Salir Beach: 600 Meter Walk Kid-Friendly! Quiet - Salir do Porto

Relax at our traditional, kid-friendly, 2-bedroombeach cottage: Casa Bonança (House of Maritime Calm).600 metersalir do Porto's tidal river beach. Connects with Saõ Martinho do Porto's beach & ocean bay. Tastefully &fully equipped, you'll feel right at home! Play, relax or dine on the lawn or patio with barbeque grill. Centrally located. hort drive to many other beautiful beaches & historic sites. Experience local Portuguese charm

Charming. Peaceful. Fully Equipped. That's Casa Bonança (House of Maritime Calm). Our self-catered, 2-bedroom traditional cottage near the sea is your home away from home. We are 700 meters from Salir do Porto's calm tidal river beach (7-10 minute walk, 2 minute drive), which adjoins the beach and clamshell-shaped ocean bay of Saõ Martinho do Porto. Enjoy a walk along the 2km boardwalk around the bay.

Our cottage is a cozy 65m2 (700 sf). You'll slumber comfortably at night. Each of our bedrooms is furnished with a 140x200cm double bed topped with thick layers of memory foam. You won't find this in your typical rental! It's like sleeping on a cloud!

Casa Bonança is suitable for up to 5 persons including infants, with a maximum of 4 adults. An extra single floor mattress (90x200cm) or Pack n' Play baby crib is available. Please give us advance notice if you will need these items so we may properly prepare for you.

Our cottage is well-suited for infants & children, with cabinet locks, electrical safety plugs, a changing pad, child toilet seat adaptor, baby bath, baby monitor, baby gate, and several other kid-friendly items.

We provide an assortment of games, toys, playing cards and board games for both children & adults, as well as just about everything you might need for the beach: umbrellas, chairs, wind screens, beach mats, an oversized beach sheet, bodysurfing boards, wet suits, child & adult swim flippers, goggles, beach toys & air mattresses. Because all that fun stuff probably didn't fit in your suitcase! We even have a small wading pool for children.

Enjoy a complimentary welcome bottle of wine! All guests get their choice from a local red or "green" wine. Green wine is unique to Portugal. It's a technically a sparkling, young white wine. Refreshing on a hot summer day, it will happily be pre-chilled, awaiting your arrival. We also offer a non-alcoholic welcome beverage upon request if you prefer.

The cottage is pre-stocked with starter kits of basic kitchen supplies, oil, vinegar, spices, coffee & tea, plus starter kits for the laundry, cleaning & bathroom to get you off to a good start. Plus, we include a "Pay It Forward Pantry"! It's conveniently stocked with various dry & canned goods, condiments, & other items, just in case you need a last-minute item. Tragedy averted!

Our entire cottage is available for your use and enjoyment. (the underbed storage, used for host supplies, is not)

The wood-burning barbeque grill, outdoor patio around the cottage and front lawn are also for your use.

The far, uphill side of the yard/garden area may, rarely, be shared with our family, who own the uphill summer house (shown in photos). However, our property is for your private enjoyment, as their home is only used occasionally They have their own private gate at the far end of the property and have their own private walled back yard and grill, so it is rare you would see them when they do stay. They may have their lounge chairs on the upper lawn. The area around the cottage is reserved for just you.

We enjoy both interacting with our guests or just helping them to get a good start to enjoy the area on their own. We are happy to explain the area if you want, as well as offer tips for restaurants & activities. Otherwise, our House Manual usually answers any of your Frequently Asked Questions.

We speak both English & Portuguese with tiny bits of French and Spanish thrown in.

Our main home is just 15 minutes away, near Obidos Castle, so we are easily available anytime, both in person or via phone, text, or email, should you need anything.

We welcome all guests regardless of race, culture, age, gender, marital status, orientation or spiritual preference.

We love the quiet & local feel of Salir do Porto! You can experience real Portugal here. Within a short walking distance (2-3 minutes) there is a restaurant, 2 mini-markets for groceries, a cafe/snackbar and a farmer's fruit & vegetable market. These help make the locale convenient. Salir also offers your choice of several other restaurants within 1 km of the cottage. Plus, larger supermarkets for food and shopping, along with more restaurants, are in both Saõ Martinho do Porto and Tornada, 5-10 minutes drives.

