3-day itinerary for Terceira Island
Terceira might not be the most talked-about island in the Azores, but that’s part of why it’s such a great destination. Volcanic landscapes, green patchwork fields, UNESCO-listed Angra do Heroísmo, lava tubes, and unique local traditions (like bull runs and colourful Holy Spirit impérios) make the third largest island in the archipelago like nowhere else […]
Where to eat on Terceira Island, Azores
Like many of the Azorean islands, Terceira might have more cows than people. So, despite being surrounded by seemingly endless ocean and super fresh fish, Terceira Island’s signature dish is in fact a fragrant and rich, slow-cooked beef stew known as alcatra. Terceira Island’s food scene took me by surprise. Having visited São Miguel Island […]
10 perfect days in Portugal: A fast-paced classic itinerary
If you have 10 days to explore Portugal, this classic itinerary ticks off Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve. Sharing a 10-day Portugal itinerary on Olá Daniela is no easy task. Why? Because trip planning is such a personal experience. Whether someone has 7, 10, or 14 days in Portugal, I know from helping others that […]
Where to eat in Tomar: Best restaurants, cafés & bars
It’s not just Tomar’s monuments that are layered with history. Tucked down its many streets, you’ll find taverns from the mid-20th century still serving the locals, a bakery that invented sweets now famous across Portugal, and a Bauhaus café open ‘til 2am. If you’re visiting Tomar and are wondering where to eat dinner, grab a […]
9 places to visit in Portugal this summer
Summer in Portugal is a sun-drenched dream with long beach days and wall-to-wall festivals and events, where every esplanada (terrace) is filled with happy people enjoying the weather and a few (too many) Super Bocks. While summer is a fun time to explore Portugal, it is peak season, so the most popular places will be […]
Hotel Review: A weekend at Hotel Convento de São Paulo
Alentejo sunsets always feel a little unreal – like someone’s nudged the saturation just slightly too far. That warm evening glow was our welcome to Hotel Convento de São Paulo, a place that had felt like a myth in my mind. We arrived as the sun was dropping low behind the Serra d’Ossa, after a […]
Where to eat in Lisbon this summer: guide to the hottest tables for 2025
While you’ll always be able to eat well (even without a reservation) in Lisbon, if you’re chasing a seat at one of its buzziest tables, or want to revisit the beloved classics that locals still swear by – you’ll need to plan ahead. I’ve lived in Lisbon since 2018 and spent years as a food […]
Explore Redondo, Portugal’s best-kept pottery secret
For more than 500 years the people of Redondo have dug their hands into the terra, digging up clay to make earthenware pottery with the heart and soul of the Alentejo. Both wine and pottery production flourished in Redondo in the 19th century, and it continues to be the Alentejo town’s most important artisan craft. […]
Bottomless wine and secret cellars: Redondo’s tasca and talha trail
Hidden tascas, endless vinho, and the soulful chorus of Cante Alentejano – was it just another Saturday afternoon in the Alentejo? When I want to really feel the heart and soul of Portugal, I like to dash out to the Alentejo region. Here in the villages, dotted between olive groves and forests of cork oaks, […]
Local’s guide to Belém, Lisbon: Best things to do with a half-day or more
Belém is a must-visit riverfront neighborhood rich in monuments, museums, and manicured parklands. It was from these shores, where the Tagus River kisses the Atlantic Ocean, that many ships including explorer Vasco da Gama’s fleet in 1497, left to map the world during Portugal’s powerful Age of Discoveries. History is just one reason why this […]
Where to eat in Belém: the best restaurants, snacks and bars
Belém might be packed with tourists, but finding a good spot to eat doesn’t have to feel like a scavenger hunt. I live close by and have spent plenty of time dining in Belém, so consider this your Belém food guide to dodge the tourist traps and actually eat well – whether you’re grabbing a […]
Malpica’s daily octopus auction, on Galicia’s Costa da Morte
One by one a young fisherman is slapping octopuses on a giant scale. He’s tallying up the day’s catch: some 37 boxes of polbo (as it’s known in Galician) weighing nearly 300kg. It’s a fairly quiet sunny Monday in November with just a dozen or so people milling around the Lonja de Malpica, the fishing […]