A guide to Oporto, the city “that works” on the famous Douro river, and to Northern Portugal from the region of Estremadura to Minho. Oporto is laid out in a series of photographs, overlaid with a text which charts the history of the city, its fine buildings, cafes and markets. It tells how you can climb the 225 steps of the Torre dos Clerigos for an unrivalled view of the city, the river and the ocean. The guide takes you to the upper part of the city, to the cathedral, the Bairro da Se, then to the “Ribeira” with its bustling market stalls and narrow streets which move back down towards the river. The guide then moves to the suburbs of Oporto, then out into the other major towns and cities of Northern Portugal, like Coimbra, the third largest city of Portugal and its intellectual capital. Vila Real, Guimaraes, Braga and Barcelona are also covered.

(more…)

Review
“The hallowed blue books. You’ll be happy to have them for company.”

Northern Portugal is steadily developing its ecotourism, especially through a network of rural hotels and inns. The Peneda-Geres National Park has been creating and waymaking new footpaths. This guide includes sections on Porto, Porto wines and wine cruises on the river Douro and has a strong focus on the ancient agricultural way of life still followed here, illustrated with a wealth of photographs. It also includes: walking maps; pull-out touring maps; many short walks and picnicrecommendations – suitable for hot summer days and for those with young children; and aone-of-a-kindupdate service with specific route-change information, free on-line.

(more…)

Review
“The hallowed blue books. You’ll be happy to have them for company.”

Car touring and walking guide. Readership: visitors to the Northern Portugal ot the Porto area, especially walkers and those touring by car

(more…)

Quintas are great for the traveler who’s looking for a more complete travel experience. Unlike Pousadas which are operated by a private company, Quintas are generally owned by private individuals, often by the same family for hundreds of years. Many of the Quintas available are located in Portugal’s North Region, which is full history and charm. Being less touristic than the south, Northern Portugal is the place to go for those looking for History, Culture and Solace, it is a true Portuguese vacation experience.

Quintas are a great way to immerse yourself in the local Portuguese communities and experience Portugal up-close. The Quinta owners will both greet you upon arrival, as well as offer you insight into the countryside from ideal hiking to shopping, that you just can’t get from a commercial establishment. Quintas are generally close to many recreational activities including fishing, hunting, golf, swimming, rambling, tennis, horseback riding, cycling and wine tasting. Best of all, you will be surrounded by culture and history the likes that you’ve never seen before. A Quinta is the ideal way to fully experience Portuguese culture, intimately.

Unlike Pousadas, Since Quintas are private residences, there are a few procedures that you should be aware of.

Prices are in Euros. There are no extra fees for kids under twelve. Breakfasts are included at no extra charge and dinners available at an extra cost. Short notice cancellations may require full payment.

You can find out more information at Solares de Portugal.

Below are some Quintas available to you.

Quinta da Agra Ponte de Lima

Quinta do Albergue do Bonjardim Sertã

Quinta da Aldeia Ponte de Lima

Quinta do Baganheiro Ponte de Lima

Quinta da Bela Vista Castelo de Vide

Quinta da Calçada Melgaço

Quinta da Casa do Paço Paredes Coura

Quinta do Casal Ponte de Lima

Quinta de Cima de Eiriz Guimarães

Quinta da Comenda S. Pedro Sul

Quinta do Convento da Franqueira Barcelos

Monte da Corte Ligeira Beja

Quinta de Cortinhas Arcos Valdevez

Casa Agrícola da Levada Vila Real

Quinta da Maragoça Penafiel

Quinta da Mata Chaves

Quinta do Paço d’Anha Viana do Castelo

Quinta de Parada do Vez Arcos Valdevez

Quinta da Prova Ponte da Barca

Quinta do Rei Ponte de Lima

Quinta da Roseira Ponte de Lima

Quinta de Santa Comba Barcelos

Quinta de Santo António Monção

Quinta de São Bento Vila Verde

Quinta de São Lourenço Anadia

Quinta do Sorilhal Vieira do Minho

Quinta do Sourinho Barcelos

Thank you for visiting Portugal Vacations and we wish you a happy travel on your next Quinta Vacation.

1) Norte(North)
2) Centro(Centre)
3) Lisboa(Lisbon)
4) Alentejo
5) Algarve
6) Autonomous area of Azores
7) Autonomous area of Madeira

You can see the 7 regions in the image below.

