Adventure close to home
Land of fishermen, Cova do Vapor has that special charm of places where people still live at a natural pace. Enjoy nature, enjoy a pleasant lunch, bury your feet in the warm sand or let the sea embrace you with the patience of someone waiting for the fish to take the bait.
The origin of the curious name of Cova do Vapor (something like “Steam Pit”) is based on several theories, but according to the predominant one, “Cova” was born from the shape of the beach, a shell, the result of the tidal countercurrents that occur near the Tagus at the end of the ebb tide.
The word “Vapor” probably refers to a steam dredger that at the beginning of the 20th century removed sand to build some docks and quays in Lisbon.
Cova do Vapor, located on the south bank of the Tagus River, began to develop in the last century, roughly at the same time that leisure linked to bathing became popular. Until then, this place with unique characteristics was only known and valued by fishermen, whose presence predates the 20th century.
The first fishermen were residents of Trafaria, a nearby town, who moved there (as well as to the adjacent beach, today known as São João).
In 1932, records appeared for the construction of a boat docking pier for the river connection from Lisbon to Cova do Vapor and, two years later, the first authorizations were requested for the occupation of land and construction of demountable wooden houses, as well as for the rental of a plot of land on the beach in this location.
The boat connection made this beach (with one side river and the other ocean) very popular, entering into the bathing habits of Lisbon residents and bringing a new intense social life to Cova do Vapor. Thus, the attendance of Lisbon residents led to the organization of dances and shows and led to the installation of cafes, restaurants, overnight stays, first aid posts and a post office.
However, in the 40s and 50s of the last century, the dredging carried out led to significant changes in the nature of this area, with the reduction of sand and the elimination of dunes that were already stabilized by spontaneous vegetation. These changes led to an advance of the sea, with the town retreating 1700 m, and the disappearance of the most advanced points of the sand, known as Coroa de Fora and Bico da Areia. The effects of human intervention were also felt in fishermen’s homes on several occasions. The harshest winters still cause the sea to reach homes today, but local memory records the storms of 1958 and 1962 as the worst moments.
The population mobilized to try to save their heritage and, with the help of teams of oxen, most of the wooden huts in what was then called Lisbon-Praia (the Atlantic area of Cova do Vapor) were saved, transforming later and in fixed houses.
As some of the most iconic local characters remember, Manuel da Fruta was the one who moved houses and if some arrived at their destination intact, others ended up dismantling along the way.
Finally, the boat docking pier was also destroyed, leading to the end of the river routes.
After the 1974 Revolution, the consolidation of the first informal dwellings began, which still remain and which give Cova do Vapor a peculiar architecture (the result of self-construction), already the subject of different studies. Likewise, coastal protection jetties and some infrastructure were also built.
What to see
🏰The architecture
The buildings in Cova do Vapor have a tradition of informal architecture, based on relatively precarious constructions that resulted from the initiative of the locals.
The houses, many of which began as shelters for fishing gear, many built on piles (stilts), were built spontaneously, which often makes it difficult to distinguish where some begin and others end. Motifs linked to the sea, such as shells and reproductions of coastal birds, are used as decoration, to which various unexpected elements are added.
In addition to building their own houses, all inhabitants contributed to the construction of water, electricity and tarmac networks for the town’s main streets.
The Cova do Vapor Residents’ Association, founded in 1993, plays a fundamental role in the social organization and management of all public services in the neighborhood. The Association’s members meet frequently and collaborate to improve the neighborhood’s common services, namely the water evacuation system and the electrical system.
Cova do Vapor has around 350 and close to 1000 inhabitants. The street names are chosen by residents, based on short stories.
🌊Nature
The beach and dunes are the greatest value of Cova do Vapor.
The large ocean beach is perfect for enjoying the sea and the waves in peace and without the huge crowds that populate the neighboring beaches.
With ideal conditions for windsurfing, it is also chosen by many surfers due to its swell.
The smaller beach, bathed by the river, is a favorite with families, as it has calmer waters.
Essential for protecting the coast from the action of winds and waves and limiting the advance of the coastline, the dunes of Cova do Vapor have been the subject of a protection project that has, so far, involved the installation of 5 km of wicker palisades. . Inside, 80,000 plants native to the dunes were planted, raised in nurseries and with the aim of preserving the genetic diversity of the region’s vegetation.
How to get there
About 23 km from Lisboa
Boat from Lisbon arriving in Trafaria
Transtejo Soflusa Timetable
Bus 3015 Carris Metropolitana from Trafaria
For more
Caparica-Trafaria Parish Council
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
On my way to my retirement and, hopefully, healthy enough to enjoy it 😃
What is your favorite type of weather?
If its not too hot and it doesn’t rain cats and dogs, it’s fine with me.
#weather 🌧🌞
Caldas da Rainha, Between romance and creativity
The city of Caldas da Rainha owes its name to Queen D. Leonor who, in the 15th century, on her way to Batalha, decided to stop there to treat a wound that had not been able to heal, taking advantage of the famous thermal waters in this area. Once cured, D. Leonor had a hospital built there, around which the city developed.
Just over an hour from Lisbon, you will discover a city that prides itself on being a therapeutic and artistic refuge. Presenting traces of prehistoric and Roman human occupation, Caldas da Rainha is currently one of UNESCO’s Creative Cities in the field of Crafts and Folk Arts, a distinction awarded in 2019.
With a very strong creative community, driven by the Escola Superior de Artes e Design do Politécnico de Leiria and by civil society cultural associations, Caldas has several museums dedicated to sculpture, painting and ceramics), as well as a business network that opens creative perspectives through design.
