Destination notes
I didn’t find any secret chambers, underground tunnels or white messenger pigeons while exploring Tomar – but the legends of the mysterious Knights Templar still inspire visits to this off-beat Portuguese city. Tomar, a 90-minute drive…
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 horrified look crossed our faces when, on the third day, we were asked to hand over our phones for 24 hours. These little black bricks are basically part of us. How could we function, stay…
Portugal’s sixth largest city has ended up with an unfortunate nickname: the Venice of Portugal. Aveiro is a beautiful, charming little city but it’s not Venice and if you arrive expecting endless canals and a romantic…
Updated Feb 6, 2026 The strong sound of jangling cowbells on a crisp winter evening is forever etched in my memory. Now just hearing the distinct clanging raises my heartbeat, taking me back to a few…
The sound of a gaita (bagpipe), drums, accordions and chatter emanates from the centre of Aigra Nova, a tiny one-resident schist village near Coimbra, in central Portugal. It’s 8.30am on a sunny winter Sunday and the…