Fátima - Nazaré - Óbidos

 

Our second full day tour with Portugal Journeys with Peppe took us about an hour north of Lisbon.  With a 9:00am pick up at the Ramada Inn, we had a nice leisurely drive out of the city to Fátima.  Admittedly we weren't very familiar with the history of this site of historical significance within the Catholic Church.  Peppe did a wonderful job setting the stage for our time spent at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima.  The story begins with the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd children in 1917.  The first photo in the above collage is of the Monument to the Three Little Shepherds of Fátima.

Believers make the pilgrimage here 365 days of the year, with mass taking place several times daily in the open air Shrine of Fatima.  During our visit, mass was being conducted in English, but we were told it is given throughout the day in a number of languages.  Inside the basilica, tourists and worshipers could soak in the presence of God or simply pass through admiring the architecture, stain-glass and depictions of Jesus' life.

The significance of this site has been given validation by the Catholic Church, with Pope John Paul II making historical visits in 1982, 1991 and 2000.  More can be read about this with a Google search.

From Fátima our day's journey next took us to the coastal town of Nazaré.  Located on the Atlantic Ocean, this is where surfers make their pilgrimage to catch the 100 foot waves that are famous around the world.  The geology beneath the water is what makes this possible, as there is a 5,000 meter canyon located at the ocean's floor.  Our visit was a tad bit early, as the season for the highest waves is November to February.  The waters looked relatively calm as we viewed them from the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo.  Built in 1577, the lighthouse was added in 1903. This is a popular tourist attraction, with an interesting surfing museum inside the old fort, as well as a geological depiction of the deep ocean canyon.

Departing the cliff of North Beach heading into town, we made a quick stop at the Ermida da Memoria (Hermitage of Memory).  Legend tells of a knight being saved while riding his horse, with an open air chapel being built in 1182 in honor of his savior Our Lady of Nazaré.  The walls were enclosed in the 14th century and the beautiful blue & white tiles subsequently added. This may have been the most exquisite and well preserved example of Portuguese tiles we saw throughout our travels.

Portugal is known for its seafood, and when in Nazaré the place to go is Pangeia By The Sea.  Peppe was right when he highly recommended the octopus trilogy . . . a meal prepared for 2 with all of the accompaniments.  The large bowl is presented table side and includes octopus prepared 3 different ways: grilled, baked, and breaded, served with potatoes, sweet potatoes, and vegetables. With the catch of the day (sea bass) entree added, we had a wonderful meal, followed by desserts to share.

Heading back south towards Lisbon, our final stop on our tour with Peppe would be the medieval walled village of Óbidos.  Our late afternoon arrival provided ample time to walk the cobblestone streets and take in the sights along the way.  Rua Direita (Right Street) is the main road through the town, with plenty of shopping along the way.  The road ends at the well preserved 12th century medieval castle which today serves as a high-end luxury hotel.

Óbidos is also known for its its sour cherry liqueur, Ginjinha de Óbidos.  It was sold in several of the shops and cafes in the area.  Often served in a chocolate cup, Peppe made sure we got to sample another local culinary delight of the region.

Fortunately Pam & I are not shoppers, so our time in Óbidos was spent admiring the beautiful houses and flowers on the narrow side streets.

 

With our day of touring complete, Peppe was gracious to drop us off at the restaurant we had reservations for a fado performance and dinner that evening.  Timing and pace of the day were perfect.  We could not have been more delighted with all of the great experiences we had!