Nazaré
Possibly the most famous fishing town in Portugal, Nazaré is unique in many ways. It doesn’t contain the architectural treasures or grandiose monuments prevalent in many other Portuguese towns, but it has an atmosphere of time gone by, Nazaré is split into three main districts - Praia (beach), Pederneira and Sitio. Located on a rocky promontory over 100m above the main part of the town, Sitio provides wonderful views over the bay and beach of Nazaré, and from here the walker can continue northward along the stretches of beach where the Atlantic regularly pounds creating ideal conditions for many a shore fisher to cast a line. Although this mainly residential part of Nazaré is accessible by car, by far more interesting is the funicular carriage which takes passengers up the sharp slope for a small fee. A winding path also exists but is perhaps more appealing on the way down! Once at the top, besides the views one finds a large church and also a small chapel clinging to the edge of the sheer drop, the Ermida da Memória, whose origins are closely connected to the miraculous appearance of the Virgin Mary. which make it a special place to visit
The wooden fishing boats still used today are colourful and narrow with curved prows and decoration evocative of the first fishermen of the area; the Phoenicians, who settled here in pre-Christian times. On some prows you’ll even still see a watchful eye painted - in theory to detect the two most important things to a fisherman; shoals and storms - and many dangle lamps for fishing after sunset.
Nazaré is split into three main districts - Praia (beach), Pederneira and Sitio. Located over 100m above the main part of the town, Sitio provides wonderful views over the bay and beach of Nazaré, and from here the walker can continue northward along the stretches of beach where the Atlantic regularly pounds creating ideal conditions for many a shore fisher to cast a line. Although this mainly residential part of Nazaré is accessible by car, by far more interesting is the funicular carriage which takes passengers up the sharp slope for a small fee. Once at the top, besides the views one finds a large church and also a small chapel, the Ermida da Memória, whose origins are closely connected to the miraculous appearance of the Virgin Mary.
Photos courtesy of Meghan Gravel, Ontario, Canada.
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