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Food and drink Lisbon
49 Reviews If you're one that loves sweets and a dessert especially after a meal, this one is for you. However, that is if you love the tropical fruit mango since this particular dessert, and very much a...
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local architecture Sintra
6 Reviews While the climate is described as Mediterranean, the low cloud descends the mountain, there is quite an eerie feel when walking the narrow streets and lanes. The rainy times are in autumn and spring...
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Events&Street Activities Évora
14 Reviews 5th June 2003 on the Largo Luis de Camoes. From June the 3rd to the 8th it took place in Evora the BIME-Bienal International Marioneta of Evora. Only puppet show and related arts. Puppet manipulators:...
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Festivals Lisbon
13 Reviews carnival is a festive grand celebration wherever, Lisboa is no exception. If you happenned to be there, its grand. yes busy even crowded but fun all around, recommended, see the official site in...
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Fado music Sintra
1 Review Fado first appeared in Portugal at the end of the eighteenth century, as a nostalgic form of song favoured by sailors. Its name derives from the Latin word fatum, meaning 'fate' or 'destiny', being...
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Main Square Activities -Praça do Girlado Évora
7 Reviews ok, now I know this looks like in a movie. but every now and then the National Portuguese bank here in Evora needs to fill in with cash. So here's all the action you can actually see on the street in...
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Useful information about Lisbon Lisbon
12 Reviews Azulejos are colourful ceramic tiles which are very popular in Portugal for decoration puposes. You find them inside and outside of houses, public buildings, monuments or metro stations. They often...
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fountains Sintra
3 Reviews I decided to walk up the steep hill to the Moorish Castle and walked past the Sabuga Fountain and noticed a couple of people filling up large water bottles and placing them in a van. I’m sure it was...
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Street scenes Évora
3 Reviews Don't be alarmed if you are stepping out from a restaurant or bar onto one of Evora's small, cobblestoned streets and suddenly you are confronted by a group of black-caped individuals. No, they are...
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Social interactions Lisbon
26 Reviews Yes, we were amazed at this public pissor on the main access street to the Castelo de Sao Jorge. As we walked up the street we noticed a head sticking up above a metal panel on the side of the...
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piriquitas Sintra
1 Review like many others portuguese locations Sintra has it's own and tipical pastry. at breakfast or in the afternoon on yur lunch time break yu should have to try - queijadinhas de sintra - or -...
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People Évora
4 Reviews After a long day's drive north from the southern Algarve coast, followed by a hot afternoon walking the busy streets of Evora, my wife and I were enjoying a relaxing sitdown in our cool ground floor...
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Fado music Lisbon
9 Reviews I was not familiar with Fado music outside of what I read in a travel guide, until I arrived in Lisbon. Fado is a beautiful and emotional musical art form based in Portugal. Usually there are guitar...
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Fair of São Pedro Sintra
1 Review This Market dates back to the time of the Christian Reconquest. In the time of Dona Maria I it was subjected to municipal regulations and is the most characteristic event of the kind in the Borough of...
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Street and house decoration Évora
2 Reviews It was a surprise for me to see these wonderful tiles, that are used in order to indicate the streets-names. You will find them mostly in the old part of Evora, within the medieval...
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Coffee and cafes Lisbon
6 Reviews The Portuguese have a real sweet tooth so you will find some of the best pastries and cakes in all the little cafes. The 'national pastry' is considered to be pasteis de nata, which is a delicious...
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Art-General Évora
5 Reviews Near Évora there is a small town called Estremoz. Estremoz is famous nationwide and also in other countries due to its white marble – it is called the “white gold of Estremoz”. I’ve read that...
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LISTEN! it's very rude to talk loudly while someone is singing. if you look around, everyone in the bar is very quiet. this is a song to be heard. it's not as if you're at a concert to be entertained. the best thing to do is always observe the local customs. it's just a matter of respect.
Most people learn english in school and know how to reasonably speak the language. Almost everyone speaks a bit of spanish but not in a structured way since it was not really learnt. So if you come to me and speak in spanish and I see you are not spanish and I get a bit confused. Because I feel more confortable to speak to you in english and I can't quite understand why you are making an effort to speak a language that is neither mine nor yours. And if you really don't speak it all that well and I can't really get the accent all that well, why do it?Why not try to speak in english and if the person can't understand it use spanish? But if the person doesn't have a very good english I bet they have difficulties with the spanish also.About brazilian portuguese. The language is pretty much the same and portuguese people are used to listen to brazilian speakers. However in Brazil it is less...
Ok, folks...this is really a no-brainer, but I find many ignorant travelers to Portugal make this cultural faux pas! Remember that Portuguese is entirely a distinct language (yes, totally different from Spanish...with its own syntax, grammar, etc.) with a culturally rich heritage and proud people. It helps to know simple Portuguese words of "thank you," "please," etc. prior to going to Portugal. It makes you look good in Portuguese people's eyes and will give you more respect and courtesy. Also, it does not hurt to make new friends with your simple and newly-learned words. You will notice that the Portuguese people are most eager to help out, especially if you are a visitor to their country. They speak several languages and you will find that many speak English. Don't worry, you will not be stoned for making your foolish mistake, but it will definitely make you look terrible in their...
