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moments we have when we travel. The light filters through the
streets like a stream through reeds. It plays tricks on where it’ll
land, splashing about, reflecting in beautiful, faceted angles.
Click, the blue-and-white tiles; click, reflections of pastries in a
window; click, dust kicked up by workers restoring centuries-old
buildings. More scenes: the UNESCO-inscribed Monastery of Serra
do Pilar, the Gothic Church of St. Francis, a man in a green fedora.
People are gathering on the Dom Luís I Bridge to watch the sunset.
At a riverside café, a family chatters and laughs as they nibble
Porto’s famous salted cod dish, bacalhau. Click.
TO THE LIGHTHOUSE: NAZERÉ On the flight over, I sat next to a
traveler who shared a not-very-well-kept secret: Nazaré is one
of the most attractive beach towns in Portugal, with some of the
largest waves in the world. Big-wave season is from October to
May, and in November 2017 Brazilian surfer Rodrigo Koxa made
history by riding an 80-foot roller, breaking the world record
for the highest wave ever surfed.
Such mastery of the seas has a precedent. From the early
15th into the 17th centuries, Portuguese seafarers ruled the
waves, launching a European age of discovery. Prince Henry
the Navigator urged his captains ever onward in search of a
route to India, leading to a vast trading empire that stretched
from Africa and the Arabian
Peninsula to South America
and the Caribbean. Sailors nav-
igated by the stars and relied
on lighthouses to guide them
safely away from the rocks.
The Nazaré lighthouse has
functioned since 1903, and it’s
the best overlook in the area,
a front row seat on the surfingaction. From the light’s perch in a former fort, I see the wide
white sands stretching out on either side of the promontory.
Next to me, hardy surfers with beers in hand are scanning the
water, planning their next waves. There’s an autumn chill in the
air, but I can imagine these sands teeming in the summertime.
CITY OF REFLECTION: LISBON This city is crisp as a starched shirt.
The scent of bread and scrubbed cobblestone lures me down
through the capital’s passages and narrow streets. An espresso,
a convivial greeting, and a pastel de nata (an eggy custard tart)
start the day. Customers lean on the Leitaria Académica café’s
glass counter and are attended to by a single, perfectly poised
barista, accustomed to this morning choreography.
As I walk the streets, the Castelo de São Jorge looms like a
giant, its presence secured in history. Celts, Romans, Moors—all
called this place home at one point, each leaving behind a piece
of their civilization for future residents to uncover.
What strikes me most is the vitality of the city—ancient and
faded, but vibrant. Absorbed by the immensity, I keep missing
Passengers arriving at Porto’s São Bento train station are amazed by
the 20,000 blue-and-white azulejo tiles, which date from the early
1900s and depict historical scenes and rural landscapes.Portugal, with a population
of just over 10 million, is none-
theless crammed with all the
baroque gilding that the gold
of Brazil afforded. And its once
stodgy scattering of museums
has grown with an eye toward
contemporary and quirky
offerings. —John KrichBATALHA
Monastery of Batalha
A side trip off Portugal’s main
north-south highway takes you
to this little country town, domi-
nated by a spectacular convent
and church that took more than
130 years to construct, starting
in the 14th century. The convent
was designed as a showcase of
the Manueline style, Portugal’s
highly ornamented architecture
that incorporated Spanish,
northern European, and Moorish
influences. The courtyards and
stained glass—as well as its
UNESCO World Heritage status—
are worth the detour.GUIMARÃES
Historic Center of
Guimarães
The “jewel of the north” boasts
a lovingly restored old town,
an evocative castle tower, and
CIAJG (Centro Internacional
das Artes José de Guimarães),
a recent and stunningly radical
transformation of the city’s
municipal market housing
a private collection that
juxta poses contemporary
art with folk art. Words on
the old city wall reference
Guimarães’s place in history:
Aqui Nasceu Portugal—Portugal
was born here.LISBON
Museu Nacional de
Arte Antiga
Portugal’s main repository of
classical painting reveals much
of the country’s early artistic
tastes and guards the extraordi-
nary Hieronymus Bosch triptych
“Temptation of St. Anthony.”
After admiring it, explore one of
Lisbon’s most beautiful blocks,
the Rua das Janelas Verdes
(Street of Green Windows),
and stroll the charming alleys
of the Santos neighborhood.PORTO
Serralves Museum
In keeping with Porto’s role as
the main center for industry and
design, this sleek minimalist
building houses the country’s
most daring showcase of
contemporary international art.
Come for the thought-provoking
art installations, stay for a walk
in the sculpture-dotted, 44-acre
park, which includes formal
flower gardens, tree groves,
and elegant fountains.LISBON
Museu do Fado
This small museum near the
working-class Alfama district,
where Portugal’s plaintive
ballads bemoaning fate—fado—
first emerged in the 1800s,
presents a vivid portrait of
popular culture in Lisbon. Its
archives offer a chance to
listen to dozens of the greatest
singers. The intimate auditorium
showcases current vocalists,
a low-key alternative to the
commercialized fado houses.CULTURE +
MUSEUMS
REBECCA^
STUMPF;^ NG^
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PREVIOUSPAGES:
A
NNE^ FARRAR300 mi
300 kmLisbon
SPAINATLANTIC FRANCE
OCEANPORTUGAL
MOR. ALG.