One question I get asked a lot is where is the best spot to eat octopus in Lisbon. It seems every traveller coming to visit wants to try great octopus dishes in Portugal, whether that’s a traditional Polvo à Lagareiro

I always say Sintra is Lisbon’s best day trip and encourage anyone visiting me here in the Portuguese capital to take at least a day to explore. Fairytale palaces, dense mystical forest, charming villages, oversized mossy boulders and a wild,

Portugal knows how to throw a brilliant party, and in 2023 these will be the biggest and best festivals and events to attend. Each year cities, towns and villages across Portugal play host to traditional celebrations, food-focused events and huge

From celebrating sausages and sweet potatoes to Michelin-starred chefs cooking with fire, Portugal honours its rich gastronomic heritage with dozens of food festivals, wine fairs and events. Food is closely intertwined with culture in Portugal so it’s no surprise the small

Colourful banners flutter above cheering crowds as knights on horseback clash in a tournament for the ages. The air is thick with the scents of roasting meat and red wine, and music from another era fills your ears. Vendors hawk

How many pastéis de nata could you eat on a holiday? Our friend Jayden smashed 30 on his trip to Portugal, but I will say that not all of them were prime pasteis. The man was on a mission to

Each year, especially in summer, Portugal’s music festival calendar is packed with big-name artists, major festival line-ups and smaller boutique events. Expect to find music festivals in Portugal's big cities of Lisbon and Porto, plus down south on the beaches

Sintra is Lisbon’s best day trip, for sure. Each year millions of visitors flock to the UNESCO World Heritage Sintra village to explore enchanting 19th-century palaces and eat a travesseiro. But there’s much more to do here than tick off

Thirty 400-gram bread rolls are weaved into a human-size, paper flower-covered tower balanced precariously atop the 748 women marching by. Hundreds of these flowery 1.5-metre high piles bob through the enchanting Central Portuguese riverside town of Tomar on the shoulders

At the centre of Central Portugal lies Coimbra, an ancient city with a young student heart. The food scene in Coimbra covers it all, from fine dining and chic restaurants to rooftop bars and late-night kebab shops. There are half

You won't see the inside of Coimbra's most stunning building on this blog, or almost anywhere. So concerned is the leadership of Portugal's oldest — and for hundreds of years only — university with protecting the bibliophilic treasures enshrined on

When it comes to where to eat in medieval Guimarães, the answer feels like it should be snacks at a tavern, a homely bistro or an old-man bar. This surprising smaller Portuguese city serves up all three, along with a

Having seen many, many tiled chapels it takes quite a lot to blow me away but the Capela de São Miguel in Coimbra is jaw-droppingly beautiful. It's definitely up there among the most beautiful tiles and breathtaking sights in Portugal.

Second-hand or vintage shopping is always fun in Lisbon. There’s the thrill of not knowing what you’ll find, the highs and lows of finding something does (or doesn’t) fit, the feel-good fact that you’re stopping an item from going to

With their tile-covered facades, art deco details and historic landmarks, Portugal’s cities and big towns are absolutely gorgeous. But there’s nothing like the magic of visiting tiny charming villages. Having travelled far and wide across Portugal over the past couple

Naturally, after a couple of pandemic years exploring the width and breadth of Portugal, I jumped at the chance to explore beyond the country’s borders this year. But while it was brilliant to go abroad for new and nostalgic adventures,

Souvenirs don’t have to be tacky fridge magnets or novelty mugs. Take home gifts with a little more heart when you visit Lisbon. From ceramics made in Portugal and works by local artists to traditional brands and objects, here are

If I have a free Saturday morning in Lisbon I love to venture over to Alfama and kick around the Feira da Ladra market. You never know what you’ll find at Lisbon’s oldest flea market – it’s been in existence

I love Portugal but one of its great faults is the icy temperatures of the Atlantic Ocean. This year I was craving to swim in warm ocean water. Pair that desire with an overdue need to see cousins in Croatia

Wind whips my face and bells toll as I look out over the plains towards Spain, wondering what it was like to wait here endlessly for an attack. High on this rocky mountain top, standing on the walls of a

That awful feeling when you rip open a package, hold up the pants and realise they’re the wrong size? That doesn’t happen when you go shopping in real life. Step out on the streets of Lisbon and hunt out these

On the journey from Lisbon to Porto I often look out the window when we pass stations to see if the platforms and buildings have gorgeous hand-painted tiles. I finally had a journey finishing in Santarém, so naturally I took

Porto is the ultimate weekend city. In two days you see and taste it all – from the tile-covered churches to port wine tasting to the city’s famous hearty sandwiches. The architecture and tiles are different to Lisbon, the city

Portugal’s azulejos or tiles seem to be everywhere you look across Lisbon, Porto and Portugal’s smaller cities. It’s hard not to fall in love with the unique patterns and colours that blanket whole buildings and make this small European country

The beauty of travelling around Portugal is eating through the huge variety of regional dishes, local sweets and unusual. From the north to the south, and out to the remote islands there are so many unique things to try. Here's

Life on much of Madeira is a battle between man and nature. Moments from the coastline, sharp, jagged mountains rise out of the earth covered in thick, green foliage that few manage to tame. A scattering of typical Portuguese houses

Bolo de caco. Milho frito. Peixe espada. Lapas. Maracujá. Madeira Island might be part of Portugal, but this sub-tropical drop in the Atlantic has its own strong identity – and most importantly, unique dishes and foods to try. We spent nine

Every June the smell of sardines and sound of pimba music ricochets through the narrow cobbled streets of the city’s most traditional neighbourhoods. The start of summer is a wild and wonderful time to be in Lisbon. In late May locals

