Last Call in Lisbon

November 21, 2017November 21, 2017 / Karina Pinella / 2 Comments

[Day 10 – Last day in Lisbon, Portugal]

Tchau, Portucale,
Thank you for the memories;
There’s always next time.

In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9

Casas Royale

November 20, 2017November 21, 2017 / Karina Pinella / 5 Comments

[Day 9 – Sintra]

Now a resort town,
Once mostly for royalty;
Lisbon’s great retreat.

In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8

A Fantastic Foray

November 19, 2017November 19, 2017 / Karina Pinella / 5 Comments

[Day 8 – Óbidos, Alcobaça, Batalha, and Fátima]

Óbidos
Viewing from a ledge
Walled village of Óbidos
Perfect for parkour.

Alcobaça
A monastery,
Splendid Gothic monument
Houses royal tombs.

Batalha
A UNESCO site,
Another monastery
Preserved very well.

Fátima
Visions of Mary,
Catholic pilgrimage site;
Many faiths pray here.

In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7

The Knights that Went Dark

November 18, 2017November 19, 2017 / Karina Pinella / 15 Comments

[Day 7 in Tomar]

Once headquartered in Tomar,
The Order of the Knights Templar
Overcame Islamic domination in Portugal;
They were rewarded the castles of Almourol,
Monsanto, and Pombal.

Faced with perceived heresy,
And political upheaval,
The once mighty warrior monks’
Reputation and status were all laid lower
When the jealous King of France
Persuaded the Pope to destroy the Order.

In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6

Hot Lisbon, You’re Cool

November 17, 2017November 18, 2017 / Karina Pinella / 13 Comments

[Day 6 in Lisbon]

Murals paint the city walls,
Vintage trams keep pace with urban amblers,
Bacalhau à brás graces dinner halls.

In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5

Bend the Knee in Braga

November 16, 2017November 17, 2017 / Karina Pinella / 16 Comments

Day 5 was a déjà vu at the São Bento train station, where we boarded the 8:15 a.m. suburban train to Braga. We spent the whole day at a baroque capital founded by the Romans, who named it Bracara Augusta, and now referred to as Braga. Renowned for its numerous churches and nearby Bom Jesus do Monte pilgrimage center, Braga is home to the first cathedral in Portugal.

In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4

Gone to Guimarães

November 15, 2017November 15, 2017 / Karina Pinella / 16 Comments

Day 4 finds us in the Porto train station at 8:20 a.m. to catch the suburban train to Guimarães, a city of medieval origin, dating back to the 10^th century. Its historic center was classified as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO in December 2001.

In case you missed . . .
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3

Perambulating Porto

November 13, 2017 / Karina Pinella / 18 Comments

Porto is Portugal’s second largest city and is situated in the northern part of the country. As soon as I alighted from the train from Coimbra, I hit the ground walking. And what a lot to see . . .

Day 2 – In and around Praça da Liberdade and Avenida dos Aliados

If you missed it, see . . .
Day 1 – Coimbra

Portugal: A Perfect 10 (Days)

November 12, 2017December 31, 2017 / Karina Pinella / 24 Comments

I traveled through the northern part of Portugal over a month ago, landing in Lisbon first but immediately headed north to Coimbra first and then on to Porto and nearby towns. Truly a country full of beauty and history.

Day 1 – Coimbra
Formerly Portugal’s capital, a medieval city known best for its historic University of Coimbra, the oldest such scholarly institution in all of Europe. The main university building was once the royal palace.