We really are enjoying some lovely weather here in central Portugal at the moment. We set off this morning to do a bit of shopping and to put some fuel in the car before traveling up to Leiria for Wayne’s medical appointment for his Vertigo. He started a different therapy today. The spinning lights have been replaced by some exercises based around improving his balance. He was really surprised how much his balance was off, and enjoyed a few laughs with the staff treating him as he staggered and wobbled during the session.
After the session, we were on the motorway and decided to drive down a part we haven’t taken before which heads for Torres Nova, which we have visited before. Annette checked our trusty copy of the ’Rough Guide to Portugal’ and discovered that a little further on towards the River Tagus was a small town with a real horse culture! We didn’t expect it was going to be busy this time of the year, and we had missed their main festival, but as we had never seen it, we decided to go and check it out.
It is very clear as you approach the town that it has a very strong equine culture as there are horse stables and paddocks surrounding the area, and even as you enter the town, it is clear that many of the walled houses have substantial stables and yards within.
We parked up next to the main church and square. ‘Golegã Mother Church or Nossa Sra. da Conceição Church’. Just across the road is the local fire department – Associação Humanitária dos Bombeiros Voluntários de Golegã, manned by volunteers, and flanked on the other side by the impressive chamber of commerce and GNR Post. The square has all the amenities you might need, several busy cafes and restaurants a ’farmacia’ (pharmacy) and a dinky little shopping centre in a courtyard off the square.
We then headed of to the main centre of attraction during the festival of Golegã, as we suspected it was completely empty and we never saw a horse or carriage while we were there, but you can get an idea of what its like from their website https://feiradagolega.com.
It was also clear from the road signs and all the signs hanging above local businesses of how strong the equine culture is in this small town. Especially the restaurant next to the festival square, all signs seem to point towards it!
We also walked a bit further on to the park adjoining the museum, where there appears to be a small crossing area for the river, although We were not sure whether it was a tributary of the Tagus or it was a man-made canal.
So if you are a ’horsey’ person it would be well worth a visit during any of the events of certainly for the main festival.
Our Portuguese Life 