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Tag: Caldas da Rainha

Christmas at the Oeste region

Today, let’s explore together the magic of the holiday season in the stunning West region of Portugal. With its charming traditions, picturesque landscapes, and welcoming atmosphere, our region offers a unique experience to celebrate the Christmas spirit. Here are some of the best activities to experience Christmas in the Oeste Region

Streets of Óbidos

Christmas Markets

In small cities like Óbidos and Caldas da Rainha, Christmas markets transform into true fairy tales. Narrow streets and historic squares are adorned with twinkling lights, while stalls offer local crafts, delicious treats, and unique gifts. The Christmas scenes in the small town of Marinhas de Sal, at Rio Maior, are made of the salt produced there; they seem like snow! It’s a perfect opportunity to find special souvenirs and feel the warmth of the season.

2. Christmas Concerts and Shows

The Oeste region comes alive with festive music during Christmas. From enchanting choirs in historic churches to open-air concerts in squares, there is a variety of performances for every taste. Don’t miss the chance to experience the thrill of a Christmas concert under the stars. https://www.visitportugal.com/pt-pt/destinos/centro-de-portugal

3. Dazzling Christmas Lights:

Cities and villages in the West region turn into true light paradises during the Christmas season. Historic buildings, streets, and squares are adorned with stunning decorations, creating a magical atmosphere that will surely enchant visitors of all ages. Vila Natal in Óbidos is always a must  https://obidosvilanatal.pt/

Vila Natal in Óbidos

4. Local Cultural Traditions:

Discover the unique traditions of our region during Christmas, such as religious celebrations like the Midnight Mass, and authentic cultural practices. Take the opportunity to taste traditional local delicacies, such as the “Bolo Rei” and the “Bolo Rainha”, characteristic delights of the season, similar to the Roscón de Reyes you can find in Spain at this time of the year.

5. Outdoor Ice Skating:

In some cities, like Torres Vedras and Óbidos, outdoor ice skating and ice sliding are a must-do experience for all ages. Glide on the rink while enjoying the twinkling lights around you, creating unforgettable memories for the season. By celebrating Christmas in Portugal’s Oeste region, we immerse in a charming experience that combines tradition, natural beauty, and human warmth. It´s a magical and unforgettable celebration in this enchanting part of the country. Happy holidays! 🎄

Meditation… in the Oeste region beaches

There are several centers in the Oeste region of Portugal offering courses or retreats for yoga, mindfulness or meditation. Some initiatives are temporary or seasonal and not very easy to find. Among the permanent ones, Ponto Sereno in Leiria, Vitality in Praia da Areia Branca or Yoga para iniciantes Caldas can be a good option to start getting to know this kind of practices and see if they can also fit us. One of the best initiatives are the retreats offered by Budha Retreats in the small village of Columbeira, between Bombarral and Peniche, where you can do yoga only or yoga and surf retreats. And, of course, we especially recommend the great Heart Zü, who teaches both group and private lessons in Lisbon and in Óbidos.

Even just fifteen minutes a day can make a big difference, and bring several positive effects, especially at the level of concentration, improvement in memory and general well-being. And these positive effects can be achieved by several ways; mindfulness, meditation, tai chi, yoga or even the Alexander technique all share similar basic principles, of positivity, of relaxation, of being concentrated in the present moment and of postural benefits, so it is good to experiment and see what works best for each one of us.

And, what is also common to all these paths is that in combination with the beach they multiply its positive effects. It is well known that the sea and the beach are very beneficial for our health: the negative ions of the sea breeze increase the levels of serotonin and reduce our anxiety; the iodine present in the water and the breeze clean our airways and help us to oxygenate the organism; and minerals present in water are very positive for skin conditions. All this usually produces a relaxing and well-being effect, very positive. But, if to all these effects we add the benefits of sitting or lying down for a few minutes and practicing some form of relaxation, we can have an even more complete experience.

