portugal quick tour featured

portugal – quick tour – capitals past and present

Hi! Back in 2007 Steve and I had our first wonderful visit to Portugal, invited by a friend. It was lovely to meet his family and see the beautiful part of the country that he was from. And of course get an insiders view of Portugal! Starting in Guimarães and ending in Lisbon via Porto and Aveiro we got to see a lot of great places :)

On this quick tour we are stopping at Guimarães, Coimbra and Lisbon, two past capitals and the current. These photos got a bit of HDR grunge treatment and are among my favourites.

Guimarães

Guimarães Street

Guimarães, situated in the North of the country was the first capital of Portugal and there is nothing better than taking a wander around its beautiful streets, discovering its historic past. After climbing the tower of the medieval castle and taking in the views over the city, enjoy the ambiance of the place whilst resting your feet in one of the many little cafes! Largo da Oliveira and Praca de Santiago are two great places to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine and a drink.

Coimbra

Coimbra

Sé Velha de Coimbra (Old Cathedral of Coimbra)

Coimbra, situated about half way between Guimarães and Lisbon was the countries capital after Guimarães. With it’s beautiful architecture and impressive Velha University there is plenty to see and photograph. Take a walk along the river, Rio Mondego and enjoy the shade of the trees in Parque Manuel Braga.

Lisbon

Lisbon

Lisbon

Lisbon, or in Portuguese, Lisboa, is the end of this quick tour and the current capital! With it’s  distinctive trams, Castelo Sao Jorge (Sao Jorge Castle) and Convento do Carmo (Carmo Convent), which was partly destroyed in the great earthquake of 1755, there is lots to take in. If you want to get off the beaten track then take a little time out to see the Aqueduto das Águas Livre and the Mãe d’Água Amoreiras Reservoir. The Aqueduct was opened in 1748 and did survive the earthquake. It’s interesting to walk along it, and visit the reservoir contained in a distinctive stone building.

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