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Europe 2023Europe 2023
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Europe 2023

syyskuuta - lokakuuta 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. Lue lisää
  • Danielle and Co travels

Luettelo maista

  • Portugali Portugali
  • Espanja Espanja
  • Ranska Ranska
  • Belgia Belgia
  • Englanti Englanti
  • Australia Australia
Luokat
Perhe, Nähtävyyksien katselu, Juna, Loma
  • 19,9tajetut kilometrit
Kuljetusvälineet
  • Lento16,5tkilometriä
  • Kävely-kilometriä
  • Patikointi-kilometriä
  • Polkupyörä-kilometriä
  • Moottoripyörä-kilometriä
  • Tuk tuk-kilometriä
  • Auto-kilometriä
  • Juna-kilometriä
  • Bussi-kilometriä
  • Matkailuauto-kilometriä
  • Karavaani-kilometriä
  • Neliveto-kilometriä
  • Uima-kilometriä
  • Melonta/Soutu-kilometriä
  • Moottorivene-kilometriä
  • Purjehdus-kilometriä
  • Asuntolaiva-kilometriä
  • Lautta-kilometriä
  • Risteilyalus-kilometriä
  • Hevonen-kilometriä
  • Hiihtäminen-kilometriä
  • Liftaus-kilometriä
  • Cable car-kilometriä
  • Helikopteri-kilometriä
  • Paljain jaloin-kilometriä
  • 113jalanjäljet
  • 48päivää
  • 2,0tvalokuvat
  • 116tykkäykset
SeuraaKalenteriJaaToivelista
Uusin ensin
  • Danielle and Co travelsMatkaajaEurope 2023
    The city gate into the old part of town
    Lots of uphill walking again!Lovely narrow streets in the historic townThe castle but it had just closedLovely old deli/bodegaA few strays were spotted on our walkMost od the group heading out of the old townOld artwork in the historic townLeaving the historic part of the townCathedralViews to the newer part of the town belowView to the church covered in cloud - made it very atmosphericMain BoulevardThe church and 600 stepsThe main boulevard leading up to the steps and the churchNossa Senhora de Remdios churchInside the churchThe tile behind the altar

    Discovering Lamego

    15. lokakuuta 2023, Portugali ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    After a few false starts the rain started to ease so most of the group decided to walk into the centre of Lamego to check out the historic old town and other sites of the city. We almost immediately started heading up a steep path towards the old city walls. It is a lovely town with beautiful historic buildings and great views.

    We left the historic old town and walked up the main avenue towards Santuário de Nossa dos Remédios (an old church) which sits high up on a hill and requires you to walk up 600 steps. About half of the stairway was shrouded in mist, and the church wasn’t visible from the bottom. Only four brave (some would say crazy) members of the group were up for the task. Gabriele, Ian, Dan and Marie made the journey up to the top and the rest of us (some would say boozers) went to a bar to await their return.

    We then made the 30 minute walk back to our hotel to get ready for dinner.    Lue lisää

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  • Danielle and Co travelsMatkaajaEurope 2023
    Lovely artwork in the dining roomThe dining roomSalmon CarpaccioSea BreamDuck with RisottoBeef CheeksMille-FeuilleOrange PuddingLemon and Blueberry PieDan very happy with his drink situation

    Group Dinner at Hotel Lamego

    15. lokakuuta 2023, Portugali ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    As we had a very busy day we decided to eat at the hotel restaurant. Gabriele told us that the food there was very good and she was right. We had a lovely night, sitting at two separate tables. At our table, I had salmon carpaccio to start and sea bream as a main, as did Ian. Gabriele had the duck with risotto and Joanne and Marie had the beef cheeks. For dessert Ian, Joanne and Marie had the local orange pudding, Gabriele had the Mille-Feuille and I had the lemon and blueberry pie, which was the standout from my perspective.

