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Palácio dos Maias

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    • TravelerCamino de Santiago
      Day 41

      But...

      May 2 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

      Another thing I let the Little Lexie operating the joystick these days do was book us both in for a full body scrub and massage today.

      I figure I've got about a cubic metre of grime to shift, and I've been wanting a back scratch for ages so this will tick both boxes.

      On the way I walked past this one - thank goodness I didn't try to come here as it looks like they only do it for pregnant or for child, possibly also for hot stones, I'd have been turned away quick-smart.

      Where I had made my appointment, Pausa Spa, had just the one treatment room so when I walked in he (I was really hoping it wouldn't be a he but so be it) greeted me by name.

      What followed was a very awkward encounter involving the absence of a towel in the change room (he was mortified to have forgotten, I was mortified to exist) but then a nice scrub.

      He asked several times if the pressure was ok, I resisted the urge to say "I would, look at me, I would like you to draw blood" and just mmhmmed.      Read more

    • Laurie ReynoldsBack to Lisbon, 2022
      Day 8

      Day in Porto

      November 3, 2022 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

      The huge hotel breakfast gave us lots of energy, so from 11-4, Joe snd I walked and visited and walked some more. About 7-8 miles for him today! The trick is frequent stops snd frequent snacks. I stopped counting how many pasteis de nata he has had since we arrived in Portugal.

      We had not intended to stop in the bookstore that is supposedly J. K. Rowling’s inspiration for some of Hogwarts. But she herself has said she was never there! The line was huge and we were walking by. As we stopped to peek at the window, a nice attendant came up and said we could jump the line, no doubt because of our infirm condition. So we paid our €12 and went in. It was mobbed, but it really is a beautiful bookstore.

      From there we got caught up in a huge construction project going on in the middle of the city. Porto is adding a new metro line, a project that will take at least a decade, and it has really made a mess of certain parts of the city. But after we navigated it, we made our way back over to Gaia,, this time on the top level of the bridge. From there, we went to the cathedral and to the Gothic São Francisco church, whose insides have been turned into a Baroque riot.

      I was on my own for a few hours, and just enjoyed going up and down the hills, finding little lookouts, and then walking across the bridge one more time, this time to see the riverside lit up at night. We probably won’t go far for dinner, and hopefully it’ll be an early night to bed.      Read more

    • Laurie ReynoldsBack to Lisbon, 2022
      Day 9

      To Pinhais & Cia.

      November 4, 2022 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

      The New York Times had an article this summer describing the tour of the Pinhais canning factory, which has retained an entirely manual processing method. The original founding Pinhal family, was ready to close the conservaría (which has been the fate of nearly all of the many canning factories in this area), but a rich Austrian who very much loves these particular sardines bought the factory in 2020. His condition was that the original methods be preserved. And he opened the factory to tours. It was incredibly interesting.

      We started in the original business office, with ornate staircases, beautiful tiles, all the old office equipment. There are a couple of movies (a little hokey) some reels showing old fishing scenes. Then we move to the actual factory, where the work is being done (a M-F visit is highly recommended though they give tours on weekends)

       The line work is all done by women (some in the third or fourth generation). First step, chop off the head and pull out the guts in one swipe of the knife. Another woman cuts off the tail. There’s another line of women that put the special seasoning in each can —clove, Bayleaf, chili pepper, carrot, pickle, and black pepper. Then finally the perfectly cut sardines are placed in the cans. The cans themselves are closed mechanically. But the labels are put on by hand, at a pace of one every six seconds.

      The women seemed to take enormous pride in their work. Many came to greet us on the floor and seemed genuinely happy. The NYT article reported that the women make 800€ a month, which is just minimum wage. I’m not equating job satisfaction with a high salary, but it did surprise me.

      We took a bus out and back, from the Douro to the sea and up the coast a bit. After an hour walk along the water, we headed back. I then took one last walk across the bridge to enjoy the view in late afternoon sun and to watch all the people speaking so many different languages and all enjoying the same beautiful sights.      Read more

    • 2023
      2
      Day 14

      Poustana do porto

      May 21, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

      We’ve arrived on Porto to a maritime festival, and there are bazillions of people in town! Finding the hotel was the first challenge, a construction site was blocking everything. We ended up in a dead end street and walking the suitcases to the hotel.
      Finally found the hotel and got checked in then waited for David and Euan to move the car to the car park, another logistical nightmare parking.
      Out into the throngs for a meal and a walk around      Read more

    • TravelerSpain & Portugal 2023
      Day 7

      Porto Scavenger Hunt - Random Walking

      September 18, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

      》Bombi Tunnel

      》"Ribeira Negra" panel by Júlio Resende

      "Ribeira Negra" is considered the best portuguese contemporary ceramic panel, recreating the atmosphere of the Ribeira district, one of the most emblematic places of the city of Porto.