In the Algarve you'll surely notice the ornamental chimneys on the roof of the houses. There are not many information about these. It is said that the builders use to ask the customers how many days they wanted their chimneys building last. So that they could calculate the cost of the chimney they were about to make that was based on the time that this would take to build.
During our stay in the western Atlantic coastal town of 'Praia de Mira', we were very fortunate to stumble upon an in-shore fishing operation in the midst of hauling in their catch of sardines. This is an age-old custom in this part of Portugal, and used to be centered around Aveiro until a huge storm in 1575 raised a sandbar all along that part of the coast. Since that time, the fishers have gradually drifted to other nearby locations along the coast to pursue their trade.Here you see a mix of the old and the new. This traditional 10-metre 'meia-lua' (half-moon) boat, powered by midship oars is receiving a load of nets from a 4-wheel-drive Valmat tractor. It was great fun watching the technique used today to bring in the haul. Basically, it involves the boat taking the net out from shore and laying it in an arc, with each end anchored on-shore by a 4WD tractor. Once that is done, the...
experience tells me that when you have an appointement with somebody, it's better you do everything "slow", take your time, because they always come tooooooo late (and than i don't mean 15 minutes or so ;-)) just don't annoy you about it :-)
These are the famous Custard Tarts as you can find almost everywhere in Portugal.There are variations among the different "pastelarias" (pastry houses) throughout the country. The most well known are the Pasteis de Belém, but like everything else ...they start to be famous... and sometimes the quality fades... unfortunately this was the case (although they are still quite good).I prefer some small pastry houses, most of them "off the touristy trail" ("Espiga Sol" in Telheiras, for instance).Pastry to line the containers•500g flour•300g water•10g salt•400g margarine (for pastries)Work the flour with water and salt, make a ball, cut it in the shape of a cross until its middle, pull the 4 sides outwards, place the margarine in the centre and grab the points upwards (mix the margarine); with a pastry roller extend the mixture till up to 40×15 cm, fold 3-4 times, wait 10 minutes, fold again,...
FADO is the most characteristic and traditional of the Portuguese Music. It is a melancholic music that touches deep the soul.Amália Rodrigues was the must of Fado, the greatest fados singer of ever.If you want to know all of her biography take a look to :http://atelier.hannover2000.mct.pt/~pr371/bioing.htmDulce Pontes is a young singer out of the fado tradition who is being hailed as a latter-day Amalia Rodrigues. A cut from this album titled "Cancao do Mar (Song of the Sea)" is heard throughout the recent film "Primal Fear," which stars Richard Gere. The CD cover is even shown on screen during the movie.You will find another nice fados songs by students of Coimbra University and they are very nice.
Obidos is famous for its chocolate fair. During one of November weeks the whole town smells of cocoa. The fair attracts chocolate producers from all over the world, tourists, gourmets and children. Sculptors create fantastic constructions made of chocolate, professionals present their products, children can learn about the process of making chocolate and can try their hand at preparing delicious desserts of cocoa. And of course everyone is eating chocolate (I wonder how much of it one can enjoy; perhaps after a week of chocolate fair in Obidos I would never be able to look at chocolate again?)But don't worry if you can't visit Obidos in November. There is something you can taste any time you visit Obidos. Its ginjia liqueur (ginjia is a fruit similar to cherry) served in a chocolate cup. First drink the liqueur (quite strong - that's why not suitable for children), then eat the cup...
Azulejos are omnipresent in Portugal. These glazed tiles decorate palaces, churches, railway stations, ordinary houses but are also used to cover park-benches or as house numbers.Although azulejos can also be spotted in other places (especially Spain and Arab countries) it is in Portugal that they have achieved their finest form.The term azulejo comes from the Arabic word az-zulayj which means 'polished stone'. But it was long after the Moorish times that azulejos gained popularity in Portugal. It was thanks to king Manuel I, who had seen Alhambra in Spain and decided to use tiles to decorate his palace in Sintra. Potters from Flanders, Spain and Italy arrived in Portugal and set up their workshops there. After the earthquake in 1755 azulejos started to play more utilitarian function. The custom of covering the whole house facades with tiles came from Brazil, where they protected houses...
Lapa Palace Lisbon
4 Reviews and 206 Opinions Great weekend. Best hotel in Lisbon for gardens and outside pool 5* and so not cheap. Excellent...
Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa Porto
2 Reviews and 303 Opinions I have no words to explain how much I liked the place. I paid 50 euros for a double room and What a...
Hotel Calheta Beach Madeira Island
1 Review and 219 Opinions Calheta has a marvelous marina and have the only beach of yellow sand. It´s situated in the West...
Reviews and photos of Portugal attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Portugal sightseeing.
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Q: hi guys, was jus postin this for sum help n sum advice, wats the night life like in albefuria in april time, im on about goin on ...
A: You meant Albufeira; isn't it?
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