Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Enchanting Portugal… eexperience it now….

. “ To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries” - Aldous Huxley

 

There simply is no way to tour Europe and not be awestruck by its natural beauty, epic history & dazzling artistic & culinary diversity. At once natural & refined, folksy & cultured: the combination of mountain rusticity with old-world style captivates.

 

Teutonic half-timbered villages, graffiti-decorated Renaissance squares, medieval walled towns….Wander the darkly Gothic narrow alleyways of Prague, admire the baroque excess of Salzburg or take in the colourful old-Venetian influence on the Slovenian port of Piran. Check out the medieval masterpieces in Poland & Czech Republic & discover the quaint townscapes throughout the region – from Bern in Switzerland to Bardejov in Slovakia.

 

Portugal is an incredibly varied & exciting vacation destination. Medieval castles, cobblestone villages, captivating cities & golden beaches: the Portugal experience can be many things. History, great food & idyllic scenery are just the beginning…..A heady mix of haunting sights, awe-inspiring art & vibrant street life. Here, you will experience the true meaning of beauty & relaxation. Come….experience Portugal with us….

 

Europe’s almost unmanageable wealth of attractions is its biggest single draw: the birthplace of democracy in Athens, the Renaissance art of Florence, the graceful canals of Venice, the Napoleonic splendour of Paris, and the multilayered historical & cultural canvas of London. Less obvious, but no less impressive attractions include Moorish palaces in Andalucía, the remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the World in Turkey, the majesty of meticulously restored Imperial palaces in Russia's former capital St Petersburg &  the ongoing project of Gaudí's La Sagrada Família in Barcelona.

 

Once you have ticked off the great museums, panoramic vistas & energetic nightlife, what is left? A chance to indulge in a culinary adventure to beat all others that is what! Once again Europe's diversity & global reach is its trump card.

 

Nourishing yourself is more fun in a great atmosphere & Central Europe's abundance of outdoor cafes, beer halls & coffee houses offer just that. On mornings when the mists lie heavy & crowds are few, you might imagine yourself in an earlier century.

 

Enjoy a plate of pasta while admiring the Slovenian coast, nosh pierogi (dumplings) on a Polish cobblestone street or dip into fondue lakeside in Switzerland. Beer gardens across the region offer an opportunity to enjoy hearty food, a convivial atmosphere and a good brew alfresco. Once the weather cools, move inside to a boisterous beer hall. Or, for something a little sweeter, try a cake at a coffee house or pastry cafe. The most famous are in Vienna & Budapest, but you will find many options - and other interesting places to eat & drink - all across the region.

 

Europe has some of the best nightlife in the world. Globally famous DJs keep the party going in London, Berlin & Paris, all of which also offer top-class entertainment, especially theatre & live music. Other key locations for high-energy nightlife include Moscow, Belgrade, Budapest & Madrid, while those hankering for something more cosy can add Dublin's pubs or Vienna's cafes to their itinerary.

 

With mountains covering so many Central European states, it is no wonder that the outdoors holds such an attraction in the region. The Alps rise to their highest in Switzerland, with jagged, Toblerone-like peaks such as the Matterhorn, and march on through southern Germany, across Austria & south into Slovenia. You can hike, bike, ski or just ride the gondolas & funiculars to enjoy the Alpine views.

 

There are also sculptural sandstone 'rock towns' in the Czech Republic to climb, waterfall-filled gorges in Slovakia & Slovenia to hike & the bucolic Black Forest in Germany to walk. Central / Eastern Europe reveals a tapestry of quaint & contemporary cultures - always with enough rough edges to keep you intrigued.

 

However, what is impressive about Eastern Europe is how communally minded the locals can be and how this makes for such a friendly experience for the traveller. Falling into conversation with locals on a train or at a cafe is commonplace. You will likely end up sharing food & drinks with them, listening to folk songs, learning a new card game or even being invited home for dinner.

 

Then, there is Portugal, commanding a long Mediterranean coastline, has left a powerful mark on Western culture. Full of surprises, you will never tire of exploring this small but endlessly fascinating country.

 

Art & Architecture | Ghosts of the Past |Rhythms |Dramatic Landscapes | Gastronomy

 

Its location on the Atlantic Ocean has influenced many aspects of its culture. Once a powerful seafaring kingdom that dominated the merchant routes to Africa, South America and the Orient, Portugal today is a friendly, low-key place with a laidback vibe and a fantastic coastline, much of it fringed by golden sands & endless dunes. Its rolling interior is perfect for exploring on foot, by kayak, by bike or even on horseback - though a large part of the country’s charm comes from languorous days on the beach, dining on fabulously fresh seafood & kicking back with a beer to watch the sunset over the Atlantic.

