Vimeiro Region
Vimeiro is located in the Lisbon Coast approximately 50 km from the capital on the maritime coast between Torres Vedras and Lourinhã and is part of the "Oeste" Tourism Region.
This region has a privileged situation, slotted between the Serra (massif) de Montejunto and the Atlantic Ocean it has a mild climate and an incomparable atmospheric luminosity. The Serra de Montejunto was classified as Protected Landscape.
Berlenga
island
Óbidos Castle
Vimeiro is located in the Lisbon Coast approximately 50 km from the capital on the maritime coast between Torres Vedras and Lourinhã and is part of the "Oeste" Tourism Region.
This region has a privileged situation, slotted between the Serra (massif) de Montejunto and the Atlantic Ocean it has a mild climate and an incomparable atmospheric luminosity. The Serra de Montejunto was classified as Protected Landscape.
Porto Novo Beaches
The Porto Novo Beach is located in a gorgeous valley,
among cliffs with an astonishing vegetation, with grottoes and caves with
pre-historical vestiges.
Once a fishing port, this beach is also known for the Alcabrichel River mouth,
and historically for being the place where the British Troops disembarked for
the Vimieiro Battle, during the first French Invasion.
History
In the "Oeste" Tourism Region you can find the most remote testimonies of human presence and series of passages of different people such as the Celtics, Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthagians, Iberians and Romans, theses last around the year 220 B.C.
This Region became famous in the Portuguese History due to the
battles which were fought here during the French Invasions.
In 1808, in Vimeiro took place the battle between the Portuguese/British armies
(led by Wellington) and the French army (led by Junot) which put
term to the 1st French invasion.
In Torres Vedras, the complex of the defence system of the Linhas de Torres'
objective was the defence of Lisbon during
Napoleonic invasions. The defence was made on the reinforcement of the natural
obstacles of this region, maintaining simultaneously an open communication with
the sea in case retreat was necessary.
Making part of this defence system were the Fortresses of S. Julião da Barra,
Fortress of Sobral, Torres Vedras and the fortification of Mafra, Montachique,
Bucelas and Vialonga. In 1810 the French were defeated.
This defence system was built in absolute secret (only a few British Officials
knew the plans).The Linhas de Torres Vedras defence system is considered by the
specialists one of the most efficient fortification systems in history.
Jurassic Museum
The Museu da Lourinhã has been situated in the centre of the town since its foundation in 1984.
Its contents, originating from donations by residents and field work, are divided into four sections: archaeology, religious art, ethnography and palaeontology, distributed over two floors.
This museum has the largest collection in Iberia of dinosaur fossils from the Upper Jurassic and one of the most important in the world.
Among these 150-year-old fossils there are various remains of carnivorous dinosaurs such as the Lourinhanosaurus antunesi, of gigantic herbivores like the Dinheirosaurus lourinhanensis and various carnivorous dinosaur fossil eggs containing the oldest dinosaur embryo eggs in the world, as well as the second largest known nest, more than a hundred years old.
The museum exhibits a series of dinosaurs that are the only known examples of these species. It is also possible to see a variety of fossils of invertebrates, fish, crocodiles, pterosaurs, turtles, mammals etc. of various geological ages.
Jurassic Museum
Gastronomy
The "Oeste" Region gastronomy is rich and varied.
The richness of the coast allied to the biggest fish-farm of shellfish in the
country (Porto de Barcas) permits the perfect confection of the most varied
fish dishes (specially in the area between Peniche and Foz do Arelho) and other
sea fruits such as sea bream and sea-bass, fish-stew, thousands of national and
international tourists are attracted to Peniche because of this delicious dish.
Shellfish and monkfish rice and sweated lobster.
From the Lagoa de Óbidos (lagoon) we have eels, clams, cockles, little see
bass, grey mullets, crabs cuttle-fish and mussels.
Sérgio Loureiro
Torres Vedras
History
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The early history of Portugal, whose name derives from the Roman name Portus Cale which means the Port of the Celts, is shared with the rest of the Iberian Peninsula. The region was settled by Pre-Celts and Celts, giving origin to peoples like the Gallaeci, Lusitanians, Celtici and Cynetes, visited by Phoenicians and Carthaginians, incorporated in the Roman Republic dominions (as Lusitania after 45 BC), settled again by Suevi, Buri, and Visigoths, and conquered by Moors. Other minor influences include some 5th century vestiges of Alan settlement, which were found in Alenquer, Coimbra and even Lisbon.[6] In 868, during the Reconquista (by which Christians reconquered the Iberian peninsula from the Muslim and Moorish domination), the First County of Portugal was formed. A victory over the Muslims at Ourique in 1139 is traditionally taken as the occasion when Portugal was transformed from a county (County of Portugal as a fief of the Kingdom of León) into an independent kingdom: the Kingdom of Portugal. |
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On 24 June 1128, the Battle of São Mamede occurred near Guimarães. At the Battle of São Mamede, Afonso Henriques, Count of Portugal, defeated his mother, Countess Teresa, and her lover, Fernão Peres de Trava, in battle — thereby establishing himself as sole leader. Afonso Henriques officially declared Portugal's independence when he proclaimed himself king of Portugal on 25 July 1139, after the Battle of Ourique, he was recognized as such in 1143 by Alfonso VII, king of León and Castile, and in 1179 by Pope Alexander III. Afonso Henriques and his successors, aided by military monastic orders, pushed southward to drive out the Moors, as the size of Portugal covered about half of its present area. In 1249, this Reconquista ended with the capture of the Algarve on the southern coast, giving Portugal its present day borders, with minor exceptions. In 1348 and 1349, like the rest of Europe, Portugal was devastated by the Black Death. |
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Tourism in Portugal
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The tourist areas are, by order of tourist receipts and earnings, Greater Lisbon (Lisboa), the Algarve, Portuguese Islands (Ilhas Portuguesas: Madeira and Azores), Greater Porto and Northern Portugal (Porto e Norte), Alentejo, and Centro. |  |
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Low cost carriers continue to increase their share towards the end of the review period. After a boom in continental airports, EasyJet expanded to Madeira airport with new routes including London Stansted and Bristol. Low cost airlines continued to invest in their fleets and in direct flights, creating new inbound tourism destinations. The main low cost companies operating in Portugal are EasyJet, Monarch Airlines and Ryanair. |  |
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Portugal is more:
Portuguese cuisine is diverse. The Portuguese consume a lot of dry cod (bacalhau in Portuguese), for which there are hundreds of recipes. There are more than enough bacalhau dishes for each day of the year. Two other popular fish recipes are grilled sardines and caldeirada, a potato-based stew that can be made from several types of different, scrambled fish or meats or even vegetables. Typical Portuguese meat recipes, that may be made out of beef, pork, lamb, or chicken, include cozido à portuguesa, , feijoada, frango de churrasco, leitão (piglet) and carne de porco à alentejana.
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