-Hi.

I'm Rick Steves, back with more of the best of Europe.

This time, we're enjoying some rich musical culture and a whole lot more.

It's the heartland of Portugal.

Thanks for joining us.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Portugal's a small country of 10 million people with an oversized history.

With a rich heritage, fascinating culture, and tons of sardines, it's inexpensive, friendly, and easy to explore.

We'll dance on the beach, visit a royal library, savor port wine with the people who made it, marvel at a medieval abbey, feel the emotion of fado... [ Man singing in Portuguese ] ...visit Portugal's second city, and celebrate with students.

[ Group chanting in Portuguese ] Portugal shares the Iberian Peninsula with its neighbor, Spain.

Our travels take us through the heartland of Portugal.

Saving the capital city of Lisbon for another episode, we explore Nazaré, Batalha, Coimbra, the Douro River Valley, and visit the city of Porto.

Our first stop -- the fishing town of Nazaré.

We're here in May, and the beach is all ours.

While touristy in the summer, Nazaré offers a good look at how bits of traditional Portugal survive.

♪♪ The community faces its sweeping beach.

People stroll the promenade.

Old-timers enjoy the scene.

Kids use the beach for a soccer field.

-Oh!

Oh!

-And families catch some springtime sun before the hordes of summer vacationers arrive.

Nazaré has a strong fishing heritage.

While nothing like its heyday, fishermen still manage to harvest the sea.

Working as a team as the sun drops, they set their nets with wisdom passed down from their grandfathers.

The next morning, the women of the town prepare the day's catch.

Splayed and salted fish are put out on nets to dry under the midday sun.

This simple way of preserving fish carries on, unchanged for generations.

Locals claim they're delicious, but I'd rather eat another salty treat -- barnacles.

So, this is a barnacle?

-Yep.

-How do you say that in Portuguese?

-Percebes.

-Percebes.

Can you show me the trick to opening it?

-Okay.

-Yeah.

-You... -Oh!

[ Laughs ] Mmm, it's good!

-Yeah.

-So, where do these come from?

-From the rocks, from there.

-Just from right over there, huh?

-Yeah.

-Today?

-Yeah.

-Really?

Today.

So it's fresh.

So, I break it, okay, like so.

Look at that.

It's beautiful.

Mmm.

How do you say "delicious"?

-Muito bom.

-Muito bom.

-Percebes -- muito bom.

-Good.

-And with beer, perfect.

-Obrigado.

-Bon appétit.

Thank you.

-Thank you.

-Obrigado.

Nazaré's women are known for their traditional skirts with many layers of petticoats to keep them warm, reminiscent of the old days when they'd sit on the beach awaiting the return of their fishermen.

Bom dia.

And this proud woman is eager to describe her outfit.

The short skirts are made bulky by many petticoats.

The aprons are embroidered by hand.

The stockings are high and loud.

Flamboyant jewelry is passed down from generation to generation.

And when the wind whips up, her shawl keeps her warm.

-See?

See?

[ Speaks Portuguese ] -Nice!

Obrigado.

-[ Laughs ] Okay.

-Obrigado.

-[ Speaks Portuguese ] -[ Speaks Portuguese ] -Nazaré's folk club keeps their traditions lively with music and dance.

This troupe's been gathering crowds since the 1930s.

[ Up-tempo folk music plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends, man speaks Portuguese ] [ Applause ] -Nazaré's sister town, Sítio, is perched high above on a bluff.

A funicular connects the two, and it's been saving locals a steep climb since 1889.

Sítio has its own vibe.

The stony main square evokes a bygone age.

Its wealth came from farming rather than fishing, and, today, the main economy is tourism.

From the edge of the bluff, you can enjoy a commanding view.

Nazaré and its golden beach stretch all the way to the new harbor.

In the other direction, a wilder beach stretches far to the north.

And when the surf's up here, it's really up.

This bluff is famous among surfers for some of the biggest waves in the world.

When conditions align, they create monster waves 100 feet high as daredevil surfers enjoy the ultimate ride.

♪♪ It's dinnertime, and we're ready to feast on the bounty of the sea.

Tempting appetizers are put on the table, but beware.

