On my first trip to the Peneda-Gerês National Park (PNPG) several years ago, the weather was too bad for the full day hike I had organised. Instead, I ended up doing an introductory driving tour of its rugged landscapes with some short sections of walking trails. As a taster, this experienceRead More →
If you visit any tourist destination in Portugal, you’ll undoubtedly find at least one version of the cheerful Barcelos cockerel dominating most souvenir shops. But what on earth does a cockerel have to do with Portugal? I hear you ask. Well, there’s a legend about that… As the story goes, backRead More →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
![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](https://edh9qmimf4g.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Braga_Bom_Jesus_do_Monte_PM_33856.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&resize=420%2C290&ssl=1)
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 →