 

The legacy of Portugal’s former wealth & power can be seen in its historic cities - yet the capital, Lisbon, superbly sited on the Tejo river estuary, is as popular today for its lively clubbing scene as for its grand Manueline monuments & medieval alleyways. Porto meanwhile, the country’s second city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the best place to sample some of the many varieties of Portugal’s other notable contribution to the world, port wine.

 

Celts, Romans, Visigoths, Moors & Christians all left their mark on the Iberian nation. Here, you can gaze upon 20,000-year-old stone carvings in the Vila Nova de Foz Coa, watch the sunset over mysterious megaliths outside Évora or lose yourself in the elaborate corridors of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Tomar, Belem, Alcobaça or Batalha. You can ponder the rise & fall of ancient civilisations in the Celtic Citania de Briteiros or the ancient Roman Cidade de Ammaia, & explore Portugal's most enchanting settings in Palaces set above mist-covered woodlands, craggy clifftop Castles & stunningly preserved medieval Town Centres.

 

Its capital, Lisbon is a sprawling, cosmopolitan city with nearly 3,000 years of globally influential art, architecture & culture on display.

 

It is a Catholic country - there are ancient Churches in every community - and while support for the institutions of the Church may have waned, a belief in traditional values remains. The Portuguese have embraced contemporary life without ever quite getting rid of the more appealing aspects of previous centuries. Fully wired town centres have wi-fi hotspots & cell-phone shops by the score, but they also have a butcher, a baker & (quite literally) a candle-stick maker. Children will be both seen & heard at any time of the day or night, as the family remains at the centre of most things.

 

Beaches & high mountains aside, the rest of Portugal is a diverse & verdant country of deep valleys & rolling hills dotted with stone-built villages. For generations, families have eked out a living from the steeply terraced vineyards of the mountainous north, and from the cork oak plantations roamed by wild boar that dominate the vast agricultural plains of the south.

 

Festivals pack Portugal’s calendar. Drink, dance & feast your way through all-night revelries like Lisbon’s Festa de Santo Antonio or Porto’s Festa de Sao Joao. There are kick-up-your-heels country fairs in the hinterlands, and rock & world-music fests all along the coast. Any time of year is right to hear the mournful music of fado in the Alfama, join the dance party in Bairro Alto or hit the bars in Porto, Coimbra & Lagos. Rural Portugal has its own age-old musical traditions, from the polyphonic cante Alentejana in the Alentejo to the pauliteiros (stick dancers) of Miranda do Douro.

 

Freshly baked bread, olives, cheese, red wine or crisp vinho verde, chargrilled fish, cataplana (seafood stew), smoked meats - the Portuguese have perfected the art of cooking simple, delicious meals. Sitting down at the table means experiencing the richness of Portugal’s bountiful coastline and fertile countryside. Of course, you don’t have to sit, you can take your piping-hot pastel de nata (custard tart) standing up at an 1837 patisserie in Belem, or wander through scenic vineyards sipping the velvety ports of the Douro Valley. You can shop the produce-filled markets, or book a table in one of the country’s top dining rooms.

 

Portugal is a country steeped in history and this is reflected in its old churches & other finely crafted buildings. Stare up at the Belem Tower that has been standing at the mouth of the Tagus River for 400 years. See how the famous fishing town of Nazare is a land of plenty as you watch the many brightly coloured fishing boats litter the sparkling shores of the Atlantic or spot some of the local women still wearing their traditional seven-skirted costumes. Taste the numerous choices of delicious wines while on cellar tours in the Port Wine Region, which was established in 1756 in the beautiful Douro Valley.

 

Enamoured by the scenery, the old-fashioned traditions of village life and Portugal's outstanding, very affordable seafood, you will love taking in the stunning views along the coast, going for mountain treks & bumping into shepherds in the Serra da Estrela, and wandering the pretty towns of the Minho.

 

Outside the cities, Portugal’s beauty unfolds in all its startling variety. You can go hiking amidst the granite peaks of Parque Nacional da Peneda-Geres or take in the pristine scenery and historic villages of the little-explored Beiras. Over 800 km of coast offer more places to soak up the splendour. Gaze out over dramatic end-of-the-world cliffs, surf stellar breaks off dune-covered beaches or laze peacefully on sandy islands fronting calm blue seas. You will find dolphin-watching in the lush Sado Estuary, boating & kayaking along the meandering Rio Guadiana and memorable walks & bike rides all across the country.

 

History & a unique experience are just the beginning.......Portugal does not fall short in offering us varying experiences that will serve as long-lasting memories Yep, the Portuguese are waiting, and The Journeys is ready to take you on well, a journey (or journeys) of discovery.

 

Come…be inspired & discover the World with us

 

We are in the process of updating our Offerings of experiential journeys to Portugal. Please contact us in the interim if you want to explore options & we will be happy to offer suggestions based on your personal preferences....