Nazare

Nets for sale in Nazare

Thursday, 2nd August. Had a great sail down to Nazare – 2m swell again, but good winds which made for a quick if rolly passage.  Nazare town is very pretty, tucked in one corner of wide sandy bay surrounded by pine clad hills and with a dramatic rocky headland at one end. The marina, however, is less charming. Situated a mile or so out of town it consists of three pontoons within the fishing harbour, surrounded by industrial sheds! But it’s very friendly and is managed by a helpful British couple, Captain Michael Hadley and his wife Sally, who live on a boat within the marina. They’ve been here for 13 years and are an excellent source for local information, from how to visit the historic sites nearby to the best course to set for Lisbon.

Nazare town with the entrance to the harbour at the far end of the beach

Friday, 3^rd August. Cycled into Nazare. It’s a colourful mix of the original old fishing village, where the women still dry the fish fillets out on racks on beach, and a busy tourist resort with the usual cafes and gift shops. We took the funicular railway up to Sitio, a lovely old village on the top of the cliff with great views back down across Nazare.

Batahla

Cloisters at Batahla

Saturday, 4th August. We took the bus to the monastery of Batahla today. It’s a spectacular building, built between 1388 and 1533, and designed by leading architects of the time. When we walked into the main church there was a service starting, with the choir singing Ave Maria, accompanied by flautist and organist. As we sat on one side to listen (the choir was excellent) a bride walked down the main aisle and we realised it was a wedding. We stayed for the whole service, all the music was sung by the choir alone, so it was more like a choral concert and a real treat in such a majestic setting. The rest of the monastery was equally stunning, the most impressive example of medieval architecture that we have seen.