Tchau Portugal, Hola España

After 36 fabulous days in Portugal, we cross the border into Spain.  Our journey has been lovely, travelling on as many ‘roads less travelled’ and keeping off motorways as we criss-crossed our way from south Portugal to north.

Our journey across Portugal - in white

So, once again we are across the border into Spain and in the space of a second we have lost one hour of our lives as the clocks go forward! The only way you know you have crossed the border is the EU sign. The quickest route to our first stop is by motorway, most of which are free in Spain and the journey from Bragança to Zamora was quite pretty.

First stop back in Spain – the city of Zamora in Castella -León region.  It sits on the River Douro surrounded by its defensive walls, and was known as the ‘well protected’.  The Aire is next to a park and gives motorhomes their own little spot (N41.50351 W5.75648).

With being in Portugal so long we had completely forgotten about the Spanish siesta, where nearly everything closes between 2pm-5pm.  So, walking around the old town of Zamora during this period made it feel like a bit of a ghost town.  It was nice walking around its narrow cobbled streets, known as the city of Romanesque.  We find the architecture can sometimes be just as nice to see from the outside as in, plus we had been in enough castles, cathedrals and churches over the last few weeks to last us a while so we weren’t that bothered they were closed!

Zamora Cathedral

Zamora Castle

Plenty of storks nesting in this old church roof.

The Puente de Piedra (stone bridge) across the River Douro

Posing with the bronze sculpture of the maestro Herminio Ramos Pérez – a chronicler and journalist, he became the Voice of Zamora

On the Plaza Mayor outside the church is the scary looking  El Merlú together with El barandales  - representative figures during the Easter Holy Week . 

Old Town Hall

Very steep street leading down to the stone bridge across the river, that used to provided direct access to the centre of the city for traders

The next morning we were up and on the road early as we headed to Palencia – a 98 mile (157kms) drive and the longest distance we have driven in one day since the beginning of our journey.  The quickest route was by motorway, but nearly all of these are free of tolls and pass through some pretty countryside so the drive was quite pleasant.

The Aire (N42.01056 W4.54568) is all free and the facilities amazing.  You get the usual (water and chemical waste dump) plus electricity, heated shower/toilet block, secured Wi-Fi, washing/ironing room with washing powder provided and outside seating area with vending machines. The Aire is spotless and is cleaned about 3 times a day. It is owned and run by the garage across the road, which I guess relies on motorhomes filling up with fuel and spending in their little shop to cover the cost of providing it for free.

The only trouble was that it rained and rained and rained for the 2 days we were here.  It was a good job we had electric as there was no way our solar panel was going to keep our batteries charged up with no sun!

Sitting out the rain on the Aire at Palencia

In-between the rain we managed a walk into the town.  Like Zaomora, Palencia has some lovely Romanesque buildings and way too many churches!

Cathedral

Whilst we were here there was a music festival taking place - Palencia Sonora Festival.  It attracts over 20 artists that play music in the town and in the Parque de Sotillo, bit like the Leeds festival.  A large area of the park is cordoned off for the stage and is full of tents, that were in danger of getting washed away because of the rain!  Despite the rain the show still went on and we could hear the music going on at the Aire into the middle of the night.  Thank goodness for ear plugs!

Parque de Sotillo

One of the bands playing outside the town hall

Palacio de la Diputacion 

The main street

After Leaving Palencia, we have headed to Burgos and still it rains!  Fingers crossed the sun will come out soon and we can venture into the town.

Sally x

Last stops in Portugal before crossing the border into Spain

Leaving Amarante we headed out on the IP4 towards Bragança.  The road wound its way up to an elevation of nearly 1,000 metres, and then all the way back down again, with beautiful views over the countryside.

You know a road is steep and winding when you have these 'safety slip-ways every so many kilometres down the road!

We decided to stop about 40kms outside Bragança at a reservoir, Barregem do Azibo just below the little village of Santa Combinha.  There are no facilities here but we had everything we needed, so all was good (N41.58168 W6.89952).

The Aire at Barregem do Azibo

Mel put on his Wikiloc App to see if there were any walks in the area and what do you know we were soon off on a 10km hike around the reservoir!  It is a large Biodiversity area, attracting lots of butterflies, dragonflies and eagles.

Mel looking across to the Aire 

Plenty of old cork oak trees here, with a lot having been stripped of its cork.  As well as bottle corks, the Portuguese make a lot of products with the cork.  We had walked right from the top of the hill in the distance.  It was a steep climb back!

Santa Combinha

Back at the motorhome, we watched quite a few eagles circling around us and then one landed and took off down by the waters edge.

Leaving the reservoir we went to Bragança, with its ancient citadel and perfectly preserved wall.  The Aire has all the usual facilities and can take approx 30 motorhomes (N41.80389 W6.74633).  Good job we got here early as within the space of an hour it was full of French motorhomes, it's a popular spot for them to stay before heading north back to France.

We had a wander around the town, then along by the river before heading up to the castle.

Walking along the river, we came across this.  Interesting use of old materials, but no idea what it was supposed to symbolize.

Entering the castle walls to the citadel.  The Bragançans were the last line of Portuguese monarchs, ruling from 1640 when they replaced the Spaniards until the fall of the monarchy in 1910.

Igreja de Santa Maria and the Domus Municipalis - a fifteenth-century Romanesque monument (municipal meeting room on the first floor and cistern below)

The tower houses a military museum, spread out on 4 floors in the tiny rooms.  Mostly weapons with a few costumes and medals – no photos allowed to be taken!

