OBIDOS, PORTUGAL - WALLED CITY (Van Life Portugal) 🇵🇹

A short drive from Peniche is Obidos - where you will find one of the finest examples of a Portuguese walled town.
Due to it's proximity to Lisbon, Obidos is fast becoming one of the most popular tourist day trip destinations of the region and can fluctuate between busy and empty in a single day. The ancient town walls encircling the historic centre of Obidos remain surprisingly intact. and the top of these walls can be walked providing a scenic and peaceful way to see the town from above.

Considering the consistent foul weather we had our hopes up for Nazaré - the setting for some of the world’s largest waves, which in winter can reach over 30m. Powerful Atlantic Ocean waves are channelled through the Nazaré Canyon - Europe’s largest underwater canyon - to create massive waves taller than buildings. In the winter, fearless surfers come to surf these mammoth waves, with events attracting over 100,000 spectators.

After leaving Nazare the heavens opened - again - and we just kept driving north until we found the summer resort town of Praia da Vieira which is nestled between the river Lis and the ancient pine forest of Pinhal de Leiria. To the south of the town the beach stretches off for several kilometres with a backdrop of low sand dunes and pine forest. It's still home to a traditional population of fishermen, who are dedicated to their daily tasks of going out to sea early in each morning.

Although we were hoping to visit Figueira da Foz the relentless rain forced us further north to the gorgeous Praia da Costa Nova - just south of Aveiro. The most picturesque aspect of Costa Nova is its coastal road along which a line of wooden huts is painted in brightly coloured stripes alternating with white. Originally built by fishermen as shelters and equipment stores, the huts have now been converted into rather characteristic holiday homes.

#wewillnomad #vanlife #portugal