Travel journal by Eric and Diego
A long trip starting from Italy up to the western part of Europe, visiting Portugal from north to south.
1st day – 23/07/1999 It is 6.10 am we leave from Diego’s house in Dueville (Vicenza), take the A4 towards Milan, in Brescia we turn towards Piacenza then down to Liguria, Ventimiglia, we enter French territory and at 18.30 we arrive in Blanes on the Costa Brava, a few kilometers before Barcelona. Here we find an international fireworks competition. The campsites are all full but after several attempts we finally find a free place. The show in the evening, of the fires launched from an islet near the beach was fantastic.
2nd day – 24/07/1999 We leave Blanes around 8.00, we take the wrong road and we find ourselves in the center of Barcelona. We lose an hour to get out of the city… but at least we saw the Sagrada Familia. We head towards Madrid, where we arrive around 16.00. We do not enter the capital, but we go around it and head towards Salamanca, then towards Vilar Formoso. A policeman spoils our day by giving us a fine of 8000 pesetas for passing a truck … A few minutes before eight we arrive in Ciudad Rodrigo at the camping “La Pesquera” which the guides should also have a swimming pool. We discover that the “pool” is a moat next to the campsite!
3rd day – 25/07/1999 We set off at 9.00 and after a quarter of an hour we finally cross the Portuguese border. We change the time zone (Portugal adopts the Greenwich meridian time) and visit Guarda. We leave towards Braganca. We stop for lunch under a large horse chestnut in the middle of a cultivated expanse. The air smells of a thousand perfumes and in the shade it is really good. Visit to the old part of Braganca, a city built on the top of a hill. This time the camping in Braganza really has the swimming pool… a dip is wonderful!
4th day – 26/07/1999 We dismantle the tent and leave for Vila Real, visit the city and then off to Braga which proves to be a beautiful city, with a lot of life, little traffic. In one square there is an “animated” fountain with many jets and sprays moving in time to the music.
5th day – 27/07/1999 From Braga we arrive at Esposende and see the ocean for the first time. Fantastic! We drink a coffee in a bar by the Atlantic (coffee in Portugal is as good as in Italy, short and strong). We arrive in Porto, we find the campsite and by public transport we reach the historic center. Visit to the city and to the cellars of the famous wine: the Port. They are almost all along the river, the Douro and can be visited for free (some are paid … but you can avoid them!) With final tastings. We also buy bottles to take back home.
6th day – 28/07/1999 From Porto we move to Aveiro, Figueira da Foz and then to the campsite in Coimbra.
7th day– 29/07/1999 Visit of Coimbra, the university is fantastic! In the afternoon, after having lunch in the shade of an olive tree, we visit some Roman remains in Conimbriga. In Leiria we visit the castle, nice but nothing exceptional. Then visit the monasteries of Batalha and Alcobaca. Entirely built in white stone, illuminated by the strong Portuguese sun they create an incredible contrast with the blue sky. Particularly fascinating is the arrival at Nazaré beach at dusk. A strong wind raised large waves against the rocks, the foam and the nebulized water were illuminated from behind by the setting sun creating a truly special and suggestive effect. The people on the beach did not only protect themselves from the sun, as here with us with umbrellas, but because of the strong wind they were inside small tents of all colored fabric.
Day 8 – 30/07/1999 We leave around 8.20, visit Obidos and Peniche and after a fish meal we arrive at Cabo da Roca. It is the westernmost point of the European continent. High very suggestive cliffs beaten by a strong and incessant wind. At 15.50 Diego is the westernmost man in the whole continent, at 15.51 it is Eric. Great satisfaction! 🙂 We arrive at Monsanto. The camping par excellence of Lisbon inaugurated for the famous Expo in Lisbon, very nice. It is huge! We see the pool and cannot resist a refreshing dip.
Day 9 – 31/07/1999 Visit to the city of Lisbon. Hoping to hear the famous song (fado) we stroll through the tangle of streets. A ride aboard the small cogwheel trams that go up the hill is a must. We also aim at the complex that hosted the Expo where we enter the oceanic aquarium (belllllisssssimmmmmo !!!!!!!!) and take a ride on the suspended monorail train (you can enjoy the view from above, but nothing else).
10th day– 01/08/1999 We spend the second night at the campsite in Lisbon: it’s an event! Since we left Italy we have moved every day, staying every day in a different campsite. Let’s resume the visit to the city starting from the Jeronimo monastery (also here Manuelino style) where it is really worth spending the ticket money. The castle (palace?) Of Belem is as famous and pretty from the outside as it is insignificant to visit the inside. In the parking lot in front of Belem, we see a camper with an Italian license plate. They are the first compatriots we have met since we left, and impossible to believe they too from Vicenza! At noon we leave for Evora; the visit does not take us long, in the end the interesting part is the central square with the remains of the Roman temple.
Day 11 – 02/08/1999 We retrace our steps and touch the Atlantic again in Sines. We go down south and arrive at Cabo de Sao Vincente. A stroll to Sagres and then Praia de Luz.
12th day – 03/08/1999 We want to swim in the ocean. So far we haven’t had the courage: in Sines or Figueira we dipped our feet but the water was freezing. Here in the Algarve it should be less cold. In the end we dive, but I think we haven’t been in the water for more than a few minutes… long live the Mediterranean! The tour of Portugal is now over and at 2.30 pm we leave for Spain. We stop to sleep along the coast in a small village whose name I don’t remember.
13th day – 04/08/1999 Travel day. We cross practically all of Spain and in the evening in Aix en Provence we sleep in the city campsite.
14th day – 05/07/1999 Another day of travel, Provence, the French Riviera, we enter Italy again in Liguria, Piacenza, Brescia, Verona and finally in the afternoon we are Vicenza.
Maps, guides & useful bibliography:
Michelin n.240 – France – Languedoc Rousillon – 1: 200.000
Michelin n.989 – FRANCE – 1: 1.000.000
Michelin n.990 – SPAIN PORTUGAL – 1: 1.000.000
Michelin n. 940 – Portugal, Madeira – 1: 400,000