Nazaré is a small town upon the west coast of Portugal along a stretch of beach and is name is derived from "Nazareth". However, it is the beach that attracts tourists to the area today, the sun makes the golden sands shine even brighter. Local fishermen dry their various catches on the beach or prepare for their next voyage at sea alongside sunbathers and it is these fish that can be eaten in the town's restaurants later that same day with many local specialities. There are several restaurants in town; mostly fish but you can find other types of restaurants. The section of town on the cliffs above provide some interesting walks and lovely views however there is a funicular carriage which passengers can ride up and down the slope if they don't wish to walk.
A chapel built upon this cliff edge tells the legend of a nobleman from the year 1182. The nobleman Dom Fuas Roupinho was on the cliff hunting a white deer on his horse one misty morning and had chased his quarry to the very edge of the cliff; and some say that this deer was the devil in disguise. At the last moment as he was about to fall, he cried out to the Virgin Mary and she briefly appeared before him, halting his horse from taking that fateful plunge. Returning to the town, he ordered a chapel to be built to mark this momentous occasion and there it still is today. Roupinho's horse's footprint is engraved in stone in the crypt below. You can read about the legend within the chapel itself. Every September, the revered image depicting Our Lady of Nazareth is taken down to the sea.
It is a small town though, once you're done with the beach and have seen all that the town has to offer, you probably want to go exploring and find other towns and villages nearby. Óbidos, Alcobaca and Leiria are interesting towns in the area that are worth visiting and then returning back to your lovely accommodation in Nazaré.
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