The huge waves that draw surfers to the beaches around Peniche were not the reason I visited. One disastrous surfing lesson was enough to persuade me that it’s not the sport for me. I had other plans, the main one being a boat trip to the nature reserve on Berlenga Islands.Read More →
Figueira da Foz, aka the Queen of Beaches, has been a popular Portuguese holiday resort for over 100 years, hence the number of hotels, holiday apartments and rooms to let. There are, of course, more things to do in Figueira da Foz than lounge on its beaches or stroll the extensiveRead More →
Many people in the Vila Nova de Poiares neighbourhood learned to swim in the swimming pools at Recreio da Fraga leisure complex (nicknamed Fraggle Rock in our house) but it became neglected and was closed down for many years. Thanks to the efforts of the local council and local investment,Read More →
Having sampled some of the walking trails along the Alentejo coast, I’m now completely hooked on the area. The craggy landscape is relatively untouched, punctuated here and there by beautiful beaches and small towns, such as Vila Nova de Milfontes, Porto Covo and Odeceixe. Although I didn’t have time toRead More →
Most Douro river cruises concentrate on the stretch between Porto and Régua, Pinhão, or Barca d’Alva. Although the contours and lines of the Douro wine region, I wanted to see the natural park’s rugged, rocky landscape on an International Douro river cruise. With Las Arribas del Duero of Spain on one side andRead More →
Vila Nova de Cerveira may be small but it made a lasting impression on me. This northern Portuguese village on the bank of the River Minho, has bags of natural beauty, historical architecture and more than its fair share of art. It’s also named after a legendary stag. In no particular order, hereRead More →
There’s a little slice of heaven on the west coast of Portugal that blends bucolic countryside with a magnificent coastline, all of which I discovered on a coastal walk along the Rota Vicentina from Odeceixe beach. The village itself is about 3 kilometres inland and has a relaxed, non-beachy charm all of its own. TheRead More →
It was the oxblood red pool that brought me to Mina de São Domingos in Portugal’s Alentejo region. The village’s disused mining pit is now filled with water. Stained from the surrounding iron ore and made acidic by the sulphur, it’s fascinating but not for swimming in. If you fancy a dip, there’s aRead More →
Senhora do Salto means Lady of the Leap, an intriguing name for a picturesque gorge and natural park in northern Portugal. There is, of course, a story behind it. Legend of the Lady of the leap According to the legend, a knight on horseback was being chased by the devil in the formRead More →