Jo’s Monday walk : La Rábida and Muelle de las Carabelas

Just in case you think it’s Portugal all the way from now on, I thought we’d pop over the border into Spain today.  It’s about half an hour drive from our home in Tavira, but once there I couldn’t resist traveling a bit further.  We did a lovely walk round the salt marshes at El Rompido with the Strollers, but then we carried on down the coast.  I had my eyes set on the monastery at La Rábida and the Muelle de las Carabelas- the dock where replicas of the ships that sailed Columbus far beyond the Iberian peninsula can be found.

It’s a pleasant spot, looking out on a vast expanse of water.  Boarding La Santa Maria, La Niña, and La Pinta I have to admit that I was in awe of the courage of their sailors, navigating by the stars.  The reproductions were constructed in 1992 to celebrate the 5th centenary of the Discovery of the Americas.  I could not imagine myself even sailing around the bay in them.  The museum tells the story of Columbus and the locals who shared his spirit of adventure, brought to life on a wide screen video.  Note that they are closed on Mondays.

My chief purpose in being there was to visit the atmospheric monastery of La Rábida, the Convento de Santa Maria.  A broad, palm lined avenue leads from the dock of the caravels, past a huge amphitheatre and up numerous steps to the grounds of the friary.  Surrounded by greenery, it’s a peaceful and lovely spot.  The Franciscan friary was founded in 1261, on the site of a former Almohad watchtower, from which its name comes.

The loveliest aspect of the monastery, for me, was the tiled courtyard surrounded by richly patterned cloisters.  The second storey, complete with battlements, was added in 17th century to protect from pirate invasion, but provides the most tantalising overlook on the mosaic tiles.

The friary is best known in history for the visit of Christopher Columbus in 1490.  His request for funding his first expedition to the Indies had been turned down by King Ferdinand of Spain and Queen Isabella, but with an intervention from the friary it finally went ahead.  The church lies just off the cloisters, still, serene and beautiful.

The artworks include frescos of Columbus and his adventures, by Spanish artist Daniel Vázquez Diaz, and some with an interesting 3D effect.

A wander through the grounds eventually brought us to some botanic gardens, a good place to sit and look out over distant Huelva, absorbing the surprising heat of December.  A rill of water, a koi pond and identifying magnolia seed heads completed our afternoon.  Time to head for home, waving goodbye to the Columbus statue as we pass by.

You know I can’t leave you without cake.  🙂  I only ate the raspberries, one wafer and a mouthful.  Honest!

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Hope you enjoyed my little sidestep into Andalucia.  Back in Portugal next week.  Meantime, many thanks for sharing.  I have some more great reads for you.  Join me next time on Jo’s Monday walk?  I love a bit of company.

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Suzanne shares the beautiful landscape of New Zealand- a special place, I think you’ll agree :

Life at No.22 – Photo Walks – Papamoa Hills

It’s certainly shopping time of year.  Join Alice in a stroll round the shops :

Strolling and shopping in the city of Bayreuth, Germany

An ardent Liverpool supporter, my friend Drake :

You’ll never walk alone

A foodie and Barcelona- a match made in heaven for Jackie :

Buen Provecho

Kicking leaves rather than ass, with Geoff, this week :

Moving West #capitalring #walking

Tobias shares some beautiful ‘roofscapes’ in a clear blue sky :

Looking Up in Dijon

Don’t you love colour and drama?  I think this is the place for it :

Colours of Bogota- Outdoors

I like to share joy whenever I can, and this is a lovely post from Debbie :

Living joyfully: A Photo Walk & Memories

Once again Cathy dazzles with her photography and epic tales of the native Americans :

Canyon de Chelly: Spider Rock & other overlooks

Thanks again, everybody!  I suspect you can tell how much I’m loving this new life.  Wishing you all a great week!

138 comments

  3. Christopher Columbus and all the other “descobridores ” were indeed brave sailors. I find their history fascinating. So lovely for you to be able to pop over to Spain for a wander when you feel like it. Living in Portugal has so many great advantages for travelling in mainland Europe 🙂

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  5. How amazing that you are so close to pop over into another country, as Meg said, over here it takes that long to get to the next suburb… a delightful walk Jo I loved the photo peering down on the tiles and what an interesting museum about Columbus, such brave souls setting out into the unknown in those small ships. The cake looks yummy

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    1. Hiya darlin! Our concept of distance is entirely different isn’t it? I’d been planning to go to the monastery for a long time and when the Strollers walk was in Spain it was too good to miss. Some of them live over the border but most of the walks are in Portugal 😃🍰💕

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      1. I think your decision to move was good timing seeing all the drama going on with Brexit at the moment, as well as the weather factor, and, of course all the new walks you will have to share with us. 😊

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  8. I’ll never quite get over the envy of people who can just “pop over the border” to another country. We don’t “pop” anywhere over here. But I’m grateful for friends like you who take me along vicariously. And what a walk it was today. The monastery is gorgeous and the weather looks stunning. The cake was a bit cruel though. Vicarious cake doesn’t quite cut it.

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  9. Love the boat replicas and even more so the architecture. Stunning! Just the kind of place I would love to find myself in. The koi pond and magnolia seed heads seem like the perfect dessert and then you added yet another sweet ending…. !

    Peta

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  13. Thanks for the mention Jo. Always a pleasure to be included. Looks like you are having fun exploring around another glorious area of Portugal.

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  15. Pingback: Jo’s Monday walk : La Rábida and Muelle de las Carabelas – Timeless Wisdoms

      1. I once went on a sailing trip in Swansea bay in a friend’s small yacht (it was much smaller than this one) but you really felt the motion of the waves if you went below deck. It’s probably why sailors prefer to be on deck!

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  17. Hard to imagine that men sailed so far in such small ships.

    I did that crossing from Portugal to Spain in 1984. There was no bridge then just a ferry from Vila Real de Santo António in Portugal to Ayamonte in Spain.

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  18. Lovely lovely lovely, especially all those arches and the light. I’m amused that Spain is half an hour away, I drive half an hour to reach the nearest supermarket. Delightfully in the bosom of my family here (son, grandson and daughter-in-law, and of course Hugo and Joe) and delighted by your email which I’ll answer soonly. Keep enjoying your new-sort-of world.

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