Alentejo Coast Walking holiday, Portugal

The unspoilt Alentejo coast offers incredible views and dramatic scenery. From small sandy coves to wide golden beaches and cliff-backed shores, the coastline is ever-changing and immensely photo-worthy.  As you make your way from village to village, you’ll encounter wildflowers, sand dunes, rare storks and a host of other wildlife.Read More →

Afife beach. Unspoilt Atlantic coastline, northern Portugal

My experience of a multi-day walking route along the varied and unspoilt Atlantic coastline of northern Portugal’s Costa Verde (Green Coast) was unforgettable in so many ways, especially as the pace allows time and energy to appreciate the scenery, towns and villages along the route. If you dream of spendingRead More →

Esparto mats, Alte, Loulé, Algarve, Portugal. Photography by Julie Dawn Fox

The charmingly rural village of Alte makes for a very pleasant day trip in the Algarve. As well as a riverside picnic area, cobbled streets and architecture with character, it also has a rich heritage of traditional crafts, especially those involving esparto grass. You’ll see evidence of local ceramic and pottery work in theRead More →

Kissing Hippos, Sculpture by Karl Heinz Stock at Quinta dos Vales, Estômbar, Algarve, Portugal

In search of the more cultural side of the Algarve, I discovered a sculpture garden amid the vineyards at Quinta dos Vales near Estômbar. Sculptures galore As soon as I saw the smooth shiny curves of the fat ‘Graces’ dancing, I knew I’d enjoy Karl Heinz Stock’s sculptures, which areRead More →

Fishing boats, Salema, Algarve

If you’re keen to escape bustling resort towns, the quiet fishing village of Salema in the western Algarve may be worth considering for your Portugal itinerary. Major international publications, including The Guardian and Rick Steves‘ travel guides, have lauded its charms so I went to see what all the fussRead More →