Obviously, the ideal is to be able to do it with some tranquility, enjoying only the sound of the waves. To do this, the beaches of the Oeste region are just perfect because they tend to be large and allow easily to find that meeting point between us, nature and inner peace. Going first thing in the morning or walking a bit to a quiet area ensure the best experience.

The beach at sunrise has something special, especially when the low tide during the night has left the sand smooth and perfect, as if a new carpet of several kilometers has been placed just for us. Walking on the sand in those moments and looking back, seeing only our footprints, always produces a strange feeling of intimacy and fusion with the environment.

Oeste with kids

There are studies that have calculated that children smile on average 400 times a day while adults only smile between 30 and 40 times a day. There are also several studies that have analyzed that children are much more creative than adults because they see life as a game and are able to imagine playful situations in any scenario.

Fortunately, there are times in adults’ lives when they have the opportunity to recover some of that joy, sharing games with their children, nephews or grandchildren. For that, it is enough to let go, get some imagination and let yourself be carried away by the little ones.

For several reasons, the Oeste region of Portugal is an ideal setting for children. In the first place, because it has a climate that favors all outdoor activities; the temperatures are mild all year round, never too cold or too hot. Second, because it has more than 100 km of coastline, with dozens of beaches, which are, as is known, the preferred scenario for children to play. And, thirdly, because it is still not a saturated destination, and does not have the long queues that always characterize the most typical children’s destinations.

So today our recommendation is that we all fit imaginary cowboy boots and hat, that we take our horses and that we throw ourselves to the great adventure of the conquest of the West.

The route can begin in Óbidos, which with its castle and its walls can be the best inspiration for any adventure. If we need a certain atmosphere to warm up, the ideal moment would be in summer, while the medieval fair takes place, with its famous combats between knights. During those days, costumes are rented and anyone can feel for a few hours the lord of the castle.

Another very appropriate time to go to Óbidos with children would be in December, during Vila Natal, when the whole town becomes a large theme park of games and activities related to Christmas. You can check in the city council website for dates and schedules of these two events: www.cm-obidos.pt

The beaches of the region are known worldwide thanks to surfing. The Praia Norte in Nazaré, with its giant waves, and Supertubos in Peniche, with the World League events, are the most famous but almost all have a surf school and instructors to show you how to start with this spectacular sport. We tend to think that surfing is not suitable for small children but in reality, as soon as they know how to swim well, they can start jumping on the board and at those ages it is when their approach is simpler and more natural and they immediately dominate the movements. For the little ones, the ideal is to start on beaches with little waves, like Gamboa in Peniche, where the veteran Escola Surf Peniche offers its courses.

For those who do not dare to try it, another fun and different beach plan is the Parque Acuático of São Martinho do Porto, a set of slides and jumps that is installed during the summer in the sea, a few meters from the shore.

And for children and not so children, an option that never fails to make you have a good time with friends is a kart race. In the region there are several kart tracks, all quite good, such as the Kiro Kartódromo do Oeste in Bombarral, the Dino Kart in Lourinhã and the Euroindy near Batalha. There is even an option for rainy days, the Indoor Karting Caldas da Rainha, which is somewhat smaller but also great fun. It is advisable to check beforehand the minimum ages, although most of them have different options to welcome the smallest too.

We can continue our adventure in the Jurassic period, looking for fossils and discovering all the secrets of the dinosaurs in the Dino Parque de Lourinhã.

And finally, for those who want to make the most of the boots and hat that they put on at the beginning of this entry and prefer not to bring their own horse, there are also several first class equestrian centers where you can give free rein to the cowboy you carry inside. We highlight the Alfeizerão International Equestrian Center, with very complete facilities and all kinds of services, and the Quintas de Óbidos, which also has magnificent facilities and is gradually starting up after some very troubled beginnings due to the crisis.

With all these elements and a bit of our imagination we have more than assured the smiles of children and adults.

Shopping Day Out in the Oeste Region

Many cities and towns in the Oeste region of Portugal regularly host street markets, with excellent stands offering a wide range of food, clothing, flowers or antiques. During December, the variety usually increases with craft markets and festive activities. You can check out this link for information on 41 Christmas markets in the Centro region.

