Sines - Portugal * Historical City | Industry & Culture

Hi all :)

This article is part of the last series of shares i have been doing about my recent trip to the center and south of my small but wonderful country.
This trip was carried out with the main objective of relaxing and visiting new places, as well as jumping to some already known places, and all this without rushing!
In a previous article, i already started by revealing some corners of the place that i share today, the historic city of Sines, a piece of land with relevant importance for the past and current history of the country, not only because it was the birthplace of people who had significant impact on the country's history, but also due to its current geographic and strategic importance and consequent impact on the national economy.
This city located on the Alentejo coast has its roots in Roman times, and these roots are noticeable through an architectural mix that results in a fascinating setting between millenary notes and the characteristic Alentejo rustic details, small houses with white facades and colored stripes which normally alternate between blue and yellow.

The houses are mostly painted white with the intention of repelling the sun's rays during periods of greater heat and long exposure to the sun, which turns out to be common in this part of the country.
The surrounding natural beauty is remarkable, surrounded by white sand beaches and crystalline waters, always perfect for practicing sports or simply for a swim.

There, facing the city, we can immediately delight in the stunning (beach) Praia Vasco da Gama and its approximately 1.5 km in length, with golden sand surrounded by calm waters that calm down in the small bay.
The Name of the Beach pays homage to the famous navigator with the same name, where a monument stands in his honor with a beautiful view over the ocean.
The cultural and historical aspect is immediately announced by the Castle that peeps from the top of the hill and about which i already had the opportunity to dedicate an exclusive article, if you have the opportunity, be sure to read and see the images :)

In this place there are several points of interest to visit, including:
The Castle of Sines as mentioned earlier, the famous beaches, especially the Praia de São Torpes, Praia Vasco da Gama, Praia Grande and Praia de Morgavel.
Of course, the charming historic center, crossing the narrow and winding streets that take us to our destination, passing by Largo Poeta Bocage, taking the opportunity to visit some shops, stopping at bars to refresh our throats and ending up in a restaurant to enjoy with the appetizing local cuisine, with emphasis on light fish dishes.
Still in the center of the city, take the opportunity to visit the Museum of Sines, where you can see interesting collections of archaeological artifacts, as well as traditional objects and occasional exhibitions and reinforce knowledge about the history of the city from Roman times and all its evolution up to the present day.

What comes next is not usually something of interest to the common tourist or visitor, but in that place it is something that in fact does not go unnoticed, in fact, it is impossible to go unnoticed, i´m talking about the Port of Sines, the largest port in the country and one of the main ones in Europe, having a huge impact on the economy with direct relation to world maritime trade.

There are several projects planned for the Port that aim at its development and modernization, such as the expansion of the main container terminal, the construction of a GNL terminal, a Liquid Bulk terminal, a Cruise terminal and a rail link that aims to connect the port to the rest of the country.

For those who might be interested, there are boat excursions that take the curious to watch some of the port operations up close and at the same time enjoy the beautiful views from a different perspective than usual.
With all this, it is easier to understand the routine of the inhabitants of this city, in a mix between Commerce, tradition and tourism, with a rich maritime culture.

Many of the inhabitants still work in fishing, but most work either in tourism or in the port industry, which turns out to be the biggest source of employment and economic development in the city.
To conclude, the inhabitants of Sines are a welcoming and proud community, which struggles to keep its historical roots alive, but always open to new opportunities that tourism or a new industry may bring.

That's all for today, i hope you enjoyed this post.

Photo by @aleister
Camera - Canon EOS 600D
Lens - EFS 18-55mm / 70-300mm
Location - Portugal

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Always remember:

Value your time, because every fraction counts, and the price of anything is the amount of life you trade for it.
May the memories of the travels be eternalized in the photographs, and may the photographs transport us back to the travels ;)