PALACE OF THE MARQUESSES OF FRONTEIRA

The Fronteira Palace, also known as the Palace of the Marquesses of Fronteira, is the privately owned property, but parts of it are opened to visits, and only on a tight schedule. 

The palace was built in 1640 for the first Marquis of Fronteira, Dom Joao de Mascarenhas (bestowed with the title of Marquis of Fronteira for his allegiance to King Pedro II of Portugal), in order to serve as hunting pavilion. At present, the oldest part of the castle complex refers to a 16th century chapel, but inside the castle, visitors can admire the stunning Battle Room (which stands out by the splendid tile panels due to which the room has been dubbed the Sistine Chapel of Tile Panels), as well as the Dining Room (with highlights like the paintings signed by Domingos Antonio de Sequeira). Outside the castle, visitors can search out the carefully arranged garden, which fills a surface of some 5.5 hectares, offering the spectacular scenery of the ingeniously cut hedges, tile panels and a statuary where sculptural works rendering the Kings of Portugal (chiefly, busts) are displayed.

FORT FAIAL, MADEIRA ISLAND

The island of Madeira is constituted as a romantic spot for nature also being as perfect as destination for honeymoon.
Recently, the Spanish tour operator Condé Nast Traveler recognized a spot on the island as one of the 40 most beautiful sunsets in the world - the Fort Faial on Penha Eagle. 

This fort is located on the north coast, an unforgettable sunset spot, revealing that this should be assessed whenever possible, as there are sunsets that are worth more than thousand words.

DISCOVERING LISBON BY TRAM

It's perhaps Lisbon's most popular activity: A ride back in time over hills and medieval streets in vintage trams that are still part of the city's public transportation network.Line 28 of Lisbon's iconic trams was inaugurated in 1914 and today it has a 7km (4.5 miles) route between Martim Moniz Square and the neighborhood of Prazeres (between Graça and Estrela in a shorter journey).During your journey you'll will get up close to the tiles covering Alfama's façades, will admire views of the city's oldest monuments framed by the narrow streets, will pass by other trams going in the opposite direction, and will notice details that you'd otherwise overlook.

DISCOVERING OPORTO BY TRAM

Discover the city of Porto through a beautiful tram ride. 

The number 1 tram line runs along the waterfront into a tourist circuit that allows you to enjoy various points of interest - Tram Museum, Museum of Transport and Communications, Museum of Port Wine, Arrábida Bridge - the marginal Douro River combining the richness of program with the ability to travel to a means of transport centenary.

THE ÁGUAS LIVRES AQUEDUCT

The Águas Livres Aqueduct was born out of necessity to supply the city of Lisbon with a new aqueduct, and of the personal taste of the King By John V megalomaniac projects. The result, a great work of Portuguese engineering of the eighteenth century with 65 meters high at some points, which allowed cross the valley on a nice walk with beautiful views. However, the authorities had to shut down access to the aqueduct in 1853 to prevent the criminal Diogo Albes throw up their victims over the viaduct after steal them. Today, only private visits are allowed.

MONSANTO PARK

Stretching on a surface of about 10 square kilometers, theMonsanto Forest Park (Parque Florestal de Monsanto) is the largest green space in Lisbon, such that it can be easily deemed the green lung of the city and of the adjoining localities.
The spectacular side of the park does not reside exclusively in its being an ideal opportunity for nature lovers, since the park has been laid out with a solid leisure and sports infrastructure which gives visitors the opportunity to delight in practicing all sorts of outdoor activities, hiking included. Plenty of events (concerts, exhibitions, theater representations, and fairs) are organized here. On top of all that, the Monsanto Forest Park is an excellent lookout, occasioning visitors to contemplate the panoramic view of Lisbon, of the Tagus (Tejo) River, of the Atlantic Ocean and of the neighboring localities.

LISBON ORIENT STATION

Designed by the Spanish arquitect Santiago Calatrava to the Lisbon Expo ’98, the Lisbon Orient Station’s complex is covered by a structure similar to a fishing net, since the Expo’s main theme was the Portuguese Discoveries. It is one of the most important stations of the city, it’s connected to the subway and it even has a floor to temporary events.

Allen Lambert Galleria

The building is similar to Calatrava’s Allen Lambert Galleria, in Toronto, and has gothic traces as well. The Lisbon Orient Station is one of the the world’s largest stations, with 75 million passengers per year, almost as busy as the Grand Central Terminal in New York.

Discover the modern Lisbon http://www.travel-tailors.com/detalhado.php?i=325

SAINT GEORGE CASTLE, LISBON

 

The Castle of São Jorge was chosen along the city's history as a stronghold for several people who passed through here, the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Arabs. The latter expelled by King Afonso Henriques, when he reconquered the city in 1147. After the fortress, which was known as the Moorish Castle became a royal residence until 1511, the year the King Manuel I decided to move to the Palace of Ribeira.