      This remarkable work of art with 40 meters long by 4.8 meters tall, challenged the artist (who at age of 70 has not abdicated to paint and write with is own hands), is strategically placed near the bottom plate of the D. Luiz bridge.

      》Monumento ao Duque da Ribeira

      If you stroll through the Ribeira area, which you will have to do if you come to Porto, it is very likely that you will cross the statue in honor of Deocleciano Monteiro (exact location is at Rua Cimo do Muro, 12, next to Ponte D . Luís).

      If the name tells you absolutely nothing, don’t worry! The same will happen to most people from Porto! But almost everyone will be able to tell you who the “Duque da Ribeira” was, a name by which he has always been and become known. In fact, it is the tradition that it was the mother herself who, in view of the difficulty in pronouncing the name Deocleciano, treated him as “Duke.

      Born in Porto on March 24, 1902 and died on November 9, 1996, the Duke was born and always lived in Ribeira, until his death, being an inseparable and absolutely charismatic figure throughout the twentieth century.
      At only 11 years old, he saved a person from drowning in the river. Since then, this heroic brand has never left him, despite his modesty and extreme humility.

      The Duke grew up by the river, where all his life he was a boatman. He knew the Douro, its waters, its currents, its life, like no one else! This, coupled with his courage and physical agility and the fact that he is an excellent swimmer, has allowed him throughout his life to save many people from drowning in the sometimes treacherous waters of the river and in other cases from rescue the bodies of those who lost their lives there. Hundreds of people owe their lives – literally – to Duque da Ribeira!
      He was also responsible for teaching many children from Ribeira to swim!
      Docker, sailor and even actor, the Duke’s popularity was immense!      Read more

    • TravelerSpain & Portugal 2023
      Day 7

      Porto Scavenger Hunt - Stop 7

      September 18, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

      》Sé do Porto aka Porto Cathedral

      The Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto in Portuguese) is the most important religious edifice in the city and has been declared a National Monument. It is situated in the upper part of Porto.

      The Cathedral is in Batalha, very close to the walls that once protected the city. The building looks a bit like a fortress with crenels from the outside.

      The construction of the Cathedral began during the 12th century, but it was rebuilt and renovated numerous times throughout the centuries. This explains why the Cathedral is a mix of architectural styles. The temple is predominantly Baroque in style, although its façade and the nave are Romanesque and its cloister and one of the chapels are Gothic in style.

      The Romanesque and early Gothic Church of São Martinho de Cedofeita, notable for the curiously carved capitals of its pillars, occupies the site of a church said to have been built by Theodomir, king of the Visigoths, in 559 to receive relics of St. Martin from France. Also notable are the Torre dos Clérigos, an 18th-century granite tower, 246 feet (75 metres) high; the Gothic Church of São Francisco (from 1410); and the stock exchange, with its ornately designed Salão Arabe (“Arabic Hall”; 19th century).      Read more

    • TravelerSpain & Portugal 2023
      Day 7

      Porto Scavenger Hunt - Random Walking

      September 18, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

      》Vestir Bem e Barato Só Aqui

      Rua das Flores is possibly Porto’s most famous street and at the top of the street, a sign on a narrow five-storey building tells you that you can ‘Vestir Bem E Barato Só Aqui’ (dress well and cheaply here).

      》Statue of Vímara Peres

      Vimara Peres (820-873) was a Galician duke of the 9th century in west Iberia. He was a vassal of the king of Asturias, Léon and Galicia,Alfonso III, and was sent to reconquer and secure from the Moors the area from the Minho River to the Douro River, including the city of Portus Cale, later Porto and Gaia, from where the name of Portugal emerged. In 868 count Vímara Peres was named Count of Portugal, after the reconquest of the region north of the Douro river. Portuguese historians view this event as the earliest milestone in the history of the state of Portugal, although Portugal did not achieve independence until the 12th century.      Read more

    • TravelerSpain & Portugal 2023
      Day 7

      Porto Scavenger Hunt - Stop 6

      September 18, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

      》Azulejos

      Images of Portugal often include the colorful glazed tiles found throughout the country. Azulejos, as these tiles are called, have been prominent in Portugal since the 1700s. Their inspiration came from the Moorish influence of invaders in Spain and Portugal as early as the 13th century. 

