We departed Coimbra and detoured slightly to the south to visit the ancient city of Conimbriga before continuing on to Porto.

Conimbriga

Conimbriga was a Roman city that, like other ancient sites, has layers of settlements and history. Its first period of occupation dates from the 9th century BC. Romans arrived around 139 BC.
Under various campaigns and rulers, Romans brought urban organization, including massive city walls, temples, amphitheatres, thermal baths, an aqueduct, shops, artwork, gardens, fountains, crafts, and architecture. Though not one of the largest Roman settlements, it is one of the best preserved.

At its peak, Conimbriga had more than 10,000 inhabitants. In 465, invasions by the Sueves (Germanic tribes) led to the city’s destruction.

The home shown above is one of the largest to be unearthed. A roof now protects the exposed site. This entry plaza had water gardens and fountains, which have been restored to working order. It was constructed almost 1,800 years ago.

Excavation began at the end of the 19th century. Efforts and leadership have shifted over time. There’s a lot of history to be read between the lines: tussles over ownership, excavation philosophy and methods, and political agendas.

Today, the site is owned by the Republic of Portugal and managed by the Portuguese Institute for Museums. Visitors will find interpretive signage near the excavations, a museum, visitor’s center, shop, and cafe.

There’s so much to see. Yet, as of 2005, it was estimated that only 10% of the city had been excavated. We spent hours exploring and left knowing there was still more to see. Hoping to pay a return visit in the future.

Douro

The Douro River flows into the Atlantic at Porto, Portugal’s second largest city. This is another city where driving is really challenging, so we stashed our car in a public parking lot and walked to see the sights. Our hotel near the river was well-situated for exploring.

The Ribeiredge Guesthouse has a total of eight rooms on four narrow floors. Our room had a street view, with French doors that opened onto a balcony too small for a chair. But our room was absolutely comfy and fine.

The tiny elevator whisked us upstairs after a long day of tromping around town and, in the morning, we were served continental breakfast by a charming hostess.

On our first morning, we set out to do laundry. To our surprise, the facility was pretty high tech. A central wall station managed washer and dryer settings and payments.

Soap and softener were preloaded and included in the cost. One load, wash and dry, was about $10.

That’s what you find when you travel; some things cost more, some cost less than you’d expect. It was fun managing the challenge of a laundromat.

Just a few blocks from our guesthouse, we visited the Sao Francisco Church, a UNESCO site. Unfortunately, no photos are allowed inside this stunning church. Early trade with Brazil brought a lot of gold into Portugal, and churches, especially this one, reflect that wealth.

Exquisite carvings, murals, statuary, and lots of gold fill every chapel within Sao Francisco.

The Duoro River separates Porto from Vila Nova de Gaia. A series of six bridges span the crossing, as well as water taxis and ferries.

We took the Six Bridges, hour-long boat cruise to see both cities from the water. It was a drizzly day, but we enjoyed our “cruise.” The boatman had a sense of humor and offered to take pictures of his passengers.

The Ribeira – Riverfront- area is great for strolling, window shopping, and people-watching

Gaia, as the locals call it, is known for its port wine lodges and tastings. There are 18 wine lodges within walking distance of the ferry landing. The wine is produced further inland, in the Douro Valley, and then brought to Gaia via boat for aging and finishing.

A stroll along the waterfront in Gaia. Boats with wine barrels – mostly a tourist photo op.

We walked the lower level of the bridge to access Gaia’s waterfront, took a cable car to the crest of the town, and then walked back into Porto on the upper level. The upper level brought us close to the Sao Bento Train Station.

The station features some of the country’s finest azulejos – handpainted tiles. The station was originally a convent.

The transformation and tilework dates from the mid-1800s. The tiles tell Portugal’s story, quite elegantly.

We had one of the best meals of our trip at Tapa Bento, a small restaurant tucked behind the station. Fresh mussels and smoked salmon toast. It took us a while to find it. Google maps had us going in circles, but it was worth the extra steps.

Doesn’t she look like she’s tired of waiting for a train?

Three days in Porto went too quickly. We could have stayed longer. Maybe another time?

Aveiro

We retrieved our rental car from public parking and started on our way south. We took a short break in Aveiro just to stretch our legs. Aveiro bills itself as the Venice of Portugal.

The early industry of the town was collecting salt and salt marsh grasses for fertilizer. Now, the same boats – moliceiros-ferry tourists along the same canals.

Today, Aveiro is a university and tech hub. In the summer, tourists flock to this seaside town. On this cool, autumn day, it was pretty quiet and a lovely place for a walk about.

Nazare

For generations this has been a fishing town. Today, much of this seaside town’s draw is about its beaches and surfing.

We stayed in a recently renovated apartment that, formerly, was part of the fisherman’s village. Nazare is an iconic seaside town. White washed houses – to reflect Portugal’s summer sun – and red tiled roofs.

We walked to the town market and bought fresh lettuce, vegetables, and cheese for a salad dinner. The market is also a community hub, where neighbors connect and mingle.

We rode the funicular up to Sitio. From there, the views of Nazare’s broad beaches were spectacular.

From here, we could see the camping rigs of surfers waiting for big waves. An offshore trough generates monster waves; up to 100 feet have been recorded. (Of course, not on the day we visited. That’s how it goes.)

During an evening seaside walk, we saw a collection of boats. The boats are shaped differently for specific purposes. We also caught sight of a fish drying station as its owner was closing up for the day.

An old town tiny street with laundry drying in the seabreeze. Most homes have washing machines, but it’s common to see laundry drying outdoors.

Lisbon

We turned in our rental car near the Lisbon airport and took the metro back into town. We spent our last few days doing some easy sightseeing in Lisbon. It now felt familiar, and we were able to find our way more easily.

As our trip drew to a close, we felt good about Portugal and taking a little break from our van life.

We had mastered traveling with just carry-on luggage, food shopping, the laundromat, the metro, funiculars, roundabouts, and how to eat grilled sardines. We felt welcome everywhere we went and enjoyed our adventure. It was all so much fun!

Thanks for armchair traveling with us. Our van life adventures will resume soon.