Country Article / Postcards

Portugal's Silver Coast: Sardines and skullduggery in Nazare

Date: 06/18/2007

If anybody had said fishwives still exist in modern-day Portugal, I would have scoffed. But they do. Clad in thick woolen socks, head-scarves, bunched skirts, and pinafores, more than a few old ladies in Nazare seem determined to keep some of their traditional ways intact.

With a glorious sandy beach (the Atlantic coast has dozens), Nazare is both a summer resort of apartments, and a proper fishing town of narrow alleys and old houses. You'll see small fish like sardines and horse mackerel getting gutted right on the beach, then hung out to dry on racks. Much to my disappointment, only a couple of fishwives were still at work when I arrived mid-morning. If visiting on a day-trip, get here as early as possible.

Hole-in-the-wall eateries
If you enjoy sardines, follow your nose into the backstreets. I can't give you the name-the place I tried had no name-but numerous hole-in-the-wall eateries offer four plump sardines for 5 euro ($6.50) and a half bottle of white wine for a very reasonable 3.30 euro ($4.30). The sardines are grilled outside as you're watching.

I much prefer Nazare to Figueira da Foz. Certainly in late March, it seems far more alive. But a warning: I'm told you can't move here for bodies on the beach during August…and also that it's almost impossible to find a parking space.

Savvy travelers park on the cliffs at the Sitio sanctuary and then take the funicular back down to Nazare. From the Sitio, the views along the coast are reputedly awesome. But before I could get up there to see for myself, I was waylaid by a real estate agent….

Subterfuge
Now, here's where I need to admit to subterfuge. Except for in Leiria, this trip has been marked by realtors who don't speak English; offices where the English speaker is missing; agents who aren't prepared to show properties to a nuisance writer. I've had this problem in Portugal before-and also found the perfect way to resolve it.

Although I don't enjoy acting underhand, I've transformed myself into a prospective buyer. Imatico (www.imatico.com) advertise that they speak English on their door, so that's the agency I try. Even though I explain I'm not a big-money client, the attitude here couldn't be more cordial.

To test their mettle, I explain that, although I'm prepared to go a bit higher, I'm looking for an apartment with a sea view for under 100,000 euro ($130,000). Agent Ana Rodrigues explained how that's now difficult to find in this area. However, she took me to check out Sao Martinho do Porto, a few miles south of Nazare. Almost enclosed in a cove, it has a shell-shaped beach and some fairly reasonable property buys…

For example: Apartamentos Turisticos overlooking Sao Martinho do Porto's bay. This complex has its own reception, gym, indoor swimming pool, and café/restaurant. One-bedroom apartments (42 to 58 square meters) are from $144,000 to $190,000. The best value lies in the countryside. The agency currently lists a restored two-bedroom house near Tomar for $176,000. And if you're happy with teeny-weeny, a 56-square-meter cottage at Familicao (8 miles from Nazare) is $106,000.