Was there anything to do between Lisboa and Porto? Plenty, of course, but what was feasible? I had the dumb idea (or good idea, poorly executed) to spend a 4-hour train layover in Coimbra. Surely that would be plenty of time to see the highlights of this small city, right?
Things I know now that I did not upon entering Coimbra:
- Trains between the long-distance "B" train station and the downtown "A" station follow a specific timetable, because they are normal regional trains, not a special intracity shuttle
- Station B is close enough to downtown that you shouldn't bother going to Station A
- The other reason to go to Station A - bag storage - is also irrelevant because the Cafe Cristal has closed
- Taxis are hard to find
- Admission to the Coimbra University Library requires a timed ticket
Incorrect information for all of these added up to a time crunch that I compounded by having an extravagant lunch. For some reason there's a locally-famous chef's restaurant at the University swimming complex. That's not especially close to the train station, either. But it was a beautiful walk and an excellent meal. I was hoping a taxi would solve my time problem, but no. I had to walk all the way up the hill with a full belly and backpack. But eventually I did reach the hilltop plaza at the heart of the venerable University of Coimbra. Mostly young folk were about, but a few tourists (or parents?) too. I tried to get into the library (my main goal for this city!) but my cumulative bad decisions prevented me from doing so in the time I had remaining before my train departed. Traveling the way I do, I have to be ready for failures like these, and so I have learned to accept them and try to enjoy the day anyway. So I wandered around campus where I saw many students in academic capes. The effect was adorably Harry Potter. Oh, and I also had some ice cream while waiting for my train.
I'd recommend a trip to Coimbra. It's a lovely place. And now that I've been there once, I know the correct way to visit should I ever attempt it again.
I ended my Lisboa trip with another tourist day. This one was more successful.
I started in the Alfama, the original settlement on a hill. I was in line at the Castelo São Jorge when it opened - a very good thing considering the crowds I saw later. This offers scampering opportunities similar to Sintra's Moorish Castle, with city views instead of forest. After that I walked back downhill to the cathedral (Sé) and returned to the metro system.
Later that day I visited the wonderful Gulbankian museum. An extensive collection of antiquities, as well as an exhibit on artist René Lalique, whom I had not heard of before. I really enjoyed how he combined different materials like metals and glass in his works. I also continued my aqueduct studies by visiting its terminus, at the Mãe d’Àgua (Mother of Water) building, a beautiful indoor reservoir now used as a function space. There's a walkway to the roof that allows you to look through the (unused) aqueduct itself.
Not a whole lot more to say about this day. OK, on to Coimbra and Porto.
I had made a note to visit Sintra, but I could not remember what there was to do (palaces? churches?) so I read about it while on the train there, choosing a few promising sights. I saw that it was near the Cabo da Roca (the westernmost point in Europe) but I didn't see a practical way to get there. Oh well.
When the train arrived at Sintra station, I saw the same kinds of hop-on/off tourist buses I'd seen in many cities on my trip. Didn't expect it here: wasn't Sintra too small? I hadn't taken any because I didn't see the point. Everywhere I wanted to go was accessible by foot, bus, taxi, or train, and I'd rather not have my hands tied by their schedule. But I didn't know how to get around Sintra and attractions are far apart, so maybe it finally did make sense. Oh, hold on a sec - this one goes all the way to Cabo da Roca? Sold!
Off we go through the countryside. For the first time, it feels a little like home. A leafy, hilly forest where some of the leaves actually change color. Cooler at this altitude, too. Maybe I wouldn't completely miss the fall! Relaxing, rather more pleasant than the average bus ride, and I suppose I learned a little something too. Then we hit the coast and I was amazed by beauty once again. Every visit to the Portuguese coast was incredible. (This will remain true in Porto!) Really I could have just spent my whole trip there. Cliffs and waves impressed again, as we passed a few gorgeous yet empty beaches, and I got off the bus at Cabo da Roca. This completed my collection of all four contenders for the southwesternmost point of Europe, but it's worth visiting even for non-dorks. Mindful that the bus schedule only allowed for pickups once an hour, I set off on a hike along the clifftops. I wasn't really dressed for it (recall that I didn't actually know what was in/near Sintra) but I had such joy climbing up and down ridges, with every bend providing a new (private!) view of the sea far below. I considered adding an hour by climbing down to the Atlantic, but I recalled reading something about how that was "not allowed" and "not safe" and other silly things, so I got back on the bus.
Back inland, my next destination was the Moorish Castle. There were several castles to choose from, and this sounded the most interesting. Also, the Pena Palace was nearby so maybe that would make a good combo, depending on time constraints. I loved it so much! The platonic ideal of a medieval fortress, grey stone battlements everywhere. You can climb all over it too. Lots of kids, and I like to think my inner-kid was having just as much fun as they were. I overheard a British mom cautioning her children "back home we would have a railing here - or any sort of safety precaution at all, really." Amazing views from the top of this hill, down to the town of Sintra and up to Pena Palace.
