The region with Portugal's highest mountain peaks is off the beaten track for most tourists visiting this country. This makes an active holiday break here attractive, given the areas outstanding beauty and perfect setting for great mountain biking and hiking. It is Portugal's largest National Park and the only two rivers that start and end within Portugal's boundaries cross the park - Rio Mondego and Rio Zezere (a classic boulder strewn glacial river).
The Serra de Estrela was given National Park status back in 1976 to protect the rural character of the Serra de Estrela villages and the countryside. This was an important step which has helped conserve the wildlife which includes birds such as Black Storks, Eagle owls, Black Kites and Peregrine Falcons, many types of Bat, Iberian Rock Lizards and Iberian Frogs.
There is a lot of great mountain biking trails for all skill levels including a bike park with 3 downhill routes that has a 1000 metre cable car with bike hooks. More info at the regions main tourist website turistrela
Near the town of Manteigas (pictured) is Skiparque which has a dry slope ski run for skiing and snowboarding. There are also boats for hire, bicycles, horse riding, climbing, orienteering, paintball, paragliding, 4x4 tours, and target shooting - http://www.skiparque.pt/
Portugal is a truly lovely place - I have been there many times and it has never disappointed. More laid back than its macho neighbour, Spain, and there is so much to discover. At the Mirandasbeach Holidays in Portugal Directory you will find hundreds of site links and ideas for all sorts of different types of holiday in Portugal:
By the way, for those of you looking for walking holidays in Portugal (and I know it is popular !), one place worth a look is Headwater who have a good selection of ideas for both guided and independent walking in Portugal, as well as in many other countries.
Also - do not forget our Luxury section, and of course our popular Painting and Cooking in Portugal section, which are brimming with those out of the ordinary holiday concepts that could tempt you into something a bit different this year.
Happy new year ! and good hunting. Golf in Portugal - you have got to try it ! November 11, 2007 So, you want to bash a little white ball around a beautiful course in a country famed for its friendliness and relaxed atmosphere ? You want to hit birdies galore and then retire to the nineteenth and enjoy some of the finest wines or even an exceptional port ? Portugal really is a golfer's paradise ! You'll find a lot of useful Portugal Golf Holiday links at the Golfing Section at our Holidays in Portugal site - enjoy Porto and the Douro Valley September 1, 2007
A quick look at Porto’s history and you’ll see how important the port trade has been and still is today. The people of Porto,the Portuenses, are very into their history, and are quick to point out that their region offers far more than the fortified wine many of us haveover indulged in during the festive season. There is a big art scene, their own food specialties, North Portuguese fashion and a buzzing nightlife, which make the second city of Portugal and the Douro Valley a popular destination. Vila Nova de Gaiais just across the Douro river from Porto. This is where all the famous Port houses are including Ramos Pinto (the fine bottle pictured here is a Ramos Pinto). The walkway along the river is crammed with cafes and restaurants, and most of the Port houses offer tastings.
Porto has a bunch of new wave of chefs and restauranteurs who have jazzed and twisted the traditional local cuisine into their own wonderful creations. After tucking in to a fine supper you can then maybe crawl the bars around the city's trendy suburbs and enjoy a long, long night, through to the rising sun like so many of the locals do.
Journey inland along the beautiful Rio Douro, the main artery of the port wine industry.You could elect to take a fantastic five-day luxury cruise up river and enjoy the magnificent landscapes of this world heritage site. If that is too much and you do not want to miss your meal at Miguel Castro Silva’s Bull & Bear (Av Boavista)then wile away a few hours on a rabelo, and get a feel for the river and its beauty.
This region of Porto and the Douro Valley is one steeped in history, ancient towns and villages, monastries and quintas (equivalent to the French Chateaux). It is a beautiful area, and offers the chance of a wonderful holiday.
Pasteis de Nata July 26, 2007 Pasteis de Nata are delightfully sweet, mellow custard tarts that are all the rage in Lisbon. So if you are planning a trip to Portugal's capital you must see if you catch the addiction. Near the waterfront in the Lisbon district of Belem is the Antiga Confeitaria de Belem, which is famous for making thousands of these nuggets of indulgence a day. You can by them on the premises, but you won't get the recipe ! only three chefs at a time know it and they are sworn to secrecy, never get drunk on their own, and don't take bribes. however, they will give you little sachets of icing sugar and cinnamon to sprinkle on your Pasteis de Nata which is very very nice of them. In the summer they are open 7 days a week and open from 8.00am until midnight - so there is no excuse not get on down and let a little bit of Portuguese heritage into your stomach.
