Page 313 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Portugal

Salazar regime, General Medieval walls of Sines,
Delgado led an unsuccessful the town where Vasco da
uprising at Beja. Gama (inset) was born
Beja’s old town, an area of
narrow, often cobbled, streets,
stretches from the castle keep popular sandy beach, but
southeast to the 13th-century it is not always possible to
convent of São Francisco, now escape the haze of pollution.
a superb pousada. The former A land mark above the
Convento de Nossa Senhora beach is the modest medieval LOVE LETTERS OF
da Conceição (now a regional castle, restored in the 16th A HEARTSICK NUN
museum) is a remarkable century by King Manuel. It was Lettres Portugaises,
blend of architectural styles, here that Vasco da Gama, son published in French in
with a Gothic church portal, of the alcaide-mor, or mayor, is 1669, are celebrated for
Manueline windows and a reputed to have been born in their lyric beauty. They
dazzling Baroque chapel. 1469. A multimedia museum are the poignant letters
dedicated to the great navi- of a nun whose French
gator, the Casa Vasco da lover left her: she was
23 Gama, is housed in the castle Mariana Alcoforado,
keep. A statue of Vasco da
Sines Gama looks out over the bay. born in Beja in 1640; he
was the Comte de Saint-
Particulary appealing are Léger, later Marquis de
! D6 @ g n Inside the two sea-blue lagoons, the Chamilly, fighting in
castle; 269 632 237
Lagoa de Santo André and the Restoration Wars
The birthplace of Vasco da Lagoa de Melides nature with Spain. The true
Gama (p114) is now a major reserves, set in a long stretch authorship of the five
industrial port and tanker of sandy coast about 20 km letters may be in doubt,
terminal ringed with refinery (12 miles) north of Sines. but the story of the
pipelines. Once past this Camping within the reserves lovelorn nun endures –
heavy industrial zone, visitors is prohibited and the area is Matisse even painted
reach the old town with its patrolled by park rangers. her imaginary portrait.
Sentimental visitors to
Casa Vasco da Gama the Convento de Nossa
⌂ Castelo de Sines § 269 632 Senhora da Conceição
Chapter room of the Convento 237 # 10am–1pm, 2–5pm in Beja still sigh over
de Nossa Senhora da Tue–Sun (to 6pm in summer) “Mariana’s window”.
Conceição at Beja ¢ Public hols
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