In Portugal, you pay for every nibble.

If you don't want them, just say so.

So, in Portugal, they put this on the table whether you ask for it or not.

You might think it's free, but it's not.

But it's always delicious.

But these are just too tasty to miss.

Vinho Verde, literally "green wine," is a Portuguese specialty.

Refreshing and sprightly, it's a young, or green, wine picked, bottled, and enjoyed without aging.

A key to good seafood here is fresh ingredients and simple preparation.

All right, Teresa.

Here comes some shrimp with garlic for you.

With a small group, I order family style to maximize the experience.

We're enjoying grilled sardines, sea bream, garlic shrimp, and caldeirada -- the local fish stew.

♪♪ I like driving in Portugal.

Like all of Europe, there's been a huge investment in infrastructure, and in this small country laced with new freeways, you can get around in a hurry.

Standing boldly just off the highway is one of the most revered sites in Portugal.

Both historic and sacred, this is the Monastery of Batalha.

"Batalha" means "battle," and this was built to celebrate a pivotal battle in 1385, when Portugal beat the mightier Spaniards.

This victory allowed for independence under a Portuguese king, rather than ruled by a Spanish king.

This monastery and its church, the symbol of Portugal's national pride, were built by Portugal's King John I.

It's an ornate Late Gothic structure with pointed arches, fanciful gargoyles, and flamboyant pinnacles representing the flickering flames of the Holy Spirit.

♪♪ The nave, with its towering pillars and warmly lit by stained glass, has an air of solemn simplicity.

This is classic Gothic from Europe's Age of Faith.

♪♪ The adjacent cloister, designed for meditation and tranquility, is Manueline.

That's the uniquely Portuguese style named after King Manuel, who ruled around 1500.

It features symbolic motifs that celebrate the sea and trade, coils of rope, pearls... artichokes, and lotus flowers from the recently explored Orient.

Armillary spheres symbolize how, with expert navigational skills, Portugal sailed the globe.

A few miles away is Fátima, one of Europe's most important pilgrimage sites.

The Basilica, facing a vast square, marks the spot where the faithful believe the Virgin Mary appeared several times.

On May 13, 1917, three young shepherds reported being visited by Mary, who said, "Peace is needed."

World War I raged on, and she appeared again on the 13th day of each of the next five months, each time calling for peace.

Ever since, for over 100 years now, on the 13th of each of those months, pilgrims gather here.

The Vatican recognized the apparition of Fátima as a bona fide miracle, and on its centennial in 2017, over a million people gathered here with Pope Francis I to remember Mary's still-timely call for peace.

♪♪ ♪♪ An hour north of Fátima is the university city of Coimbra.

Fortified on its hill, overlooking the Mondego River, in its medieval heyday, this was Portugal's leading city.

In the Middle Ages, when Muslim Moors controlled Portugal, this was the dominant city, and then, for an entire century, it was the country's capital.

Only later, when Portugal was becoming a maritime power, did the port cities of Lisbon and Porto become more influential than Coimbra.

The city was established by the ancient Romans at a strategic bridge that crossed the Mondego River at this point.

Today's bridge leads to the main square, a great place to begin your Coimbra visit.

Coimbra is a delight on foot.

The pedestrian-only main drag is perfectly straight, an indication that it survives from ancient Roman times.

It ends at another people-friendly square facing the Church of Santa Cruz.

To be sure I get the most out of my travels here, I am joined by my friend and fellow tour guide, Cristina Duarte.

Wherever you're traveling, you can find private guides listed online and in guidebooks.

It seems like I've got friends all over Europe, doesn't it?

But, you know, I'm paying them to be my sidekick, and you can, too.

I find hiring a private guide to be money very well spent.

Okay, so, the gate is just this way, isn't it?

-And this is the gate of the old city.

-Of the old city.

What was the name?

-Medina.

Arco de Almedina.

-"Medina" is an Arabic word.

-Is an Arabic word and reminds us that we were ruled by the Moors for a couple of centuries.

-Okay.

-And defense was very important.

-So -- -That's why the street, you see, it's not straight.

It forms an angle.

-Oh, okay.

-And if you look up, you have mata-caes... -Mata-caes.

