Continuing on with our road trip exploring Central Portugal we arrived at the impressive Mira De Aire Caves (Grutas Mira de Aire) near Fatima.They are the largest underground caves in Portugal, formed during the Middle Jurassic Age more than 150 million years ago. The caves were only found in 1947, and in 2010were elected one of the “Seven Natural Wonders” of Portugal.
The tour starts with a short film explaining all about the history of how this cave system was found. We then followed
Óbidos is a precious and charming gem in Central Portugal. Wrapped up within the remains of its high ancient walls, it is a visually beautiful town. Being very popular as an easy day trip from Lisbon, it is inundated by tourist crowds during the day, but virtually empty by night time and that was when we enjoyed it the most.
But I am getting ahead of myself here, before I tell you more about our stay in Óbidos, let’s rewind back to my last blog post as we left Sintra
Sintra is one of the most popular day trips from Lisbon, but in my opinion you can not do it justice on a day trip – it will be an exhausting and frustrating experience. Stay overnight in Sintra to give this town the attention that it deserves.
Sintra is packed full with UNESCO World Heritage sites – fairy-tale castles, unique things to see, nature, history and old world charm. Plus, staying overnight in Sintra would probably not cost any more than paying for an overnight stay in
Évora, capital of the Alentejo region, has a compact historic centre where most of the attractions are conveniently located within the ancient city walls. And one of its main attractions is a chapel decorated entirely with human bones.
The city is a treasure of a place with a UNESCO protected historic centre since 1986 and a wealth of interesting attractions including the rather chilling Chapel of Bones, one of the main reasons why I was keen to visit this town. Yet we soon found that there was
Mértola, located in Portugal’s Alentejo region is a town known as a village museum (Vila Museu) with particularly well preserved Moorish heritage.
This small walled town was built on a rocky spur on the confluence of the Oeiras and Guadiana rivers, and sits less than 15 km from the Spanish border. Now a small town of about three thousand people, it is a charming place with narrow cobbled streets and white-washed houses. Not yet discovered by mass tourism, it remains unspoiled and quaint.
An
Driving along the West Algarve and the Alentejo coastal roads was a very scenic road trip, and almost devoid of traffic . Showcasing the rugged contours of a coastline carved over millions of years, it is a landscape that has endured the huge pounding waves and merciless winds of the Atlantic Ocean. Gleaming whitewashed fishing towns, golden sandy beaches, caves and hidden secret beaches have made this road trip very special for us.
We crossed from Spain into the Algarve seamlessly, no border guards,
Seville, the captivating capital of Andalusia will seduce you with its melancholic, gypsy guitar-strumming Flamenco singers, and it’s passionate people. Brimming with history, culture and stunning architecture, offering a mixture of styles such as Mudéjar, Renaissance and Gothic masterpieces.
A sunny, warm climate invites an outdoor lifestyle that is enjoyed by all in its beautiful plazas, green spaces, or along the riverbank promenade. We visited March/19 and found it to be a perfect time
Córdoba was once upon a time considered the greatest city in western Europe. Today what brings in most of the punters is the extraordinary Great Mosque of Córdoba, known locally as the Mezquita-Cathedral, one of the oldest structures still standing from the times when Muslims ruled this region.
A building that has lived many different lives and transformations. Speculated to have been a temple to the Roman god Janus, it was then converted into a church by Visigoths during their occupation of
Antequera – Bronze Age burial mounds, Spanish Baroque architecture, and a Moorish Castle. Nearby El Torcal – showcasing some of the most spectacular limestone scenery in Europe. This region was a must-stop on our Spanish motorhome road trip.
Strategically located, Antequera is also known as the “heart of Andalusia” due to its central location among other major Spanish tourist destinations such as Malaga, Granada, Seville and Cordoba. These great cities are all within easy
Once called the most dangerous walkway in Europe, Caminito del Rey is now one of the most popular attractions in the Malaga area of Spain. Pinned to the side of a steep cliff, at about 105 metres/300 feet above the roaring river below, it stretches along a narrow gorge. A walkway like no other and one of the best hikes in Spain.
Construction of the precarious walkway started in 1901 and finished in 1905. Originally built to provide easy access for the workers of two hydroelectric power plants called