Why choose a holiday home in Lisbon & Costa de Lisboa?
Treasured memories are waiting to be collected outside of Lisbon for travellers that journey either nearby or up and down the Atlantic coastline.
Costa de Prata (Silver Coast) reaches from Lisbon to Oporto or Porto in the north. Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. In a city famed for its bridges and port wine you can dally at museums, monasteries, castles and churches. The ocean is a magnet for windsurfing at the taffy-stretched beaches crowding the shore.
Gaily colored "moiceiro" boats harvest seaweed in the expanse of the saltwater lagoon at Aveiro. The canals that spread out like lines in cracked glass are punctuated with camel hump bridges.
Try a cruise on the mighty Douro River, visit the bustling University town of Coimbra where thousands of students in black capes share the narrow streets, or join pilgrims making their way to the Fatima shrine.
While Coimbra is considered the intellectual hub of Portugal there are plenty of art, sports, and dining activities nearby. You can visit ancient Roman ruins by day and visit a casino at night.
It's fun to take time for small towns on and off the beaten path. Nazere is a favorite vacation spot where people enjoy the safety of the enclosed bay and gorgeous Sao Martinho do Porto beach.
Fishermen still sport shirts with checkered patterns over their dark pants while the women mending nets and drying fish are decked out in short skirts covering six or seven layers of traditional petticoats in Nazere.
Costa do Estoril connects conveniently to Lisbon via the "Marginal", a sea hugging road that transports you through the towns that were favored by wealthy nobles and kings. Today it is a favorite retreat for vacationers that choose to call Cascais, Estoril, or Oeiras their home for a few weeks each year.
Welcome to the Portuguese Riviera! Chic resorts gleam in the night where you can follow the walkways lined with towering palm trees to a variety of after dark entertainment choices.
After a day filled with tennis matches, golf, or water sports it is far too easy to be induced into sampling some of the guilty pleasures at the local supper clubs. Just inland is the city of Sintra where you find the coned chimneys of the National Palace and the dreamy Pena Palace.
People who holiday in this area frequent the fairs and market. Marechal Carmona Park is the place to stock your kitchen with spices, fresh eggs, sweets, olive oil, fruit and vegetables.
Collect the perfect memento at the antiques and artifacts fair with genuine crafted items where you can visit with the artisans.
The golfers will enjoy visiting all five courses in the region. In 2007 they earned the title "Golf Destination of the Year (Europe)" and armed with a golf passport you can play unlimited rounds at each site.
The big lure remains the amazing beaches that triggered all the improvements and awesome services in the region. Not far from Lisbon you will find beaches lined up like contestants in a beauty pageant and every single one is a winner.
Close to Lisbon is the Santo Amaro de Oeiras beach at the maw of the Tagus River. Near the municipal gardens, this popular spot has a few snack bars, showers, and restrooms. Beach football and volleyball are hosted under lights after sun disappears.
Spread out in the shadow of St. Julian of Barra fortress, Carcavelos beach is favored by surfers for the waves and everyone enjoys the nearby bars and restaurants. You can attempt the skate half pipe, pitch basketballs, or join in a volleyball game.
Carcavelos beach actually has rental beds and shelters on the sand. Try to master a new skill by visiting the surfing and windsurfing school at the beach. This beach also has facilities for disabled visitors.
The ability to feel at home anywhere along the coast is easy. Leaving is biggest challenge you will face in this part of Portugal.
Contribution post: 14 August 2010