-...meaning "kill the dogs," because it was meant to throw the stones to the enemies.

-Oh, no!

-Yeah.

-"Kill the dogs."

I don't want to be here.

-[ Laughs ] -What's this?

-This is the Old Cathedral.

-How do you say that in Portuguese?

-Sé Velha.

-Sé Velha.

-It's a 12th-century cathedral, Romanesque.

-So -- 'cause you've got the round arches.

-That's true.

-Now, it also looks like a fortress.

Look at the crenellations up there.

-We were on the times of the Moors and Christians fighting for the same territories.

-So they were still worried about the Moors?

-Oh, yes.

They were.

They were.

-So this is kind of a double building -- a church and a fortress?

-Yes.

-We're dropping into a tiny theater to enjoy a fado performance.

[ Man singing in Portuguese ] ♪♪ Fado is a uniquely Portuguese style of music, soulful and nostalgic.

While most fado is sung by the women, here in Coimbra, it's the men.

The songs are serenades of love -- usually sad, unanswered love.

These troubadours have long provided the soundtrack for life here in Coimbra.

[ Singing continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends, applause ] [ Man speaking Portuguese ] [ Bells chiming ] -Coimbra is home to the country's oldest and most prestigious university, founded in 1290.

As a traveler, it's fun to drop into this venerable academic world.

700 years ago, Coimbra's university taught the medieval basics, like law, medicine, and theology.

Later, as Portuguese sailors were navigating the globe, astronomy and geometry were added.

The university's Baroque library has an impressive collection of antique books.

University researchers are still allowed to read these centuries-old volumes.

King John V still oversees the library he founded in the early 1700s.

♪♪ The reading tables, inlaid with exotic woods -- ebony from Sri Lanka and rosewood from Brazil -- come with silver inkwells.

The gold leaf is South American.

And the motifs are Chinese.

♪♪ Everything reminds us that Portugal's wealth was both immense and imported.

The heavy teak door is kept shut to keep out the humidity.

♪♪ When school's in session, Coimbra bustles with a youthful energy.

We're here in May, and students are out in the streets as they celebrate the completion of another year of studies.

[ Group chanting in Portuguese ] [ Group cheering ] [ Applause ] Many Coimbra students live together, in groups of about a dozen, in communal houses called repúblicas.

Today, these function as tiny fraternities, each with their own personality and an unbridled urge to express it.

With the help of a couple of six-packs, Cristina and I have tucked ourselves in for dinner, and within moments, we're engulfed in stimulating conversation.

Do you guys talk politics like this all the time?

-Yes, yes.

-I like that.

Students here see formal education as job training and their time in these co-ops as life training.

They brag that, in one year of this communal living, you gain social skills that'll last a lifetime.

The conversation rages on at the dinner table.

Part of the ethic of república living is eating together.

No cellphones are allowed at the table.

The students pool their money to hire a cook so everyone can enjoy this enriching social time.

-Hey!

-Hey!

-And whenever there's a memorable event, like a visit from an American film crew, the gang shares a special cheer.

[ Group chanting in Portuguese ] -Whoa!

-Whoa!

-From Coimbra, we drive a couple hours farther north into the mountains of the interior to explore the scenic Douro River Valley, famous as the birthplace of port wine.

The Douro River's steep and twisting valleys, laboriously terraced over the centuries, are ideal for growing grapes.

Unlike other great European river valleys, the Douro was never a strategic military location, so, rather than castles and palaces, you'll see farms and vineyards, almost all dedicated to the production of port, the region's beloved fortified wine.

A 50-mile stretch of prime land is home to scores of quintas, vineyards that produce port.

Many quintas welcome the public, offering tours and tastings.

Visiting a family like this, we enjoy a peek at local life.

It's spring, and the workers are busy taming the fresh growth.

♪♪ In their cellar, the sister who runs the vineyard explains how this is just the first stage of a very long process.

Tasting the family's finest port surrounded by their vines, I enjoy yet another chance to appreciate the pride of artisans, so passionate about their traditions and craft.

♪♪ The Douro River begins as a trickle in Spain, runs west through Portugal, and to the city of Porto, where it spills into the Atlantic.

