Hi,
This week we had to swing by Opal and Onyx’s vet to pick up some medicines, so while we were up in Vila do Conde, we decided to stop by Castelo da Póvoa de Varzim, Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Conceição (96HP+79 Povoa de Varzim, Portugal) to walk the dogs around. Luckily for us, despite being surrounded by the town on three sides, the fortress still managed to retain a nice park area around itself. The fortress was built on the north end of Vila do Conde, adjacent to the sheltered bay and piers. It is easy to find and, while it has limited parking, the car park is nearby. During the summer, however, parking is difficult to find in Vila do Conde because it is a popular beach vacation spot.
Parking in the area is metered, but the price is very reasonable. One Euro got us two hours of parking (which we didn’t need, because it is not a huge fortress). The parking meters here cost much less than the ones in Porto. I could have put in a smaller coin for less time, but live and learn, right?
The fortress walls are in good condition, seeming to have not seen much in the way of sieges. The fortress and surrounding towns were taken over by the French once in the early 1800s, but they left after just a few months. Hence, the fortress is mostly unscarred.
While the fortress looks like a fortress from the outside, the inside is given over to a bar and restaurants that occupy the entire enclosure. They control the ground level inside (aside from the tourist office) and the top floor (battlements) holds extra seating for the bar/restaurants. It seems like during the summer high season, this place could accommodate quite the large party or parties.
We, as usual, were way too early for supper and had missed lunch by the time we arrived, so we did not get to go inside the restaurants. But that is okay. We walked around the battlements and found the original toilets (I assume). The toilets weren’t open for business, but they were in good repair. I took a picture of the outside approach to the toilets and a picture of the inside seating area. No frills, but functional.
All in all, it was a good visit to the fortress. We were there less than half an hour, but it was enjoyable. The fortress is not large, but it makes a statement.
There is no charge to enter the fortress, and dogs are allowed inside. As the restaurants were not open, we couldn’t confirm if the dogs are allowed inside them, but they are certainly allowed in the outside seating areas. Watch the video to see how Opal and Onyx enjoyed exploring the fortress.
Nola