Nov 1, 20221 min readThe Ribeira and Vila Nova de GaiaAfter seeing the Sao Francisco church, continue on to the Ribeira. There's a trolley stop near the waterfront, if you didn't get to ride...
Oct 31, 20221 min readBrasaoOur host recommended Brasao for francesinha. They have 2 locations in Porto and we tried the one at Rua Passos Manuel, n. 205. You can...
Oct 30, 20221 min readMeiu NauDinner our first night was at Meiu Nau, located at Tv. de Cedofeita 48. It's a seafood restaurant. They have another location in...
Oct 29, 20222 min readTop Things to See in PortoPorto is the capital of Portugal's north. It's known for port and for francesinha, a sandwich stuffed with meat, covered with cheese and...
Oct 28, 20221 min readSweet PortoFrom Malheada, it was 1 hour and 15 minutes to Porto. We rented an apartment in Porto that had parking. The apartment was Sweet Porto...
Oct 27, 20221 min readRei dos Leitoes, MalheadaOur hostess at the Guest House Santa Clara told us about the best leitoes (roasted suckling pig) in Portugal. It was in Malheada on our...
Oct 26, 20223 min readTop Things to See in CoimbraWe followed Rick Steves Coimbra Old Town Walk. Santa Clara Bridge over the Mondego River. The Camino de Santiago passes through Coimbra....
Oct 25, 20221 min readZe Manel dos Ossos, CoimbraWe had dinner at Ze Manel dos Ossos, a literal hole in the wall. It had a lot of locals so we went inside. It's located at Beco do Forno...
Oct 24, 20222 min readCoimbra UniversityCoimbra University, with 25,000 students, is Portugal's Oxford. It's the oldest (founded in 1290) and most prestigious university in...
Oct 23, 20221 min readGuest House Santa ClaraIn Coimbra, we stayed at the Guest House Santa Clara. It was conveniently located, not too far from the historic center. The University...
Oct 22, 20221 min readDona TaskaAfter touring the Castle of the Knights Templar, we drove an hour to Coimbra. Lunch was at Dona Taska, located at Av. João das Regras 86...
Oct 21, 20221 min readCastle of the Knights Templar, TomarA steep but short (10 minute) hike up from the center of town will take you to the Castle of the Knights Templar. It was built 800 years...
Oct 20, 20221 min readCervejaria do FernandoJust down the street from our hotel, we found Cervejaria do Fernando. It's located at R. da Silva Magalhães 47. Snails were in season. A...
Oct 19, 20221 min readTop Things to See in TomarCastle of the Knights Templar and Convent of Christ sits on a hill--more details in a later post. The Nabao River divides the old and new...
Oct 18, 20221 min readCasa dos Oficios, TomarOur final stop of the day was Tomar, 30 minutes from Fatima. We stayed at the Casa dos Oficios in the historic center. 1. Location:...
Oct 17, 20223 min readFatimaOn May 13, 1917, the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared in front of 3 children (Francisco, Jacinto and Lucia) tending sheep. She brought a...
Oct 16, 20221 min readRestaurante EstacoesAfter Batalha, we drove 30 minutes to Fatima. In Fatima, we had lunch at Restaurante Estacoes. It's part of a hotel and is located at Rua...
Oct 15, 20222 min readMonastery of BatalhaFrom Alcobaca, it was a 25-minute drive to Batalha. Batalha also has a Monastery of Santa Maria. It was built by King Joao I after...
Oct 14, 20221 min readAlcoaPastelaria Alcoa is situated near the Alcobaca Monastery. It's located at Praca 25 de Abrile, 44. They had an outdoor area so we stopped...
Oct 13, 20221 min readOther Sights in AlcobacaAfter seeing the monastery, we strolled around town. The Rio Alcobaca flows through town. The Mercado Municipal--a covered market...