The map vaguely hinted at a path connecting this castle to Pena, so I aimed in that direction. The path itself was quite pretty, through thick forest reminiscent of Washington state. Sweating my way to the top of the next hill, I reached the absurdity that is Pena Palace. A ridiculous toy, impressive in its own way, but I had to laugh at the contrast between the candy-colored fairy tale and the barebones military installation I had just departed. Fun, but this was a much shorter visit. For one thing, much of the structure was a façade around a hollow core.
The bus and train did what buses and trains generally do, and back in Lisboa I paid a visit to the giant aqueduct I'd seen overhead earlier in my travels. A fish dinner (not bacalhau) capped off an excellent day.
Recharged from my visit to Cascais, I headed back to Lisboa in a better mood. I realized I hadn't actually been all the way downtown yet, so I stayed on the train to its terminus. The Praça do Comércio / Terreiro do Paço is a wide open public square with one side open to the Tejo estuary. There are steps allowing you to walk right in to the river. I came as close as I dared, until it became too slippery! Walkways were lit up, and music and a light breeze were in the air - perfect for a romantic evening with myself.
After a rest, I headed slightly uphill to see more of the Baixa (low city) until I came to the Santa Justa Elevator to take me back up. Hilly as it is, Lisboa has a variety of interesting options for public transit: San-Francisco-style cable cars, funiculars, and the occasional elevator built into the side of the hill. I made a point of taking one of these when I had the chance. In this case, it's overrated. Ugly, slow, expensive, and requiring a wait in line. Very close by there's a department store with doors to the lower Baixa and upper Chiado neighborhoods, with free modern elevators. Take these instead!
My hostel was nearby, so I stopped in for a shower before heading to dinner at a Fado house. There was a reasonable prix fixe offer so I took that, immediately regretting it as I realized just how tired I was of bacalhau. But the rest of the meal was good, and the music was beautiful. Fado is a soulful crooning sort of music, full of longing. We were treated to several short sets, each with a different singer. Compared with my Flamenco experience, this felt much more conventional. Still worth listening to, though!
I'd just about had it with Lisboa/Belém: a change of pace was required. There's regular train service to Cascais, so I thought I'd head out that way for late lunch / early dinner and a stroll along one of the beaches I'd heard about. And what a lovely ride it was, a beautiful afternoon along the shore of the Rio Tejo, past picturesque towns and beaches. At the last stop, I disembarked beachside and walked toward town. It reminded me a bit of a little seaside resort in New England. I had some wonderful rotisserie chicken. Things were looking up!
At the restaurant I learned that the Boca do Inferno was about a km or two away. Of course I wanted to see this "Mouth of Hell" on the rocky coast. No more beaches, the landscape was rugged and beautiful, much like the Cabo de São Vicente, and the sun was setting as I approached the Boca. It was far from hellish that day, with relatively calm seas, but the waves were still something to behold. Recommended! Also, ice cream.
My initial impressions of Lisboa weren't very positive. I suppose heavy traffic is inevitable in a major city when the only access from the south is by bridge, but this followed a long stressful day of the only driving I'd done in weeks. The Metro ride to vaguely-near-my-hostel was fine, but the taxi after that was atrocious. My driver was a comically grumpy old man who didn't speak a word of English. As I didn't speak much more than a word of Portuguese, I showed him a printout of the hostel's address. He didn't know where that was even though it was quite nearby and had to phone for help. Once we got started, we spent most of the journey in heavy traffic. I definitely picked the wrong neighborhood to stay in, too: the Bairro Alto. It was Saturday night and my room was directly above one of the main rooms with a frat-party / spring-break atmosphere. I just wanted to sleep!
The next day (mainly in the Belém neighborhood) was no better. Many things are free on Sunday, which should have tipped me off that this would make them popular, but I figured: how bad could it be? SO BAD. I spent most of the day standing in line, even considering everything I simply gave up on. My advice, if at all possible: don't visit Lisboa on a Sunday. Also, many sights are closed Monday, so that's also a poor choice too.
My first time driving in Europe was a lot of fun. Also very nerve-wracking. I had intended to drive a bit in Spain but could not find a reasonable way to do so. Seeing Cabo São Vicente would have been a real challenge on public transportation, so I'm glad I was able to make a semi-reasonable plan: one-way rental from Portimão to Lisboa, after taking a bus from Sevilla to Portimão.
Leaving Portimão was a challenge. I stalled out the stick-shift on several occasions, and in-city navigation required basic familiarity with the city, which I lacked. Once out of town, city destinations and route numbers were easy enough to follow, but I made a few loops and double-backs attempting to find the city limits. Soon after I was in Sagres, the town at the end of the world. The coast was spectacular, cliffs high above the fierce Atlantic, occasionally overlooking beaches and surfers. Not too many, perhaps due to the remoteness of the area.
I was prepared for the worst based on the bad reputation of Portuguese drivers, but the only difference I saw from, say, Bostonians, was the higher number of speeding tailgaters. Just let these guys pass and you're golden. The roads were a more formidable opponent. I hadn't realized just how hilly the Portuguese coast is, so the main road is a very twisty one. My little car was nimble and up to the task, but doing this for hours on end was exhausting. One final slog took me through heavy traffic across the Rio Tejo to Lisboa.
