The group gathered at 9am sharp and boarded our day’s bus through central Portugal. Mikael promised a “surprise” first stop and it was a good one 👍 – the castle town on a hill of Óbidos. 

Originally a Roman settlement and castle, Óbidos changed hands through history, Visigoths, Moors and eventually Portugal’s first King Alfonso Henriques in 1148. 

Part of group walked the castle walls while some of us met some handsome pups on tour with their owners. 

We climbed some ancient steps, sampled some Ginja shots (cherry brandy), and basked in the warm sun. 

Up next was a 45 minute drive to Batalha, a historic town known for its UNESCO-listed monastery. The town and monastery were founded after the critical battle which earned Portugal its independence in 1385 (hence “batalha”, or “battle”).  The monastery itself took over a century to build, not finishing until around 1517. 

A stunning place, we enjoyed touring its magnificent cloisters and the resting place of  King John I and Queen Philippa – their tomb is topped with a sculpture of them lying in repose and holding hands. 

A little while later, we arrived in Coimbra, our destination for two nights. We settled into a beautiful classic hotel on the Mondego River, the Astoria. 

What we were to find out was that a music festival beginning at midnight and running through 5am was taking place directly across the river. Thank goodness for noise canceling headphones!

We had an orientation walk, some dinner, and anticipation for the day to come in this historic university town.  A great day traversing central Portugal.