I’m probably not the only one who felt slightly disappointed the first time they visited Aveiro but I’ve long since changed my opinion and now love this city. My initial disillusion was largely due to the fact that it’s marketed as the Venice of Portugal but although the city centreRead More →
The heartbreaking tale of Pedro and Inês, Portugal’s ill-fated lovers inspired me to visit Alcobaça, a pretty town in the Silver Coast of Central Portugal. Pedro’s unwavering love for his forbidden sweetheart, Inês, who was murdered by his father’s henchmen, led to the exhumation of her body and posthumous coronationRead More →
As you might expect from a place called Buddha Eden, this garden in the Silver Coast area of Central Portugal contains several Buddha statues. Portuguese art collector and businessman Joe Berardo was horrified when the Buddhas of Bamiyan were destroyed by the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001. He responded byRead More →
I used to have a phobia of birds. I’m over it now, but when I first heard that Berlenga Island was a nature reserve with a huge seagull population, I had misgivings about going there. Curiosity and a few glowing reports of its natural beauty eventually got the better of me so IRead More →
In all my years of blogging about Portugal, I’ve neglected to tell you about the many things to do in Coimbra. This pretty riverside city, presided over by a UNESCO Word Heritage university, has a fascinating history that visibly dates back to Roman times. As the first place I livedRead More →
This bookable 10-day self-drive Portugal road trip itinerary saves you having to do the time-consuming research required to plan and book your own trip to explore the best of Central Portugal, especially around the Silver Coast and Coimbra. You’ll see gardens, palaces, castles, monasteries, nature reserves, wineries, historical villages, UNESCORead More →
I’d heard good things about Quinta do Sanguinhal and was not disappointed when we finally got the chance to visit this winery on a recent trip to the Silver Coast. The traditional wine estate is just outside the small town of Bombarral and has been in the same family sinceRead 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 →
Whenever I stand on ancient castle walls, I find myself trying to imagine what life was like when the castles housed royalty and their grounds contained thriving marketplaces buzzing with people, produce, livestock and flies. When I visit Óbidos during its annual medieval fair, however, I don’t need to stretch my imagination veryRead More →