Destination notes
Elvas has been shot at, starved out and surrounded by Spanish troops. But not once did the largest fortified town in Europe fall to the Spanish – and they tried to take it four times. History…
Paper flowers rustle overhead as we turn one corner, then another, then another, through a maze of almost 100 narrow streets covered in a handmade kaleidoscope of colour. Castanets click. A tambourine trailing bright ribbons taps…
Évora is one of my absolute favourite places in Portugal. I make a point to visit the sun-drenched capital of the Alentejo region at least once a year. It’s only a 90-minute drive or direct train…
September in Portugal is grape harvest time, known locally as the vindima. It’s an energetic, chaotic, busy and fun time of year to explore the country’s top wine regions, and you can take part in some…
The first time I visited Estremoz it was bucketing rain. I was trying not to slip on the tessellated marble pavement on the short walk between the car and the tasca. We were on our way…
Set amongst rolling plains dotted with olive trees and cork oaks, Arraiolos is a small Alentejo town – not far from Lisbon or Évora – with a cool and unique craft culture. Over centuries, women of…