Roman sculptures at Museu Nacional Machado de Castro, Coimbra

Coimbra’s national museum opened its doors to the public in 2012 after years of renovation. It’s a uniquely fascinating space with underground treasures and life-size chapels that was incorprated into Coimbra’s UNESCO World Heritage area in 2019. Here are five very good reasons why you should incorporate a visit toRead More →

Green Elvas olives

I try to keep an open mind about Portuguese food, really I do. Despite more than a few disappointing if not disgusting experiences, I continue tasting different dishes hoping to understand what makes the Portuguese so proud and fond their cuisine. Sometimes, I’m rewarded with a tasty treat but this isRead More →

blue and green hot air balloon, inside

The wind did its best to thwart my attempts to fly in a hot air balloon but I finally got the chance to make one of my dreams come true at the International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Elvas in Portugal’s Alentejo region. Find out what my experience of hotRead More →

single propeller aircraft and luggage

Update 2020: When I originally wrote this article in 2012, I was still rather ignorant of the racist connotations of the term expat. I recognise now that I am, of course, an immigrant in Portugal and proud to be one. Still, these musings on my journey to accepting that myRead More →

I’d like you to imagine for a moment that you’re looking for a second-hand car to buy. After establishing a price range and the criteria that are important to you, you go to a showroom. You’re in luck, they have a car that might suit you so you check theRead More →

Pavilhão Chinês in Lisbon is one of my favourite bars to take visitors to because every surface is crammed with collections; over four thousand pieces in total. You could spend hours just looking at all the oddities so it’s a good job they have an extensive collection of cocktails and exoticRead More →

Riverside craft market, Ponte da Lima

Judging by the number of craft fairs in Portugal, handmade arts and crafts are popular here. Most reasonably sized towns hold at least one dedicated arts and crafts fair, and there are usually a liberal sprinkling of handicrafts for sale at foodie fairs if you’re on the lookout for PortugueseRead More →