Being a dedicated fan of this sweet, herby Portuguese liqueur, I couldn’t possibly pass up the opportunity to go on a guided tour of the Licor Beirão factory. The event was organised for expats living in central Portugal by Dot Bekker of Portugal Friends. After lunch at a restaurant overlooking Lousã weRead More →
The rejuvenating properties of white cement are noticeable in the lakeside town of Santa Comba Dão (aka the ‘Princess of the Dão) in central Portugal. Like botox for buildings, the cement has been used extensively to smooth out the deep gaps that had formed between the granite blocks of traditional buildings. The roughRead More →
I have a certain fondness for quirky hotels, especially ones that I can afford to stay in. That’s why I couldn’t resist when Casa de Sezim popped up in my search for a hotel near the UNESCO World Heritage city of Guimarães, the ‘birthplace of Portugal’. Casa de Sezim isRead More →
Part of my ‘Personal A-Z of Portugal’ series of posts. D is for Daisy, the rescue dog we adopted from the municipal kennels in Coimbra.Read More →
Note from Julie: This blog post was the first in My Personal A to Z of Portugal series, which I started in 2012 as a way of reflecting on life in Portugal. Look downhill from my balcony and you’ll see a U-bend of the River Alva flowing past our house beforeRead More →
I can’t remember the last time I went anywhere as touristy as Albufeira and it came as a bit of a shock to the system. I haven’t seen that many pink shiny people in one place since one August bank holiday weekend in Rhyl (but that’s another story). In August,Read More →
Take a break from the beach to visit the world’s largest sand sculpture exhibition in the Algarve, Portugal.Read More →
Julie Dawn Fox explains why Cascalheira river beach near Arganil, central Portugal is surprisingly good.Read More →
Julie Dawn Fox explains why the variety, natural shade and warmer, calmer waters make central Portugal’s river beaches an excellent alternative to coastal beaches.Read More →
