Where: Estremoz & Marvão, Portugal
When: August 25 - 27, 2012
With: Dave
The drive to Marvão was definitely one of our funniest. Once again, the GPS had no idea where our hotel was, so our directions were based on a best guess. We kept driving up into hillside towns, and thinking, this one MUST be it. But the GPS would say we still had 5 miles, 4miles, 3miles to go. Finally, with 1 mile to go, we saw this giant mountain ahead of us with a small castle on top of it. When I pointed and said, um...I think that's it, Dave just rubbed the dashboard of the car and said...it's ok, buddy, we'll make it.
We thought Marvão would be just like Obidos. We couldn't have been more wrong. We didn't think it was possible, but it was so much tinier! And way less touristy. Maybe because it was so far out of the way (out east, just on the border of Spain), but we didn't see anybody as we entered the city's gates. We barely were able to find a place to eat everything was so tiny and hidden away.
After lunch, it didn't look like there was anything else to do except explore the castle walls. Unlike Obidos, the walls were much thicker and sturdier (way less slipping). The views were no less amazing though. Except that instead of the ocean in the distance, the hills of Spain were all we could see.
Before completing the walls, we were diverted by the only bar that we saw. We sat drinking sangria on top of the world, looking down at the hills below us.
Other than the street party, the village was so quiet at night. We wandered up and down the streets for a quiet post-dinner stroll.
We enjoyed the evening views of the castle before heading back to our hotel for a glass of port and bed. Absolutely loved this sleepy little village.
After seeing how completely amazing Obidos and Marvão were, we were excited to see what the next town had in store for us. This time, our GPS knew where to go, and we left early in the morning to make sure we had plenty of time to explore our next city, Estremoz.
We drove along beautiful, rolling countryside with cork trees and olive groves all around us until we got to a rather disappointing, industrial-looking, sore thumb of a city in the middle of it all. When the GPS indicated we had arrived at our destination in this haggard, dirty city center, we were...less than excited. Luckily, our GPS was yet again wrong. This town had yet another castle on top of a hill overlooking the formidable and dank city center, so we just started driving up in hopes the area would improve. When we got up to the castle, it was a similar drill as the last few towns - drive car through very narrow stone gate, park car, and attempt to figure out where our hotel was.
However, our hotel still did not appear to be where we thought it should be. There was only one very fancy hotel, but it had a different name to the one on our reservation. We wandered around for a few minutes, but there really wasn't anything on top of this rather desolate hill except the fancy hotel. So we decided to do the classy thing - we went into the really fancy hotel and asked directions.
After some naps by the pool, it was time for dinner in the hotel. The restaurant was highly recommended, and did not fail to impress. We had pre-dinner drinks in the beautiful old sitting room, overlooking the town of Estremoz below (looked much prettier from up here). Then we had an incredible meal of all local dishes and wines. Our waiters knew so much about the best things to order and what was in season, so we just relaxed and enjoyed.
When: August 25 - 27, 2012
With: Dave
The drive to Marvão was definitely one of our funniest. Once again, the GPS had no idea where our hotel was, so our directions were based on a best guess. We kept driving up into hillside towns, and thinking, this one MUST be it. But the GPS would say we still had 5 miles, 4miles, 3miles to go. Finally, with 1 mile to go, we saw this giant mountain ahead of us with a small castle on top of it. When I pointed and said, um...I think that's it, Dave just rubbed the dashboard of the car and said...it's ok, buddy, we'll make it.
We thought Marvão would be just like Obidos. We couldn't have been more wrong. We didn't think it was possible, but it was so much tinier! And way less touristy. Maybe because it was so far out of the way (out east, just on the border of Spain), but we didn't see anybody as we entered the city's gates. We barely were able to find a place to eat everything was so tiny and hidden away.
After lunch, it didn't look like there was anything else to do except explore the castle walls. Unlike Obidos, the walls were much thicker and sturdier (way less slipping). The views were no less amazing though. Except that instead of the ocean in the distance, the hills of Spain were all we could see.
On the other side of the village, we found a small, shady square where we could sit. Not that we needed to seek solitude in this tiny town, but it was nonetheless relaxing.
The walls on the other side of the village.
Before completing the walls, we were diverted by the only bar that we saw. We sat drinking sangria on top of the world, looking down at the hills below us.
