Overlapping animals, rock art at Pensacoso, Foz Côa Portugal

Carved into the rugged rocks of the Côa Valley near the town of Vila Nova de Foz Côa you’ll find the very origins of animated art. The two-headed animals scratched into these ancient stones weren’t monsters roaming the Portuguese countryside. The extra heads represent movement, pretty clever for rock artRead More →

What to see and do in Ponte de Lima

Ponte de Lima charmed me at first sight. When I revisited a couple of years later, Portugal’s oldest town nestled itself deep inside my heart and is never coming out. It’s got all the right ingredients for me: plenty of gardens, fancy mansions and other historical buildings, tons of restaurants andRead More →

Walking trail above São Cristovão Do Douro

Knowing how hilly the Douro wine region is, I was a little apprehensive about doing a week-long walking holiday in the Douro Valley. Nevertheless, the promise of spectacular views and the experience of hiking from village to village were enticing enough to push myself beyond my normal comfort zone. (Don’t letRead More →

Arco de São Jorge, Madeira

I’ve been busy working on my plans for Portugal travel in 2018 and already have a long list of places to visit. If previous years are anything to go by, I probably won’t make it to all the destinations on my wish list this year but this post may inspireRead More →

View of Viana do Castelo and River Lima from Santa Luzia

Viana do Castelo has definitely grown on me over the years and is one of the most interesting and attractive coastal cities in northern Portugal. With a fascinating history that dates back to pre-Roman times, remarkable costumes, unique jewellery and a restored hospital ship, not to mention the beaches, views,Read More →

Afife beach. Unspoilt Atlantic coastline, northern Portugal

A multi-day walking route along the varied and unspoilt Atlantic coastline of northern Portugal’s Costa Verde (Green Coast) certainly sounds appealing. I suspect this is partly why the coastal Camino de Santiago has been gaining popularity. However, while the Camino da Costa offers an attractive alternative to the more traditionalRead More →

Bom Jesus in Braga Portugal. Monumental staircase and sanctuary. By PMRMaeyaert (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

This guest post about the monumental sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga is by Sara Riobom, a blogger at Portoalities. Based in Porto, she organises private tours not only in Porto but also in Braga and Guimarães, in the Douro Valley and in the Vinho Verde Wine Region.Read More →

Monsaraz village, Alentejo, Portugal, viewed from the castle

I know that many of you enjoy getting away from the hustle and bustle of cities to explore picturesque villages and I’ve shared many of my favourite villages in Portugal with you over the years. In anticipation of a public vote on the best villages in Portugal, I decided to roundRead More →