I'm in Portugal next week!

[Arvay]

Finally I will have my vacations next week and this time I will check one more box in my "Dreams' List" and visit Portugal.
I will spend 2 days in Lisbon (Mundial Hotel) , one night in Alvito (Pousada do Castelo de Alvito), 5 nights at Vilamora and 1 night in Clara la Veya (Pousada de Santa Clara - could be mispronounced but I'm writing using Russian origin).

Are there any tips for staying? I looked through the previous postings but mostly our Portugal members were asking abt the particular place of staying to give the specific advice. That's why I'm mentioning hotels 🙂

Any help would be appreciated. I'd like to come to your country as an "advanced level guest"😉

 

[Roger Hicks]

Lucky you! It's a wonderful country. And all the pousadas I've stayed in have been delightful.

Portuguese food is excellent. You get what the menu states -- 'Clams and Pork' is indeed 'Clams and Pork', quite possibly with no garnish -- but it's very good clams and pork. Avoid red vihho verde -- I suspect you may have to be born Portuguese to enjoy it -- but the rosés and whites are delightful (and typically quite weak). Bagaceira (like marc or tsikoudia) is a great spirit, too.

Photographically I find a 35mm (on full frame) does almost all I want: neither too wide nor too long in the narrow streets which are my favourite hunting grounds for pictures. Alfama (the old quarter) in Lisboa is especially delightful.

Have fun (as I'm sure you will),

R.

 

[Arvay]

Thanks Roger, I'll take all the advices 🙂
The neighbour thread has same questions abt New Mexico and people are more active there.
Is that because Portugal stays European exotic for the most of travellers?

I do not really beleive that people have nothing to say. I got a guide and it looks like a World Wonders Encyclopedia.
The concentration of really beautifull places is enormous for such territory.
And the footbal players are always smiling (exept Deco) that gives a hint that people are opened and friendly 🙂

 

[_goodtimez]

I will be there from Friday on for 2 weeks, traveling from Lisboa to the South and to the North and back. You can walk to the east from the Mundial and go the the permanent flee market.
Have fun

 

[MartinP]

I was last in portugal in 1980 - too long ago I think. Vilamora is on the Algarve coast though isn't it ? In that case, prepare for an overload of golf-courses everywhere !

I was staying in a friend's house in Portimao before it had lots of hotels built there but, if you have transport, I could recommend a trip into the Sierra de la Monchique (?? spelling) hills with a Michelin map, and to Cap St.Vicente (the bottom lefthand corner of Europe).

From memory I suspect that fast film won't be the ideal choice, unless you like 1/1000 at f.16 all the time.....

Have a good trip.
🙂

 

[Roger Hicks]

Portugal was very poor for most of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, so a great deal that was old survived. As Martin says, Cabo S. Vicente is amazing, espescially the Fortalize which was 'mission control' for much of the Portuguese exploration of the 14th and 15th centuries. If you possibly can, get hold of the Blue Guide (A&C Black) which is probably the best guide to the historical sights of the country.

Normally, nowadays, we stay in the walled city of Mertola, about 50-100 km inland from the south coast; it was already a flourishing town when the Romans renamed it Myrtillis. There are also ruins of Celtic settlements, 2000+ years old, in several places, but Portugal's richest period was about 1400-1800 (from memory) and there's LOTS from that time.

You may find this link useful: it's slightly outdated, and was written mainly fir motorcyclists, but there's a lot of information in it:

http://www.semiadventuroustraveler.com/portugal.html

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Arvay]

MartinP and Roger,

Cabo S. Vicente is really amazing!

Thanks for advice 🙂