    We had a relatively early night as we were travelling to a Port and Wine producer the following morning for a tour of their operations, followed by a tasting.    Lue lisää

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  • Danielle and Co travelsMatkaajaEurope 2023
    Eduardo our guideThe original homeWood carving done by artist in residenceVineyards as far as the eye can seeMore ArtStorage barrels and tanksTanks still need to be cleaned with high power hoses5 star hotel and restaurantTasting getting underwayThe ports we triedWhite PortIan enjoying his tasting20 year old Tawny PortKathy having funIan running off with my white port

    Quinta da Pacheca

    16. lokakuuta 2023, Portugali ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    After a fabulous breakfast (best of the tour) we got on the bus to return to Regua where we had a tour of the Quinta da Pacheca winery with Eduardo, followed by a tasting. We started off with a tour of the grounds and a bit of history about the winery. It is a beautiful property that has been very well maintained. There is a 5 star hotel and restaurant at the winery, and there are large wine barrels that have been made into stand alone rooms that you can sleep in among the vines. There is also a resident artist who has produced a number of pieces of art out of wood.

    The wine estate was established in 1738 and was run by a very competent woman, D. Mariana Pacheco Pereira. She had lost her husband and decided not to remarry and to run the vineyard herself instead.

    In 1903 the property was acquired by D. José Freire de Serpa Leitão Pimentel. The new owner carried out the first major replanting. The vineyards were divided by grape varieties, separated by wide paths to facilitate the work. The grape varieties then used were: Bastardo, Tinto Cão, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca for reds, and Códega, Malvasia Fina, Malvasia Conrad’s, Cerceal, Donzelinho and Viosinho for white. So, quite a few varieties!

    In 1916, with new vines, the grape harvest increased which required the construction of new cellars and new stone tanks.

    In 1971 the second big boost was given by D. Eduardo Mendia Freire Serpa Pimentel, who replaced the older vineyards and started selling table wines. For several years, Riesling, Sauvignon and Gewurztraminer were tested and in 1971, 5,000 vines from each of these varieties were grafted.

    The vineyard manually stomps about 70% of the grapes. The tanks are made of granite and are about 100 years old:- 12,000kg of grapes produces 9,000 litres, which drains into fermentation tanks. Stomping happens for 3-4 hours, usually in the evening as the temperature drops. Eduardo said that if you decide you want to stomp grapes, be prepared to have purple feet for a couple of days post stomping.

    Wine remains in the tanks for seven days to ferment, whereas port only ferments for three days. There are four types of port - white, rosé, ruby and tawny. Port is aged in barrels and can be aged for 60+ years. Ruby can only remain in the barrel for 6 years.

    For our tasting we tried the Pacheca Reserva White, Pacheca Reserva Vinhas Velhas red, Pacheca White Port and the Pacheca Tawny Port 20 Anos. My favourite was the white port, which is served chilled. Eduardo also told us about a drink - Porto Tonica - which is white port, tonic water, ice and sliced orange, a very nice drink and would go down well on a hot day.    Lue lisää

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  • Danielle and Co travelsMatkaajaEurope 2023
    The front gate
    The PalaceSleeping womanThe main entranceThe libraryWorld globes are made of paper machéLarge reception roomThe four seasons roomOne of the seasons paintingsOne of the 10th century rugsPainting in the religious relics roomReligious relicsHand carved puzzle desk in the ladies roomLovely fabric throughout the palaceThe 3rd Morgado of MateusThe dining roomView of the gardens from the dining roomThe palace and gardenMore of the gardenIan enjoying the meat pie

    Mateus Palace

    16. lokakuuta 2023, Portugali ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Following our wine and port tasting we headed off in the direction of Porto, our final destination. On the way we made one more stop in Vila Real, a hilltop town above the confluence of the Corgo and Cabral rivers, to visit the Mateus Palace. We toured the stunning 18th century Baroque Palace and manicured gardens which were lovely, but just a little soggy!

    The Palace was built in 1743 by architect, Nicolau Nasoni. The three primary buildings are the palace, the winery and the chapel. The work was authorized by António José Botelho Mourão, 3rd Morgado of Mateus, who was quite the visionary. The current palace replaced the former family house which was built in the same location in the early 1600’s. In 1910, it was classified as a National Monument.

