Cabo de São Vicente, the southwestern most corner of Portugal.

Zambujeira do Mar

 

Zambujeira do Mar, (Region of Alentejo) Portugal

This little chapel sits facing the cliff-like beach of Zambujeira do Mar.  Beautiful!

windmill

Castro Verde, (Region of Alentejo) Portugal

These unique windmills used to be all over the Alentejo Region, but today they are harder to come by.  This particular windmill in Castro Verde stopped working by 1940 and was bought by the town in 2003.  It is now back in operation and open to the public for visits.
 

ceramic tiles in Castro Verde

Castro Verde, (Region of Alentejo) Portugal

These ceramic tiles, azulejos, decorate the backs of park benches outside the Basílica Real de Castro Verde.  It is quite common to see hand-painted tiles decorating public places throughout Portugal.  They are a treat for the eyes!

blue and white

São Marcos da Ataboeira, (Region of Alentejo) Portugal

No matter what town you stop in, big or small, you find the most adorable churches in Alentejo.  This town has just over 300 people.