Portugal
The Setúbal Peninsula and the Costa da Caparica
Although most people who fly into Lisbon will gaze longingly down at the golden stretch of sand that lines almost the entire coastline south of the city, few will know its name. […]
Portugal
Alentejo
Six of the best in Alcácer do Sal
Alcácer do Sal is one of those Alentejo towns that is a sight for sore eyes, yet remains hidden from the gaze of mass tourism. […]
Hiking
Walking to the mountain lake in Peneda-Gerês
Anyone who knows Portugal’s only National Park will be aware there is more than one mountain lake in Peneda-Gerês, but the one above Peneda itself will always be THE mountain lake to me. […]
Madeira
Which is better, Tenerife or Madeira?
An article in The Telegraph pondered the question ‘which is better, Tenerife or Madeira?’ The article didn’t reach any kind of conclusion, instead it listed the attributes of both. But it included a poll so […]
Checking In
Could do better, review of Quinta das Vinhas, Madeira
We love small, semi-rural hotels in historic buildings, especially ones set in a vineyard overlooking the ocean. Quinta das Vinhas in Estreito da Calheta, a workaday village on the Madeiran hillside, ticked many boxes. With […]
Hiking
Levada walking on Madeira
Our introduction to walking on Madeira came as a punch-in-the-gut shock. We knew some routes on the Floating Garden of the Atlantic had become extremely popular at certain times of the year, but not the São Lourenço Peninsula. […]
Lisbon
How to avoid a bad Lisbon experience
If experienced travellers can make mistakes when it comes to visiting popular cities, so can the average traveller. With than in mind, I’ve put together these tips on how to avoid a bad Lisbon experience. […]
Hiking
Walking in Peneda-Gerês National Park
The first thing I have to say is that, over the course of four years exploring and helping create Slow Travel holidays across the country, walking in Peneda-Gerês National Park gave us the best experiences […]
Alentejo
Eight of the most beautiful towns in Portugal
Marvão comes in at first position as it dominated our view for four months. Perched on a rock overlooking the golden Alentejo plains, this walled, Moorish town near the border with Spain is as stunning up close as it is from a distance. […]
Alentejo
Where is Portugal’s Costa Vicentina?
Where is Portugal’s Costa Vicentina? It seems like a simple question. But the answer isn’t as simple as you might expect. This week, whilst pulling together images for an article we’re writing about hiking in […]
Europe
A sweet and sour taste of Lisbon & travel writing
In the last couple of days I’ve read two articles about Lisbon, and watched an episode of the Netflix show Somebody Feed Phil set in Portugal’s classy capital. In two of the three, the information was presented as being by provided by Lisbon experts … […]
Portugal
How living abroad has changed us
The wounds are still gaping red, raw, and very sore. After years of living abroad, it’s too painful for me to talk about Brexit at the moment. No, painful is not the right word at […]
Living Abroad
Autumn in Portugal, The Seasonal Wheel Turns
Like a living barometer, you don’t need a calendar here on the farm to tell you when the seasons are changing, the animals do that for you … […]
Europe
Things tourists should never do in Portugal
One such article on Portuguese website Portugaldenorteaasul, titled 11 things tourists should never do in Portugal hooked me in. After three years of getting to know Portugal, I wondered how these ‘things not to do’ would compare with our experiences. […]
Europe
A Curious Incident On The Way To Viana do Castelo
Something catches my eye, movement by the water line about 200 metres to my right, on the far bank of the river. Squinting into the sun, I see what looks like the torso of a large man hauling himself out of the river, dragging his withered legs behind him… […]