The Norte(North), is also known as the ‘Green Portugal’, due to the sizeable forests that cover much of this area. It is the region that gets the most rainfall, therefore making it an best place for a scenic tour. Northern Portugal is made up of large hills and small mountains, making travel an adventure. Some mountain roads are very steep and winding, but there are flat tollways too. This area of Portugal is known for it’s strong Celtic influence, as can be seen in the people and customs. Northerners are generally more conservative than their outgoing cousins to the south and maintain a more formal view of relationships and traditions. As mentioned above, most of the inhabitants of this area are Iberian Celts with some Germanic and Roman bloodlines. Each year, the inhabitants hold many festivals that include, Bagpipe processions known as Gaita-de-fole. This province of Portugal is best for those of you who are looking for a historical Portugal holiday, and because this is the birthplace of Portugal,there are lots of castles, palaces and estates for you to gawk at.

About 40% of Portuguese live in Northern Portugal, and it has historically been one of the most industrialized. You will find Portugal’s second largest city Porto (Oporto, as it’s known in English). Port Wine originated in Porto and many of the world’s top table wines come from this area. I will discuss Portugal’s wine industry and culture in later posts.

Interestingly, Northern Portugal and Galicia (Galiza in Spanish) are both Iberian Celts with similar traditions and traditions, in fact, it is generally accepted that the Portuguese language has roots in Galiza. Both these areas are peaceful and the inhabitants welcome tourists, warmly. Your next Portugal holiday in Northern Portugal should include Galicia (Galiza) you won’t regret it.

Centro(Center)
The center is often referred to as Lusitania. Lusitania was the name given by the Romans to this part of the Iberian peninsula. The Great Tribal Cheif Viriathus( Viriato in Portuguese), King of the Lusitanians is possibly the most famous of all pre Roman Iberian Kings and fought the Romans most of his life until he was betrayed by his own tribesmen. He is most known for his courage and fearlessness in war, introducing a modern form of Guerrilla warfare that involved using small war units, to ensnare Roman legions, which he did successfully. Incorporating the famed Lusitano horse, known for it’s bravery and intelligence, Viriathus was feared by the Romans, who’s only alternative in defeating him was to bribe his own men to assassinate him. Once assassinated, the Romans easily incorporated Lusitania into the Roman Empire. I’ll tell you more about the great King Viriathus in later posts. This region is the most mountainous, and contains the great mountain range of Serra Da Estrela, in English translated into The Star Sierra. This area is best for those of you who like everything from history to nature. You can spend days exploring ancient ruins, shopping in sophisticated towns and cities or if you prefer you can walk on the mountaintops of Serra Da Estrela. It is an ideal Portugal holiday.

Lisboa(Lisbon)
As most people know, Lisbon is the capital of Portugal. It is one of the smallest regions but receives the most direct investment. Lisbon is comprised of both a modern city including modern skyscrapers, and the old city that most of us see in pictures. The Lisbon skyline follows the same guidelines as skylines throughout Europe, being smaller in height than North American, or Asian skyscrapers. The Portuguese skyline is legislated, meaning that structures can only rise to a specific height so as not to spoil the beauty of the older buildings. The Portuguese tend to hold a disdain of economic excess that permeates North American or Asian society. The idea of family and leisure is highly valued. This of course is also changing, and with Portugal running out of space along it’s core economic zones, we can anticipate to see a change in legislation to allow forBigger buildings. Lisbon is Portugal’s international city, boasting everything that you could want in a modern city, with history, culture and leisure activities. It is the ideal place to startyour Portugal vacation.

Alentejo

The word Alentejo comes from the Portuguese words Além-Tejo which translates into Beyond the Tejo (Tejo is the Portuguese word for the Tagus river that flows through Lisbon). This land has history dating back at least 3000 B.C. with indications of Phoenicians, Celts, Germans, Romans and Arabs, all of whom have left an imprint on this land. Alentejo is also one of the least inhabited areas of Portugal and has seen a decline of inhabitants as the younger generation move to large cities like Lisbon, turning away from agriculture which dominates the area. The largest and most famed city is Evora, and it too was a Roman city and later a getaway for Kings and Queens. For those of you looking for nature and solace, Alentejo offers it aplenty. Your Portugal holiday is not complete unless you travel the gorgeous rolling plains of the Alentejo.

Algarve

As mentioned in previous posts, the Algarve is the Portuguese playground. Sun and surf can be enjoyed till heart’s content. In the last 10 years, Golfing has become huge business. Some of the world’s best and beautiful golf courses can be found in this part of the country. As mentioned in previous posts, due to it’s very warm climate, it is also a birdwatchers paradise, with many African migratory birds using it in their migratory paths. It is also a great place for the whole family with concerts, games, tours, you name it it’s all in the Algarve. As mentioned before, the Algarve is a perfect place for you and your family’s Portugal holiday.