After a 700 meter walk or drive to Salir's family-friendly, tidal river beach, which adjoins Saõ Martinho do Porto's large, calm ocean bay, you can take a leisurely stroll along the 2km boardwalk thru the sand dunes to Sao Martinho do Porto. Don't forget to tackle a climb of Salir's large sand dune, the largest in Portugal.

If you like hiking, there are trails nearby. If you pass behind Salir's large sand dune, you'll reach the ruin of Sant'ana Church. You can also drive there by car. It has magnificent views of both the ocean and the bay. Its original purpose was to bless the ships as they departed.

More stunning bay views are available from atop the overlook by the large cross on the hilltop behind Salir's church. Just follow the brown signs for the Miradouro.

There are also picturesque ruins of the old Customs House ("Alfandega") on the left side of Salir's beach. Long ago, Salir built and repaired boats with wood from the nearby Pinhal (Pine Forest) de Leiria. Best time to walk to the Customs House is during low tide so you can get past the red stone cliff on your left by walking on the wet sandy beach while the tide is out.

If you follow the sandy trail just to the left/behind the Customs House ruins, and then walk up and down a set of stone stairs, you'll find a natural mineral spring outlet (the "Pouçinho"). Look for the stony walled enclosure with a metal pipe on your right, ocean-side. Take care on the 3-4 steps down to it. They can have slippery algae on them. You can enjoy filling up your jug with the Pouçinho's potable water that has gained a recuperative reputation for digestion and skin problems. As with the Customs House, best time to walk there is during low tide so you can get past the red stone cliff on your left while the tide is out. Total leisurely walking time, round-trip, from the cottage & back: 1 hour. We keep an empty 5-liter jug under the sink if you want to bring back the spring water.

The boardwalk which starts at Salir Beach and passes thru the sand dunes along the bay gives an opportunity for leisurely strolling or a refreshing run into Sao Martinho. Total distance, one way, from the cottage, to the farthest end of Saõ Martinho, fully around the bay, past both the boat launch and tunnel (on right) to the ocean-side "Quebradas" (stony beaches): 5km

Want more beaches? There's a plethora of spectacular ocean beaches within just a few minutes of the cottage. The lagoon of Obidos and the beaches of Foz do Arelho are just 8km to the south. Enjoy the choice of child-friendly waters or oceanside surfing, all at one immense beach with all amenities. Or enjoy the raw nature of Gralha beach, just 5km north of us. Just sun, surf and solitude. You may spot naturists there, at the far ends of the beach. Continue just a little farther north to the beaches of Salgado or the renowned fishing town of Nazare. Or have fun at the water park, Norpark, in Nazare. Just 30 minutes to our south, the various beaches with spectacular sandstone cliffs of the Praia del Rei area make for a great day trip. Then enjoy the fishing and world-class surfing areas of Peniche and Baleal just a few more minutes past that.

The coastline is also dotted with other picturesque, rocky beaches that are locally called "Quebradas".

There are 3 wonderful golf courses only 30 minutes south of us as well...Bom Successo (PGA ranked), Royal Óbidos (rated one of Europe's best) and Praia Del Rei. The most recent golf course addition in the same area is West Cliffs, which is reaching completion as of 2017.

Our central location makes day trips to nearby historic sites convenient. These include Obidos, Alcobaça, Batalha, Fatima, the underground grottos of Santo Antonio and Mira d'Aire, Conimbrigra Roman ruins, and Coimbra, among others.

One of our charming quirks is Salir still offers door-to-door delivery of fresh bread and local fish. Each day, the small delivery trucks pass by, with a toot of the horn to let you know they are around. In season, there is also freshly-pressed olive oil by the gallon.

On the nearby road to Sao Martinho, you will often find homemade, inexpensive hot bread cooked over wood in the "Paõ sob'Rodas" truck (Bread on Wheels). The wood fire is on the truck and you can watch them cooking the very yummy bread. They are available mostly on weekends. In July/August, they frequently add extra days. Their bread freezes well, if you want to stock up.

Our sister town of Sao Martinho do Porto, on the other side of the bay, is full of the touristy hustle and bustle, with shopping, restaurants, nighttime activities, etc. Great fun for the day, then come back to relax at the cottage.

