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Tag: Óbidos

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! 🎄

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.

The best 7 wineries to visit in the West region of Portugal

World Wine Tourism Day is celebrated yearly on the second Sunday of November as an initiative of the European network of wine cities to publicize their activities and experiences.

As we have already highlighted on several occasions in this blog, in the Oeste region of Portugal there are many interesting wineries that are worth visiting, in combination with the excellent gastronomy and cultural richness of the region.

In the Torres Vedras area, we especially recommend Adega Mae, which has several internationally awarded wines. And less than a kilometer from there, it is also interesting to visit the Quinta da Almiara, with its modern exterior design.

In the Óbidos and Bombarral area, we recommend Quinta do Sanguinhal, with its excellent value for money wines, and Quinta do Gradil, one of the oldest wineries in the area.

And in the Alenquer area, don’t miss the magnificent Quinta do Monte D’Oiro or the Quinta de Pancas, founded in 1495 and a pioneer in introducing French varieties to Portugal.

Brandy lovers also have an appointment in November with the Aguardente DOC Lourinhã Gastronomic Fortnight, which this year reaches its eleventh edition and is already a world reference. And in the Óbidos area, also stand out the original liquor tourism experiences proposed by Vila das Rainhas around its famous cherry liqueur.

Most of these visits are indoors and, therefore, perfect to enjoy during the autumn and winter months. So, let’s take advantage of these days and fully enjoy this array of wine tourism experiences that are offered in the Oeste region.

The best golf courses in the Oeste region

The binge-watchers will remember The West Wing, a TV show that was very popular for seven seasons between the end of the last century and the beginning of the present. It was a political thriller starring Martin Sheen that offered a new perspective into the inner workings of the White House.

It was during those same years that took place the design and initial development of what is now one of the biggest attractions in Portugal and a real luxury for any golf lover: the four courses in the lagoa de Óbidos area. Praia del Rey, Guardian Bom Sucesso, Royal Obidos and West Cliffs are four excellent courses, all of them already decorated with numerous international awards and a good chance of many more with their rising reputation. It is truly amazing they offer golf players the opportunity to play in four world-class courses within a mere five-minute drive of each other. Paraphrasing the TV show, we could call them “The West Swing”.

Today, with many of you practicing again your swings for the holiday weeks ahead, we are going to present some of the features of these four courses and some ideas and tips for those who do not know them yet.

The first of the courses to open its doors was Praia del Rey, in 1997. Designed by Cabell B. Robinson, it combines holes between pine forests and links along the ocean. The wind can sometimes be the biggest challenge, so those who do not have time to play a full round may have to choose depending on the weather conditions of that day; the back nine have spectacular views of the Atlantic coast but they are also the most challenging if the wind is blowing.

Guardian Bom Sucesso opened in 2008, with the advantage of being located in a stunning design and architecture resort, with houses crafted by some of the best architects in the world. Another curious element in Bom Sucesso is that, being in the universe of the European Tour, it regularly hosts professional events and activities, which allows the amateur player to see how closely, or far away, their cards are from those of the professionals. Here you can see for example the card of the players who played the Q School of the European Tour in October 2018 and 2019.

The course was designed by Donald Steel and although it has some interesting and complicated holes, overall it can be said that it has a level of difficulty somewhat lower than that of the neighboring courses, especially since it is less exposed to the wind. From the tee of the spectacular 17th hole we can enjoy the best views of the entire area.

The third course in chronological order was Royal Óbidos. It was the last course designed by the great Seve Ballesteros and has some holes that confirm Seve’s promise to create a wonderful place for golf here. If we can only do nine holes, it is worth choosing the front nine, which look towards the lagoa de Óbidos area and include the charismatic 3rd hole, a par 3 with an island green where it is necessary to combine the maximum precision in choosing the club and to avoid getting distracted by the beautiful views of the lagoon.

The last of the courses to open, in 2017, was West Cliffs, which started with great momentum after being chosen the “Best new course in the world” by the World Golf Awards. Designed by Cynthia Dye, the granddaughter of the legendary Pete Dye, it is a demanding course but one of great natural beauty among the dunes.

The four courses offer good deals to try a different one every day and they also offer special prices in the off-season and in the late afternoon games.

As if that wasn’t enough to whet the appetite of any keen golfer, it is necessary to mention two other interesting golf options. First, halfway between Óbidos and Lisbon, in the Torres Vedras area, is the Dolce Campo Real, an 18-hole course designed by Martin Ebert whilst he was still on the Donald Steel design team. The course opened in 2005 and has been gradually consolidating since. In 2016, it was chosen the best golf resort in Portugal in the Global Brand Awards. It is a different course, with many more trees, and slopes that can be a good workout for those looking for a good dose of exercise whilst indulging in their favourite pastime of golf.

  And, finally, a less orthodox option but one that may also be of interest, would be the nine-hole course in Botado, next to the MH Atlántico hotel, 1 km south of Peniche. It is much less maintained, even a bit wild in some areas, but precisely because of this it benefits from having less players and it can be the ideal option for beginners or families with children that can go into the course without much pressure. And being next to the beaches of Supertubos and Consolação, it has some holes with views of the ocean very comparable to those of its neighbors of greater pedigree. In short, an interesting alternative to complete the golf options in this scenic area.

And you? Have you played in these courses? Do you have special memories of a hole in particular?

