Our short vacation in Porto in February ends on the 7th day with heavy rain and stormy wind gusts. We therefore try to spend the day in sheltered areas. Two days ago, we had booked a guided tour of the Palácio da Bolsa in Infante D. Henrique Square. Before we make this appointment, we want […]
Porto City Walk – Part 2
Following the footsteps of Harry Potter, we visited the Livraria Lello bookshop. We booked our tickets online a few days ago to avoid long queues. Once inside, you rightly feel like you’re in another world, like a fairy tale. The famous staircase impresses every visitor. You get the admission price back when you buy a […]
Coimbra impressions
Coimbra was the capital of Portugal from 1139 to 1256, making it the country’s second capital. The first traces of settlement date back to the Romans. In 878, Coimbra was occupied by the troops of Asturian King Alfonso III. The Muslim population was driven out in 904. In 987, Coimbra was again conquered and destroyed […]
Through the Douro Valley
The Rio Douro valley in the northern part of Portugal is one of the earliest cultural landscapes in Europe. Prehistoric rock paintings were created on the slopes of the Rio Côa as early as 30,000 years ago. The climate in the eastern part of the Rio Douro is particularly suitable for growing grapes and helped […]
Guimarães – birthplace of Portugal.
We reach Guimarães by bus, the city is the birthplace of Portugal. On the journey from Bom Jesus do Monte to Braga, a friendly, helpful bus driver shows us where to get off and where to find the bus terminal. In Guimarães, the journey ends at a large bus terminal a little west of the […]
Braga and Bom Jesus do Monte
Braga, today the third largest city in Portugal, is over 2000 years old and was already known to the Romans. During the Migration Period, Braga was the most important city of the Suebi, a tribal group of Germanic peoples. Later, the Moors took control on several occasions. Over the years, many churches have been built […]