Fatima

Coimbra between university and white stone

Today's first stop is Coimbra, beautiful the cathedral And even more beautiful is the historic center, with sloping streets leading to the river. It's immediately clear that this is a university town, as evidenced by the students who begin their week wearing the typical black cloaks. Rua Ferreira Borges, with its shops and displays, is the main shopping street, and as often happens in this country, it features a pavement of polished white porphyry with decorations tending towards gray. The overall effect creates the impression that the street is wet and slippery, but in reality, it's just reflections.

The fact remains that azulejos on the walls and white porphyry in the pedestrian streets represent a generally beautiful ornamental feature of this country.

Tomar and the Knights Templar's Convent

Following are some historically and religiously significant sites that we visit between late morning and afternoon. Tomar...in the end, it wasn't clear whether the approximately 30 km between the highway exit and the town of Tomar were actually the shortest route. However, the asphalt road winds through the gentle, green hills cultivated with olive groves and vineyards, eventually leading to the magnificent base of what was once one of the most important Templar headquarters, the Convento do Cristo. Perfectly preserved over the centuries, it offers visitors a glimpse into how the clergy lived during the medieval period: welcoming pilgrims and the authoritative architecture of what appears to be a small, well-protected town. The mystery surrounding the Knights Templar contributes to fueling the imagination. Also beautiful is the dining hall and the kitchen, who needed to feed those living there or passing through. Many courtyards They are framed by arches with stucco and represent what the techniques of the time could offer.

Fatima, Batalha and Alcobaça

Fatima: as the guidebook rightly says, what you see depends on what you came to look for. For tourists there isn't much to see: two basilicas, one for those who like the rich but also intimate style, and another for those who prefer... prefers modern architecture. Everything is separated by a huge paved square on one side of which there is the Chapel of the Apparition... exactly where the Virgin appeared to the three shepherds. Nearby, covered structures house the candles lit by pilgrims. Just beyond the sacred sites are souvenir and religious art shops, as well as restaurants, hotels, and anything else that might be useful for visitors. Therefore, Fatima should only be visited from a purely religious perspective, as a pilgrimage destination. Considering it as part of a tourist trip risks losing its meaning; however, visiting specifically requires strong faith and devotion, which may not be found in other ways of understanding the religious mystery.
Batalha Monastery: built after the vote by João I before a fierce but successful war against the Spanish, it deserves recognition for its arches, lace, and wonderful exterior and a bright interior with colors filtering through the windows. The Gothic style with pillars similar to trees of which almost I don't see the connection with the ceiling. makes the visitor feel even smaller in comparison to such grandeur.

Mosteiro de Alcobaça: also here, although for different reasons and with another origin, one finds oneself facing a Gothic monastery, whose gaze looks up towards the sky almost without end. Much simpler and less decorated, in a style that could easily be found in a Protestant city, it still has shafts of light that the high stained-glass windows allow to filter through. The story of Dom Pedro and his wife, who are buried here, makes one reflect on how sad the lives of rulers must have been when it came to arranged marriages. We cannot imagine how the rest of the population lived. Inside the church, we see the damage caused by the Napoleonic armies, fortunately one of the few damages caused by wars in this country, which, in some ways, has the fate of being geographically located on the outskirts of Europe. However, on the day of resurrection, the king and queen will find themselves looking at each other's faces due to how their tombs were positioned.

Evening in Nazareth

The entire day dedicated to culture leads us to seek accommodation at the coastal town of Nazareth. We visit the upper part, the Sitio neighborhood, with stunning views of the coastline, featuring the blue hues of the ocean, the beige of the beach, and beyond, the red roofs of the houses. A maze of narrow streets, whose walls are decorated with azulejos depicting everyday life, allows you to immerse yourself in this fishing village. We descend into what is the actual town: during this off-season, it's barely possible to navigate through the narrow streets leading to the promenade; it's difficult to imagine how traffic is during the hottest months. Today we also take advantage of sunset to save on an SD card, but first in our minds, the images of the fiery disk as it disappears where the horizon line connects the ocean with the sky. Everything I have chosen ochre tones, while the dried cod are coming tables ready for the night Needless to say, the seafood cuisine is excellent, especially when accompanied by the local white wines. At this point, I want to make a note that also serves as a warning for anyone traveling on vacation in the tourist areas of Portugal: it was probably just a coincidence, but we have encountered at least three instances where we were presented with an unexpectedly higher bill, discounts not applied, and other similar issues. Everything was always clarified in a civil manner and acknowledged with many apologies. However, there remains a strong feeling that many businesses are trying to take advantage of unsuspecting tourists who let their guard down while on vacation.