Far enough up the coast from Lisbon, Nazaré is only transited by tourist packs during the day. If you avoid the classical summer rage, you find a blue and white village that has not sold its soul to the devil of leisure just yet.
The legend
It is an old fishing village, truly ancient. Around the year 700, its inhabitants fought pirates when a legendary duo entered the scene: a monk and a king. The king wielded a sword of bravery, and the monk bore a statue of redemption.
Roderic, the last Visigoth king, settled here with his monk and a statue of the Virgin Mary, borne from distant Nazareth. They may well have become hermits – or a couple, but the choice of scenery was perfect: the grotto where they resided commanded a view that could keep one’s faith – or indeed passion – alight. Since then, the statue of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré has stood guardian over the village’s soul.
The traditions
Nazare is a most extraordinary place, presenting something one might almost diagnose as a bipolar disposition. Comprised of three distinct neighbourhoods – Pederneira, Praia, and Sítio – and split in two by a rocky promontory, its very geography dictates a pronounced division. When looking at the ocean, the town is safely and almost naively nestled to the left of this formidable rock, basking in the glory of Portugal’s ostensibly ‘best’ beaches and a startling vibrancy of hues. April, May, or indeed, any period post mid-September, offers the beach at its most sublime. Spend a day on the beach, soaking into the radiant sand and the salty wind, utterly intoxicated by the crispiest blue. Pack a picnic with a bottle of Tawny Douro and stop by the Secagem de Peixe.
The old tradition of sun-drying the fish still endures here: you will find the secagem right on the beach, and the fisherman and his wife always there, ready to tell you about the true taste of the sea. Maybe you won’t understand Portuguese and they won’t use any English, but somehow the story gets through: for centuries, the excess fish caught in the waters of Nazaré is naturally dried, to be preserved for the times the sea “keeps to herself and won’t let us fish”. The fish is gutted and then kept in salty seawater, after which it is left to naturally dry under the purifying sun. The man is talkative and wears a large smile, while his wife illustrates his words by warm gestures, using her clean, sun-dried hands to show you their work, offering the Picasso-like sardines for tasting. Ten years after my first visit they are still there. I hope they are forever.
And then, in the mellow hours of the afternoon, you go to O Sítio, the old town up the rock. Go by car or by funicular, but take your time on the little streets, absorbing the silence and the humble whiteness of houses. When you reach its heart, it goes straight to yours: the simple beauty, the serenity, the grace.
The main plaza is but a huge terrace hanging above the ocean, guarded by the Church of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré. While the church is beautiful, the true ‘wow’ is hidden in the squared little chapel on the south side of the plaza, overlooking the town. You can almost miss it because of the breathtaking views that open up to you out of the blue – literally. Do not miss it. It is graceful and quiet like a blessing, and terribly beautiful, all adorned in azulejos (the Portuguese painted ceramic, typically white and blue). Churchgoer or not, you will absolutely pray over there, or make a wish. Because if there’s a place where wishes are granted, this must be it.
The thrill
After countless snapshots, selfies, and happy moments spent on the rock-carved terrace, the best is yet to come. The other face of Nazaré – the wild, the enthralling, the dangerous – is revealed on the other side of the rocks. Take the road towards the fort and the lighthouse, but better leave the car; you would only spoil the discovery. Take the footpath on the rocks towards the tip of the promontory instead. The fascination of the rocky heights and the crushing of waves 100 meters beneath is formidable. The view opens different angles each step of the way; the ocean is ferocious. By the time you reach the fort, you can see the other side of the promontory, the North Beach, endless and dramatic.
The multiple personality of Nazaré hides a secret in its waters. The beautiful promontory faces a very peculiar undersea canyon – a unique rift 230 km long and 5 km deep that commands the movement of waves onto the shores of Praia do Norte. The Nazaré Canyon is directly responsible for generating the world’s most immense surfable waves. In 2014, the biggest wave ever surfed was recorded here: 30 meters, ridden by Garrett McNamara. Surfers know exactly what I’m talking about, this is their Mecca. The extraordinary catch is that this deadly thrill only works on the North Beach, leaving the main city beach – the one with the boats and the dried fish – completely and utterly safe.
You need to stay for the sunset at the fort. It can be very windy or cold at times, but it truly doesn’t matter when you’re there; you feel immortal. A cliffhanger, the infinite ocean ahead, all the colors rushing down on you, all the waves crashing madly beneath, and deadly beauty on your right. Depending on weather, the same Praia do Norte can look heaven or fury, yet you will find yourself utterly transfixed.