    There have been 16 generations in the house. Currently the 15th and 16th generations live there. Only one third of the U-shaped house is open to the public. We were able to visit the library, the large formal reception room, the dining room, the smoking room, the four seasons room, the religious room and the Ladies social room. Chestnut wood is used extensively throughout the house, most likely because the palace is situated in a chestnut tree forest and supplies were plentiful.

    In the library there are over 4,000 books, predominantly from the 15th century, hand written in French and illustrated. In one room there are religious relics that have been certified by the Vatican. Several of the ceilings are intricately carved chestnut and the furniture is from several periods. The paintings are mainly 17th & 18th century and many of the rugs are 10th century. There are numerous other treasures in the form of silverware, pottery and artwork scattered throughout the rooms.

    The dining room is still used by the family, mainly at Christmas and on other special occasions such as birthdays. There are four cupboards in the dining room but one is fake and has a staircase in it that leads to the kitchen that is situated directly below. There is a chef on staff and she bakes a range of things daily that are sold in the coffee shop. We had the small meat pies, savoury vegetable pies and cookies for lunch and they were all delicious.

    Parts of the garden had been planted in the 1700’s, modified in 1870 and expanded in 1930. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, the garden was extensively modified and the lake was added to act as a mirror reflecting the manor house. The sculpture of a woman “sleeping” in the water was created by João Cutileiro and installed in 1981.

    The name Mateus is synonymous with Mateus rosé, but there is no connection with the family. The name and image of the house was sold over 100 years ago to the group that produces Mateus rosé. The palace is currently owned by the Mateus Foundation.    Lue lisää

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  • Danielle and Co travelsMatkaajaEurope 2023
    Church of Saint Ildefonso
    Majestic CaféRua de Santa CatarinaMarketFirst year University studentsGorgeous tile workJardin do Infante Dom HenriquePalácio da BolsaDown by the riverTime for a drinkKim being a gooseLovely dining right near the bridgePont Luis I2Angelic shotLooking back to PortoPort producersMonastery of Serra do PilarLooking down the river to the next bridgeFernandina Wall

    Porto Orientation Walk

    16. lokakuuta 2023, Portugali ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    It was a two hour bus journey into Porto, our final destination of the tour. We were dropped off at our hotel and had a little break before heading out to explore the city with Gabriele and the group. We went past the Church of Saint Ildefonso which is across the road from our hotel. We walked down the main shopping strip in Porto, Rua de Santa Catarina, past all the gorgeous stores and iconic cafes such as the Majestic Café to Mercado Bolhāo, where we had the chance to have a quick look around this recently renovated market. The market is large, has been beautifully renovated and was a delight to wander around.

    I was constantly distracted by all the stunning tiles we passed on our walk. We next headed to Porto São Bento, a wonderful train station full of large scenes made from the traditional blue and white tiles. Unfortunately, the metro system in Porto is getting extended and upgraded so many of the city streets are being dug up, which is causing a nightmare for drivers and it is particularly messy around São Bento. We then walked Rua De Mouzinho Da Silveira towards Jardin do Infante Dom Henrique and into Ribera and the waterfront.

    We stopped for a drink at one of the many cafés beside the Douro river before heading across the bottom deck of Pont Luís I to Vila Nova de Gaia, where you get wonderful views back across the river to Porto. We then made our way through the back streets and alleyways back up to the bridge (climbing many stairs), past the Monastery of Serra do Pilar to cross back over the river on the top deck of the bridge and head to our dinner venue, a lovely traditional restaurant that specialises in chicken.    Lue lisää

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  • Danielle and Co travelsMatkaajaEurope 2023
    Porto Cathedral
    Photo op before it started pouringWe sought shelter in the cloisters as the rain bucketed downWonderful painting by Armanda Passos in the CathedralTrying to dry off in a barWhite Sangria - pretty good on a steamy dayTaking shelter in a barOvercast, wet and humidKathy soaked to the bonePhoto opportunity with Kath and KimDrying off in the restaurantDelicious pizzaSaladCharcuterie & cheese boardWaiting for cake and coffeeCake and coffee stop to get out of the rain

    Soggy Tuesday

    17. lokakuuta 2023, Portugali

    Today we had a free day to explore the city. Unfortunately, it was going to be raining heavily for most of the day. After conferring with the others, six of us headed off for the Paläcio da Bolsa (stock exchange) down by the river. We stopped to have a look at Porto Cathedral and decided to go in, as the rainfall was getting heavier and heavier.

