The Philippines is a collection of many beautiful islands, but unfortunately, Juan was not able to explore most of them. Now that he plans to make Portugal his new home, it would be great to start exploring each district to become familiar with the country’s culture and beauty. Before Juan become a “local” here, he wants to experience and learn more about the people and the country. This time, I don’t want to feel like a tourist in my own home.
I have learned from my Portuguese teacher, Gabriela, that “Primavera” (the spring season) is from abril a junho (yes, Juan has already started his Portuguese classes, so I will try to insert some vocabulary and expressions to practice on this journey). It means that we are in the last mês (month) before verão (summer) starts, a perfect time to pack our bags, join a tour, ride a train, and visit various places in the country.
Hoje, Portugal celebrates its national day. I don’t actually know its significance, but what’s important is that today marks Juan’s eighth month here! Let me share some of my experiences from the past month.
We joined a day tour to Douro Valley em 17 de maio. It was one of those buses filled with tourists. The trip started from São Bento and was guided by Zara, our tour guide with a thick accent, and Tiago, our cute and always smiling driver. At first, it was a bit annoying because she talked a lot, but then again, it was her job. From there, we went to our first destination, Amarante.
Amarante is located 45 km east of Porto and is known for its patron saint, São Gonçalo de Amarante. The town is famous for its 16th-century church, Vinho Verde wine, and phallic-shaped cakes. We did take a short walk around the town, enjoyed a cup of coffee, and sampled their famous sweets. The festival of São Gonçalo is celebrated every first weekend of June, but unfortunately, we missed that celebration.
From there, we drove to Favaios, one of the many vineyards in the Douro region. We had our first wine tour and tasting of the day at Avessada and enjoyed an excellent lunch with the people we met during the tour, accompanied by glasses of port wine, red wine, white wine, and aguardente. At 13:00, we continued the trip, driving along the picturesque Douro Valley. We did a boat cruise in Pinhão, drinking beer while enjoying scenic views then followed by another lecture about port wine and tasting at CROFT Quinta da Roeda. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the things the Portuguese take great pride in.
Sexta-feira, 24 de maio, we went 47 km north of Porto for the Braga Romana 2024. After a 60-minute train ride, we arrived in Braga to witness this annual event where locals dress up as they did in Roman times.
From the train station, we walked towards the city center. The city gate was very welcoming, with locals walking around in their costumes. Since we decided to stay the night, we checked into our respective hotels and dropped off our stuff, making it easier and more enjoyable to explore the city.
Juan and his friends took a cab to the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, another UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Braga. This beautiful sanctuary is notable for its zigzag-shaped stairways. The interior of the church is amazingly decorated, and walking around the park vicinity is well worth it. There’s a funicular that goes up and down the church, but we decided to walk down the never-ending stairways while admiring the intricately designed statues. We stayed on top for a while, enjoying scoops of gelato while overlooking the city from afar and taking in the view.
Getting a cab from the shrine’s gate was somewhat challenging but manageable. We were entertained by the sight of a hot guy exercising, which made the wait more pleasant. From there, we returned to the city center Sé de Braga. We dined at one of the touristy restaurants in front of the church, where I had the best ribs of my life at a place called pPlace. Nearby, people were performing on a stage, and kids, men, and women walked around in their best costumes. A group of locals marched towards another church to prepare for the parade at 22:00. Despite the cold, we decided to head straight to the city center and find a spot to watch the parade after dinner. The night did not disappoint, as we watched an hour-long parade along the streets of Braga. Afterward, we went to see the Circus Maximus, an entertainment show from ancient Roman times where two groups compete by showcasing their combat and horse-riding skills.
The following day, we took a laid-back walk around the city, drinking coffee while observing people taking pictures in front of a huge sign near the church. I remembered our first visit to Braga in November, before the start of winter. The streets were almost empty, and after walking for an hour, we had our first piri-piri chicken dinner in Portugal, only for the rain to start and the electricity to go out in the entire area. The city is very lively now, with people everywhere. We packed our bags and left the hotel to explore further before heading back home. The streets were still filled with small shops and locals dancing and performing on stage. We came across an interesting site, a Roman encampment where soldiers would stay before heading to war. The design was fascinating, with stables, some owls, and people dressed as soldiers and servants cooking and preparing food for everyone. We also visited the food court, which was packed with people having lunch, but that didn’t stop us from getting cups of sangria and beer. Dessert shops were all over the place, and of course, we tried some before having our last coffee of the day and heading to the train station to return home.
Matosinhos and Leca
this will be updated shortly.