Salir do Porto is also centrally-located in Portugal, making it a convenient launching pad for day trips to Óbidos, Nazaré, Peniche, Alcobaça, Batalha and Fátima, among other spots. We are one hour north of Lisbon, 75 minutes south of Coimbra and 2 hours,15 minutes south of Porto..

Free street parking is available in front. Extra parking is available on the street next to the cottage (cobblestoned area). Both areas are in view of the cottage.

We are 1km from the Salir train/bus stop. The train/bus stations of either Caldas da Rainha (20 minutes away) or Sao Martinho do Porto (5 minutes away), offer more daily connections, so we offer free pick-up/drop-off at either. Please give us advance notice at the time of your booking if you will need this service.

Lisbon Airport is a 60-minute drive. We will provide you with directions when you book our accommodation.

If you don't have a rental car, there is an hourly +/- bus from Lisbon to Caldas (75-minute ride) for approximately 9€ per person. There are less-frequent bus drop-offs at nearby Saõ Martino do Porto as well. Or train service from Lisbon to Saõ Martinho do Porto. This is picturesque, but slower than the bus.

We can pick you up at the nearby bus or train stations if needed. Please advise us *In Advance* of arrival day if you are interested in our free local pickup so we can confirm our availability and plan accordingly.

If you would like pick-up or drop-off service from Lisbon Airport, we are happy to provide it, again upon our availability, for 60€. Please contact us *in advance* to make arrangements. Taxis to and from Lisbon are also available for approximately 110€ one-way.

Depending upon our schedule, we may also be able to offer guided tours for a modest fee. If you should like to arrange one, please ask about availability. Please let us know in *advance* of your arrival day if you are interested. We will do our best to accommodate you but can not guarantee last-minute availability. Thank you.

CLIMATE: The area of Salir do Porto has a moderate maritime climate in the summer, so we do not have air conditioning. Fans and individual heaters are provided, but they are rarely needed. The thick walls and our electric, remote-control blinds keep the cottage comfortably cool in the summer, with no need for air conditioning, as long as you remember to close the blinds as needed or when you leave for the day. If you do not close at least the front blinds when you leave to enjoy the day, the cottage could get hot from the afternoon sun. The early mornings in the summer can be overcast or have haze from ocean moisture.  This typically burns off as the sun rises higher in the sky.

POPULATION: Our local area is generally quiet, with Salir being home to about 900 residents year-round. The population grows during the summer months as families from abroad come back to visit their local families & as tourists arrive for a stay, but it still keeps its local charm and general quietude.

FESTIVALS/NOISE: Each year Salir holds its annual festival. This usually takes place during the first week of August for 4-5 days (dates vary slightly each year). There is a typical crowd of people, food, music, merchandise, carnival rides and dancing! Some streets around the cottage will be closed to traffic.

A band plays each evening from about 10pm to 1am. You WILL hear the music at the cottage during the festival. While our guests have generally not found this to be an issue (frankly, they have reported that they enjoyed the summer festivities!), we do pro-actively include ear protectors for the use of guests that may require extreme quiet at all times when sleeping. We want you to enjoy all the nights of your stay!

Our home is also now equipped with new, triple-glazed, noise-limiting insulated windows which significantly reduce, but may not eliminate all the sounds of the music.

Additionally, Salir usually has smaller festivals for Saõ Joaõ (St. John) on June 12 and for the town anniversary on August 23. In September, there is often a black pig roast (Porco Preto). These could also have music & entertainment, as is typical for Portuguese festivals.

CHURCH BELL: common in Portugal, there is a Roman Catholic Church in town. The church bell dongs each hour, as well as 3-minutes before the hour. It marks the half hour with a single dong. You will hear it at the cottage in the background. Our guests find it quaint and rather relaxing, but we want you to know about all of Salir's little quirks!

LOCAL FOOD DELIVERIES: Quaintly, we still have traditional home deliveries of fresh bread and local fish daily, generally between 10am-1pm. You will hear the vendors tooting their delivery van horns when they are in the neighborhood. If you want them to stop on our street regularly while you are there for a longer stay, just let them know. Otherwise, you may need to walk over a block to catch them at one of their regular stops with the locals.

