A Walk to Foz Beach and Beyond, March 24, 2023

 The sun was out again today so we wanted to explore Porto's beachfront which is located 5km outside of central Porto.  As we had read that parking was difficult we took a 7euro Uber to where the Douro River meets the Atlantic.  We were very impressed with the small but beautiful sandy beaches and the wild Atlantic waves, even though it was a calm day.  We strolled along the beach wall promenade checking out its several beaches and took in the wild wave action before heading to a local café for a light lunch.  After lunch, as the weather continued to be so nice and warm, we decided to walk the 5km back to Porto and continue onto the top of the Ponte Dom Luis 1 bridge and cross over to Gaia before heading back to our apartment to change for dinner.  Pizzaiolo is an Italian restaurant with a wood-fired pizza oven and Rita and I both had a delicious pizza.  It was a very nice atmosphere and the prices were very fair so we will definitely come back again.  We headed back to our apartment and were definitely  ready for bed after walking a little over 21km today.   

Foz has several small, sandy beaches nestled between granite rock outcroppings that are constantly being pounded by huge Atlantic waves.

Rita sitting atop the concrete seawall that protects the promenade from the stormy Atlantic at another of Foz's pretty beaches.

The Farol de Sao Miguel-O-Anjo is the oldest lighthouse in Portugal still functioning.  The granite tower dates from 1527 but there has been firelight on the rocky outcroppings since Roman times.  This was a calm day so could not imagine what the waves would look like in a winter storm.  

Heading back into Porto along the Douro Riverbank as the #1 tram rolls passed us.  On the left you can see the arches where the river would have come to prior to the river breakwater being built. 

We continued on our walk past the very busy restaurants in the Ribeira District towards the bridge

Built in 1886, the Ponte Dom Luis 1 bridge had the longest span (500ft) of any metal bridge in the world when completed.  It rises 150 feet above the Douro river.  The yellow Rableo is a traditional wooden boat that was used to transport people and cargo along the Douro river for centuries.  Now its a tourist attraction.

After climbing the 350 steps to access the top of the bridge we were rewarded with stunning views.  On the Porto side of the bridge is part of the Fernandine Wall, named after King Fernando 1st who ordered the construction of the walls, completed in 1437 and restored in 1920. 
Looking across the bridge at the lofty hilltop position of the remarkable circular Serra do Pilar Monastery completed in 1564.  The former monastery was designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.  
Looking back from the Gaia side you can see the remains of the old city wall and the buildings climbing up the side of the steep hill from the Douro River.






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Geoff and Rita's Return to Portugal

Image
Its been 2 years, 11months and 25 days since Rita and I made a hasty and early departure from our Portugal vacation due to the Corona Virus Pandemic.  We had tried to go back to finish our tour of Portugal in 2021 and 2022 but sadly were thwarted due to the continuing outbreak in 2021 and then Rita's Dad's illness and passing in 2022. However, we are finally back, ready to explore the rest of this amazing country.  We will spend our first two weeks back in Lagos as the Algarve has the best weather this time of year.  Our next stop will be 3 days in the resort town of Cascais, then onto the surfing capital of Nazare for 7 days, 3 days in the university town of Coimbra, 5 days in the port wine capital of Porto before heading to the capitol, Lisbon for 7 days.  Can't wait to finally get our Portugal adventure started again. 
Read more

Rota da Laranja or Orange Tree Route

Image
It was a windy and overcast day as we headed into the heart of the Algarve to explore several small towns but it cleared up in the afternoon and ended with a stunning sunset. Our first stop was Almancil, a totally undistinguished town except for Igreja Matriz de Sao Lourenco or Saint Lawrence Church in English.  It was built in 1730 in gratitude to Saint Lawrence who answered the towns desperate prayers for finding a water well.    The church's interior is a masterpiece of decoration in Portuguese glazed tiles known as "azulejos".  The blue and white tiles cover the entire interior of the church and depict the life of Saint Lawrence.  On our way to the next town we had to stop the car for a shepherd and his flock as they cross the road heading for another pasture.  A very rural experience. Loule is a market town and this is their massive indoor market.  Of course by the time we arrived the market was closing down.  So we ...
Read more

Why Portugal?

Image
It all goes back to March of 2019 when we were in Maui staying at the condo we had rented at Hoyoshi Nikko for the past nine years.  We wanted to renew for 2020 and received our new rate which had gone from US $175 per night to $300!!!!   We loved our time in Maui but decided it was time to rethink where to spend our winter vacation.  Also, Rita's parents are not getting any younger and if something happened to one of them we wanted to be able to get to Germany relatively quickly.  After taking a couple of months to review several destinations based on winter sunshine, mild temperature, cost of living and air access we overwhelmingly chose Portugal.  We have never visited Portugal and so this is also another big plus.  We will fly into Lisbon, pick up a rental car and drive to Lagos for a 24 day stay, Evora for an overnight, Nazere for 7 days, Lisbon for 5 days and Porto for our final 4 days in Portugal. Let the adventure begin.   
Read more