The tiled churches of Porto are simply insane. One minute you’re peacefully wandering the old streets and – boom – you turn a corner and there pops out yet another church or chapel clad in impressive blue-and-white illustrative azulejos.  Today’s #tileoftheday

Have you ever been ice skating on the beach? For Jorge’s birthday in January I wanted to get away somewhere north of Lisbon, ideally where his family in Aveiro could meet us for lunch and Jorge could enjoy a winter

While I love all things made in Portugal I have a particular soft spot for Portuguese handmade ceramics. There are simply so many incredible small artisans and bigger factories producing truly beautiful, high quality and affordable plates, jugs, cups, bowls

Fisherman, locals and tourists move at the same slow pace through the narrow, whitewashed streets of Olhão. Charming and full of character, this town perched on the edge of the Ria Formosa feels as though time has paused.  Ornate chimneys and

They say Lisbon is the city of seven hills, which is a lie. There’s more than seven, a fact you quickly learn while walking up what feels like non-stop staircases on your first day in the city. But many hills

Sé Cathedral do Porto is covered in some of the most spectacular blue-and-white tile scenes to check out. Visit in winter to enjoy a magical sunset from the top of a tower.

A perfectly salted fish cooked over coals. A juicy tomato plucked in the peak of summer. The crunch of a pastel de nata, still warm from the oven. Portuguese food is a lesson in perfectly executed simplicity.

Caldas da Rainha, a small city about one-hour drive north of Lisbon, is known for two things: hot springs and ceramics.  Sometime in the 15th century, Portugal’s Queen Leonor established a hospital and church here, hence the name, which means “Queen’s

There’s a lot more to Portuguese food than piri piri chicken and custard tarts.  In this article I’ve rounded up two dozen or so traditional Portuguese dishes you can easily order throughout the country.  When it comes to eating in Portugal, I’m

Portugal has no shortage of coffee. It’s there on every corner, every meal, possibly even every hour of the day (and night) for some people. But as much as I’m here for bica culture, there’s a reason the espresso nickname

A tiny chapel perched on the edge of a cliff filled with tiles? This is Ermida da Memória, a little capela in the coastal city of Nazare that is loaded with religious legend.

I talk a lot about food, travel and tiles, so it might surprise you to hear I'm quietly passionate about sustainable Portuguese fashion and ethical brands producing things here in Portugal. This small, highly educated country is one of the

Aveiro is a petite old city where traditional brightly coloured moliceiro boats traverse a wide canals lined with picture-perfect pastel art nouveau buildings. University students clink beers in the sunshine, tourists snack on golden ovos moles sweets, fishermen bring in

Once a year Lisbon Open House swings open the doors to some of the city’s most interesting and exclusive buildings for one weekend. Today’s #tileoftheday takes us to Convento de Chelas.

Francesinhas (the everything sandwich). Pork steak sandwiches. Offal stew. Spicy hot dogs. The food in the north of Portugal is heavier, that’s for sure.  I adore Porto. It has everything you want and need from a city, in a small walkable

Once a year Lisbon Open House swings open the doors to some of the city’s most interesting and exclusive buildings for one weekend. Today’s #tileoftheday takes us to Convento de Chelas.

I prefer the Eastern Algarve, where you find white-washed fishing villages, fresh seafood and a slower pace of life.

Portugal’s southern coast boasts plenty of unique local dishes and produces some of the country’s best seafood, oranges, figs and almonds.

Fine dining fans could spend the week knocking back degustation menus at Michelin-starred restaurants and emptying jugs of white sangria at beach bars priced for the British crowd. Me? With my tasca budget and Michelin palate, I hunt for the best

Azulejos have been used to decorate Portuguese buildings for more than 500 years. Today’s #tileoftheday is all about the blue azulejos of Lisbon.

From castles to the coastline and vineyards to villages, here are the best day trips from Lisbon.

Azulejos have been used to decorate Portuguese buildings for more than 500 years. Today’s #tileoftheday is all about the blue azulejos of Lisbon.

Whitewashed houses with little chimneys and colourful doors, the shrill of seagulls and shouts of fish vendors, the smell of sunscreen and grilling sardines. Here are my favourite things to do in the Algarve

Welcome to the birthplace of Portugal. Step back in time with this weekend guide of things to do in Guimarães.

Just 30 minute from Lisbon, the hard-working fishing village of Sesimbra is topped by an ancient castle and surrounded by forest parks and the sea.

In Lisbon you have to go with the flow, which is why this guide gives you the freedom to choose-your-own-adventure and go with the rhythm of the city.

Let's explore Palacio de Estoi and its incredible tiled staircase. Construction began on this palace in 1840 and it is considered the “most significant manifestation of Romanticism in the Algarve”.

From quality gourmet produce to traditional crafts, here are some of my favourite presents and the best souvenirs to take home from Portugal.

This area of the Alentejo is dotted with cute towns, wineries, olive groves, prehistoric monuments and the biggest artificial lake in Europe. Here’s my guide for things to do around Monsaraz.

Today's #tileoftheday is brought to you by the colour yellow. Scroll down for a visual feast of Lisbon's golden-hued azulejos.

Black pigs, sheep and cows graze beneath the never ending fields of cork and olive trees. White-washed quintas with mustard yellow or cobalt blue trim dot the hillside, surrounded by medieval castle walls and creeping grape vines.

The city of Aveiro has incredible art deco architecture, plenty of tiles and even a few canals running through the historic centre. I 100% recommend it as an essential stop for anyone driving from Lisbon to Porto.

Most people visiting Portugal for the first time are keen to visit Lisbon and Porto, the biggest and second-biggest cities. But driving three hours direct from one to another skips out on coastal gems and inland wine regions.