Blog Archives

Rabelo - DOURO'S OLD CARGO BOAT

10/29/2018

A RIVER AND ITS BOAT

The Douro river has always been part of the soul of the city of Porto and worked as a transport conduit for an entire region, upstream. Instrumental in moving goods and people up and down the river were the rabelo boats, a type of cargo boat unique to this river.(...)

THE HISTORY OF PORT WINE

10/27/2018

Port, ONE of Europe's great classic wines

 Produced on the steep hillside vineyards of the upper Douro valley, this wine originates from one of worlds oldest and most beautiful wine regions where vines have been grown for over 2000 years...! (...)

photo ©Gonçalo Villaverde

OCTOBER 12th, Pedro's BIRTHDAY

10/11/2018

Some people led extraordinary lives

Our 'King-soldier', Pedro IV, the 'Liberator', was born in Portugal 220 years ago, in 1798. When he turned 24 he was proclaimed the first emperor of Brazil, 'Pedro I', to which he had recently given independence from Portugal. That day was also 12th October, of 1822.

Over the course of Pedro's short life (34years) he abdicated the throne twice, was father to 19 children and fought many battles for freedom, in two different continents. Pedro's heart is nowadays the most amazing treasure the city of Porto has in its care.

In this post I share a couple more of utterly unbelievable -real- stories about him...!

Honeymooner and willing to break a sweat?

10/9/2018

TAKING IT INto YOUR OWN HANDS?

Self-planning a honeymoon can seem like a daunting task...! In this piece by Samantha Lefave, you'll find a few suggested destinations that will surely end up being great fun, if you're in to street art!

Here's what she has to say about Portugal and Porto, in particular: "Lisbon is getting a lot of tourist attention right now, but those looking for a more local experience should book a ticket to Porto instead. The second-largest city is on the rise, becoming well-known for its street art (...)"

Street art running tour in Porto for honeymooners

WHERE TO EAT IN PORTO - OUR SELECTION

10/1/2018

WE KEPT IT SHORT

The following list is not about gourmet experiences. It is not about a search for the best food or the most authentic, nor about the cheapest prices or the most expensive meals. It's really not. There's also no partnership with us or commissions from their side. This is simply a list of places I enjoy having a meal in the company of friends or family. And these are the places I return to because, for some reason, I happen to like them :)