November 1, 2021
Coimbra to Nazare
There are more places we would like to visit before we leave Portugal and the only way we are going to make it to these spots, in our few remaining days, is with a little help from trains. This morning it meant an early departure to catch thé train from Coimbra to Valado, which covered a full day's ride in 1.5 hours. Then we had an easy 6 km to Nazare, and arrived with most of the day and loads of energy left to enjoy this well-known beach resort. It wasn't until we got to Nazare that we realized why it was so quiet leaving Coimbra this morning, November 1st is All Saints Day, a national holiday in Portugal.
Nazare was humming with people when we arrived. It was a beautiful day and it seemed all of Portugal was out enjoying a warm holiday Monday this late in the season, walking on the promenade, playing in the sand and sitting in cafes. After checking in to a hotel right on the beach, we walked through the maze of the lower town's small streets and alleys to the funicular. Nazare also has an upper town. Picture yourself on the wide Nazare beach facing the sea, to the right is an impressive headland, and on top of it sits Nazare's upper town called Sitio. To residents, taking the funicular is like taking the bus, it's a little over a euro and the easiest way to travel back and forth to school, work, etc between the upper and lower towns; and a great way for tourists to experience both parts of Nazare.
The views from Sitio down to the beach and lower town are wonderful. We walked through the upper town square past stalls, stores and restaurants as we slowly made our way to the Nazare Fortress that sits at the end of the cliff with a shear drop off to the sea below. Nazare's major attractions are waves and surfing. Standing at the fort you look south to see the gorgeous beach and lower town, but then if you turn and look up the coast you see the famous Praia do Norte. Surfers come from around the world to surf here. The biggest beach breaking waves in the world at 30 meters have been measured on the Praia do Norte. The waves were nowhere near record size today, but still the views and sensations of being at this spot are amazing. We joined the crowd of people perched along ledges or rocky outcrops to watch the waves and surfers.
Later, after walking down, we sat on the balcony of our hotel and watched the sun set with a glass of wine and hors d'œuvres before a light supper that left room for a visit to a a gelateria on the way home.
Perhaps because there aren't many days left days, that our last stop on the coast has been super special.
| Heart | 2 | Comment | 0 | Link |
Today's ride: 20 km (12 miles)
Total: 2,216 km (1,376 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 7 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 3 |
The big event of the day though was that Rachael got a flat tire here. I fixed her well by flipping the bike upside down on the sand to repair the flat, and apparently kicked sand into her derailleur. It broke it, and she rode the rest of the way to Lisbon with only a single gear in the back.
3 years ago
Rachel didn’t cycle Nazare to Lisbon in one day with her gears not working ?? If she did she deserves a medal! I know you did longer distances on your trips when you were still working but that would be too long a day!
3 years ago
3 years ago