The soulful urban music of Portugal is often described as the country’s musical heart. The word itself comes from the Latin fatum, meaning “fate,” and the music is inseparable from the Portuguese emotional concept of saudade—a deep,
Read more…Dmitrij Rodionov
Just a half hour by car or around 40 minutes by train from Lisbon, this municipality of roughly 386,000 residents feels a world apart. Nestled among the forested hills of the Serra de Sintra, its historic old quarter, has long been
Its compact size, modern highways, and efficient coach operators make buses one of the easiest ways to travel through Portugal. Vehicles are typically clean, punctual, and comfortable, and the Portuguese intercity coach system is definitely o
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Many years ago, my girlfriend and I were on a mini-golf course on Cape Cod when I heard people behind us speaking in an unfamiliar language. I said to Lisa, "what is that, Hebrew?" Highly amused, she - a Portuguese major in college - replied "no,
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In Olhos de Água, just ten minutes´s drive from the town of Albufeira, this is a luxurious family-friendly experience with a vast array of activities, including kids’ clubs, tennis, golf, and a private beach. This resort offers a c
Enrico PescantiniPortugal's answer to Spain's Canary Islands, the Azores are a nine-island grouping 1,529 kilometres (950 miles) out in the Atlantic Ocean west of the Iberian Peninsula. The largest (759km²/293 square mi.) and most populous of the ar
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This small country´s coast has long been popular as a holiday mecca, but its interior remains one of Europe’s best-kept secrets. But word of its immense rural charm is starting to spread to travellers all over the world, and it offers some ma
Europe of course continued to put in very strong performances this year as well, and at the World Travel Awards “World´s Leading Island Destination” went to Madeira, a balmy, dreamy outpost of Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean famed for
Europe is of course filled with amazing scenic and cultural sights and experiences, but it's also known as by and large an expensive place to visit. Yet it doesn't have to be! There are still a number of European cities and countries where y
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When we booked the "Algarve jeep safari," they promised a tour to the interior to show there was more to Portugal's southernmost region than beaches, bars and golf courses. We passed through remote villages; stopped off at a couple of out-of
The old quarter of Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site full of fairytale palaces and castles as well as myriad fascinating nooks and crannies. One of those palaces is the enigmatic Quinta da Regaleira, built in 1910 with architecture and
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The Madeiran archipelago, together with those of the Canaries, Azores, and Cape Verde, comprise Macaronesia, "the Fortunate Isles", to which the gods of Greek mythology brought the heroes when their adventurous lives were over. They are volcanic in
Madeira Island is among the islands in the Madeira Archipelago and was discovered by the Portuguese in the early 1400's. It's still part of Portugal today, and also is a popular holiday destination with travelers from around Europe. The stunning se
Read more…Algarve is the southernmost province of Portugal, with a coast of about 200 kilometers and ravishing beaches. This developing resort European is considered the cleanest one, the most comfortable and at the same time a prestigious resort in Europe.
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Whether or not they're shoppers, most travelers love quality mementos of their trips. But "quality" is key, and there are certain items that will always be worth seeking out. Paintings and other kinds of art are a prime example – whether charming wa
Read more…As in other areas, Portugal has been somewhat underrated in terms of its scenic appeal, but this small southern European country is filled with winding routes that take you through beautiful landscapes, breathtaking beaches, and small whitewashed
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One of the world's most reknowned Catholic pilgrimage sites, about an hour and a half north of Lisbon, dates back to the construction a chapel in 1919 dedicated to the Virgin Mary after three local children reported reported that she h
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Once we can all start traveling again (hopefully by the summer), families will be looking to get out and experience - and bond with quality time together in - some of the amazing places our world has to offer. Here are four of the destinations I c
Especially for travelers to Europe on a budget, there's no better place to hang out than the capital of Portugal, considered one of the continent's most affordable countries. But even apart from that, it's a romantic city with amazing history, cultu
Globalization has been a sometimes controversial mixed bag in different areas and different parts of the world, but I think we can all agree that on the plus side, one of its grooviest benefits has been to bring to spread many of the exciting cultu
