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Europe 2023

septiembre - octubre 2023
  • Danielle and Co travels
We are off to Europe to catch up with family, explore new cities and revisit some favourites. We will also be joining a walk and wine tour with Explore through Spain and Portugal. Leer más
  • Danielle and Co travels

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2023
    Posada Dona Urraca Hotel
    View from the entranceOur roomSitting areaThe hotel has been lovingly renovatedView from the terraceSunset over the townThe hotel has multiple terraces2Danielle and KimWine made with Juan García grapes that Ian chose for dinnerSalmon with white asparagusBeef cheeks which were just so good - melted in your mouthRoasted vegetablesLamb in almond sauceChocolate cake

    Fermoselle

    12 de octubre de 2023, España ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We arrived at Posada Dona Urraca, a unique and interesting hotel that would be our home for the next 3 nights. We were very close to the Portuguese border and Fermoselle is right in the heart of the Arribes del Duero National Park.

    Fermoselle is a small medieval village in the province of Zamora and is part of the region of Castile and León. It has a population of less than 1,500 - it looks bigger but has a lot of empty houses. It dates back more than 2,000 years to pre-Roman times, and has been well preserved through the centuries.

    Fermoselle stands at 700 metres above sea level on the Duero River, near the edge of the Arribes cliffs over the river’s 163 kilometre-long gorge. The gorge is noted for green rock formations, some exceeding 150 metres in height. The Arribes del Duero National Park at the confluence of the Duero and the Tories rivers is the largest natural park in Castile and León.

    There are many examples of Roman architecture throughout the town, and the area has many rustic stone houses and narrow medieval streets. Fermoselle has a long history of viticulture. It harvests an indigenous grape variety called Juan García, from terraced vineyards on the rim of the river gorge. It is unusual in that it grows as individual bushes. The local micro-climate and terrain conditions are similar to Tuscany in Italy.

    As we arrived fairly late, we ate at the hotel restaurant. The food was very good and the local wine we tried, made up of 100% Juan García grapes, was excellent and was perfect with the beef cheeks and lamb. Tomorrow we will do our first walk in the area.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2023
    Old houses on the edge of town
    The start of the pathA view back to FermoselleOlive trees and grape vinesStone shepherds hutFermoselle in the distanceJuan García grape vinesOne of many local springsNice floraDanielle and the Duero RiverView of Duero RiverView of Duero RiverBell tower of old churchVisigoth inscriptions on old churchEnjoying our picnic lunchSome street art at our picnic spotGrape vines showing autumn coloursMore vines and olive trees

    Walk in Arribes del Duero National Park

    13 de octubre de 2023, España ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Following a good nights sleep and a hearty Spanish breakfast we headed into Fermoselle to get our first look at the town and pick up supplies for our picnic lunch. We invaded the local supermarket picking up bread, cheese, Jamon, fruit, nuts and lettuce. We then walked through this beautiful medieval town and out the other side to enter the National Park.

    Today our walk was approximately 11 kilometres. The weather was quite humid and rain keept threatening, but we didn’t actually get much during the walk. We passed by a number of farms and small vineyards in various states of disrepair. Gabriele tells us that some of the properties are empty, as people often need to move away from their hometown to find employment. She said that people remain attached to their place of birth and so they plan to return once retired. So, an issue in Spain is that many of these smaller villages have an aging demographic which doesn’t help the town grow and thrive. There are many properties for sale but if you were to move to a village such as Fermoselle you would need to have your own business or income stream as there are few employment opportunities.

    I digress, back to the hike. It was a pleasant morning and we got to see the Duero River and the gorge. We stoped at a Visigoth church for our picnic lunch before heading back to town.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2023
    Urban knittingBeautiful old steps leading to another lanewayThe group setting off through the village for a hikeOne of the gates used in the running of the bullsAnd we are off on another adventureNarrow village gare that we saw some cars and vans struggle to manoeuvre throughFermoselle Town HallIntricate art work around the bellLocal churchBeautiful shop/business signJust love the narrow streets of this villageThe person that is most admired in Fermoselle - a bit of Ian McNicol self promotionMore urban knittingNotice the photo on the van is a photo of the gate!One of the 1200 cellarsSome buildings need a bit of work

    Fermoselle

    13 de octubre de 2023, España ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Fermoselle is a lovely medieval hilltop village. It is full of charm and lovely architecture. The village still has a “running of the bulls” event each year and there are large gates strategically placed throughout village to keep the bulls on track.

