We are wandering again in Spain and Portugal (12 Viewers)

[Lenny HB]

We decided to pop down the road to a place recommended by Lenny HB and seconded by varaizian called Fox do Arelho. Fabulous aire or camper stop on a saltwater lagoon, the largest in Europe apparently. The aire is €6 (I think extra for electric) and has toilets and showers. Both are fairly rudimentary, but on the other hand this is the view from our windscreen. What more can you ask for at that price.

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There is miles of sand here so we walked to the sea over the large dunes and watched the waves crash in. It has been mostly cloudy today but still very warm. But as we sat on the sand the sun came out for an hour or so.

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We walked back to the motorhome and put our chairs on the sand in front of the van to drink tea and read our books. We are parked next to the Morelo Palace, belonging to a friendly German couple who go away for 4-6 months at a time. There is a small car in the back. Remember those days when we could go anywhere in Europe for more than 90 days.

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How we have gone without seeing flamingos in the wild before I don't know, they are everywhere, including the lagoon here. What's more they make a lot of noise!

A few days ago we bought some frozen sardines and we decided tonight is the night (while we have access to someone else's toilets). We managed to polish them all off too.

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We have to decide where to go tomorrow, we have one more night before we are due in Porto. We had intended to head to Tomar, but might just stay here. Would we be missing anything in Tomar?

You mentions frozen fish I love the freezers in Lidl in Spain & Portugal where they sell lose shellfish, I always get a shock at the checkout when they weigh it and the price comes up. Often take a freezer full home.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

You mentions frozen fish I love the freezers in Lidl in Spain & Portugal where they sell lose shellfish, I always get a shock at the checkout when they weigh it and the price comes up. Often take a freezer full home.

Yes the frozen fish is fabulous. Given we are an island nation I don’t know we haven’t got anything similar.

 

[Just smiffy]

We decided to pop down the road to a place recommended by Lenny HB and seconded by varaizian called Fox do Arelho. Fabulous aire or camper stop on a saltwater lagoon, the largest in Europe apparently. The aire is €6 (I think extra for electric) and has toilets and showers. Both are fairly rudimentary, but on the other hand this is the view from our windscreen. What more can you ask for at that price.

View attachment 958948

There is miles of sand here so we walked to the sea over the large dunes and watched the waves crash in. It has been mostly cloudy today but still very warm. But as we sat on the sand the sun came out for an hour or so.

View attachment 958949View attachment 958952

We walked back to the motorhome and put our chairs on the sand in front of the van to drink tea and read our books. We are parked next to the Morelo Palace, belonging to a friendly German couple who go away for 4-6 months at a time. There is a small car in the back. Remember those days when we could go anywhere in Europe for more than 90 days.

View attachment 958953

How we have gone without seeing flamingos in the wild before I don't know, they are everywhere, including the lagoon here. What's more they make a lot of noise!

A few days ago we bought some frozen sardines and we decided tonight is the night (while we have access to someone else's toilets). We managed to polish them all off too.

View attachment 958955

We have to decide where to go tomorrow, we have one more night before we are due in Porto. We had intended to head to Tomar, but might just stay here. Would we be missing anything in Tomar?

One of my favourite places….

 

[Wanders from Glos]

One of my favourite places….

Yes it’s gone onto our list of places we would come back to.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

This morning the weather was what we have come to think of as Portuguese rain. Very fine misty stuff a bit like damping, it gets you a bit wet but it stays so hot you can't wear a waterproof, because you will get just as wet from being too hot. None of your proper cold British rain. Anyway, we decided there was no point staying by the beach much as we liked it at Foz do Arelho so we headed to Tomar, after the obligatory stop for coffee at a supermarket. Supermarket breakfasts are so cheap here, today two coffees and a doughnut was €2.30.

We are now at the aire in Tomar. It is an old municipal campsite, a bit run down but free with services and lots of space to spread out. A bit sad really there are quite a few vehicles here so a shame they couldn't make it pay. Still a great free stopover for us and very near the old town.

It's largely been a grey day with occasional Portuguese rain but not enough to stop a bit of touristing. The approach to the town from the aire is over the old bridge and weir. The narrow streets like many in Portugal are cobbled and pleasant.

The main square in front of the newly renovated cathedral is a relaxing place to sit and people watch, although there didn't seem to be many about.

The main attraction in Tomar is the Castle and Convento do Cristo built by the Knights Templar in the C12th. Every Portuguese city, town and village seems to have a stunning hilltop castle and this one is no exception. The convent (which housed monks) is built into the side of the castle and the whole thing creates a dramatic effect. The styling on the convent is very strange, almost Guadiesque, except it was done 500 years earlier. We think the style is called Manueline, but can't be sure, whatever it was definitely weird and reminded us of the Sagrada Familia. Lots of pictures to follow I'm afraid.

Inside the convent the walls were often tiled in the Portuguese style, very obviously old and hand painted. We are not great fans of the inside of churches, they all look similar we find but the chapel here is incredible. There is a centre piece with the usual saints and crosses. However very inch is painted, most of it from 500 years ago in a couple of cases even older. It gives a feel for what churches in the UK must have been like before the reformation, although perhaps not quite as dramatic as this one.

