If spending time in a quaint medieval town in Central Portugal appeals to you, it’s worth considering staying in or around Óbidos for a night or two. Not only does the town itself have bucket loads of charm, there are several places nearby that you could visit from this base inRead More →
Having spent years sailing around the world, Sam and Rich Malone found the ideal place to drop anchor in Portugal’s Silver Coast. After 11 years of hard work and significant investment, they have achieved what many Brits dream of and transformed a ruined Portuguese farmhouse and outbuildings into a delightfulRead More →
How do you decide on the best place to stay in Lisbon if you’re visiting for the first time? Each of the most central Lisbon neighbourhoods has something different to offer so use my insider guide to help you choose the best area to stay in Lisbon for sightseeing according to yourRead More →
I firmly believe that Sintra deserves more than a day trip. Once the majority of the tourists have disappeared back to their Lisbon hotels, the historical town takes on a more relaxed atmosphere. Strolling around the cobbled streets is more pleasurable without the hoards so when choosing your Sintra accommodation, ideallyRead More →
When deciding where to stay in Porto, your choice of neighbourhood will be guided in part by how you want to get around the city centre. I like being able to walk to the main sites and fortunately, Porto’s historical centre is compact enough to facilitate that. If you’re not burdened byRead More →
The Douro valley in northern Portugal has more than just the perfect climate and soil for cultivating grapes and a wine-producing culture that dates back centuries. The undulating curves of the Douro wine region’s hillsides create a beautiful and dramatic landscape which changes with the seasons and is so specialRead More →
Whether you spend one night in this charming riverside city or several, my insider tips should help you decide where to stay in Coimbra. I’ve selected the best Coimbra hotels and apartments that I consider to be stylish, well-located and good value in three distinctly different parts of the city. As I’veRead More →
It’s all too easy to fall for Caminha, which is how the Rinoterra Minho retreat came about. A brief visit to see friends was enough to convince Ilya, the owner, and his wife to relocate from Russia to the top corner of northwest Portugal. Appreciating how special the Minho region is, he decided to find a wayRead More →
It really wasn’t hard to fall in love with Herdade dos Grous, a country estate spread over 730 hectares of Alentejo countryside. For nature lovers who appreciate comfort, good food and fine wine, it’s hard to beat and I’m glad I accepted the invitation to stay there. I would happily put my handRead More →
How do you revitalise a sleepy historical village that’s off the beaten track? Paulo and Carmen Romão from Casas do Côro have made a huge difference to Marialva by buying up several traditional granite cottages and renovating them to form a luxury rural retreat. They haven’t taken over the entireRead More →