Although the recipe is secret you'll find an approximation at leitesculinaria.com
And, if you think it would be cool to shack up near your favourite Custard Tart supplier then try this site for a good selection of Holiday Apartments in Belem, Lisbon. http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/belem/
Belem is 6km West of Lisbon City Centre - so you may want to be more central, and settle for getting your tarts from less prestigous outlets - so try these sites for more general Lisbon accomodation: Virtual Portugal HolidayCityEurope Hotel Club And for the more poetic of you - how about the Lisbon Poets Hostel "Between alleys and old streets, Lisbon Poets Hostel is your best way of getting to know the mythic Lisbon, at the right place to breath it." 20 Rural retreats in Portugal June 28, 2007 Spain has its haciendas, Portugal its quintas - country estates with bags of character. Some are hidden in the hills, some on the coast, some cheap, others very chic, but glorious scenery and a slower pace of life come as standard. In this preview from the new edition of his book, Alastair Sawday picks his favourites: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/mar/25/portugal.escape Inter Rail away the Blues ! May 20, 2007
Back twenty or more years ago, if you asked any long or short haired student what they were going to do in their summer holidays then “InterRail around Europe" was the standard reply even from the skint ones. Not much could better the joy of owning that railpass that was going to give you unlimited train travel all over Europe. It was cheap and run jointly by all the national railways. It was started in 1973 and was the “cosmic pass” that opened the doors of Europe to young people eager to make the grand European tour by train, with the freedom to go where they liked and exactly when they wanted. Of course InterRail soon became a cult of huge proportions and young adults were InterRailing all over the continent creating there own adventures as the mood took them North to Scandinavia or through Germany down to the beaches of the Mediterranean.
Budget airlines have cast a shadow over InterRail in recent years, but now that the carbon footprint of air travel is a consideration and environmental awareness is increasing all over, it’s an interesting time for InterRail to offer a completely new range of passes on sale from April 1 this year, and it looks like InterRail is positioned for a powerful return to prominence. The new ticket range offers loads of options and good value, but importantly for anyone over 26 years old InterRail is no longer just for backpacker youth either. There are passes for those of us over 26 and our kids, in both first and second class.Gone is the annoying zone system introduced in the 1990s, and once again all InterRail global passes now give unlimited train travel across the whole of Europe, from Portugal in the West to Poland in the East, Helsinki in the North to Istanbul in the South. There are two options for those not expecting to travel all the time, either five days unlimited travel in any 10-day period or 10 days unlimited travel in any 22-day period (what days you travel is up to you at the time). There are also two continuous options for those expecting to zip here and there most of the time and they are either 22 days or one month.
The 10 days in 22 days pass allows you to go there and back by train for £175 (under 26) or £263 (over 26). It gives plenty of time for stopovers in Paris, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest or even Transylvania, and of course you can go out on one route and come back on another.
Travel on comfortable (some of the time !) daytime trains or make good use of the overnight sleepers to save on hotel bills and cover big distances. You can get into the thrill and pace of the long train journey – something I enjoy so much more than air travel. It’s not all about getting there as quick as possible, it’s about the journey, the scenery, the people you can meet and the freedom you can feel. And it is that freedom that InterRail gives you that you don't get with the strict itinerary of pre-booked non-changeable air fares. If the mood takes you, you can stay longer; if you are not keen to stay, you can move on to somewhere new. With InterRail and the European train network, you can really go where the fancy takes you. · For more information on InterRail passes, see raileurope.co.uk, interrailnet.com or seat61.com/Railpass.htm.
