Where to eat in Santiago de Compostela: Best restaurants and tapas bars
I fell hard for this small stone city stuck in time, with a bar and restaurant scene fed by some of the best seafood Spain has to offer. It’s a rare thing to say but Santiago de Compostela exceeded my expectations in every way. I arrived in Galicia pretty pumped to eat my way across […]
Best boat tours in Lisbon
It’s magic seeing the skyline of Lisbon from the water. Suddenly the geography – all the hills, viewpoints, and landmarks – falls into place. Zipping about on the Tagus River aboard a Lisbon boat trip is even better at sunset. A golden glow adds extra sparkle to Lisbon’s monuments as you cruise beneath the towering […]
Portugal & Spain Road Trip: Where to stop between Lisbon and Seville
Look at a map of Portugal and you’ll see that beautiful Seville is just over the border…. So if you’re visiting Lisbon or the Algarve, why not plan a road trip and drive to the Spanish city too? While on paper they seem close, the drive between Lisbon and Seville takes 4-5 hours. But if […]
Best Porto wine tasting tours (that I’ve done) & a list of port wine cellars
If you’re visiting Porto and have even the faintest interest in wine (or like to learn about how things are made), then you can’t skip the chance to visit a port wine house for a tasting tour. Across the Douro River from Porto lie almost two dozen historic port wine cellars and warehouses, where the […]
How to spend 48 hours in Évora
Évora is an incredible small city where you can soak up history, dive into local gastronomy, or just slow down and enjoy the Alentejo’s famously relaxed pace. The UNESCO-listed centre is a time capsule of Roman, Moorish, and medieval influences, yet Évora has an energetic and youthful vibe. I live in Lisbon and have visited […]
I did this unique Moorish tile-painting workshop in Sintra
There are a dozen or so tile-painting workshops you can join in and around Lisbon, but I’ve only found one in Portugal focused on Hispanic-Moorish techniques. Aldina’s beautiful creative studio is in Sintra, close to Lisbon, and I joined her tile-painting workshop a few months ago. In this workshop, not only did we paint a […]
Guide to the best beaches in Lagos, Portugal
In the western Algarve, Lagos is my favourite small city to make my base – and around Lagos you’ll find some of the most spectacular beaches in the Algarve. If you’ve ever seen pictures of dramatic and rocky orange cliffs against the vibrant blue sea, then chances are they were taken around Lagos. I’m based […]
The average person’s guide to A-list Comporta: Portugal’s luxe beach town
Some of Portugal’s most spectacular stretch of coastline is found just over an hour south of Lisbon. The golden sands around the Comporta region are some of the most wild, natural, and pristine in the whole country. Here pine forests bump up against vast sand dunes, gorgeous beaches back onto fields of rice, and local […]
Where to stay in the Algarve: Ultimate guide to choosing your base
Choosing a hotel, guesthouse or apartment for your time exploring the Algarve, Portugal’s southern coast, is not like picking a neighbourhood in a city like Lisbon. The Algarve isn’t a singular place – it’s a region of about 150 kilometres (100 miles) of gorgeous coastline with charming villages, modern cities, historic towns, and golf resorts. […]
Portuguese artisans: 10 traditional crafts from the Alentejo
I love meeting local artisans, watching them work, and hearing their stories. Here in Portugal, I regularly visit craft fairs and workshops to meet the people who work with their hands, often continuing a family trade many generations in the making. One Portuguese region that stands out for its strong traditional crafts and artisans is […]
Where to shop Portuguese ceramics by weight (cerâmica ao kilo) & pottery outlets
Portugal makes tonnes of ceramics, from small-scale artisanal pieces thrown on a wheel through to industrial pottery output at a large scale. At factory scale that includes making ceramics for big companies abroad, so there are local ceramic stores and pottery factory outlets where you can scoop up seconds, overproductions, and certified bargains. The newest […]
Sunday in Madeira at the Santo da Serra Farmers Market
This Sunday farmers market might be the best thing I’ve done on Madeira Island. Okay, the landscapes are incredible and the hikes of Madeira are truly breathtaking, but if you’re a regular reader then you know I love food and local experiences – and this one ticks both boxes to the extreme. The Sunday Mercado […]