Places in Portugal you will probably never know: São Martinho do Porto
What places in Portugal are worth visiting and not very touristy: the village São Martinho do Porto is a very beautiful place and it not widely known.
São Martinho do Porto is an old fishing village in the centre of Portugal, close to the city of Caldas da Rainha, in the western part of Portugal.
The town is built around a very beautiful bay, which is where most people will spend their day: at the beach, and in cafés, and restaurants.
You can spend a day at the beach in this beautiful location, which is not as full as in many other beach destinations in the country.
How to get to São Martinho do Porto
São Martinho is roughly 1 hour away from Lisbon and 2 hours from Porto, and is very easy to drive there, since there is a highway (A8) passing very close by.
Brief history of São Martinho do Porto
The direct English translation of "São Martinho do Porto" would be "Saint Martin's Harbor".
The name is directly linked to a famous tail of São Martinho (Saint Martin) where he was saved from falling down a cliff in Nazaré (village approximately 11km away from São Martinho) by a godly entity.
This is a very old Portuguese village which developed because of the fishing activities, small naval construction and, during the 1800's it started to be used as a leisure area for Portuguese nobility in the region.
Because important people in the region went to the beach in this area, it started to be called as "marchioness' bidet".
You can find more information on this on the village wikipedia page.
São Martinho do Porto's beach
The beach is arguably one of the most beautiful in Portugal, since it is a shell-shaped bay.
The beaches in the center of Portugal do not have the southern warmer water, but the water temperature is typically between 17 ºC to 20 ºC, which is cold for Portuguese standards.
However, the sea is very calm since it is protected by the natural bay.
The beach does need this natural protection since approximately 10km away is the fishing village of Nazaré, where the record for the biggest waves in the world was registered.
The beach is quite big, even in the summer, where most beaches are full, it is possible to calmy enjoy the sun and the sea with an amazing view, since it is not crowded.
Whoever travels with children will love the calmness and beautiful view of this beach and village.
There is another beach close to the village, that is not located in the town center, close to the main bay area. This beach is called "Gralha" beach.
Gralha beach is less known (mostly known by locals), mainly because you need to get there by car, but also because it does not have the natural protection of the bay, like the main beach at São Martinho do Porto, which gives it bigger waves and stronger streams.
Because of this, people tend to prefer São Martinho do Porto's bay. However, "Gralha" beach is worth visiting, even if just to take advantage of the amazing view.
The Dune
Within São Martinho do Porto's bay, there is what is the biggest dune in Portugal, once called the biggest dune in Europe.
This is particularly impressive, since most people, myself included, have never seen such a huge natural sand dune.
Climbing this dune is a joy since the view one can have is amazing.
And here is a picture from what one can seen from the top of the dune:
The Village
In general just walking around town is a great experience.
It is a small, calm, and safe place to visit with your family.
What to do or visit in São Martinho do Porto
São Martinho do Porto is worth visiting to get to know a very beautiful village which was built around an unique bay.
Make sure you to climb to the viewpoint at the center of the village (there is an elevator in the historical center - "Outeiro" elevator) and enjoy the view of the bay and to the lighthouse to have another point of view of the bay.
The beach is calm and is not crowded, so it is also worthwhile spending a day at the beach.
Having a relaxed lunch at the bay with an amazing view is a great experience, and you can find good food, particularly fish, in restaurants in the village.
As I mentioned above, climbing the huge Dune is also an excellent experience.
Close to São Martinho do Porto you can find some points of interest, such as Nazaré (has the biggest waves in the word), Leiria (the biggest city in the region, but still worth the visit), Fátima (has an incredible sanctuary which is a pilar in Portuguese history and catholic religion), and Batalha (has a 1300's monastery and also a pilar in Portuguese history), and many other interesting places.
Lastly, you must not leave São Martinho do Porto without going to Alfeizerão to taste their traditional undercooked sponge cake at the "Casa Pão de Ló de Alfeizarão".
Conclusion
São Martinho do Porto is an old fishing village built around a very beautiful bay.
At a distance of one hour drive from Lisbon, it is totally worth the visit, particularly to spend a day at the beach.
You'll be able to experience a beautiful, traditional, not widely known location.
There are also many points of interest close to São Martinho do Porto at 45 minute drive.
You'll get to know a very beautiful place not many people do - sometimes not even Portuguese!
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