    There are about 1,200 underground cellars in the town; some are used by wine producers but the majority are owned by families. Some are located under houses but some might be across the road or dug into solid rock.

    Another phenomenon we noticed around the town were crocheted artworks (urban knitting is what our guide called them). There was even a crocheted cover for the phone box.

    There were lots of places for sale in the village. A fully furnished one bedroom apartment was going for 55,000 euros and it was located in the centre of the village.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2023
    Charlotte outside Roberto's wine cellarDown the rampSpace is at a premium in the chamberSecond chamber contained two large concrete tanksCharlotte's current spaceRepurposing one of the bar areasDisco ballWaxing stationCharlotte explaining her operationsLocal sausage and cheese served with the tastingFirst wine we triedCharlotte was worried one of the wines was corkedWine number two very smoothWine number threeHappy campersDinner at restaurant Espana

    Wine Tasting with Charlotte Allen

    13 de octubre de 2023, España ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    We went to a wine tasting this evening with an English winemaker, Charlotte Allen, who has made Fermoselle her home since 2007. Prior to the wine tasting we met Charlotte at one of the “cellars” that she had previously used to produce her wine. She outgrew the space in about 2016 and passed it on to her friend Roberto who has now also outgrown the space but is still there as he hasn’t found an alternative.

    Charlotte moved to a disused discotheque, but more on that later. The cellar she showed us was quite unusual as it didn’t have stairs but instead a ramp which made it easier to move things in and out. The inner area of the cellar consisted of two chambers that have been chipped out of the solid granite. They were impressive spaces with domed ceilings. There were also three wells in the cellar that are sources of fresh and cold water.

    A friend of Charlotte has dated the cellar as being at least 500 years old. She also suspects that Jewish people, who were forced to convert to Catholicism or be expelled at the time, may have continued to practice their religion in private in the chambers away from prying eyes. The well in the larger chamber has 7 steps leading down to a well, which suggests it was part of ritual washing practiced by women in Judaism.

    Following the tour of the cellars and the history lesson we headed over to Charlotte’s current winery and work space which, as I mentioned earlier, is housed in a disused discotheque that closed in the 1990’s. it is a large flat space that works well as a place to produce wine. The disco mirror balls, palm trees on the wall and funky bar areas add to its charm and uniqueness.

    We tried a range of her wines, starting with a white which was a field blend and went very well with a sheep cheese she provided. We then had her Cielos & Besos (Hugs and Kisses) wine which was a young unoaked blend of Juan Garcia and other local varieties. We then tried her more upmarket “Mateo” wine named after her son. It was a “crianza” that was a blend of mencía and brunal, and was a very nice drop.

    We then tried her “”Licores”, a blend of grappa made by a retired policeman and sugar and water. It was pretty good and easier to drink than eau de vie. It was very smooth, even though it was about 43% proof.

    We then headed to dinner at Restaurant Espana, recommended by Charlotte as one of the better local ones. We had dinner in a fairly noisy upper section of the restaurant, and it didn’t disappoint.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2023
    Warning regarding wild boar
    There was low cloud and mist as we headed outThis was the type of terrain we walked onSaw some goatsHaving a short break as Gabriele gives us some information about the areaGrape vinesThe scenery was great and kept changingDiscussion with the hunters1I said do something goofy and only half the group got the memoAbout half way markThe Duoro RiverLots of bends in the riverGroup photoBridge made of rocks and graniteA mill from many centuries agoWaiting for the rest of the group to catch upJust beautiful countryFinishing line

    Saturday morning walk

    14 de octubre de 2023, España ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    This morning we went on a nine kilometre walk from Fermoselle to Fornillos. We left the hotel and swung by the bakery to pick up some pre-ordered chorizo rolls for our lunch. The weather was a bit cooler this morning, with some cloud cover and less humidity, so I found the conditions much more to my liking. This meant I spent most of the walk up front instead of being the back walker.

    As we left the bakery to start the walk we saw a sign that read “Atención Batida”, which means ‘watch out for wild boar’ as there was hunting in the area. Gabriele advised us that we should not worry, but we should stay together and stay on the walking track to minimise any risk to us if we did happen to encounter a wild boar.

    We headed off walking up and down hills, through rocky and damp terrain. About 3 kilometres into the walk a convoy of vehicles appeared behind us. There were about 8 vehicles and they were full of hunters in search of wild boar. They tried to tell Gabriele that the walking track was closed today because of people being out hunting. Gabriele was having none of it and, after quite an animated discussion, it was agreed that about a kilometre ahead the hunters would be heading left and we would be walking straight on. Gabriele 1, hunters 0.