After drinks, we continued along the walls to the inevitable castle that always inhabits these hilltop towns. This one held extra beauty though, because of the unexpected gardens, perfectly manicured at its foot.
The sound of the fountain was the only thing that could be heard in this gorgeous garden and there were so few people around. It added to the surrealness of this place on top of the mountain.
Venturing up into the castle, so much of it is in such fantastic shape. While it looked like ruins from below, it was incredibly well-maintained. The cistern was my favorite - any word you said or sound you made echoed for at least a full 10 seconds.
The wind up on top of the castle was crazy. Thought I was going to blow away!
The views out to Spain.
The tiny village of Marvão below us.
After the castle, we bought a couple bottles of beer, then went to our quiet little garden to watch the sunset.
Moon and sun in the same sky.
Night comes to Marvão.
After the sun went down, a huge street party of locals seemed to start up. When Dave and I poked our heads over to check out the scene, we expected something super...traditional. Instead, we found everyone hovering around... a suped up car. With neon lights. Very unexpected.
Other than the street party, the village was so quiet at night. We wandered up and down the streets for a quiet post-dinner stroll.
We enjoyed the evening views of the castle before heading back to our hotel for a glass of port and bed. Absolutely loved this sleepy little village.
After seeing how completely amazing Obidos and Marvão were, we were excited to see what the next town had in store for us. This time, our GPS knew where to go, and we left early in the morning to make sure we had plenty of time to explore our next city, Estremoz.
We drove along beautiful, rolling countryside with cork trees and olive groves all around us until we got to a rather disappointing, industrial-looking, sore thumb of a city in the middle of it all. When the GPS indicated we had arrived at our destination in this haggard, dirty city center, we were...less than excited. Luckily, our GPS was yet again wrong. This town had yet another castle on top of a hill overlooking the formidable and dank city center, so we just started driving up in hopes the area would improve. When we got up to the castle, it was a similar drill as the last few towns - drive car through very narrow stone gate, park car, and attempt to figure out where our hotel was.
However, our hotel still did not appear to be where we thought it should be. There was only one very fancy hotel, but it had a different name to the one on our reservation. We wandered around for a few minutes, but there really wasn't anything on top of this rather desolate hill except the fancy hotel. So we decided to do the classy thing - we went into the really fancy hotel and asked directions.
In a very exciting turn of events, it turns out the really fancy hotel goes by two names, and we were in the right place! It is both the Pousada do Estremoz, and more well known as the Pousada Rainha Santa Isabel. The hotel used to be a 13th century castle built by the king of Portugal for his very young bride, Isabela. She died very young, but was revered by the locals and was made a saint.
In the 18th century, a fire destroyed the whole castle except for one room: the room where Saint Isabel had died almost 400 years earlier. That room is now a public chapel overlooking the hilltops, and a statue has been erected in her memory outside.
We had lunch at one of the smallest, cutest little restaurants of the trip. It was on the site of the castle's old jail, and appropriately named A Cadeia (chains). The tables sat outside in a tiny alleyway, and the waiters were the most incredibly friendly people ever. They seemed so excited to have us there. The meal was incredible, and one of the fanciest we had on the trip. It was such a lovely little surprise.
After lunch, we tried to explore the rest of the hilltop (we had no real desire to descend down into the city). The only problem was there wasn't really much to explore. We saw the entire place in a 10-minute walk, and found nothing except some ruined walls.
So over a week into our trip, we decided it was a sign to have a relaxing day by the pool. And the hotel was so nice, we definitely didn't complain.
After some naps by the pool, it was time for dinner in the hotel. The restaurant was highly recommended, and did not fail to impress. We had pre-dinner drinks in the beautiful old sitting room, overlooking the town of Estremoz below (looked much prettier from up here). Then we had an incredible meal of all local dishes and wines. Our waiters knew so much about the best things to order and what was in season, so we just relaxed and enjoyed.
After dinner and a few drinks in the sitting room, we took a wander outside to see the castle by night.
We ended our night with a huge laugh over the way that Dave blended in with the tiles on the wall.
I wouldn't recommend Estremoz on its own unless you were looking for a nice relaxing day a few great meals at this hotel. Without the hotel, we probably would have made for Evora right away. However, we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.
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