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

  1. What a beautiful and exciting side-step, Jo! How fantastic that you can add Spain to your walks and expand your view so nicely! I love missions and monasteries, in history and architecture. And if you only ate one bite of that cake–your’e good! LOL!

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  3. Talk about a place with history! I’d love to visit those replica ships from Columbus and gaze at his voyage in the frescos. We’ve visited many places where the explorer set food. His achievements and voyages are fascinating, indeed. And, to combine this history with the architecture of the monastery and nature of a botanical garden, I’d say this destination in Andalusia is a winner! Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos and sunshine, Jo!

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    1. I’ve meant to visit the ships and monastery for a long while, Liesbet, and it worked out very nicely with the Strollers walk being in Spain. Most of our walks are in the Algarve and a handful of them regularly come from Spain so it’s only fair to have some walks there. El Rompido, an hour from us, was the walk destination and it was absolutely beautiful, so we had the best of all possible worlds. 🙂 🙂 And sunshine! How are things with you?

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    1. Andalucia is huge, Otto, and we have much still to see, but we will concentrate on Portugal first. We’ve made many friends here and are looking forward to traveling a little in the New Year. 🙂 🙂 And it’s always great to have your company.

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  10. Oh, how I love those beautiful tiled cloisters and courtyards. They are so beautiful and restful. It always sounds so exotic to hear that you only have to travel half an hour to be in another country. Here it’s at least a three hour flight to get anywhere.

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  12. Pingback: The Farmers Market

      2. Around midday, Sue. Further down the coast the sunset over the water was lovely too. Some were heading out to paddleboard in it. They don’t call it Costa de la Luz for nothing. 🙂 🙂

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  14. Did you know that a replica La Pinta is moored in Baiona, northern Spain, Baiona being the town where the ship arrived with news of the discovery of the Americas? It was built in Pontevedra in 1989. Like you, I wouldn’t even set sail in the bay in one of those little ships.
    Lovely walk you had and I loved that terra-cotta coloured courtyard (what a lot of c’s). December sun? Well, we’ve got it as well but I feel happier indoors as an icy wind takes all pleasure from the sun and seems to cut through any clothes one wears. Another day like this and I’ll start wearing a hat!

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  18. What a lovely foray into Andalucia, Jo. I love the richly patterned cloisters in the monastery, and the botanical gardens, and the Columbus boats. How nice that you’re only a half hour from Spain. I imagine you’ll be exploring a lot of that area. 🙂 And thanks for the link!

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    1. The cloisters were superb, Cathy. 🙂 🙂 I really enjoyed the trip, though Mick was a bit reluctant so soon after we’d got here. Some of the Strollers live in Spain but mostly they come into Portugal for the walks. You’re very welcome, hon.

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  19. That sun warmed me right through the screen. You must be in heaven – a walking group, a beautiful day, a little history, and all of it in another country! Seems you are settling in quite nicely!

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  20. This is the kind of place I would love to explore. Those marvellous ships, the Friary, the garden. Perfect. I hadn’t realised that Andalusia spread right to the Portuguese border! You are having the most wonderful life.

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    3. We’re both a long way from sainthood but it is nice seeing the house look so good. 🙂 There are still small jobs and the inside to paint but Christmas is likely to get in the way. Bought a small tree today so I’ve got somewhere to hang my English baubles. 🙂 And visited a couple of nativity scenes.

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