      The word azulejo comes from Arabic, meaning “little polished stone.” Appearing on the exteriors and interiors of structures like churches, markets, train stations, and government buildings, they carry with them a meaningful history and deep connection to the Portuguese identity. Over the centuries, azulejos have evolved and spread so that an infinite variety can be found all over the country.

      King Manuel I, known as “the Fortunate,” ruled over great expansion and formation of the Portuguese Empire. When he visited Granada, Spain and saw the stunning Alhambra palace with its colorful tiles, he brought back the idea of using tiles to embellish empty walls in Portuguese architecture. The tiles of this time were simple geometric shapes in accordance with religious law, but as they grew in popularity and laws changed, so did the azulejos.

      As time marched on, the azulejos evolved. In the 17th century, azulejo designs were influenced by the famous blue-and-white tiles of Delft in the Netherlands. The Portuguese elite loved the blue and white tiles and bought them from Amsterdam until King Pedro III of Portugal put a halt on the imports. He wanted Portugal to produce azulejos in the country and so began the domestic production of Portuguese azulejos.

      The 18th century was a golden age for the mass production of azulejos in Portugal. The Portuguese, known for telling stories, used the tiles as a way to create public artworks that were not only beautiful but also communicated everything from history to culture. Tiles included depictions of nature and scenes of human life, and ultimately became more colorful and immensely popular. Entire ceilings and walls have been assembled to impart history and tell tales.      Read more

    • TravelerSpain & Portugal 2023
      Day 7

      Porto Scavenger Hunt - Stop 6

      September 18, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

      》Porto São Bento

      Porto's São Bento Train Station is without a doubt the most visually appealing Train Station in Porto – if not in Portugal, and certainly one of the most beautiful in the world.

      Upon entering the São Bento Station you find a hall decorated with the impressive sum of twenty thousand tiles.

      Each one is hand-illustrated with scenes of important moments in Portuguese history, such as the battle of Valdevez, the conquest of Ceuta in 1415 or the visit of King John I with his wife Felipa of Lancaster to Porto.

      The building is made of granite and was created by the architect José Marques da Silva. The tiles are the work of the artist Jorge Colaço.

      The first train arrived at this site in 1896, when the building wasn’t even finished. It was officially inaugurated in 1916, but its tiles were manufactured as early as 1905.      Read more

    • TravelerSpain & Portugal 2023
      Day 7

      Porto Scavenger Hunt - Random walking

      September 18, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

      》Igreja dos Clérigos

      The 'Church of the Clergy' is an fine Baroque building in its own right. Built in 1750 and taking almost twenty years it precedes the tower by over ten years. Beyond its imposing granite facade and staircase the most notable feature of the church is its oval-shaped plan, the first church in Portugal to have such a design.

      The fine Rococo marble interior has a light and airy feel in contrast to many of Porto's other churches. The standout features are the domed ceiling with the coat of arms of the Brotherhood of the Clerics and the pair of Iberian organs which flank the main altar.

      After committing over three decades of his life to this project, and making Porto his home, it seems fitting that architect Nicolau Nasoni should be buried here. Up until very recently it was only a legend that Nasoni was buried in Clerigos but in 2015, during renovation works, a crypt containing his tomb was discovered under the main altar.

      》Igreja de Santo António dos Congregados

      In English this means the Church of St Anthony's Congregation. It is attractively decorated with blue and white tiles and can be found just north of the main Porto Sao Bento Railway Station. It is more like a chapel than a traditional church.

      St Anthony was born in Lisbon at the end of the 12th century in a house near Lisbon cathedral. He was baptised with the name of Fernando Martins de Bulhoes. He became a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan order and became famous for his knowledge of the Bible and forceful preaching. He is the patron saint the finding things or people that are lost.

      Around 1210, he joined, as a novice monk, the religious monastic order of the Canons Regular at the Augustinian Abbey of Saint Vincent on the outskirts of Lisbon. He came from a wealthy and noble family who often came to visit him at the Abbey. He was very conscientious about studies and found these visits a distraction. He requested to be moved to the monastery of Santa Cruz de Coimbra, which was an important mediaeval and ecclesiastical cultural centre at that time where he studied Latin, Canon law, philosophy and theology.

      During the occasion of an ordination in 1222 Fernando was called upon to give a sermon to his fellow Franciscan monks and visiting Dominican Friars. It created a deep impression on everyone present. His skill was recognised and he went on to became a renowned preacher and teacher of Scripture. He soon came to the attention of the founder of the Franciscan order Francis of Assisi and Pope Gregory IX. He died young age 35. He was canonised quickly by the Pope because of his special preaching and teaching ability and dedication to the church.      Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Palácio dos Maias, Palacio dos Maias

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