    We did pass the hunters as they had headed left into thicker vegetation further down the track and we followed the walking path. We did hear the hunters later on shouting and making lots of noise but we didn’t hear any guns going off. Boars 1, hunters 0, hopefully.

    It was a wonderful walk with beautiful scenery constantly changing as we headed towards the Duoro River and Portugal. The landscape at the 7 kilometre mark was amazing, with views down through the gorge to the river. The weather was also improving with the sun making an appearance.

    We finally could see our destination in sight and less than a kilometre away was the village of Fornillos. A local bar was opening especially for us, providing us with cold drinks to go with our chorizo rolls, which were absolutely delicious. We also had some nuts and chocolate to share with the group and others had brought some fruit, so no-one starved.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2023
    On the bus to the wine and cheese tasting
    Sara our host explaining her enterpriseStarted with a whiteThe cheese was so goodHappy camperThe semi hard cheeseCheese Sara made that morningThis 2014 Tinto Crianza was so goodKim, Kathy and Ian enjoying the tastingIdyllic little village

    Bodega La Setera

    14 de octubre de 2023, España ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    As we finished up lunch at the bar our bus driver arrived to take us up the road to a wine and cheese tasting. Bodega La Setera is located in the village of Fornillos de Fermoselle, a very small village of about forty inhabitants.

    Our host Sara, gave us two delicious cheeses made from goats milk, one was a fresh soft cheese she had made that morning and the other a slightly firmer cheese. Both were absolutely delicious. They don’t have their own goats but source the milk from a couple of local farmers.

    We also tried two of Sara’s wines. She produces about 9,000 bottles a year, so a fairly small operation that she runs with her husband. They have been building the business for about 13 years and diversified into cheese making about 7 years ago to give them a better work life balance. They produce a wine that is 100% Juan García grape, a local varietal from the area which we had tried at dinner on our first night in Fermoselle and really liked.

    For our first tasting we tried La Setera Blanco 2021 which was a great accompaniment to the cheese. Sara also opened a fabulous red, La Setera Seleccion Especial, Tinto Crianza 2014.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2023
    The border
    Large dam below MirandaGabriele explaining some of the history of MirandaRemains of the old city wallMore of the remainsNarrow streets of MirandaMiranda is a lovely old cityOld Church in MirandaIan and Kim in costumeTown HallStatues in traditional dressCathedralView from near the CathedralUmbrella breakI might have over indulged in the white SangriaThis dog was only 11 months old and was the size of a ponyCastle ruinsMore castle ruins2Best pastel de nata ever

    Miranda do Douro - Portugal

    14 de octubre de 2023, España ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Following our tasting at La Setera Quesos y Vinos we headed to Miranda do Douro located in the district of Bragança, northeastern Portugal. It is unique in that it has a language of its own, Mirandese, which enjoys official status in Portugal. This was due to it’s very remote location. The town is situated on the border with Spain, with the Douro (or Duero in Spanish) River separating the two countries.

    There is evidence that inhabitants have been living in Miranda since the Bronze Age. Around AD 716, the Moors defeated local Visigoth tribes and occupied some of the lands, calling the area Mir-Hândul. By the late 11th century, León possessed the region as a stepping-stone to Portugal.

    The settlement of the village of Miranda developed through the initiative of King Denis, in an area that lay between the lateral slopes of the Douro and Fresno rivers. It was in Miranda that the Treaty of Alcanices was signed between Denis and Ferdinand IV of Castile, therefore setting the border between the Kingdom of Portugal and the Crown of Castile.

    In 1762, during the Seven Years’ War, the army of Charles III of Spain invaded the Trás-os-Montes. During the course of the invasion, the gunpowder magazine (with 500 barrels of powder) was hit by a cannon, destroying the four towers of the castles and many of the barrios in the vicinity. About a third of the city’s population was killed (400 people) resulting in the ruin of the religious, demographic and urbanised portion of Miranda. About 2 years later friar Alexis Miranda Henriques, the 23rd bishop, abandoned Miranda, moving to Bragança, which had become a rival episcopal seat in the northeast part of Portugal.

    We had some time here to explore the city and also find some shady umbrellas and have a drink or two. We also had one of the best pastel de nata I have ever had as it was fresh out of the oven from a local bakery.

