Section 13 - Centro Portugal

Foz do Arelho / Praia da Vieira

The section begins at Foz do Arelho where is the beach with the same name, next to the Óbidos Lagoon. We recommend a walk in the atlantic marginal, through the Serra do Bouro with a stop in the Arrinhada Viewpoint, until you reach Salir do Porto.

At Salir do Porto you can visit the ruins of the Senhora de Sant’Ana Chapel, the beach of Salir do Porto and near the beach a freshwater source – Pocinha.

Shortly after comes São Martinho do Porto, a village near to a bay with shell format, where the Tornada River flows. Around the bay is the São Martinho do Porto Beach. In this town it is recommended a visit to Santo António hill where you can see the landscape and is located the Lighthouse and Cruzeiro. Outside the cliffs that protect the bay is the Gralha Beach; north of this comes the Salgado Beach, sought for the practice of paragliding or hang gliding and then Sul Beach, suitable for surfing and bodyboarding.

Continuing the trail begins the Nazaré Beach, protected by the promontory at the north and by the safe harbour jetty at the south, and in the summer you can see the traditional cloth tents with streaks of bright colors. This beach is popular among visitors, tourists and vacationers. It has a large sandy area where you can watch the fishermen in their art and fishmongers with their traditional costumes (seven skirts). Given the characteristics of the waves of Nazaré, these are searched by surfers and bodyboarders.

To enjoy the beauty of this landscape is recommended to climb to the Sítio da Nazaré, on the top of the promontory, through the Ascensor and a walk through its narrow and perpendicular to the sea streets. At the top is the Memória Chapel and Suberco Viewpoint.

The Farol Road leads to the Nova Beach and then to the S. Miguel Arcanjo Fort where is the Nazaré Lighthouse. North of the Fort is the Norte Beach under the influence of the phenomenon “Canhão da Nazaré” which provides waves with an unusual size that attract players of waves sports.

Continuing along the coast there are several beaches until you reach S. Pedro de Moel. Here is a beach located between the pine forest and the sea, and an ocean swimming pool on the sea. You can visit the parks and picnic areas and if you’re looking for contact with nature just choose one of the walking routes that combine sea, pine forest and beach with the forest, springs, rivers and streams. North of this town is the Penedo da Saudade, a high cliff where is the Lighthouse.

A little away from the path and located in a wide plain, surrounded by pine forest of Leiria, is Marinha Grande. It is a locality with high natural, cultural and industrial heritage. From the sea, the pine forest and other geological resources, raw materials and fuel industries were extracted mainly for the glass. And to learn more about this industry it is recommended to visit the Glass Museum.

Returning to the route and shortly after the Penedo da Saudade the landscape is dominated by cliffs, beaches, dunes and the ocean until the Vieira de Leiria Beach where the section ends.


Photos:
luxinvicta.pt; viajarpedalando.wordpress.com; asminhaspedaladas.blogspot.pt (2); Francisco Lopes (2)

Points of Interest

Heritage: 8
  • Photo: Francisco Lopes

  • Photo: porcaminhosdecister.blogspot.pt

  • Photo: www.cm-nazare.pt

  • Photo: www.cm-nazare.pt

  • Photo: porcaminhosdecister.blogspot.pt

  • This mid-19th century palace was once the home of the family of José dos Santos Barosa, whose factory opened in 1911. The building houses the estate of the sculptor Joaquim Correia.

    Born into a family of glassmakers in Marinha Grande in...

  • The Museum is housed in the palace that was once the residence of William Stephens. It is an elegant 18th-century building, neoclassical in inspiration and delightfully set in English-style gardens. The entrance to the palace is through an...

  • Situated between two beautiful stretches of golden sand, Nazaré is the most sheltered harbour to the north of Lisbon, without its bar ever having silted up. It has berths for 52 boats up to 25 metres in length and with draughts of less than 4...

Nature: 1 Beach: 30 Information: 5 Bike Shops: 10 Accommodation - Campsite: 8 Accommodation - Youth Hostels: 2 Transport - Train: 3

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Section 13

Foz do Arelho / Praia da Vieira: 71

  • Elevation
  • Heritage
  • Nature
  • Beach
  • Information
  • Bike Shops
  • Accommodation - Campsite
  • Accommodation - Youth Hostels
  • Transport - Train