Autonomous area of Azores

The Azores is possibly one of the least known places outside of Portugal. It is comprised of 9 islands, the largest being it’s capital Sao Miguel (St. Michael) in English. The Azores or AÇores in Portuguese, are a group of volcanic islands that were found by Portuguese explorers in 1427. The Azores are known for their luscious green hills and sea. The warm summer climate is suitable to grow many tropical fruits like bananas and pineapples. The islands are a great place to get away from it all, and because the Azores has very Littleindustry, these islands are pristine. You will find a perfect getaway from your daily urban life. But if you prefer, the Azores capital city Ponta Delgada, in Sao Miguel has more than enough to do. The Azores should not be missed, it is a great Portugal holiday.

7) Autonomous region of Madeira

Madeira is the birthplace of Portugal’s famous Soccer/Football player Cristiano Ronaldo. Madeira, which means ‘wood’ in Portuguese was discovered in the year 1418 when Portuguese explorers were diverted off course by a storm. These explorers, João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira, found the smaller island of Porto Santo (named Holy Port for saving their lives) and returned the following year where they discovered the large Island Madeira, so named because of the incredible abundance of timber. The Portuguese kept these two islands a secret until 1433, when fortifications could be completed. Madeira is a true Portuguese gem, lying off of the coast of Africa and not Europe. This island boasts some of the most beautiful mountain views anywhere in the world. It is an ideal place for the whole family and one that should not be missed. If you are planning to add Madeira to your Portugal vacation, please bring a pair of good walking shoes as Madeira is a generally steep grade. Plenty of rest between walks is recommended.

I hope you enjoyed this brief overview of the areas of Portugal. I will be adding posts relating to each region with more detail. Until then, do not forget, make your next holiday a Portugal holiday.

Porto has the honor of being the location from where the name Portugal originated. Porto, was initially named Portus Cale by the Romans, which means Port Of Cale. PortusCale was most likely the named after the celtic tribe, the Callaeci,who resided at the entrance of the Douro River at the time. Over the years, the word Portus Cale was used to name the whole region of Northern Portugal which extended from Porto to Galicia in Spain. Portus Cale, therefore became both the name of the region of Porto as well as the first county of what is today Portugal. Eventually, the region Portucale became the name of the country Portugal.

Porto has always held the distinction of being a working city. Porto is heavily industrialized and therefore is inhabited by a veryMassiveworking class community. Although many of Portugal’s largest companies are headquartered in Porto, much of the glamor and financing is stolen by Porto’s colorful cousin Lisbon to the south. There is an old saying that the people of Porto use when describing their place in Portugal “Porto works, Braga Prays, Coimbra studies, and Lisbon gets the money.” This is a reference to the individual qualities of all four major cities. Porto creates wealth through industry, Braga is the center of religious study in Portugal, whereas Coimbra is the home to Portugal’s oldest university, lastly Lisbon enjoys the fruits of Porto’s labor. It’s a safe assumption that people from Porto and the North in general view the capital city of Lisbon suspiciously, the sentiments of being ‘ripped off’ by the greedy Lisbon Capital is a sentiment often expressed by Northern Portuguese. Mostly due to what’s perceived as unequal transfer funds from the Capital to the rest of the nation.

The residents of Porto are known as Tripeiros (in English meaning ‘Tripe Eaters’). The people of Porto got this distinction due to their subsistence on the left overs of slaughtered cattle, primarily Tripe, which uses the first three chambers of the cattle stomach. Although eating tripe had existed for thousands of years, for the residents of Porto, Tripe eating became an art during Portugal’s world Empire, which spanned from the 1400’s well into the twentieth century. In order to feed Portuguese sailors who were setting sail to distant ports, most of the best cuts of beef were salted and cured for the long journeys, leaving only partly edible and many non-edible cuts left. Making do with what was available to them, the People of Porto developed tripe eating to such and extent that eventually making eating tripe synonymous with being from Porto, hence the name Tripeiros (Sounds like Tree Pay Roosh (For the letter R just roll the tongue)).

The people of Porto are known for being both hard working and stubborn. It was from Porto where the Napoleon Army met its greatest resistance in Portugal, and from where many battles were fought against the monarchy in favor of constitution. People from PortoThink about themselves Northerners and are generally very conservative.

Porto has also got the distinction of lending its name to one of the world’s most famous wines called Port. Although the wine we know as Port is actually thousands of years old, the name Port wine is only approximately 300 years old. Port is enjoyed the world over by people of every background.

Today, Porto is a modern city with numerous attractions, including the Casa da Música designed by world renowned architect Rem Koolhaas. You can also find historical structures like the iconic Ponte de D. Luís. Porto is a city that is entrenched with a vision set on the future. With its Stateof the art Porto Metro and new office buildings and established Stateof the art factories, Porto is more than just a blue collar city. Porto is a city that has everything that a tourist can hope for and a excellent place for your next Portugal Travels.