LER DEVAGAR, LISBON

Ler Devagar is a Lisbon bookshop which name means “read slowly”. It is located at the LX Factory, an old industrial area turned into a creative design zone. The bookshop encourages to read through its huge walls covered with books from the floor to the ceiling. To walk through the shop, you should go through the metal staircases of this old textile factory. Besides the Portuguese books, there are also English and French titles. In the bookstore there are also inaugurations, concerts, plays and exhibitions.

Discover Lisbon http://www.travel-tailors.com/detalhado.php?i=325

SÃO BENTO RAILWAY STATION

The vestibule of the São Bento Railway Station, at Oporto, has 20 thousand blue and white tiles (azulejos), one of Portugal’s greatest treasures. Made by Jorge Colaço, this tiles cover the walls of the city’s train station and portray historical moments, such as the entrance in Oporto by the king John I with his wife Philippa of Lancaster, or the conquest of Ceuta. A colorful frieze was also added to these walls, dedicated to the history of the transports in Portugal. The station’s name derived from a Benedictine monastery built on this place in the 16^th century named São Bento de Ave Maria.

Visit Oporto and get to know the Portuguese history http://www.travel-tailors.com/detalhado.php?i=170

LIVRARIA LELLO, OPORTO

The Livraria Lello at Oporto is a famous bookstore, considered as one of the world’s most beautiful by the newspaper “The Guardian” and the Lonely Planet travel guides.

In 1906 it was inaugurated the Livraria Lello complex, one of the most emblematic Gothic Revival buildings at Oporto, highlighted in the urban landscape. The architecture and the decorative elements show this beginning of the century dominant style. The façade has an enormous arch, with a central entrance and two shop windows at both sides. Above there are three rectangular windows with a figure at each side, representing “Art” and “Science”.

Inside the bookshop there are busts from famous Portuguese writers such as Antero de Quental, Eça de Queirós or Camilo Castelo Branco. In 1995 the bookshop was restored and it was created an area to an art gallery and another one to social gathering.

The complex most distinguished traces are the decorated ceilings, the great stained glass window with the inscription “Decus in Labore”, which means “Honor in Work”, and the enormous staircase that gives access to the first floor.

This bookstore was the scenery to some scenes of the Harry Potter movies, which is not unusual since J. K. Rowling lived for a few years in this Portuguese city.

Visit Oporto and lose yourself at the Livraria Lello http://www.travel-tailors.com/detalhado/lang_en

SLEEPING IN A YURT AT SERRA DA ESTRELA

The Serra da Estrela (Mountain Range of the Star) is the highest mountain range in Continental Portugal, with more than 6,500 feet high. There are many activities you can do at Serra da Estrela such as skiing, relaxing in natural pools, in the fluvial beach or go out to nightclubs. But one of the newest experiences is resting at a yurt in an EcoResort.

The Vale do Rossim offers you this experience by lodging you at yurts, inspired in the central Asia traditional ones. They’re similar to tents, but their structure resists to bad weather. Every yurt has a hydromassage bath and a salamandra - a heating system with firewood. The resort also has SPA services, a lounge bar and a restaurant where you can taste the typical Portuguese dishes. The Serra da Estrela cheese is an appetizer you should not miss!

Stay lodged at a yurt http://www.travel-tailors.com/contacte-nos

ROSSIO RAILWAY STATION

In the heart of Lisbon since 1889, the Rossio Railway Station connected the capital with the rest of the country. Nowadays, it connects Lisbon with its surroundings, and it’s the final station of the Sintra’s rail. In 1919, Rossio was one of the stations where the “ghost wagon” was used. The “ghost wagon” consisted on a security system which main goal was to avoid the strikers’ sabotage in the 20s.

In 1932, the first mystery train left Rossio. It was a train that left at the weekend in a previous settled hour, but the passengers didn’t know its final destination. In 1943, the Lusitania Express, a train that connected Lisbon to Madrid, made its first ride, making its last one in 1995. Nowadays it has been replaced by the Lusitania Train Hotel.

Discover Lisbon http://www.travel-tailors.com/detalhado.php?i=378

PALÁCIO DA BOLSA, OPORTO

The Palácio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Palace) is a monument in Oporto, built in the 19^th century by the city’s Commercial Association in a neoclassical style with Palladian influences. It is located in the historical center of the city, which was declared World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.

St Francis Church

The palace is beside the St. Francis Church, which was part of the St. Francis Convent, from the 13^th century. But due to a fire in 1832, during the Portuguese Civil War, the cloisters of the convent were destroyed and the church was the only part of the complex that remained. In 1841, Queen Mary II, winner of the Civil War, donated the convent ruins to the merchants of the city, who used them to build the Commercial Association. By 1850 the palace was already finished, but the interior decoration was only completed in 1910.

The most well-known room of the palace is the Arab Room, built between 1862 and 1886, decorated in an exotic Moorish Revival style and used as a reception hall for heads of state visiting the city of Oporto.

Visit Oporto