It’s only when I stop and take a little while to look back on 2017 that I realise how many places in Portugal I visited last year. Some had been on my wish list for a very long time and others were return visits to familiar yet beloved destinations forRead More →
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 →
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 →
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 →
Castro Marim salt pans don’t only produce sea salt and flor de sal the traditional way; they’ve also turned a salt water pond into an outdoor spa experience. Here, you can soak in salt while being covered in gooey clay, one of the more unusual things to do in theRead More →
I get a kick out of compiling (and reviewing) my annual wish list of places I’d like to visit in Portugal over the coming year. It’s becoming something of a ritual and helps me to get organised; my agenda is fast filling up. Some of these destinations and activities are definites, others areRead More →
The Algarve is best known for its fabulous beaches and top notch golf courses so what’s an inland town like Loulé to do if it wants to entice visitors away from the coast? Get creative, that’s what. Loulé Criativo organises hands-on creative workshops in Loulé city and municipality. Run by local artisans,Read More →
Tacky tourist traps make me want to run screaming back to the countryside. Thankfully, Tavira has managed to avoid such horrors despite being in the Algarve, i.e. Portugal’s most popular region for tourists and expats. Although unspoilt and decidedly laid back, there are still plenty of things to do in Tavira.Read More →
There’s a little slice of heaven on the west coast of Portugal that blends bucolic countryside with a magnificent coastline, all of which I discovered on a coastal walk along the Rota Vicentina from Odeceixe beach. The village itself is about 3 kilometres inland and has a relaxed, non-beachy charm all of its own. TheRead More →