After it was time for coffee and pastel de nata (€4 in total) then back to the van. Tonight we are having steak haché from a supermarket called Continente which we had a week or two ago and thought were superb. Porto tomorrow and a palpitations of the wallet due to an expensive campsite.

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[jumar]

This morning the weather was what we have come to think of as Portuguese rain. Very fine misty stuff a bit like damping, it gets you a bit wet but it stays so hot you can't wear a waterproof, because you will get just as wet from being too hot. None of your proper cold British rain. Anyway, we decided there was no point staying by the beach much as we liked it at Foz do Arelho so we headed to Tomar, after the obligatory stop for coffee at a supermarket. Supermarket breakfasts are so cheap here, today two coffees and a doughnut was €2.30.

We are now at the aire in Tomar. It is an old municipal campsite, a bit run down but free with services and lots of space to spread out. A bit sad really there are quite a few vehicles here so a shame they couldn't make it pay. Still a great free stopover for us and very near the old town.

View attachment 959535

It's largely been a grey day with occasional Portuguese rain but not enough to stop a bit of touristing. The approach to the town from the aire is over the old bridge and weir. The narrow streets like many in Portugal are cobbled and pleasant.

View attachment 959537View attachment 959538

The main square in front of the newly renovated cathedral is a relaxing place to sit and people watch, although there didn't seem to be many about.

View attachment 959541

The main attraction in Tomar is the Castle and Convento do Cristo built by the Knights Templar in the C12th. Every Portuguese city, town and village seems to have a stunning hilltop castle and this one is no exception. The convent (which housed monks) is built into the side of the castle and the whole thing creates a dramatic effect. The styling on the convent is very strange, almost Guadiesque, except it was done 500 years earlier. We think the style is called Manueline, but can't be sure, whatever it was definitely weird and reminded us of the Sagrada Familia. Lots of pictures to follow I'm afraid.

View attachment 959547View attachment 959548View attachment 959549View attachment 959550

Inside the convent the walls were often tiled in the Portuguese style, very obviously old and hand painted. We are not great fans of the inside of churches, they all look similar we find but the chapel here is incredible. There is a centre piece with the usual saints and crosses. However very inch is painted, most of it from 500 years ago in a couple of cases even older. It gives a feel for what churches in the UK must have been like before the reformation, although perhaps not quite as dramatic as this one.

View attachment 959563View attachment 959564View attachment 959566

After it was time for coffee and pastel de nata (€4 in total) then back to the van. Tonight we are having steak haché from a supermarket called Continente which we had a week or two ago and thought were superb. Porto tomorrow and a palpitations of the wallet due to an expensive campsite.

View attachment 959570

Like Tomar...went there over 24 years ago...some fond memories...stayed when campsite was still operating, over night price was about what you paid for your breakfasts..
...

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Like Tomar...went there over 24 years ago...some fond memories...stayed when campsite was still operating, over night price was about what you paid for your breakfasts..
...

No wonder it closed

 

[varaizian]

This morning the weather was what we have come to think of as Portuguese rain. Very fine misty stuff a bit like damping, it gets you a bit wet but it stays so hot you can't wear a waterproof, because you will get just as wet from being too hot. None of your proper cold British rain. Anyway, we decided there was no point staying by the beach much as we liked it at Foz do Arelho so we headed to Tomar, after the obligatory stop for coffee at a supermarket. Supermarket breakfasts are so cheap here, today two coffees and a doughnut was €2.30.

We are now at the aire in Tomar. It is an old municipal campsite, a bit run down but free with services and lots of space to spread out. A bit sad really there are quite a few vehicles here so a shame they couldn't make it pay. Still a great free stopover for us and very near the old town.

View attachment 959535

It's largely been a grey day with occasional Portuguese rain but not enough to stop a bit of touristing. The approach to the town from the aire is over the old bridge and weir. The narrow streets like many in Portugal are cobbled and pleasant.

View attachment 959537View attachment 959538

The main square in front of the newly renovated cathedral is a relaxing place to sit and people watch, although there didn't seem to be many about.

View attachment 959541

The main attraction in Tomar is the Castle and Convento do Cristo built by the Knights Templar in the C12th. Every Portuguese city, town and village seems to have a stunning hilltop castle and this one is no exception. The convent (which housed monks) is built into the side of the castle and the whole thing creates a dramatic effect. The styling on the convent is very strange, almost Guadiesque, except it was done 500 years earlier. We think the style is called Manueline, but can't be sure, whatever it was definitely weird and reminded us of the Sagrada Familia. Lots of pictures to follow I'm afraid.

View attachment 959547View attachment 959548View attachment 959549View attachment 959550

Inside the convent the walls were often tiled in the Portuguese style, very obviously old and hand painted. We are not great fans of the inside of churches, they all look similar we find but the chapel here is incredible. There is a centre piece with the usual saints and crosses. However very inch is painted, most of it from 500 years ago in a couple of cases even older. It gives a feel for what churches in the UK must have been like before the reformation, although perhaps not quite as dramatic as this one.

View attachment 959563View attachment 959564View attachment 959566

After it was time for coffee and pastel de nata (€4 in total) then back to the van. Tonight we are having steak haché from a supermarket called Continente which we had a week or two ago and thought were superb. Porto tomorrow and a palpitations of the wallet due to an expensive campsite.

View attachment 959570

Fabulous! And I'm not remotely religious.