PORTUGAL: GUIMARAES PALACE AND CASTLE AND AN OCTOPUS LUNCH

 July 1, 2022

Our next stop was Guimaraes, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. We spent several hours on the grounds of Guimaraes Castle, the place where the first King of Portugal, Afonso Henriques (1109-1185) was born. Construction began in the mid-10th century. Obviously, it has had a few renovations since then.

We walked past it on the right side . . . 

. . . admiring its square, crenellated tower and the way it is literally built into the rocks.

We followed a group of middle-aged men wearing jackets that identified them as part of a Vespa scooter club. The logo is a bee riding a scooter. Very cute.

The Ducal Palace is located behind the castle on the same expansive royal property. It was built for Afonso, the 1st Duke of Braga, in the early 15th century (pre-Columbus!). After a period of disuse and decay, it was rebuilt (and significantly improved) in the 20th century and became the official northern residence of the Portuguese President, who stayed here when he traveled in the area until the 1970s, when it became strictly a museum.

We paid our 5 € entry fee and walked inside, then up the narrow stairway.

There are some nice Portuguese history displays, including these dresses from the 18th century.

Four of these, called the "Pastrana Tapestries," were commissioned by King Afonso V to celebrate the conquest of a couple of Moroccan cities by the Portuguese in 1471.

The palace looks like it could actually be lived in.

However, I am not sure if this weapons room is quite up to date.

Two random small carvings caught my attention. Some of these 500-year-old artworks look like they could be contemporary folk art.

Another of the Pastrana Tapestries hangs in the banquet hall. Judging by the length of the table, they must have had some pretty big dinner parties.

This is the private dining chamber.

The palace has a large central courtyard. I love all the chimneys. The triangular roof shades the recessed door to the chapel.

Like most palaces, there is a private chapel for the royal family to use.

I believe that is yet another Pastrana Tapestry on the wall.

Not one of the Pastrana tapestries, but still beautiful.

The bedchamber of Catherine of Braganza (1638-1705) is fairly simple for someone who was the daughter of John IV of Portugal (the first king from the House of Braganza) and wife of British King Charles II, making her Queen Consort of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

After we finished exploring the palace, we walked back to the castle.

Hydrangeas in full bloom seemed to be growing naturally, like weeds.

We could see people walking on top of the castle wall.

The open stairs were a little scary, but at least there was a barrier (although sometimes only a wire fence) that made me feel more secure on top, unlike the exposed edges of Obidos Castle, which we had visited earlier in the trip.

Here is a good view of the palace chimneys from the castle ramparts.

Be careful . . .

Bob had researched a place to eat in Guimaraes, a charming little town. This just doesn't look like the United States, does it?

And we've never eaten in a restaurant in the U.S. dedicated to octopus. Polvo means "octopus" in Portuguese.

I had grilled octopus and rice, which was quite good. The octopus was so tender that it could be cut with a fork.

Bob's octopus cooked in olive oil was more dramatic looking, but not quite as good as my dish.

For dessert we had delicious guava cheesecake. which in Portugal is very light.

The atmosphere was fun--octopus and seashells--and our wait staff was terrific. While it wasn't the BEST octopus we had on the trip (that was in Lisbon), it was worth the effort of going there.