Another Easter in Portugal, Quieter Places
Apr 24th, 2023, 04:25 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Another Easter in Portugal, Quieter Places
My fourth trip to Portugal, spouses second. We spent 18 nights there over last Easter, enjoyed it so much we decided to return this year. We flew out of Watertown NY (2 RT's to Phily daily on a 52 seat jet, no parking fee's!, 15 minutes from home) to Lisbon, no issues.
Last year we had two really special stays in Ponte de Lima and Castelo Novo, so trip was built around spending three nights in PDL at Quinta da Agra, and three nights at Pedra Novo in Castelo Novo. Both very special places, special hosts.
We spent 17 nights this trip: 3 N Sintra, 2 N Coimbra, 2 N Luso, 3 N Ponte de Lima, 2 N Migaus (overlooks Douro), 3 N Castelo Novo, 2 N Lisbon and home. Pretty great and hot weather, unexpected train strike, great meals and mysteries, another vineyard stay with a Priest's home blessing...pretty awesome trip. We usually stay in small apartments, I'm an early riser and space is nice, especially when you can get great lodging for 70-110E. That includes two vineyards, suite with a fireplace, breakfast...great value. We're lucky to be able to have jobs that allow us to travel, and will return to places that we really like. I'm able to do 'recons' with my adult kids, so when it's me and the Mrs, we're able to go as slow as we want, and are fine just wandering about, we manage to have fun filling the days without huge plans. As long as she has her sock yarn/coffee/snack/not constantly uphill, herself is fine.
Taxi to Sintra, I like it for a spot to get over jet lag, and the 'we're not in podunk Watertown anymore, there is a 10th Century Moor's castle from the crusades looming over town and gorgeous wisteria gardens to wander. The highlight is renting this jeep, it comes with preloaded tours that take you on various routes, to check out Pena or Monseratte Palace, the lighthouse at Cabo de Roco...or the one that they dug out for us that heads down the Atlantic coast to Cascais. Amazing scenery.
We then jumped via train and Lisbon Oriente connection to Coimbra for two nights. We were in historic district, a few hundreds yards over and UP to university. The high point here was the bamboo forest at the University gardens. We enjoyed the morning visit so returned with our books during the heat of the day for another visit around the pond. Simple things.
Jeep we rented in Sintra
Roman ruins outside Coimbra
Following this year's blessing. That is same table in 16th Century house we get our fresh turkey eggs for breakfast.
University gardens.
Moors Castle
Wisteria
Nice spot to eat, our apartment in Coimbra is 75' down that road.
Last year we had two really special stays in Ponte de Lima and Castelo Novo, so trip was built around spending three nights in PDL at Quinta da Agra, and three nights at Pedra Novo in Castelo Novo. Both very special places, special hosts.
We spent 17 nights this trip: 3 N Sintra, 2 N Coimbra, 2 N Luso, 3 N Ponte de Lima, 2 N Migaus (overlooks Douro), 3 N Castelo Novo, 2 N Lisbon and home. Pretty great and hot weather, unexpected train strike, great meals and mysteries, another vineyard stay with a Priest's home blessing...pretty awesome trip. We usually stay in small apartments, I'm an early riser and space is nice, especially when you can get great lodging for 70-110E. That includes two vineyards, suite with a fireplace, breakfast...great value. We're lucky to be able to have jobs that allow us to travel, and will return to places that we really like. I'm able to do 'recons' with my adult kids, so when it's me and the Mrs, we're able to go as slow as we want, and are fine just wandering about, we manage to have fun filling the days without huge plans. As long as she has her sock yarn/coffee/snack/not constantly uphill, herself is fine.
Taxi to Sintra, I like it for a spot to get over jet lag, and the 'we're not in podunk Watertown anymore, there is a 10th Century Moor's castle from the crusades looming over town and gorgeous wisteria gardens to wander. The highlight is renting this jeep, it comes with preloaded tours that take you on various routes, to check out Pena or Monseratte Palace, the lighthouse at Cabo de Roco...or the one that they dug out for us that heads down the Atlantic coast to Cascais. Amazing scenery.
We then jumped via train and Lisbon Oriente connection to Coimbra for two nights. We were in historic district, a few hundreds yards over and UP to university. The high point here was the bamboo forest at the University gardens. We enjoyed the morning visit so returned with our books during the heat of the day for another visit around the pond. Simple things.
Jeep we rented in Sintra
Roman ruins outside Coimbra
Following this year's blessing. That is same table in 16th Century house we get our fresh turkey eggs for breakfast.
University gardens.
Moors Castle
Wisteria
Nice spot to eat, our apartment in Coimbra is 75' down that road.
Apr 26th, 2023, 02:07 AM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Pics out of order, didn't see how to move them around once uploaded, my derp.
Day 6: We picked up our rental and left Coimbra, stopping at the Roman ruins in Conimbriga, about 20 minutes from the old district. Pretty amazing site, very large, easy to spend a few hours to marvel at their work and achievements.
We stayed 2 nights at the Grand Luso Hotel Spa. Luso has a huge natural spring, and is where a water bottling plant is, you can buy Luso water throughout the country. You'll see people with 50-60 bottles filling them at the public well head in town. It's a nicely landscaped plaza surrounded by places to sit and cafes.
The hotel has a large indoor and Olympic size pool with 20'? high diving boards. A tunnel connects you to the spa. They have several combo packages that make the stay very affordable. There is also a park with a large pond and exercise equipment you can use that is adjacent to the hotel parking lot.