It is also common to find the most central streets of the cities to be pedestrian-only, or to have very restricted traffic, favoring a quieter walk, and concentrating in them the most popular shops of the local commerce.

In Portugal, we also often see many shopping centers, with a good combination of clothing, leisure, restaurants, and other services. In this type of setting, the client usually loses a bit of authenticity in exchange for comfort, free parking and a more comprehensive range of items offered. The two most popular in the Oeste region are the Arena Shopping of Torres Vedras and La Vie Shopping in Caldas de Rainha.

And for those who do not mind doing more kilometers or who want to spend part of a day in Lisbon doing some shopping, there are several excellent shopping centers in the capital. For its great value for money, we like the Freeport Lisboa Fashion Outlet, in Alcochete, on the south side of the Vasco de Gama bridge, which gathers the best fashion brands at very reasonable prices. Their concept is an open-air shopping center, so it is probably not the best option if the day is rainy, cold, or very windy. The alternative may be the Strada Outlet, near Odivelas, by the CRIL ring road. And other interesting options are the huge Centro Colombo, in Benfica, in front of the Estadio da Luz, the Vasco de Gama, next to the river, and the ones in the Loures area, where you have the largest Ikea in the Iberian Peninsula, a Decathlon and the Loures Shopping. The latter has the peculiarity that includes among its many services the presence of Trofa Saúde Hospital; they have probably thought that with all the great shopping on offer, clients will push themselves too far and it may be practical that assistance is close.

Probably the best advice would be to do as they say in some ads, consume but with responsibility and moderation.

Study and surf?? In Portugal, yes, we can!

A couple of semesters ago, a new university campus opened in the city of Carcavelos, on the coast between Lisbon and Cascais, offering several studies on business administration. They call it the Nova Way of Life. Its main difference to traditional universities is that the campus, or center as they like to refer it, seeks to merge economic studies with beach culture and new technologies, in the style of some Californian centers.

With the collaboration of leading companies such as Microsoft, Cisco and Axians, the idea is to get a very open center, with Wi-Fi throughout the space and even at the adjoining beach, to make it easier for students to make the most of new technologies at all times. For example, there is an ultra-modern Pingo Doce supermarket where students can buy items 24/7 and there are no cashiers, with users instead paying only by electronic means.

We will still have to wait a while to see how this new concept works but the Portuguese environment is certainly welcoming for the set-up of tech and innovative ventures, as the constant announcement of new openings is showing (Amazon, Google, Mercedes Benz and many more, as described in this article). But whatever the result of the new Carcavelos center, it is an interesting example for other Portuguese universities, which could take advantage of the proximity to the sea and the obvious connection between youth and surfing, to internationalize the offer and attract many more European and global students.

In Peniche, very close to the Cape Carvoeiro lighthouse, is located the Campus 4 of the Polytechnic University of Leiria, with an educational offer focused on marine biotechnology, food and bio-engineering and studies related to gastronomy and tourism management. It is not difficult to imagine that some of these classes or after-school activities could well take place on the beaches of Supertubos or Baleal, just 10 minutes from the campus. A relaxed environment and proximity to the sea provide countless advantages for physical well-being and intellectual stimulation.

The same could also apply to the campuses of Marinha Grande and Caldas da Rainha, which also have great bike lanes to reach the sea, making it easy for students who want to move around the area by bicycle. E-bikes are becoming a revolution in mobility and are the preferred mode of transportation for students, who value above all their sustainability, flexibility and low costs. Bearing in mind that European higher education students increasingly seek to complete their studies with some international experience, the Universities in Portugal should try to offer distinctive elements that make them stand out, be different and attractive, because it is proven that greater international diversity in classrooms is a factor that enriches and increases the quality and prestige of the center. Can there be something more attractive for young people from northern Europe, tired of cold days with little sunlight, than to study in shorts on the sunny and pristine sandy beaches of Portugal?