Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Sesimbra - Fishing Village on a Sheltered Bay

Sesimbra was my first introduction to Portugal. It holds a special spot for me even though it's not really my favorite place in Portugal. It's a beautiful beach town full of old houses, cafe's and shops that sit on a hill that butts right up against the ocean.

It's where my husband's family had a house for years (my husband tells stories of running up and down the streets with cousins when he was young) and according to them, the town has changed immensely. From being a small fishing village with vacationers in the summer to a get-away resort town with some locals that still fish. The ocean front is filling up with huge condos and hotels and everything is being upgraded; which is good, but also a little sad. Even 15 years ago, when I first visited, it had a much smaller feel, and while the tourists in August always tripled the population, it was never a "resort" town, just a sleepy vacation spot for those in the know!

Here's a few shots from this visit. Enjoy! :)

This is the drive into the town! Just gorgeous!! LOVE all the red roofs :)

The walk down the hill, through the town, to the beach.

Full of tiny cobblestone roads, old buildings, shops, bakeries, and restaurants.

Further down, ocean in view. 

The beaches are pretty empty now... wait till August!

One of the resort condos recently installed. All the poles on the beach will be umbrellas.

Very typical restaurant. Tiny, outdoor seating, and a huge cooler of fresh seafood!

This one is full of shell fish. ...what ARE those long shellfish things in the middle? 

One of the best restaurants in the town!

Finally, it's hard to spot, this is not a great shot, but there's a huge Moorish castle on the top of that mountain,
you can just make out the outline of the wall in the trees at the very top.

xo











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