Convento de Christo in Tomar

We began our day with another giant breakfast at the Pousada de Viseu.  We then drove south to Coimbra, home of Portugal's oldest university, established in 1537 upon orders of the King.  We explored the University square with it's historic buildings.  We walked back down through the city, seeing the Se' Nova (New Cathedral), along with two other cathedrals.  

We stopped for pastries then drove to Tomar.

Tomar is home to the Convento de Christo, with its original church built in the 12th century by the Knights Templar.  The Knights Templar were abolished in the 1400's, but the Convento continued to prosper for several hundred more years, with various additions.  There are seven multistory cloisters, a 16 sided chapel, an aquaduct, azulejos...  Luck was with us today, as a music festival was going on, with choirs singing throughout our visit.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and you can read more at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/265.  We've traveled a fair amount and Papa says I never pass a church without going in.  The Convento de Christo was unusual in many ways, including the sanctuary was built for the Knights Templar to worship in a circle on horseback.

 

Duoro River Drive

We left Oporto by 10 a.m., and drove east along the Duoro River this morning.  The terrain along the River is very steep and terraced, with microclimates good for growing grapes, olives, almonds, and other fruits.  A section of the Duoro has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It is stunning to see, in the top three most beautiful drives we've ever done (the other two are CA Highway 1 from Carmel south to Big Sur and the Amalfi Coast).

We stopped in Lamego to explore and get a snack.  We shared pastries and then worked off calories by walking up the 610 steps to the cathedral, started in 1129.  The walk down was much easier.

We arrived in the city of Viseu by 4:30 p.m., and checked into Pousada de Viseu, a former hospital built in 1842.  It's a mix of a neoclassic exterior with modern minimalist interior, with a full spa in the old hospital chapel.  We explored the historic area of Viseu and are having dinner at the Pousada.

From Guimaraes to Oporto

We left Guimaraes with happy memories of the city and Pousada Sta. Marinha.  After another big breakfast, we drove south to Amarante.  Amarante is on Rio Tamego and has a beautiful cathedral sitting next to the old bridge.  We explored the historic center, which was easily walkable and very pretty.  We are fortunate to be in Portugal during spring, with so many blooming flowers and vines.

We got on to the Rota de Romantico and visited a monastery built in the 13th century at Paco de Sousa.  We couldn't seem to get on the road we wanted after our visit, so we drove on to Oporto.  We easily found our hotel, Palacio de Freixo.  The Palacio was built in 1742 and renovated between 2000 and 2003.  It is beautiful!  The Palacio provides all the public rooms for the hotel, restaurant, reception, etc.  The hotel is in an adjoining building, formerly an ancient factory, and also beautifully renovated.  We had lunch at the hotel, then took a taxi to the center of Oporto.

We were surprised by Oporto.  It is beautiful, with hills similar to San Francisco, and historic cathedrals, homes, train station, and other buildings, from the 10th century and following, that can hold their own with any city in the world.  Incredibly beautiful!  The churches are filled with gold leaf, women do their wash by hand and hang laundry out the window, the architecture is rich and layered with azulejos in abundance, and the scene along the river at dusk was close to the daily night party in Marrakesh, with live music, dancing, and everyone eating and having a drink together at the end of the day.  We took a boat ride along the Duoro River just before sunset, then walked back to the hotel and had a snack of cheese, croissants, and sangria.  Life is good!