Why now? The Cow Parade in Lisbon, from May-October is the largest public art event in the world. Nowhere else can you watch a herd of multi-coloured glass-fibre cattle being painted by artists who have been so inspired by their gentle bovine muses that they must paint en mass using many bright colours and fantastic designs! Getting there from Heathrow on TAP (flytap.com), Gatwick with Monarch (flymonarch.com), which has fares under £10 in May, or Luton on easyJet (easyjet.com). Where to stay: Hotel Metropole (00351 2132 19030, almeida hotels.com) has a great location in Lisbon's main square, from £79 per night. Pricey but nice Bairro Alto (+21340 8288, bairroaltohotel .com), doubles from €280 B&B. Where to eat: The stylish Bica do Sapato on Avenida Infante Dom Henrique.What to buy Tiles of course, Lisbon's traditional decorative art, from Fábrica Santana, Rua do Alecrim 95. Also marble-encrusted Estromoz jugs and bowls by Vista Alegre at Largo do Chiado 20.
Portugal is a Walkers Paradise January 1, 2007 The panoramic wooded hills of the Serra de Monchique in the unspoiled regions of Algarve are a beautiful place for a walking holiday. Descend the trails to some of the finest coastal paths of the Iberian Peninsula passing sandy bays as you head to Cape St Vincent, the very edge of Europe. A strong sense of history pervades the region, with crumbling forts and tales of famous wayfarers.
Hidden Portugal - 8 days from £479pp Guardian holiday offers Hidden Portugal - 8 days from £479pp For more information, call 0870 836 0760 or email
Departs June 7, 14, 28; September 6, 28, 2007 From Stansted and Liverpool
Try these walking holidays in the emerald Island of Madeira: http://www.sherpa-walking-holidays.co.uk/tours/inntoinn/jimdos.htm Enjoy some Christmas Magic in Portugal November 16, 2006 This Christmas and New Year spend a magical Christmas in Portugal, with Father Christmas and decorated trees, together with some more unusual traditions. On Christmas Eve in Portugal, salt cod is the traditional dish and meat is served on Christmas and Boxing days. For dessert, the menu includes crown-shaped Bolo Rei filled with crystallised fruit, and traditional fritters. The pastries, filhozes, sonhos and rabanadas, are delicious. At home, just as in the local church, people find a special place to put the Saviour’s crib from the nativity. It was the idea of St. Francis of Assis in the 13th Century to re-create the stable where Jesus was born at Christmas. In the regions of Bragança, Guarda or Castelo Branco, a Yule log is burned in the atrium of the village church after mass. It helps keep everyone warm through the night and to wish family and friends a Merry Christmas. Stay for the New Year celebrations. At midnight, there’s a fireworks display in every town. Everyone eats 12 raisins, with one wish for each month, and drinks champagne to bring in the New Year. The party in Madeira is renowned for being the most dazzling, with a display of light and colour over the whole island you can even see from the ocean. At the start of the New Year, you’ll see people singing in the streets. These are the Janeiras (new year’s carollers). They sing traditional songs and those who pass by are wished a Happy New Year full of luck.
Or there’s Christmas and New Year on the beautiful island of Madeira, that is mild all year round: http://www.whatsonwhen.com British Airways (www.ba.com) flies to Funchal, Madeira, from Gatwick up to seven times a week this winter, with one way all inclusive fares starting at £59.
More about traditions: http://www.santas.net/portuguesechristmas.htm Guardians latest holiday offers in Portugal: http://travel.guardian.co.uk/readeroffers/portugal An overview of Portugal: The travel guardians Portugal section Portugal has so much to offer ! November 2, 2006 For many people if you mention Portugal as a holiday destination they will conjure up images of neatly clipped golf courses, luxurious villas, modern resorts and sandy white beaches of the southern Algarve. Yet away from that package holiday haven lies another country, equally as tempting for different reasons. A country which, though becoming increasingly popular, is still relatively untouched by the excesses of modern tourism. It still manages to exude a natural beauty, a unique sense of place, character and vibrancy. Why not discover this wonderful country for yourself.
In the Atlantic lies the Portuguese Emerald island of Madeira. With it’s sub- tropical climate Madeira boasts a fantastic variety of fruit, flowers and vegetation. Plunging cliffs and steep cultivated and terraced fields create a dramatic holiday destination for those seeking peace and relaxation. Most of the island is a conservation area which benefits it’s rare flowers. Lilies, orchids, magnolias, hydrangeas, bougainvillaea, jacarandas and azaleas bloom in abundance throughout the year and fill the air with a fragrant sweetness. Why not spend your time wandering along the footpaths beside the “levadas” (small man-made irrigation canals) that wind their way around the island.
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