I’ve visited the Douro Valley countless times and every time I go, I learn, see and experience something new. On this occasion, instead of the small groupDouro Valley tours I’d previously tried, I decided to go for the private wine tour experience to see how it differs from small groupRead More →
Much of the Douro Valley’s tourism is currently centred between Lamego and Pinhão but the wine-producing activity extends way beyond the Douro River, to the town of São João da Pesqueira and beyond. The small town in the hills to the south of the river, after which this Douro sub-districtRead More →
Update, 4th July 2020: Please see my more recent article for the latest status update. Since I wrote my last update on the COVID-19 situation and when it will be possible to travel to Portugal again, things have been going more or less according to plan. On the whole, theRead More →
I’ve often found one of the great delights of taking tours while travelling comes from putting yourself into the hands of a local expert who is passionate about where they live. Their tours give you those little insights into their world, tiny nuggets of information you just don’t get fromRead More →
Update, 4th July 2020: Please see my more recent article for the latest status update. At the beginning of May 2020, the million-dollar question of when will people be able to travel to Portugal remains unanswered, I’m afraid. As we all know, there are still too many unknowns about thisRead More →
One of the many wonderful things about Portugal is the abundance of uniquely Portuguese drinks of the alcoholic variety. Port wine may be one of Portugals most beloved celebrities but it’s far from being the only drink worthy of international attention. Many visitors, including myself when I first arrived, areRead More →
Do you really need to learn European Portuguese if you’re coming to Portugal? The short answer is yes. Even if it’s only how to say please and thank you. How far you go beyond the basics in Portuguese will depend on many factors but if you’re planning to spend anyRead More →
Leiria is another of those cities that I put off visiting for a long time for no good reason. I’d heard nothing that made me want to go out of my way to visit Leiria so when I finally got around to it, I was pleasantly surprised. This small cityRead More →
Update, 4th July 2020: Please see my more recent article for the latest status update. Up to a week ago, I was complaining that too much fuss was being made about the Coronavirus and the devastating impact it was having on my travel business and that of my local partnersRead More →