Tourism
turismo
Belvederes of Nazaré
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Duration: 1 day or 2 half-days Distance: about 6km Means of Transportation: on foot and by Funicular Beginning of the Route: Funicular station platform, Elevador Alley Start by going up to SĂtio on the century-old Funicular. It is not a belvedere but offers an unforgettable panoramic view. After getting out from the station platform, go down by the Reitor Baptista Square to Terreiro (or Nossa Senhora da NazarĂ© Square ). Right opposite you will find the Bandstand and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of NazarĂ© (optional visit), keep on, crossing the Square, and follow by the Farol Road towards the Saint Michael Archangel Fort (where is located the Lighthouse). Admire the diversity of the landscape, to the right over the Norte beach, to the left over the sea and the beach of NazarĂ© . Arriving to the Fortress (closed to visitors), go down by the right-hand side of the barbican (defensive wall). In the back you will find a metallic staircase that invites you to go down to the rocks and have a close look to Pedra do Guilhim (rock beaten by the sea, right opposite). Going down by the staircase and turning left you will find a little narrow balcony on the rocks. Exceptional belvedere over the sea and the beach of NazarĂ© , this is also a fine sportive fishing point (angling). Take a rest, enjoy the beautiful view and then go back by the road or by the pathway at the side of the promontory up to Suberco Belvedere. This is considered by many as the one that offers the most beautiful seascape of the Portuguese coastline. Right beside the Suberco Belvedere, on the left, you will find Bico da MemĂłria, the Vasco da Gama Stone Monument and the little Memory Chapel, century- old miracle and pilgrimage places. Follow by the sidewalk, on the right side, and between two handicraft shops you will find a staircase. Climb it. A new belvedere and a new perspective over the town. Continue alongside this belvedere, watching the smartly set perpendicular houses beneath, and foreseeing the next visit to the heights of Pederneira and Saint Bartholomew’s Hill (Saint Bras). When you come near the funicular station platform, above the funicular line, you will find, at the end of the Belvedere, the SĂtio Ladeira (large stone stairs). Make your way back to the beach by this pathway. Seize the lunch time to delight yourself with a tasty grilled fresh fish or another Nazarene speciality in one of the many restaurants you will find along the way. The Pedralva Park is your next stop after lunch. Go in the park and walk along your right-hand side. Half-way you will see some steps that you should climb, it will take you to the Monte Branco Belvedere and to a new perspective of the town. Go back to the Pedralva Garden and continue your walk, seizing the corners of light and shadow. Arriving to the top of the park continue by the sidewalk to enter Pederneira, natural Belvedere with a unique beauty, that allows you to enjoy the many landscape nuances, along your way up to the MisericĂłrdia Square. It is in this Square, which has the Church with the same name (optional visit), that your horizons spread and NazarĂ© acquires a new and total dimension. Your return to Praia should be done by Abel da Silva Street , admiring when passing by the BastiĂŁo Fernandes Square: the Pillory, the Old Town Hall and the Our Lady of the Sands ParishChurch. Once arrived to E.N. 8-5 (national road), right on the exit of Pederneira, on the left-hand side, you will find Our Lady of the Angels Chapel. On the back side of the Park, close to the wall that surrounds it, you will find a staircase with large steps. Take a “lift” by that way and you will quickly arrive to E.N. 242 (national road), cross it, turn left and go down the Vieira GuimarĂŁes Avenue towards the sea
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History of Nazaré Beach
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  The Beach of the Nazaré is of relatively recent origin, therefore still in century XVII the sea came to beat in the abutments of the Mountain range of the Pederneira, covering all the today busy area for the beach and the casario. The fast occured geologic transformations throughout this century had provoked the jib of the sea and the assoreamento of the area, having left short the formosa cove. The first references on fish in the Nazaré date of 1643, however, in the seven hundred end the population if only started to fix in the beach. The fishing inhabited, over all, in the high parts - Small farm and Pederneira - given that the constant attacks of the Algerian and dutch pirates became the beach little safe. The Nazaré started to be known and to be looked, as banns beach, in middle of century XIX. Its natural beauty and customs since had always attracted the visitors. It fishes it, the transformation of fished and its sell, had been throughout almost all century XX, the main activities of the population. The hardness of the life of the sea had taken many fishing to look a better life in other stoppings. The construction of the Port of Fishes and Recreation, at the beginning of the decade of eighty, came to modify and to improve the life of the fishing, being initiated a new phase in the life of the village. In the decade of 60, the Nazaré started to be known internationally. Visited annually for thousand of national and foreign tourists, the Nazaré is today a modern village and always livened up. |  |
Nazaré Pedestrian Circuit
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|  Duration: 1 day or 2 half-days Distance: about 6km Means of Transportation: Funicular and on foot Beginning of the Route: Tourist Office of NazarĂ©, RepĂşblica Avenue , 17 Leaving the Tourist Office go to the Sousa de Oliveira Square, and once there, turn right, follow by the Elevador Alley and go up to SĂtio da NazarĂ© on the Funicular; if you prefer to go on foot, by the SĂtio Ladeira (large stone stairs), ascending the Dr. Ruy Rosa Street, and turning left on Dr. JosĂ© Laborinho Marques da Silveira Street, on the top of which starts the Ladeira. Once on the top, start by appreciating the magnificent view you have over the beach ofNazarĂ©, the town’s Fishing and Leisure Harbour,and over Pederneira and Saint Bras Hill. Go down to the Suberco Belvedere and visit the Memory Chapel. Afterwards admire the century-old Sanctuary ofOur Lady of NazarĂ© and on its the right wing the Parish-Priest LuĂs Nesi Sacred Art Museum. Leave the Sanctuary by the right-hand side, and almost in front of it, you will find the Chaby Pinheiro Theatre. Going down the D. Fuas Roupinho Street find the traditions of NazarĂ© in the Dr. Joaquim Manso Archaeological and Ethnographical Museum. Go back to Our Lady of NazarĂ© Square and come down by the Farol Road to the Saint Michael Archangel Fort, where the extraordinary horizons that your eyes can reach make the effort of the descending worthwhile. Here, you have two possibilities: 1 – go back to SĂtio for lunch. 2 – go down to Norte Beach and bring a picnic lunch, take a peep at the Forno d’Orca natural Cave, have your lunch and then calmly go by the shore up to Norpark (Aqua park), going back to SĂtio. In the afternoon, return to the beach of NazarĂ© (by the Funicular or on foot) to go visit Pederneira. Go up the AdriĂŁo Batalha Street to visit the Fisherman’s House-Museum. Continuing your upward course, crossing the E.N. 242 ( National Road ) , get in the Pedralva Park and admire NazarĂ© from the Monte Branco Belvedere. Follow the E.N. 8-5 and turn right to discover Pederneira. Here we suggest you to visit the BastiĂŁo Fernandes Square, where you can find the Old Town-Hall, the Pillory and the Our Lady of the Sands Parish Church . A little further up are the Mercy Church and the Pederneira Belvedere.  Once again you have two options: 1 – We suggest the brave and long walks lovers’ to go on to Saint Bartholomew’s Hill (locally known as Saint Bras Hill). The way up to the top can be done by the East (earth scooped steps) and West slopes (a concrete staircase), and the descent should be done by the opposite slope. 2 – For the less adventurers we propose to go back to NazarĂ©, to stroll in the narrow streets running down to the sea and find out a very special and still very characteristic way of life |  |
