The low-rise resort town of Esposende is a popular destination for beach holidays and water sports, thanks to its location at the mouth of the Cávado River on the Costa Verde (Green Coast). It’s also one of the stops on the Coastal Camino Português and another multi-day hiking trail alongRead More →
The best time to visit Portugal is as soon as you can! Seriously though, this country has so much to offer throughout the year that there is no bad time to come. Obviously, this depends to some extent on what you want to do when you’re here as certain activitiesRead More →
I’m probably not the only one who felt slightly disappointed the first time they visited Aveiro but I’ve long since changed my opinion and now love this beautiful little city. My initial disillusion was largely due to the fact that it’s marketed as the Venice of Portugal but although theRead More →
As you might expect from a place called Buddha Eden, this garden in the Silver Coast area of Central Portugal contains several Buddha statues. Portuguese art collector and businessman Joe Berardo was horrified when the Buddhas of Bamiyan were destroyed by the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001. He responded byRead More →
One of Mértola’s merits is its location. Ensconced within the Guadiana Valley Natural Park, the alluring medieval village is also a convenient base for nature lovers wanting to go on walks or adventures in the countryside (see my hotel picks at the end of the article). The historical centre of Mértola village is builtRead More →
I used to have a phobia of birds. I’m over it now, but when I first heard that Berlenga Island was a nature reserve with a huge seagull population, I had misgivings about going there. Curiosity and a few glowing reports of its natural beauty eventually got the better of me so IRead More →
When I first visited Marvão, in the Alto Alentejo region of Portugal, I was on foot and weary after a couple of botched attempts to follow a walking trail uphill to the village. After eventually finding the correct cobbled path through the cork oaks, I emerged in a fairy taleRead More →
Given that this is the closest city to where I live in Portugal, I’m delighted to tell you about the many things to do in Coimbra. This pretty riverside city, presided over by a UNESCO Word Heritage university, has a fascinating history that visibly dates back to Roman times. AsRead More →
Many people in the Vila Nova de Poiares neighbourhood learned to swim in the swimming pools at Recreio da Fraga leisure complex (nicknamed Fraggle Rock in our house) but it became neglected and was closed down for many years. Thanks to the efforts of the local council and local investment,Read More →