    Sé do Porto (Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady) is a Roman Catholic church located in the historical centre of Porto. It is one of the city’s oldest monuments and one of the most important local Romanesque monuments. Work began on it in 1110 and was completed in 1737. The Cathedral contains elements of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles. There are 30 main churches in Porto. While there, we ran into Mark who decided to join us as we headed down towards the water.

    We left the cathedral, and of course it started to rain again. We were walking down steep and narrow laneways as water gushed past us. To say we were getting wet was an understatement. To make things more uncomfortable the humidity was at about 100%.

    We stopped for a drink at a little bar to get out of the rain, and then headed off again for Paläcio da Bolsa. When we finally made it to the big square opposite, where there is a large statue of Henry the Navigator, we found a huge line of people waiting to get in, huddled under umbrellas. So, we decided to head into a restaurant across the way called the Hard Club, located in what used to be a market. The restaurant was spacious and comfortable and could accommodate us so we settled in for lunch. We had a great time, with fabulous food, wine and company.

    On leaving the restaurant, we could see that the line for Paläcio da Bolsa was just as long and it was starting to rain again! So we abandoned the idea of visiting it today. We headed down to the river to check out some stores and then a number in the group decided to go to a museum. Ian and I instead went to Ag Jewels, owned by Pedro and his wife Paola, where I found some gorgeous earrings and some other bits and pieces.

    Ian and I then decided to walk back up to our hotel. Again on the way home we had to seek refuge as the rain was so heavy. We stopped for coffee and cake at a lovely café before the final walk up the hill to our hotel. We had a bit of a rest before going out for the final group dinner.    Lue lisää

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  • Danielle and Co travelsMatkaajaEurope 2023
    Tomato salad20 year old Tawny portWhite PortAmazing cake that reminded me of something dad used to makeFinal group photo in the hotel lobby

    Final Group Dinner

    17. lokakuuta 2023, Portugali ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    We headed off for our last group dinner to a local traditional Portuguese restaurant called Douro Sentido. I think everyone was a little tired, especially with the humid weather. The food was good. I had grilled octopus, Ian had a cod dish and we shared a dessert. We also had a nice bottle of white wine and even indulged in a glass of port. Joanne gave a lovely speech thanking Gabriele for being such a great tour leader and making it such a memorable experience.

    A number of people in the group had been unwell over a couple of days and it turns out several of them tested positive to COVID once they got home. Luckily Ian and I seemed to have missed it.    Lue lisää

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  • Danielle and Co travelsMatkaajaEurope 2023
    Making our way down to Riberia
    Some great graffitiWe went down many stepsRC RestauranteLovely decorCheersHakeSalmonDover SoleEaton MessFruit, cream and waferPingo - our favourite coffee in PortugalJust a beautiful restaurant

    Porto post the Tour

    18. lokakuuta 2023, Portugali ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    By the time we headed down to breakfast most of the tour group had already departed or was heading to the airport to fly home. We met Mark in the breakfast room and arranged to have lunch with him, as he wasn’t heading home until later in the day and we couldn’t check in to our Airbnb until after 3pm.

    As we didn’t have to check out until noon, we headed out to grab a few things and then just finish packing and relaxed. We left our bags at the hotel and met Mark at reception at noon. We once again tried to find Tapabento to have lunch, but were unsuccessful. So, we headed down to the Ribeira area to find a suitable place. We were able to get a table at The RC Restaurante. This is an historical restaurant that has preserved its decoration and architecture from the time of its foundation in 1894. It is also classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It offers traditional Portuguese cuisine.

