Justin Goes To Portugal

Viseu and Coimbra     Over the last ten days, I spent most of my time in Coimbra, relaxing and preparing to depart for Porto. As I anticipate that the latter will have a lot more hustle and bustle, I have been content to enjoy the slower pace of the former while I am still here. It has been a peaceful ten days, and the leisurely spirit was not at all interrupted by my day trip to Viseu.       Like other cities of the central region, Viseu is not very large, but it offers some tourist attractions and has a unique history dating back to the Roman era. Of note is its monument to Viriato, the leader of the Lusitanians,  who, like Boudica in England, Vercingetorix in France, and Arminius in Germany (each of whom led resistance efforts against the Romans), has been a symbol of national identity since the nineteenth century. Not far from here are the city’s most important historical monument, Viseu Cathedral, and the Grão Vasco National Museum, which, li...

Leiria, Fátima, and Aveiro     Having settled into Coimbra, I felt ready for some new adventures and decided to explore a few of the nearby towns. Though relatively small, Leiria, Fátima, and Aveiro all made for rewarding day trips. Each offers enough points of interest to warrant a visit.    At the centre of  Leiria is a charming town square, where one can find plenty of diversion people-watching, strolling through Poets Park, or simply admiring the twelfth-century castle that overlooks the town. This castle is open to the public, and touring it was the high point of my trip. Stepping inside its walls, I felt my boyhood fascination with the medieval world revive in full force. The grounds contain many historic structures open for exploration, and it is even possible to scale the parapet inside the keep. This point of the castle is somewhat dangerous due to the lack of guard rails, the uneven walkway, and the high wind, but the risk-taker is rewarded with an unf...