Over the years, I’ve written about some of my favourite traditional villages in Portugal, most of which are actually part of a network called Aldeias Históricas de Portugal. Under this official umbrella, there are 12 villages, all within the Centro region of Portugal. Most of them used to be borderRead More →
If the idea of spending a week walking from village to village in the mountains of northern Portugal appeals to you, this could be the tour for you. In the Peneda-Gerês National Park, you’ll get a variety of landscapes and terrains and stunning views as well as the chance toRead More →
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 →
We’ve been visiting Figueira da Foz a lot more recently; we now have an apartment there, which we use when we don’t have tenants. I love being able to pop to the beach and every time we go, we find even more amazing things to see and do in thisRead More →
Thanks to its inland location, Loulé has remained unscathed from the blight of holiday resorts that mar some of the coastal areas in the Algarve. What you’ll find here is a quiet, attractive town with a strong local community and plenty of culture and creativity. Here are some of the things to doRead 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 →
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 →