Porto, the town that gave the country and port wine its name, is the second-largest city in Portugal.

And like second cities throughout Europe, Porto is a hardscrabble town with a rough past.

It's recently emerged from a postindustrial funk to become trendy, revitalized with a fresh and creative energy.

The city is full of Old World charm.

Prickly church towers dot the skyline.

Houses with red-tiled roofs tumble down its hills to the riverbank.

Porto is a solid city.

It seems made entirely of granite.

The main drag, Avenue of the Allies, is named for Portugal's World War I alliance with Britain and America.

The wide boulevard watched over by the huge city hall is lined with monumental examples of Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

As if to counter all the heavy stonework, inviting shopping streets are ornamented with playful architectural touches.

There are lots of lovely blue-tiled facades.

Churches that are otherwise just more blocky granite are beautified by these fine blue ceramic tiles called azulejos.

And for a closer look, visit the old train station.

Storefronts evoke good times from the early 20th century.

Delightful facades decorate venerable cafés, as Porto seems to cling to the style of an age gone by.

Porto's romantic riverfront, the Ribeira district, is the city's most scenic and touristy quarter, but before tourism, this was a hardworking port.

As you stroll, imagine the busy port scene here before this promenade was reclaimed from the river.

Cargo-laden rivercraft latched to the embankment, off-loading their produce and wine directly into 14th-century cellars.

The old arcades lining the promenade are filled with hole-in-the-wall restaurants and souvenir shops.

Behind the arcades are skinny, colorful houses draped with laundry fluttering like flags.

The contrast of today's tourist crowds amid these vivid, authentic neighborhoods is striking.

♪♪ From here, a double-decker iron bridge crosses the Douro River.

Inspired by Gustave Eiffel when it was built back in the 1880s, it was the biggest such bridge in the world.

Recently, its top deck was closed to traffic.

Now it's just people and trams.

♪♪ Across the river is a harbor lined with traditional boats called rabelos.

Historically, these cargo boats transported kegs of wine from the inland vineyards down to Porto.

The boats have flat bottoms, a big square sail, and a long rudder to help them navigate the twisty and, at times, shallow river.

Facing the riverfront is a district filled with warehouses.

These port wine lodges are where the world's port wine comes to mature.

18 lodges compete, and most offer tours and tastings.

We're visiting one to learn about the wine that put Porto on the map.

After the year-old wine is off-loaded from the boats, it ages even longer here in these enormous barrels.

This aging on the cool, north-facing bank of the Douro takes years and even decades, and when the refined and time-honored process is finally complete, the beloved port wine is ready to enjoy.

What is the difference between port and red wine that we think of?

-The difference between a port wine and a traditional wine is the fact that the traditional wine has a complete fermentation, and a port wine is a fortified wine, so you stop the fermentation the second day by adding a really strong wine spirit, brandy, that has 77% of alcohol and kills all the yeasts.

We have mainly two different styles, rubies and tawnies.

The rubies, they age in big vats, so they will have little contact with oak, little contact with oxygen.

The exact same wine, if you age it in smaller barrels, they will have higher contact with oak, higher contact with oxygen, and the oxygen will change the color.

The coloring of tawny is lighter, and, you start to understand, much older and much more mature fruit.

-After enjoying our tasting, a fine way to cap our Porto visit is on a lazy boat ride.

Several companies offer hour-long narrated cruises along the historic waterfront.

Here in a city built over the centuries upon the fruit of the vine and the hard work of its people, we ponder the impressive and salty mix that created Portugal.

♪♪ Thanks for joining us.

I hope you've enjoyed our look at the many dimensions of the heartland of Portugal.

I'm Rick Steves.

Until next time, keep on travelin'.

-And you break that off.

Aah!

Whoa!

[ Laughs ] Like a little smile.

You can make a smile.

-You can actually make a smile with it.

-[ Laughs ] Nazaré offers a good look at how bits of touristy -- traditional Portugal survived.

Boa tarde.

-Boa tarde.

-[ Speaking Portuguese ] [ Man speaking in Portuguese ] I hope you've enjoyed our look at the many dimensions of medieval heartland.

-Medieval.

[ Laughter ] ♪♪