🏰Pavilions of D. Carlos I Park
Designed at the end of the 19th century by Rodrigo Berquó to be the new D. Carlos I hospital, they are currently deactivated and in the process of being restored for the installation of a hotel unit.
The initial project was part of the idea of transforming Caldas da Rainha into a European spa resort. However, the Pavilions did not fulfill this function. Over the years, military barracks, a police station and a secondary school were used.
The building complex is framed by the Caldas da Rainha Thermal Hospital, as well as the D. Carlos I Park (a romantic garden built at the same time to support the thermal baths) and the Mata Rainha D. Leonor, being one of the city’s ex-libris.
Compared by some to Hogwarts, Harry Potter’s school, from J. K. Rowling’s universe, the complex began to be built in June 1893, a year after the inauguration of Parque D. Carlos I.
However, the process ended up taking longer than expected. In addition to the popular controversy, which involved the well-known ceramicist Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro, due to the grandeur of the project and the need to invest in other structures necessary for the city, there were several houses in the area, meaning that some expropriations had to be carried out. Thus, work would only begin in earnest in 1894.
The initial project included seven pavilions, intended for infirmaries, a 55 meter long gallery and sanitary facilities, as well as a tower for a meteorological observatory. The buildings began to be constructed in brick and stone, but incorporating iron beams and ceramics, innovative details at the time.
However, in 1896, with the death of Rodrigo Berquó, the project suffered a setback and work stopped, as the initial budget had already been exceeded and much more time and money would have to be lost in completing the project. The seventh pavilion and the Meteorological Observatory remained to be built.
In 2023, one of the Pavilions suffered a fire that consumed an attic whose woodwork was the original, leaving the building without a roof.
🤴🏻Dom Carlos I Park
Created by the same architect as the Pavilions, this romantic garden was remodeled in 1948, based on a landscape design by Francisco Caldeira Cabral, which gave it the profile we know today.
This large viewing area, which houses the José Malhoa Museum, among other cultural and sporting facilities, and a lake and extends to the Bordallo Pinheiro Factory, is the privileged area of Caldas for locals and visitors to relax and contact with nature, enjoying vast areas of shade, small flower gardens and rest areas. Dazzling at any time of year, it is particularly appealing in autumn, a time of year when the mix of golden and green leaves magnificently accentuates its romantic roots.
🧔🏻Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro
The Caldas da Rainha Faience Factory was created in 1884, by Rafael Bordalo and Ramalho Ortigão, and became a world reference and its objects an icon of Portuguese culture.
Throughout the city, you can enjoy various sculptural works on a human scale, taken from the artist’s imagination and creating a Bordaliana Route, one of the most fun ways to get to know the center of Caldas.
🍊Fruit Square
Praça da Fruta, located in Praça da República, began in the 15th century and is today the only open-air market in the country that takes place daily. It is a great showcase for the region’s rich agricultural and gastronomic production.
🚲Cycling Museum in Caldas da Rainha
The Cycling Museum, opened in 1999, presents a collection related to the history of cycling in the country, led by Mário Lino, a local cycling legend who donated a significant part of the collection that makes up the permanent exhibition.
With free entry, this Museum, which also includes a collection on photography and cinema, is located in front of Parque D. Carlos I, on Rua de Camões, the first artery in Caldas to be named.
How to get there
Just an hour away from Lisbon, Évora is one of those places that gives you a feeling of travelling in time.
Caring the well deserved title of World Heritage, its easy to get lost on those traditional streets just to find yourself discovering yet another little gem of history.
The area of Ponta do Mexilhoeiro and Alburrica constitute a heritage complex of very relevant interest to the history of Barreiro, with an occupation that dates back to the Epipaleolithic era and which over time reflects the diversity of the Municipality’s proto-industrial activity. However, erosion resulting from modern river traffic is putting at risk a legacy that may not reach future generations.
The Alburrica area was also the place of residence for several local families, mainly linked to fishing and mill activities. Despite today being an area for leisure and historical research, working as an open-air museum, it is still possible to find some residents who maintain the typical characteristics of their ancestors. If you’re looking for a good conversation with those who know the area and its traditions best, just stop by someone’s door and say “good morning”.
Likewise, during the summer the Alburrica sand becomes a small beach for the inhabitants of Barreiro. After all, it is just a stone’s throw from the city center and the transport interface and is protected from the usual chaos of the region’s best-known bathing areas.
😎Tide mills
The oldest tide mill on the riverfront of the Municipality of Barreiro dates back to the 15th century and initially these devices were hydraulic. From the 19th century onwards, mills began to be powered by wind.
😀Alburrica Windmills
In 1852, three Windmills were built in Alburrica: the largest or Giant, the central or West and the last, the East.
The East and West Mills are of a common type, having a two-story cylindrical tower, mobile roof and two millstones. They were deactivated in 1950, being acquired by the City Council in 1973. The Giant Mill, of Dutch type, was deactivated in 1919 and was inhabited by fishermen until 1998, the year in which it became Municipal Heritage.
😀East Windmill
The East Moinho de Vento, completely renovated, is open to the public and has a mast measuring around 10 meters and seven meter poles.
😀Jim’s Windmill
Built in 1827 by the British James Hartley, known as “Jim”, it operated until the end of the 19th century XIX, being adapted for housing in 1926. In 1960 it became Municipal Heritage.
A mill with Proto – Industrial architecture, it features a truncated cone-shaped structure, including a three-story tower, rotating roof and two millstones. The original sail system was Dutch technology, i.e. rectangular wooden sails with a wingspan of 13 meters.
🖥More Info at
➡How to get there➡
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