Posts tagged with Portugal

The next two days were spent exploring Braga and the more touristy Guimarães, known as the “birthplace of Portugal”. I had already visited both cities in December 2024, and you can read about them in my previous blog post, A Magical Visit to Braga and Guimarães. However, it was really...

Northern Portugal’s coastline surprised us far more than we expected. During our road trip between Porto and Braga, we explored Viana do Castelo, Barcelos, Parque Natural do Litoral Norte, the famous windmills of Apúlia, and the ancient hilltop settlement of Castro de São Lourenço. In this post, I share our...

Northern Portugal is one of the most underrated regions in Europe for a spring road trip. With historic cities, beautiful beaches, mountain landscapes, excellent food, and relatively short driving distances, it turned out to be the perfect destination for our family trip. As every year, children in Belgium have a...

We were hesitating about how to spend our last day with the car, and ultimately decided to go for a walk to Pico Ruivo in the morning. During our stay in November 2024, the official website stated that only the section up to the shelter was open. However, this was...

I was so excited about the day ahead! Pure hiking to one of the less touristy peaks on the island, and a vertical kilometer to do, that was the plan for today. The weather looked amazing, so we couldn’t have wished for more. With snacks packed for the day, we...

Every evening, we made plans for the next day based on the weather and how tired we felt that day. The idea was to avoid having the most intense hiking days one after another. The weather looked more stable the next day, so we decided to hike up Pico Grande...

The first day was already intense, but for the second, we planned even more: two dramatically different hikes—the rugged, barren landscapes of The Dragon’s Tail and the lush, coastal beauty of Vereda do Larano. The first one offered a feeling of being on another planet, especially with the rising sun...

After our first night in Funchal, we were ready to explore Madeira by car! However, when I saw where our rented car was parked (on one of the steepest streets near our apartment), I had a brief moment of panic. Would I even be able to drive out of there?...

When it came time to choose a destination for our honeymoon, we wanted something special. This trip was a rare opportunity—our toddler stayed at home, so for once, we could travel as we did before starting a family. We dreamed of a place that offered breathtaking hiking trails, delicious food,...

The Gerês-Xurés Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (Reserva de la Biosfera Transfronteriza Gerês-Xurés) stretches across Galicia (Spain) and the North Region (Portugal). With its highest peaks, Nevosa (1,646m) and Fontefría, located in the heart of the Serra Gerês-Xurés mountains, it was recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2009. A rare but...