Luso is just underneath the Bussaco National forest. Bussaco is a hill that sits about 800' above the surrounding plain, and runs 18 miles long. A 17th Century convent started here, and the nuns planted the forest, which has redwoods, miles of paths past grottos, holy wells, fern valleys, fountains; a very special place to wander. The Portuguese king liked the place so much he built a palace adjacent the convent, which is now a hotel will beautiful tile on the exterior walls and boxwood garden.
In the Penisula war, 3rd campaign, Wellington defeated Massena here at the Battle of Bussaco, and the French retreated. There is both a small museum, and Memorial to the battle. At both the Memorial site, and at the Alto Cross lookout, you can see for miles, and wonder why the French would try to dislodge the British from such an easily defended position.
From Luso, we drove 2 hours north to Ponte de Lima. It's a great smaller city to visit, it's home to an International flower show, has plenty of dining options, museums, bronze statues, 600 hundred year old pedestrian bridge over the Lima river, eco trail all the way to the Atlantic...there is a lot to like.
We stayed at Quinta de Agra again. It's a few kilometers outside of town, a vinery since the 1500's, in the same family since the mid 1600's. Pedro, the owner and host, has done a great job with the flowers, wine, maintaining the old buildings that make up the compound, he's always busy. You are basically staying in a museum, though one with cats that patrol the gardens. There is a small waterway flowing through the property, running though walls, fountains, retaining basins; relaxing background noise throughout the place. We were invited to the local priest's home blessing, which is spread out over two days. He stopped by our Quinta at 1030, and we saw his group still wandering the village at 8:30 pm, with each household laying out a spread. No idea how they do it.
Between wisteria, orange blossoms, and all types of other flowers, the gardens smelled perfect.
Ponte de Lima history in tile
Bussaco Palace tile.
Bussaco gardens
Bussaco Forest
Military museum
Bussaco Convent tile, Wellington stayed here prior to battle.
Conimbriga restored fountain
Roman legion, Ponte de Lima, south bank
Quinta de Agra
Quinta de Agra, from 16th century
Dog wore out from his Camino.
Lima river meets the Atlantic
Conimbriga restored mosaic floor
Monument to Battle of Bussaco.
Source of turkey eggs at Quinta de Agra
Roman General on North bank of Lima River.
Day 6: We picked up our rental and left Coimbra, stopping at the Roman ruins in Conimbriga, about 20 minutes from the old district. Pretty amazing site, very large, easy to spend a few hours to marvel at their work and achievements.
We stayed 2 nights at the Grand Luso Hotel Spa. Luso has a huge natural spring, and is where a water bottling plant is, you can buy Luso water throughout the country. You'll see people with 50-60 bottles filling them at the public well head in town. It's a nicely landscaped plaza surrounded by places to sit and cafes.
The hotel has a large indoor and Olympic size pool with 20'? high diving boards. A tunnel connects you to the spa. They have several combo packages that make the stay very affordable. There is also a park with a large pond and exercise equipment you can use that is adjacent to the hotel parking lot.
Luso is just underneath the Bussaco National forest. Bussaco is a hill that sits about 800' above the surrounding plain, and runs 18 miles long. A 17th Century convent started here, and the nuns planted the forest, which has redwoods, miles of paths past grottos, holy wells, fern valleys, fountains; a very special place to wander. The Portuguese king liked the place so much he built a palace adjacent the convent, which is now a hotel will beautiful tile on the exterior walls and boxwood garden.
In the Penisula war, 3rd campaign, Wellington defeated Massena here at the Battle of Bussaco, and the French retreated. There is both a small museum, and Memorial to the battle. At both the Memorial site, and at the Alto Cross lookout, you can see for miles, and wonder why the French would try to dislodge the British from such an easily defended position.
From Luso, we drove 2 hours north to Ponte de Lima. It's a great smaller city to visit, it's home to an International flower show, has plenty of dining options, museums, bronze statues, 600 hundred year old pedestrian bridge over the Lima river, eco trail all the way to the Atlantic...there is a lot to like.
We stayed at Quinta de Agra again. It's a few kilometers outside of town, a vinery since the 1500's, in the same family since the mid 1600's. Pedro, the owner and host, has done a great job with the flowers, wine, maintaining the old buildings that make up the compound, he's always busy. You are basically staying in a museum, though one with cats that patrol the gardens. There is a small waterway flowing through the property, running though walls, fountains, retaining basins; relaxing background noise throughout the place. We were invited to the local priest's home blessing, which is spread out over two days. He stopped by our Quinta at 1030, and we saw his group still wandering the village at 8:30 pm, with each household laying out a spread. No idea how they do it.
Between wisteria, orange blossoms, and all types of other flowers, the gardens smelled perfect.
Ponte de Lima history in tile
Bussaco Palace tile.
Bussaco gardens
Bussaco Forest
Military museum
Bussaco Convent tile, Wellington stayed here prior to battle.
Conimbriga restored fountain
Roman legion, Ponte de Lima, south bank
Quinta de Agra
Quinta de Agra, from 16th century
Dog wore out from his Camino.
Lima river meets the Atlantic
Conimbriga restored mosaic floor
Monument to Battle of Bussaco.
Source of turkey eggs at Quinta de Agra
Roman General on North bank of Lima River.