View from the top floor, unfortunately by the time we got to the top it was raining.

Tomorrow we leave Portugal and head back into Spain.  It will be sad leaving this country, as we have had a fantastic 36 days here.  The people have been friendly, the scenery and architecture beautiful, it's reasonably priced and most of all it is geared up for motorhomes.  All our stops in Portugal have been free, apart from one paid Aire in Obidos – thank you Portugal for looking out for us motorhomers!

Oh yes… we will miss these too, but our waistlines won’t!

Pasteis de Belém - a flaky custard-like cream tart, that they have been making for over a century.

Last year we did a little survey for ourselves to rate the countries we had visited based on: Scenery, Architecture. Friendliness, Cleanliness, Value for money, Safety, Road conditions, Motorhome facilities, Wild camping, Campsites and Food.

Visiting Portugal last year, we only went to the Algarve and rated it 14 out of the 20 countries we visited, with Morocco, Slovenia, Greece and Austria our top 4 but having just used the same system with rate Portugal a big fat first!

Sally x

Porto – port lovers paradise

Leaving the Aire at Moreira we headed to Porto, Portugal’s second largest city.  It was only 43kms (27 miles) and although we had come to the end of the pretty N222 road, our Snooper Sat-Nav was still keen to take us down more of the 'roads less travelled'.  This one happened to be very narrow and cobbled for about 10kms and poor old Sonny’s (the motorhome) suspension was put to the test.  We only met 2 vehicles all the way, and one of those was the local village bus - yes it was a tight squeeze!

The last 10km to get to the Aire at Porto, we had to take the motorway.  We have avoided motorways where possible and avoided toll roads completely.  We had forgotten just how busy and congested they get; however, Mel got a glimpse of Porto’s football stadium on this route, so he was happy!

Parked up on the Aire (N41.1434 W8.63249), which is on the south side of the river we walked along the riverfront and into Porto – about a 20 minute walk.  Sitting at the mouth of the River Doura, it has a certain appeal about it, with its coloured old buildings built in tiers up a rock face and of course all the port lodges sellers.

Like Lisbon, it is all built on a hill, so you can either walk it or there is a multi-choice of transport – cable car, funicular railway, trams, the open top tourist bus, plus dozens of boat trips up and down the river.  Unlike Lisbon, most of the sights sit near each other, so we figured we would do it on foot plus we could do with the exercise!

Wooden boats (barcos rabelos) – the traditional boats once used to transport wine casks downriver from the port vineyards

Cable cars and Sandeman Port Lodge

The old Porto along the waterfront, with its brightly coloured houses, restaurants and cafés

Ponte Dom Luis 1 – Porto’s iconic double-decker bridge, built in 1886 - linking old Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia

Vila Nova de Gaia on the south of the River is dominated by the port wine lodges and bars. All spelling out their names in huge letters across the roofs, all offering tastings and tours.  Most do the Sandeman tour, we know this as you see people walking around with their bright yellow bags with the Sandeman logo on!

Vila Nova de Gaia, and all its named port lodges

Kopke, the oldest port house

Old port barrel

The Cathedral up by the city wall -  an interesting mix of Baroque, Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

Inside the cathedral

Views over the rooftops of old Porto, lots of medieval streets and alleyways fall away from the cathedral.

Admiring the architecture walking up to the City Hall at the top

 City hall – building started in 1920 and didn’t get completed until 1956

Ireja and Torre dos Clérigos

Floating cube fountain and ‘Fred Flintstone’ look-a-like standing guard in the church behind!

We stopped to have a meal at one of the riverside restaurants.  I opted for sardines but Mel decided to go for one of Porto's signature dish of Francesinha - 2 slices of bread, with steak, ham, sausage and chorizo, covered in cheese and drizzled with spicy tomato sauce and crowned with a fried egg.  It looked pretty horrible but Mel said it was delicious and would have it again!

Francesinha, singnature dish of Porto 

Found this iconic bottle of Mateus Rose, think most people drunk this in the 70's!

Igreja de San Francisco – Porto’s only surviving Gothic Church

We stopped at a riverside cafe and people watched for a while, with a bit of street theatre thrown in for good measure

Winner of the living statue contest 2007 and 2010 and he is still going strong!

We had a great day wandering up and down the streets and alleyways of old Porto and wound the day up with a bottle of Offley, our chosen port of the day - chosen more for it's price!

Enjoying a nice glass of Port back at Chez Sonny.  We don't have any port glasses with us so we used wine glasses - they get more in anyway!

Our neighbours at Porto – love what they’ve done with their van!

Yesterday we spent most of the day sitting out the rain in little riverside town of Amarante, a quiet spot by the river Tamega on the edge of the park (N41.27276 W8.07089).  

The good news is this morning the sun has come out so we had a wander into the town.  The town's history revolves around the thirteenth-century hermit Gonçalo and most of the attractions bear his name, including the church and the bridge it sits on.

Amarante, with The Igreja de São Gonçalo on the Ponte de São Gonçalo

The church and monastery were built between 1540 and 1620 and is very ornate inside.

We move on next towards Bragança, a town on the Portuguese/Spanish border and sadly that means our tour of Portugal will be over for this year.  It's a lovely country and we will definitely be back to see more and re-visit some of our favourites!

Sally x