Setúbal
On Tuesday, December 19 I left Lisboa after having made some
shopping to go to Setúbal where I arrived at the end of the morning
in search of a carpark, which I did not find, to visit the downtown
area. Consequently I visited Castelo de São Filipe builds in 1590
like Vauban to prevent English from settling on the island of Tróia.
After the entry, a vault is covered with azulejos by Policarpo de
Oliviera Bernardes. From the top of ramparts a beautiful sight
embraces the port of the city. I found a bivouac at Figueirinha
between sea and mountain.
Setubal, click on the pic for opening the gallery
Serra da Arrábida, click on the pic for opening the gallery
On Wednesday, December 20 I left on a tour of Serra da Arrábida.
But before I visited bulky Mercado in a pink building!, after having
found a parking early in the morning. Of course I was accommodated by a
polychrome azulejo and others in the market. It resembles all the
markets in the world with fruit and vegetables, fish and meats. My
first halt was in Palmela to see the Castelo occupied by the Moors, then
conquered by the Christians at the 12th century it became the seat of
Saint Jacques. Inside the church of Santiago is worth visiting
only as from 10:00 like the church of Sáo Pedro in the city. The
access of the castle and the center of the city is a rally in narrow
lanes like often in the historical centres. Then I pushed up to Cabo
Espichel, the southern point of Serra where is the sanctuary Nossa
Senhora do Cabo set up at the 17th century on a place of pilgrimage
since the 13th century surrounded by buildings of reception of the
pilgrims. I returned to my bivouac after a turning to Sesimbra
and Portinho da Arrábida.
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The GPS road tacklog
from Seúbal to Estremoz
from 2017/12/21 au 2017/12/22
Cromeleque dos Almendres
On Thursday, December 22 was a day
prehistoric day with the visit of two megalithic sites.
Cromeleque dos Almendres close to Guadalupe is a set of
drawn up stones as they exist about it in the old Europe
dating back to 4000 between 2000 BC. They are 95 blocks
of granites laid out in oval with engravings which I did
not see. Further away Anta do Zambujeiro is a dolmen, a
sepulchral room to receive bodies accompanied by funerary
objects, preceded by a tumulus forming a gallery of access.
Capela-anta São Brissos has a narthex formed by a dolmen.
The temperature being very mild I returned to Cromeleque to bivouac.
Cromeleque dos Almendres, click on the pic for opening the gallery
Estremoz
After a peaceful night at the bottom of megaliths, I visited the
castle of Estremoz on a rock piton visible by far in the middle of
vineyards. Torre de Menagem is included in one of the most sumptuous
pousadas in Portugal. The low city characterized by an immense place,
Praça de Rossio, broadside of old convents and baroque churches.
In all the neighborhoods villages are of an impeccable whiteness
with windows surrounded by a facing of green color. I bivouacked
at the bottom of ramparts of the castle.
Estremoz, click on the pic for opening the gallery
The GPS road tacklog
from Estremoz to Marvão
from 2017/12/22 au 2017/12/23
Serra São Mamede
December 23 & 24th end of the week I had envisaged to traverse
the Serra São Mamede from Estremoz. The first stop was
in Portalegre which hardly held my attention due to quasi closed
monuments or there was nothing to see as the castle and, the
cathedral whose announced opening is 9:00 and not opened yet at
9:15; God did not have my visit this day. Moreover Antigo Convento
de Santa Clara is occupied by the GNR (Guarda Nacional Republicana);
I asked to visit, NO, to circulate it does not have nothing there to
see. Outside the ramparts Antigo Convento de São Bernardo is a
barracks of the GNR; of course I did not go there. I continued my way up to
Marvão an impressive castle built in the 13th century at the border
with Spain whose imposing ramparts are integrated harmoniously in
the landscape to make an impregnable fortress. The interior
village, tourist place in season, was deserted at the time of my
visit but an immaculate whiteness. I bivouacked close to a
convent quite as deserted.
Portalegre & Marvão, click on the pic for
opening the gallery
The GPS road tacklog
from Marvão to Barragem da Póvoa
from 2017/12/24 au 2017/12/25
Barragem da Póvoa
On Sunday the 24th and Christmas Day I rested at the edge of
the artificial lake of the Barragem da Póvoa close to Castelo de
Vide.