    While there, we visited the Cathedral, a nice vantage point to see the surrounding area, see some of the remaining city wall and the ruins of the castle.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2023
    All aboardLichen CliffsGriffon Vultures1Heading back to the docking area

    International Douro Natural Park

    14 de octubre de 2023, España

    Following our visit to Miranda we headed down to the Douro river - which is not Portugal or Spain but is considered to be international waters - to take a cruise. The Europarques-EBI International Biological Station was established in 2002 with the support of the ICNF of Portugal together with three European universities. In 2006, the Foreign Ministers of Spain and Portugal officially ratified it. All ships are equipped with the latest hybrid-electric navigation technologies, heated panoramic deck, on-board laboratory and large viewing terraces.

    We traveled about 3 to 4 kilometres along the Douro river. We saw the Lichen Cliffs, passed the River Otters’ habitat (but didn’t see any), passed the Royal Eagle area which has some of the most spectacular vertical cliffs of the Arribes del Duero region, passed the habitat of the black stork, and saw some Griffin Vultures, including a family on a ledge and several soaring above us. We also saw some kestrels and eagles.

    The landscape we passed through was quite spectacular. There were towering cliffs and interesting rock formations. The cruise lasted about an hour. The first half was an information session given in Portuguese and Spanish, and we just had a map with numbers indicating where we were up to on the cruise. Nobody was allowed outside. Gabriele had forewarned us about this. For the return journey, people were allowed to leave their seats and go onto the decks for selfie opportunities and more photos. It was a lovely experience and quite peaceful.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2023
    Tiles at Pocinho StationThe group are all settled and waiting to departWe seem to be the only group going in one direction and therefore have luggageBeautiful viewsGrape vines are planted everywhereOne of many bridges we crossVines and olive trees as far as the eye can seeOne of many tunnels we pass throughIt is a single track so we have to go on the siding a couple of times and wait for a train to passPinhão Station - love the black catAproaching another bridgeCrossing from the left to the right side of the riverWe passed a range of boats travellinf on the river including some large river cruisers2Made it to Peso da Regua

    Local Train along the Douro Valley

    15 de octubre de 2023, Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We headed off after breakfast for the Portuguese village of Pocinho, about a two hour drive. Pocinho is a village in Northern Portugal, located in the Vila Nova de Fox Côa Municipality and is the terminus of the Linda do Douro train route through Northern Portugal. We boarded a local train for the journey along the Douro Valley to the town of Peso da Regua and travelled through what is regarded to be the most beautiful section of the line, between Pocinho and Pinhão. The terraced Douro Valley vineyards are extensive, stretching right up the steep sides of the valley, and are studded with impressive Quinta (wineries). This train ride has become very popular in recent years after appearing on the show “The most beautiful train rides in the world”.

    Outside of Pinhão, the Douro narrows and the scenery becomes more rocky, rugged and wild. At Ferradosa, the train crosses a bridge to the south bank of the river. We passed through broad valleys studded with olive trees and vineyards and we could see a power plant in the distance. The journey took approximately 90 minutes and covered 56 kilometres.

    There is talk of reopening the 28 kilometres from Pocinho to Barca de Alva on the border with Spain.

    The train trip was wonderful and although it was somewhat cloudy and misty and at times raining, this adds to the atmosphere and fun of the journey. We went through numerous tunnels and I spent most of the trip with the window down and my head out. I have included a couple of short videos to give you a bit more of a feel for the train trip. The rain started to pick up and was raining heavily by the time we arrive at Peso da Regua. Here we waited for a taxi transfer to the town of Lamego.    Leer más

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  • Danielle and Co travelsViajeroEurope 2023
    Gorgeous Hotel
    Very moderm but so comfortable and well designedSavoury Pastel de nata - deliciousCharcuterie Board for lunchAvocado and salmon sandwichWe had our own Kath and Kim on the tourIn Portugal we are drinking a PingoOriginal home in the foregroundLovely Pavillon which would be fabulous on a sunny dayLovely original tiles

    Lamego

    15 de octubre de 2023, Portugal ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    We arrived in the town of Peso da Regua and waited for our taxi transfer to the Renaissance and Baroque village of Lamego. The plan had been to be dropped off in the village and wander around it, and then head to our hotel. However, as it was raining, we headed straight to the hotel and, what a hotel it was, absolutely gorgeous. As our rooms weren’t ready we headed to the bar for a drink and some lunch. The revised plan was to go for a walk through the village later in the day when hopefully the rain will have eased.Leer más

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