Page 22 - Cape-Camera-February-2025

February 2025 Cape Camera Cape Camera February 2025

Portugal Travel tips
• Portugal is part of the EU and South Afri-
cans will need a Schengen visa.
• Dieter recommends a longer stay in
Braga — for at least two to three nights,
because there is so much to see.
• Porto and its surrounding towns also
have so much to see and do that it war-
rants a longer stay of two to three nights,
Dieter recommends. Please be aware
that travel writer Rick Steves has issued
a warning to be alert to the activities of
thieves in the town — as CTPS member
Jacoba van Zyl discovered when her
cameras were stolen on her first day.

The Tower of Belém in Lisbon.
Portugal trip from p21

Aqueduct that supplied water to the castle
across more than 16km.
Soon we arrived at Nazaré, known to surf-
ers for the highest surfable waves in the
world — the surf record is 26m! This is surf
country, including Ericeira , a town almost
dedicated to the sport.
Next, we went to Sintra with its elaborate
botanical garden at the smallish, but quaint
Palacio Monserate. Here we enjoyed the old
gardens for a few hours before walking up to
the palacio – a worthwhile excursion.
Our route then took us via Cascais to reach
Lisbon in the late afternoon. We stayed cen-
trally in the Rua de Bacalheiros, conveniently The Cathedral São Vicente in Alfama, the old part of Lisbon.
close to various modes of transport and next
to an underground parking garage, accessi-
ble on foot.
First we explored Alfama, the old part of the
city, and visited the 850-year old Cathedral
São Vicente. From the viewpoint we were
fascinated by the trams and three-wheeler
taxis and walked up to the great Mosteiro
São Vicente de Fora, where we spent a few
hours where the kings and clergy of Portu-
gal have their last resting places.
During the remaining days we explored the
more modern Lisbon with its plazas, stat-
ues and mosaic paving. We enjoyed street
music and the Padrão dos Descobrimen-
tos (Monument to the Discoveries), built in
1960 — 500-years after the death of Henry
the Navigator. We wandered across to the
Maritime Museum, the Tower of Belém and The funicular and urban art in Lisbon.
MAAT art museum. In the evening we sat After visiting three countries, we realized how lucky Portugal had
along the Tejo river and watched the sunset been to escape most of the devastation of WW II. Most of their build-
and yachts and ate – what must be eaten in ings and heritage remained unscathed and is still intact for us to ex-
Portugal! – delicious grilled sardines. plore and marvel at Europe in its early days.

22 Cape Town Photographic Society