One of Portugal's most picturesque traditions is the seven skirts of Nazaré. The Nazarene woman is known for wearing seven skirts, a gesture that, despite raising many theories, no one knows for sure how it came about. The truth is that the number seven has great mystical, spiritual and biblical significance: there are seven virtues, seven mortal sins, seven days of the week and even seven colors of the rainbow.
However, as with everything in Nazaré, the explanation for the seven skirts seems to be connected to the sea. After all, the town and the ocean are almost one and the same and the identity of one is intrinsically linked to the other. The most obvious explanation, then, has to do with the cold that was felt by the water when the women of Nazaré were on the beach, either to work or to say goodbye to their husbands who were off to work. To protect themselves from the cold north wind, the women wore several skirts (there could be as many as seven), which they used to cover their arms and even their heads.
But the best explanation has to do with the seven waves. Nazarene tradition has it that when fishing boats wait in the shallows for the sea to run aground, it happens every seven waves. So the women counted them by their skirts, which they folded slightly until the last wave, so as not to get the count wrong. The tradition remained, and today the Nazarene costume is one of the symbols of a very particular Portugal. Few people know about it, making Nazaré and its traditions one of the best kept secrets in the whole of Europe.
NAZARÉ, LAND OF THE SEA
It's impossible to talk about Nazaré without talking about the sea. It is part of its daily life, its people, its customs and its knowledge. And today, when the town has embraced modernity and contemporaneity, the sea is still present in tourism, in the cultural offer and in everything that happens in the town.
Fishing continues to be Nazaré's main economic activity and, as such, the nets on the beach, the trawlers moored in the harbor and the women selling fish in the street are all part of the town's very particular landscape. Nazaré lives off the sea, for better or for worse, and it even marks the architecture of the town, built facing it but sheltered from the wind. The houses are white, to protect themselves from the heat, but they also use strong colors, which were also used by the fishermen on their boats.
Meanwhile, the sea brought another added value to Nazaré. Surfing emerged in the town, finding a perfect location there, where the natural conditions, the climate and the state of the sea combine to create the ideal setting for all practitioners of this sport, from professionals to amateurs. Nazaré is also home to super waves, the famous giant waves that challenge the most daring surfers. In recent years, several world records have been broken by surfing the biggest waves in history. Garrett McNamara has already become an ambassador for Nazaré and the country itself.
THE PEARL OF THE WEST
However, the Portuguese West remains a well-kept secret, even among visitors to the country itself. Nazaré is probably one of the greatest gems of this area in central Portugal. Located in the district of Leiria, it's just an hour away from Lisbon, with very good access both by road and by public transport.
It's a town with an extremely pleasant summer, thanks to its mild and moderate climate, but which can also be visited in winter. It's true that the summer and bathing season is closed, but its cultural and architectural richness, as well as its mouth-watering cuisine, make it a tourist destination to visit at any time of the year.
WHAT TO SEE IN NAZARÉ
Nazaré has been able to project itself into the future like few other Portuguese cities, without ever renouncing its roots and traditions. The town is a perfect balance between past and future, charm and modernity. And for this reason, it is the perfect paradise destination for a vacation or even a quick weekend getaway.
In addition to the beaches, the surf and the food, which we've already mentioned, Nazaré also has a number of must-sees for anyone visiting the town for the first time. This is the case of the Batalha Monastery, for example, which is just 30 minutes from the town and is one of the most important religious buildings in the country. Its name dates back to the Battle of Aljubarrota, the famous battle that pitted the Portuguese against the Spanish in the 14th century.
On the Nazaré coast, you can also visit the Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo, located in Praia do Norte. This excellent example of military architecture also has a privileged view over the sea and the coast of Nazaré, where there is even a museum dedicated to surfing. In addition to these two Nazaré landmarks, there is a whole route of equally remarkable monuments, such as the Church of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré (where the town's entire Christian religious tradition is concentrated) and, of course, a series of breathtaking viewpoints, including the spectacular Miradouro do Suberco.