During our visit to Porto, we could not miss the experience of visiting the wineries of the main wine houses. We crossed over the “Ponte Luis I” bridge towards the neighboring town, Vila Nova de Gaia. Curiously, in 1834 this municipality was created by merging the municipalities of Vila Nova (1288) and Gaia (1255), thus the Vila Nova de Gaia was born. Continue reading “Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal”
In our visit to Santiago de Compostela, we strolled many times through this square, without properly knowing its history. It turns out that the term or name “Plaza de Quintana” by definition is the “Plaza de la Plaza”. However, this square is actually composed of two sections, the Quintana de Abaixo or of the Dead and the Quintana de Arriba or the Plaza of the Living. Continue reading “The Quintana Square – Santigo de Compostela, Spain”
Due to the great degree of deterioration of the Chapel of “San Alifon”, in Porto, Portugal, the same was demolished in 1709, to build the Parish Church of “San Ildefonso”. Although the main structure of the new church was completed in 1730, it was not until 1739 that the construction of the bell towers we can observe on each side of the church that the building was finally completed. Continue reading “Church of “San Ildefonso” – Porto, Portugal”
Since ancient times and all throughout the world, temples and places of reflection have been built in the highest mountains, in order to be closer to their god or their gods. In Portugal, the “Bom Jesus do Monte” is a another clear example of this practice, repeating itself in several places in Portugal. Continue reading “Bom Jesus do Monte – Braga, Portugal”
The Santa Justa Elevator is the only one of Lisbon’s elevators configured vertically. Its function as a means of transport has declined to become an important tourist attraction. And we confirm that it is, essentially for the time it took us to make the line to enter the elevator and finally climb. Continue reading “The “Santa Justa” Elevator – Lisbon, Portugal”
The “Castelo dos Mouros” or Castle of the Moors was an experience when visiting Sintra, Portugal. Although some assume the challenge of climbing on foot, we preferred to ride the bus that took us straight to the castle. Why? The Castle of the Moors rises on one of the summits of the mountain range, specifically in the parish of São Pedro de Penaferrim in the village of Sintra, Portugal. Continue reading “Castle of the Moors – Sintra, Portugal”
High up in the Sierra de Sintra (Portugal), specifically on the Mount Pena, is one of the greatest exponents of 19th-century Romanticism, the colorful Pena National Palace. Before arriving in Sintra, we had an idea of what the palace was like, but nothing compares to being there and seeing it in all its splendor. Continue reading “Pena National Palace – Sintra, Portugal”
Surrounded by historic buildings such as the Palace of “Rajoy”, the Hostal de los Catholic Kings, the Saint Jerome’s School and the Cathedral of “Santiago de Compostela” is “Plaza del Obradoiro”, center and heart of this Galician town. Today, it is the place where pilgrims and tourists arrive, to celebrate the completed pilgramage, to reaffirm their faith or to simply contemplate and be a participant in everything that surrounds them and provokes their splendor. Continue reading ““Plaza del Obradoiro”, center and heart of Santiago de Compostela”
The proof of how destructive the 1755 earthquake was in Portugal is the Church or Convent of Carmo. Still in ruins, you can see the grandeur of what was the main Gothic church in Lisbon. Continue reading “The Church / Convent of Carmo – Lisbon, Portugal”
During the Middle Ages, it was in the square that was located in front of the south facade of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and the Cloister where the merchants met to sell their works made in silver. Hence the name Plaza de la Prateria or Platería; Silversmith’s Plaza. Continue reading “The Silversmith’s Plaza – Santiago de Compostela, Spain”