Go West

In English it is frequently said that curiosity killed the cat. The origin of the expression goes back several centuries; even Shakespeare used a similar formula in one of his works, and it has continued to be used to this day. What is not so well known is a second part, which began to be used at the beginning of the 20th century in the United States; it says that satisfaction brought it back. This is intended to express that, while an excess of curiosity can be dangerous or counterproductive, the fact of finding satisfactory answers can compensate for the risk or effort.

 

In Nave Lagoa we like seeking satisfaction through the answers. We are going to use this blog to share discoveries, create a small community in which we help each other with clues to navigate the roads, physical or cultural, and the written and unwritten rules of the Oeste region of Portugal. We will talk about the lesser known experiences of Óbidos, Nazaré, Caldas da Rainha or Peniche, the most recommended beaches and also about plans for those who do not like the sand so much.

 

We will share experiences around multiple topics, from what is an RNH (which is not a new blood factor), to why in this area those who seek to rediscover oneself sometimes achieve it earlier relying on a surfguru that with more traditional help.

 

To begin with, today we will explain the differences between ecovias, ciclovias and ecopistas, which may sound similar but are not the same. We are going to do it with three local examples:

 

Ecovía Várzea da Rainha: An ecovia can be traveled on foot or by bicycle and usually connects areas of environmental interest. In the information from the Cámara Municipal de Óbidos you can see well described and detailed the one we like the most in the area, which goes from the Óbidos train station to the beach of Bom Sucesso at the lagoa. It includes around 15 kms of trail (and only 500 m of road) that go through fields of fruit trees and then border the south of the lagoon. The highlight here, woubl be the views of Óbidos Castle from the road at sunset. If possible, try to avoid going during weekends of good weather as there can be too much human noise disturbing the tranquility of the lagoon.

 

Ciclovía São Pedro de Moel: A ciclovia is a bike path, a space for the circulation of bicycles. In the province of Leiria you can find one of the best examples that a cyclist can find in the world: the Ciclovia Estrada Atlántica. From Nazaré to the North there are more than 100 km of asphalt lane, parallel but physically separated from the road, and with a spectacular route among forests, dunes and small fishing villages. The section that we like most runs between the lighthouse of São Pedro de Moel and Praia da Vieira. This section has 14 kms of great beauty but it is also worth exploring all the rest of the sections of the Estrada Atlantica and its special atmosphere.

 

Ecopista do Vouga: And finally, the word that gives title to this entry, and that is clearly the most evocative of the three because it inevitably leads one to think about ideas and clues to enjoy the most of Nature, of Nature with a capital N. An ecopista is usually an old railway route reconverted to a pedestrian or cyclist route. This is what in Spain and other European countries are called Greenways but in Portugal are called Ecopistas because the denomination of Via Verde was already used for automatic lanes on toll roads and the devices to use them. The ecopistas tend to be roads of great scenic beauty, in places with little or no traffic. In Portugal there are several, especially in the North, but we especially like the Vouga one, which runs parallel to the river between Viseu and the vicinity of Aveiro.

 

Do you know other routes in the area that are worthwhile exploring? Please share your experiences with us.

Destination wedding: let’s marry in Óbidos

The historical journey through the swimsuits and how they have progressively reduced their size, from the demure full-body suits of the early twentieth century, to the swimsuit in one piece, the arrival of the bikini in the 60s, and a certain revival of the swimsuit that is observed from time to time, has become an internet classic.

With weddings, there has also been a remarkable evolution lately. As recently as a few years ago, the most usual thing would be a big wedding in a church or a formal setting in the area of ​​the bride and groom’s residence. In the Sixties, some young people began to see that type of wedding as too conventional and chose not to marry. However, that generated certain legal complications and some Public Administrations began to create registers for civil unions or de facto couples, in which those who did not want to formally marry, could register and acquire similar rights to marriage. Today in most European countries both systems coexist, but there is a clear downward trend in the registration in these parallel registers, perhaps because the real difference lies between formalizing or not and not so much in doing so in one register or another. Or perhaps because in recent years new and varied ways of celebrating marriages have arisen: in more original places, on the beach, in the forest, in unique environments, which have made the concept of getting married more attractive.

One of these new formulas is the so-called destination wedding. It consists of celebrating the wedding away from the place of residence of the couple and turning the wedding into a cultural experience, original and different. It is often a logistical challenge but also an opportunity to share more intensely with friends and family the preparation, the celebration and even the trip itself.

In this type of wedding, the number of attendees is usually smaller because sometimes the distance often complicates a bit the attendance of the typical Aunt Agatha and Uncle Bill. But that smaller number also creates sometimes more intense moments, a group experience, more shared, in which we all end up being more participant rather than a mere guest.

Óbidos is a popular destination for this type of wedding, especially in spring and autumn, when the charm of its medieval walls and streets combines better with the romanticism that permeates every corner of the town, as seen for example in this image by the great team of wedding photographers Aguiam.

However, in the practical line that characterizes the Nave Lagoa team, it is important to point out to anyone who considers a wedding in Portugal that this is not Las Vegas; there are no express weddings here, and you have to start the procedures several months before the happy day to ensure that at the last moment you are not missing a translation or the apostille of an essential document.

We open the forum in case anyone wants to share their positive or negative experience around this exciting topic.