SHOPPING: Salir is a small, local town, perfect if you want to experience a calmer, less touristy experience. Salir has 2 mini-markets for basic groceries & necessities, a café and restaurant within 2-3 blocks walk of the cottage. Larger grocery stores, tourist/beach shopping, malls, major stores and the like are a 5-15 minute drive, in the neighboring towns of Saõ Martinho do Porto, Tornada & Caldas da Rainha.

WE ARE CHILD-FRIENDLY! In addition to the usual add-ons, such as a high chair and crib, we provide many other items to assist families with both enjoyment and safety. We have games, toys, coloring books. and even an inflatable wading pool. Our cabinets and kitchen appliances are equipped with magnetic child locks. A baby gate is available if you want to leave the exterior door open while home or restrict access within the cottage. We offer radio baby monitors upon request. We have a supply of incontinence protection pads for the beds if needed. Most electric sockets have built-in protection & we have socket plugs to protect the others. There is also a first aid kit. Our new, insulated windows offer a tilt option for ventilation, which simultaneously provides safety from tumbles for small children while open.

Our cottage gives parents convenient logistics, both inside and out. It is one level, with no stairs, has an open floor plan with several window views to the yard outside, which is walled. The neighborhood is generally quiet, with little traffic.

Please advise us in advance if you will need any of our child specialty items so we can prepare accordingly.

POOL: we provide a small child's wading pool for our guests with children. If you wish to swim in a full-sized pool, there are public ones nearby for various day fees:
• Salir do Porto: 700 meters, by the beach
• Saõ Martinho do Porto: 8km, at the campground to the north
• Nazaré: 15km, at the fantastic Norpark Water Park

CAT: Our downhill neighbor's black cat (Preto) might come over to say hi. Please do not feed him or let him in the house. If you want to pet him, you're welcome to do so outside. He's very friendly! Many of our guests & children enjoy him. If you don't want him around, he is easy to shoo away. He won't be offended.

ACCESSIBILITY: We are a one-level property with several features that make accessibility or limited mobility easier, but we are not 100% accessible for all features. There are some features that may not meet the needs of all guests. If you have any questions, or specific requirements, please ask in advance so you can confirm if we meet those needs. Some features include:

•There is one step up from the main road to the cottage's patio path. We may be able to provide a steep, short ramp if needed. We are working to replace the step-up with a permanent, paved ramp, but at this time there is not one. The cottage interior is one level, with no steps.

•Once within the property wall, the patio path is smooth, wide and flat. The pathway in front of and around the cottage has a step-down (see photos), but we have built 33"/90cm ramps into all of them, allowing for accessible access on all the patio area & around the house.

•The entrance gate & doors within the house are currently less than 32"/85cm wide. If you must have specific clearances, please inquire.

•The beds & toilets are within accessible-height parameters. Bedroom & bathroom doorway entries are traditional, narrower openings, approximately 28"/70cm.

•The shower has a low, step-over curb with a suction-mounted assistance grab-bar. The massage shower head can be used at standard height or as a hand-held.

•The interior of the cottage is one level, with smooth floors: ceramic tiles in the kitchen, living room & bathroom, with floating floors in the bedrooms. There are no steps or staircases inside.

FUN FACT - CASA BONANÇA:
Our beach cottage is "Casa Bonança" - "House of Maritime Calm" in English.

Bonança, translated from Portuguese, means that state of the seacoast when the sun is shining, the winds are gentle and light, and the ocean is calm and smooth like glass. Think of a perfect, relaxing day or the calm before the storm.

As used in Portuguese, it doesn't exactly have a literal equivalent in English. Maritime tranquility, quietude, or lull would be other approximations. It shares a root with the English derivitive "bonanza", which is used slightly differently but still has a riches of good things at its core.

With their long sailing history, precise descriptive words for various sailing conditions are part of the Portuguese lexicon.

We are a peaceful little cottage by the sea. It toook us some time to figure out just the right name for our place, but this was perfect! Our beach, the  neighboring bay of Saõ Martinho and the Lagoon of Obidos just 8km south are all known for their calmness, one reason we are popular with families.

The protected, calm bay next to us in Saõ Martinho do Porto also has a long sailing tradition. Many ships were made there. The bay offered protection and the locale was perfect for materials, with the large pine forest of Leiria nearby. These ships later sailed as part of the Portuguese Discoveries epoch.

We hope you enjoy Casa Bonança as much as we do.