Category — Portugal

Across the Rua Do Souto, that runs along the north face of the Braga cathedral lies the beautiful courtyard of the former archbishop’s palace. At the centre of it is a delightful baroque fountain, dating from 1723. It was constructed by the Archbishop Dom Rodgrigo de Mouro Teles and bears his coat of arms. The surrounding large complex of buildings now houses the Public Library, the District Archives and the Dom Diogo de Sousa Museum. The oldest part of the palace is, at the rear, on the north side that looks onto the lovely Garden of Santa Barbara. This fourteenth-century wing was built by the Archbishop Don Goncalo Periera. The garden also contains some picturesquely ruined gothic arches, and another seventeenth-cen­tury fountain.

Turning back to the palace complex from the garden the seven­teenth and eighteenth-century additions that lie to the right house the Public Library with over 250,000 books, the second largest collec­tion in Portugal. The reading room is worth trying to visit to see its coffered ceiling. The Dom Diogo do Sousa Museum has not yet been ully opened, but some remnants of the Roman occupation, such as inscribed milestones can already be viewed.

Though the palace, which at one point in the Middle Ages covered a tenth of the area of the city, and the cathedral, with their stolid monumentality can create a rather sombre atmosphere some of the finest sights in the city are, however, much more low key and best discovered by exploring in a casual way the many backstreets and small churches in the city. The tourist office on one of the corners of the Praca de Republica has a selection of city street maps.

One of the most striking churches is, for example, the Church of St Lawrence on the Rua de Sao Vicente, north from the central Praca de Republica along the Rua dos Chaos. It is a small church with a typically ornate baroque altar. Built in 1565, and restored in 1691, it was sited where a Visigothic chapel had once stood in the seventh century. In the sacristy there is a stone believed to date from that period.

The walls are entirely covered with tiles depicting the life and death of the third-century saint and the removing of his remains to nearby Graciosa island in Azores. Above the doorway the organ and choir are decorated with finely carved figures. The churches of Saints Vitor, Francis, and most famously, Sebastian all contain similar depictions in tiles of the lives of the saints.The latter contains, perhaps, the finest work.

A chapel that is in contrast to these is the Capela dos Coimbras off the Rua de Afonso Henriques. This is a small Renaissance chapel built unusually in the form of a square crennellated tower. The statues are in Anca stone. Next to it stands the house of the Coimbras which possesses exquisite Manueline windows. These are in fact all that was rescued from the original building when it was demolished in 1906.

The final architectural aspect of Braga’s heritage to consider are the town hall and the Raio Palace; considered to be two of the finest secular baroque buildings in Portugal. The beautifully proportioned town hall was designed by Andres Soares. It was begun in 1753 but was not finished until 112 years later. Above the main doorway is a statue of Our Lady of Relief. The assembly room within has some attractive historical oil paintings of the city which are worth seeing.

In the very south of Portugal, the Algarve is an ideal holiday destination for families, beach lovers and those with a more mature taste of holiday alike. With beaches, restaurants, Algarve hotels, resorts and theme parks designed to provide value for money. Combined they give you endless opportunities for fun and relaxation on a holiday you can tailor to your individual needs. With temperate weather most of the year and a lovely hot climate in the summer, its important to pack sun block, even in winter. Average highs are 28 degrees centigrade (with variation for extra hot weather) and lows of around 15 centigrade.

Accommodation on and around the beaches consists of Algarve hotel resorts, single family villas and apartments ” with a range of catering options. Hotels in The Algarve have a wide array of prices for cheap basic rooms that offer a place to shower and change between your activities, or lavish Algarve hotels that offer spa treatments and closeness to the major attractions. You can stay in modern Algarve hotels or older hotels that have years of history to add to their charm. An alternative to staying in an Algarve hotel is to rent an Algarve apartment for your time in the area. Apartments in the Algarve offer you the chance to save some money if you are traveling with a few friends. Families with small children may also appreciate the fact that they do not have to stress as much about their children making a noise which may annoy other hotel guests.

The Beach at Algarve courtesy of Dafi Algarve Rentals

The Algarve capital is Faro. Here you’ll find plenty to explore, especially in the shape of historic architecture. One highlight is the spectacular Nossa Senhora do Carmo church which holds some of the regions most beautiful religious icons and examples of gold leaf.

If you’re traveling with children who love to explore, the sandstoned west coast offers a great way to spend some time. There are many natural grottos and caves for them to climb around. The colors are stunning and if you can arrange to be there are the sun sets you’ll see the colors change. The beaches in that area may not be the best to be found in The Algarve, but the natural rock views are second to none! Two other attractions for families to consider are the Zoo Marine, and Lagos Zoo. Of these, Zoo Marine will probably give the best entertainment as its not only a marine zoo but also a water park. Among the animals to meet in the zoo are sea lions and dolphins.

Lisbon, Portugal’s capital is a 3-4 hour train journey from The Algarve, but if you’re on a 2 week holiday you could consider a mini-vacation to visit this beautiful capital city. Even the journey itself will allow you the opportunity to see more of the Portuguese scenery of valleys and hills. Whatever kind of holiday you like, if its fresh air and a sun tan you want, plus some great things to do whilst getting it, the Algarve is one of the best destinations to choose.

July 22, 2009   No Comments