    We had a great lunch. Ian had Hake, Mark had Salmon and I had Dover Sole. We even indulged in a dessert. We then walked back to the hotel, said farewell to Mark and grabbed our luggage for the short walk to our Airbnb.    Lue lisää

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  • Danielle and Co travelsMatkaajaEurope 2023
    Our Apartment building
    Our 1st floor apartmentView from our lounge to the marketOur living room and dining roomKitchenLovely art throughout the apartmentOur bedroomBathroomBiscuit we discovered at the marketPingo timeCharcuterie for dinnerPort from our hostPastel de nata & Pingo for dessert

    Our home for the next few days

    18. lokakuuta 2023, Portugali ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    Our apartment was located across the road from the Mercado Bolhāo, which is a wonderful location. The apartment itself was just gorgeous - comfortable and stylish with everything required for a great stay. Matheus came over to meet us and took us through how everything operates in the apartment.

    We then headed out to the market to get some supplies for dinner. We planned to drink a couple of the bottles of wine we accumulated on the Explore trip over the next few evenings. We had a delicious Chacuterie board for dinner with a bottle of rosé, and we also did a big wash, so we now had clean clothes again.    Lue lisää

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  • Danielle and Co travelsMatkaajaEurope 2023
    Manu, our guide
    First stop for typical Portuguese breakfastFood tour groupThick white toastCroissantCheese and wineThe MarketGreen WineSardinesSmoked codJamon IbericoOur tasting platterMaker of pastel de nataPorto institutionPulled pork rolleCleansing aleMixed food and booze businessWhite Port and a stuffed figFig up close

    Food Tour of Porto with Manu

    19. lokakuuta 2023, Portugali ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    This morning we took a food tour. It was still very wet, so rain jackets and umbrellas were a must. We met our guide Manu and the others at the Paços do Concelho. There were seven of us on the tour, Brandon and Amanda from Toronto, Mikhel and Claudia from Dresden, and Lauren from Florida. Manu was a lovely young man who is passionate about Porto’s food, culture and history.

    Our first stop was one of the oldest cafés in Porto, called Guarany, which pays homage to the indigenous people of Brazil, where they get their coffee from. Coffee is very important to the Portuguese, both as a great drink at breakfast, and also from a social perspective. They love to meet for coffee morning, noon and night. For breakfast, they have a preference for something light, such as thick toast with butter and some kind of pastry. So, at Guarany we had toast with butter, a croissant and a Pingo (similar to a piccolo or macchiato).

    We then headed to our next tasting. Initially I was confused as we first entered a hardware store that specialises in handles and assorted objects for the home. However, at the rear of the store was a lovely cafe - bar including a gorgeous terrace which, unfortunately, was not suitable today. We had a wine and cheese tasting: - three cheeses (goat, sheep and cow), and a lovely glass of red from the Alentejo region.

    We then headed to the Balhāo market, which translates to the big bubble. The large market was established in the 18th century, but had been in decline during the 20th century. It was renovated between 2019 and September 2022 and is now thriving. They have done a wonderful job of renovating the site. It is one of the cleanest and well set out markets I have ever been to.

    There are a number of historical vendors who have been associated with this market for generations and we visited two of them. At Hugo Silva we tried Green wine, sardines in olive oil and cod. Everything was delicious but the sardines were a standout for me. We then moved to the other side of the market to the Mangalica stall to sample four meats, Jamon Iberico, Sal Picāo Ibeturo, Linguiça Porco Preto and a smoked Lomo. Next we headed to Manteigaria, located close to the market, for a pastel de nata that was still warm and absolutely bloody delicious. Next stop was Conga, a Porto institution. Here we had spicy pulled pork rolls, which paired very well with beer.

    Our last stop was at a mixed food store, Casanatal, where we had white port with a stuffed fig. The fig wasn’t the only thing stuffed at this stage! The store was like an Aladdin cave - full of treasures you can eat and drink!

    The tour was a fabulous way to see a bit of the city and also gain some insight into Portuguese food culture, and Manu was a very generous host, both with his time and with the knowledge he shared. The tour finished around the corner from our apartment so we didn’t have far to stagger!    Lue lisää

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