Page 20 - Cape-Camera-February-2025

February 2025 Cape Camera Cape Camera February 2025

Vera Cruz
Aveiro,
with chan-
nels and
boats like
gondolas,
resembles
Venice.

Travelogue on Portugal

Part 3: Trip to Croatia, Poland and Portugal

In the previous two issues of Cape Camera DIETER BÜTOW described the Croatia and
Poland legs of an 80-day road trip to Europe that he and his wife Karin embarked on. In

this final part of the series Dieter shares his impressions and images of Portugal.

From Poland we flew directly to Lis- cathedrals, typical Evorian buidings proceeded via the towns Vila Real
bon, where our friends awaited us to and narrow streets. At night the old and Vila Pouca de Aguiar to our next
whisk us across the river Tagus on the town buzzes with restaurants and destination, Guimarães.
impressive 17km bridge, the longest street cafés. Our walk started at the cathedral op-
in Europe. Our first overnight stop Part of the Cathedral is the chapel of posite the butterflies and we walked
was in Estremoz in the Alentejo re- bones in the Church of São Francisco, up to the 900-year-old city wall and
gion, known for its many cork oaks, where many Bishops have their last on to the plaza with its Gothic arch.
good wine and black wild pigs. resting places. From there you walk up to what must
The hotel Pateo dos Solares did not We were fortunate to get tickets for be one of the oldest Portuguese for-
disappoint and a little restaurant in the annual classical concert in the tifications – the medieval Guimarães
Estremoz, the Mercario Gadanha, Castelo de Marvão. Castle – built in the 10th century.
run by Michelin chef Michelle, can Our route took us through Castelo Next we reached Braga, with the
be highly recommended. de Vide, Fundao, to our friends' iconic Basilica Bom Jesus do Monte
On the hill overlooking Estremoz we smallholding in Alpedrinha. From up on the hill – a spectacular place
visited the castle, which was built for here we undertook a few excursions to visit with its gardens and many
Queen Isabel around 1300 AD, us- to Castelo Branco and Covilha, chapels, dedicated to the passion
ing mainly white marble from the the town of wool with its cool wall of Christ. This has been an UNESCO
region. A visit to the tile museum Be- paintings. Via the high mountains of World Heritage site since 2019.
rardo followed: the collection is most the Serra Estrellas we reached Peso Also worthwhile is a visit to the Ca-
impressive and spans 800 years of da Régua, a major wine and port thedral of Braga, with its Gothic and
tile history. producing area. Baroque features.
Visiting Evora next was a highlight Following a pleasant night at the Do not forget to try the Pasteis de
— Roman structures, approximately private hotel Casa de Relógio with Nata in town, a local egg yolk-cus-
2 000 years old, are still well-pre- its pleasant hosts (she was born in tard tart delicacy. Nuns started mak-
served and stand side-by-side with Angola) and excellent breakfast, we ing these many years To p21

20 Cape Town Photographic Society