Category: Portugal

Antonia (Toni) Dosik’s memories of her first foreign trip include sandy beaches and seashells. In reality, Mexico was hardly a protracted voyage for a six-year-old kid from Los Angeles, but it was the kickoff for Toni’s travel-centric life.

At 13, Toni began plotting her return to Europe while on a vacation that included visits to England, France, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland. During college, she took advantage of a study abroad program to improve her French language skills, and to visit Switzerland and southern France. Toni spent a university year in England before racking up extensive travel miles to Provence, Paris, Italy, Serbia, Slovenia and Portugal.

Best in Britain was born in 1987, a small business that sprouted from friends and family asking Toni for help with their travel planning. Toni’s travel bug married her planning talent. She tells me that Best in Britain planned more than 40 trips to England and Wales for people who wanted unique and personalized vacations. Starting…

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Bespoke Holiday, England, Herdade Do Esporao, Holiday planning, Paris, Perfectly Planned Travel, Portugal, Provence, Travel Agent, Travel Planning, Wines from Provence

In 12 days, Ginger and Nutmeg had explored the northern part of Portugal from A to Z, they drove from Lisbon to Porto and beyond the Douro Valley. The early September weather cooperated, and the summer tourist crush had started to wane, leaving the rugged, windswept coastline devoid of summer crowds — picture perfect.
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Cascais, Light festival, LUMINA Festival da Luz, Lumina Light Festival, OCUBO, Portugal

Lonely Planet was wrong!
The road to Quinta Santo Antonio’s perch was not rutted, but it was vertical. Ginger and Nutmeg arrived at this B&B, balanced on tiny foothold of flat land between Douro Valley vine terraces, in a state of somewhat rattled marvel.

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Douro, Port wine, Porto, Portugal, Things you should know about Portugal, Travel Tips, Wines

Have you ever wondered…why do they take 200ml of body cream away at airport security only to let you buy 250ml in duty-free before boarding? Well, at least the plane was still scheduled to fly to Lisbon.

Nutmeg’s discovery of Portugal’s must see sights started with an email to 12 women with a tempting offer of accommodation in a Portuguese farmhouse. The email suggested a generally loose itinerary for the week and “bring your yoga mats.”
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History, Portugal, Travel, Travel Essentials in Portugal, Travel Tips

Nutmeg has a new flame.
A spring trip to Portugal sparked a fire in her belly for more fresh Atlantic seafood and genuine bem vindos (welcomes). Her pleasant experience and a non-refundable Ryanair flight made a return trip, with Ginger, a must. Besides, that late bottled vintage (LBV) port wine was growing on her.

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Christmas, Portugal, Portugal Travel Tips, Travel

Nutmeg cannot resist creating these ABC lists for travel in a new location.  It helps her to better understand the edible bits and traditions from the area. The following is her must know essentials for Portugal.
Atlantic coastline stretches just over 900km with vertigo inducing cliffs, creamy-sand beaches and big surf. World-class athletes dedicated to the “board” gather in seaside towns like Peniche to take advantage of the waves.

Black pork – porco preto is a Portuguese staple. The grey and black pigs graze on acorns.
Cod or bacalhau is deeply entrenched in the Portuguese national diet. Just as in Roman times the fish is dried and salted to preserve it.

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ABC Travel Lists, Portugal Travel Tips, Things you should know about Portugal, Travel Essentials in Portugal, Travel in Lisbon

There are only 10 keys to the rooms at Palácio Belmonte yet every key opens the door to the palace. Not everyone will fit the glass slipper, but no one will sleep with a pea in his or her bed.
“We find three types of people:  those who see, those who don’t see and those who want to be seen. If you belong to the first group you will love Palácio Belmonte, if to the second Belmonte might open your eyes, but if you belong to the third, you will feel much happier at the Ritz!” Source: Palácio Belmonte website

Having made an investment of 26 million Euros in reconstruction and devoted innumerable man-hours to this passion project the owners Frederic Coustols and his wife Maria are justified in their preference for appreciative guests at Palácio Belmonte.
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Lisbon Luxury Hotels, Palacio Belmonte Lisbon, Portugal Travel Tips, Travel in Lisbon

Nutmeg has wanted to visit Portugal since the 1970s.
At that time, her parents spent their holiday venturing along the rugged Atlantic coastline and small roads in a Volkswagen (VW) van, sharing the driving and vinho verde (young wine) with some Canadian friends. It was their photos of sunny surf swept shorelines and red-checkered tablecloths that stuck Portugal firmly on Nutmeg’s travel bucket list.

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Recipes & Travel:
Portugal Travel Tips, Things you should know about Portugal, Travel Essentials in Portugal