Castles in the Air

Last week we visited the Estramadura region on the West Coast just south of Lisbon and I have already posted some pictures of where we stayed (Palmela Castle) in the thread called Pure Luxury here in the Members Gallery and a couple are duplicated here.

We did not know what to expect and were in complete awe of the beauty of the area.

Palmela is a small hill village dominated by the Castle and Pousada (luxury hotel) which is in the Convent within the castle grounds.







At night ....







All castles have their own churches within the grounds ....



And ours also had a lovely ampitheatre ...



We were not aware there were so many castles and historic buildiinngs in the area and our days were filled visiting them ....

Alcácar Castle (which also has a Pousada within in) situated on the River Sado ...





Sesimbra Castle overlooking the Sado Estuary ...









Setúbal Castle (which we could see from our rooms) also situated on the Sado Estuary and housing a Pousada) ....










Part 2 to follow ....

 

We visited a beautiful Sanctuary at the Cape where pilgrimages were held in the 1700s ...







This was some kind of water distribution system at the Sanctuary ...





And we found a Convent in the Arrabida Natural Park overlooking the Sado Estuary but did not have access to it ...







We visited the breathtaking Sado Estuary below the Arrabida Natural Park where a colony of 25 bottle-nosed dolphins live and breed. They have individual names and can be distinguished apart by their dorsal fins as each is different. There are only three places in Europe where they breed .... here, in one place in Scotland and in one place in Ireland. The water here is crystal clear.












And just a few filler photos taken along the way ...











and with that I will fly off ....

 

Beautiful Vicky we are not coming to Portugal this year (we were there last year as you know) but looking at this makes me wonder if Botswana is really the place to be?:eek::D

 

That looks an awesome place and very peaceful as well judging from the lack of other people in the photos.

 

Yep, no people again LoL:thumb:

Looks like you had a good time

 

F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C Pics,just wish i was there

 

Thank you John ... maybe you guys may change your mind ????

fmay, it was more awesome than we ever imagined.

pete ... you know me .... I can capture any scene without people ... that IS my speciality (but there is a person on the beach)

It was wonderful Slinky ... although I live in what a lot of you guys think is heaven .... I found somewhere else I found very special as well. After all these years (since 1983) this counntry still takes my breath away .....

And thank you to GC for getting me into photography last year so I can photograph this beautiful place and show it off to others.

 

Looks breathtakingly beautiful LOL. So unspoilt.

Thanks for sharing your special time there with us.

 

Absolutely beautiful scenery, Sis, and that you captured it so we could all enjoy it too. xx

 

We've just had a lovely short week 'up North' where the weather was all over the show.

Firstly we went to Palmela and stayed in Castelo de Palmela (in the first section of this thread) and again were in the suite we had on the first visit. This is in the Estramadura Region by the Arrabida National Park and Sado Estuary where bottle-nosed dolphins breed ... a truly spectacularly beautiful and peaceful area scattered with castles and monastaries.

We then went further North above Lisbon to �bidos in Leiria Region, a town within the walls of a castle. There are several of these scattered around the country, one quite close to us here in Algarve in Silves but most of the walls are now gone. �bidos is still completely enclosed. We had a suite in the castle (in the first photo the turret to the immediate right of the church) ... but it didn't hold a candle to Palmela. The town is built up toward the castle and all the streets are cobbled (calçada). Here are some photos of the town and area.

Overall view of the town and castle ...



... the entrance (note the Aloes growing out of the castle wall) ...



... our suite was in this tower (that's our 'front door') ...



... this was our doorway looking out ...



... this is the only 'window' in the suite (mushrooms would grow nicely there) ...



... this was the bedroom on a mezzanine ....



... accessed by these steps over the living room/bathroom (both upstairs and downstairs had flat-screen TVs and telephones and an extortionately-priced mini bar) ...



... but this is where our breakfast was served ...



... with these views ...





... (and I could see my pride and joy Isabel from the 'dining' area) ...



... a couple of places just below us ...







... the view at night .... Isabel in front of the Church on the right with her 'companion' and a police car to the left watching after them if the Church isn't .... and our suite the 'castle tower' to the right ...



Before we left to come home we went to the coast as it is very dramatic there, completely different than the peaceful Sado Estuary region and also from Algarve (where we live) ....







... in the following photo you can see an island off in the distance, Berlinga, which has a 14th century fortress on it, but the island and the others behind Farilhões are where rare birds breed and deep-sea diving is popular ...






Hope you enjoyed our little trip this week.

 

Wow...Wow...& Wow!!
Absolutely beautiful Vicky :luv:.
Defo must arrange a stay over there:gnthb:....

 

wow victoria just stunning photos, well done thanks ever so much for sharing just absolutely gorgeous pics

 

What a wonderful place to spend your anniversary Beautiful pictures Vicky. Portugal looks fabulous - I'm dead envious

 

A photographers dream location V. I could fill a few SD cards in a place like that. Many thanks for sharing your quality time with us all.
robert