Monday 29 September 2014

2014 REPSOL GUIDE – TOP 4 PORTUGUESE RESTAURANTS: OCEAN

 http://www.travel-tailors.com/detalhado.php?i=263

According to the Repsol Guide of 2014, there are 4 Portuguese Restaurants that you should consider for an incredible lunch or an amazing dinner.

The gourmet restaurant Ocean is located in Vila Vita Parc Resort, in Porches, Algarve. Its chef, Hans Neuner, won the title of Chef of the Year both in 2009 and 2012, and its whole team won 2 Michelin Stars in 2011. The restaurant only serves dinner and it's closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

If you wish to, you can even enjoy your meal from the terrace, where there is an amazing view of the Atlantic Ocean. Besides weekly menus of gourmet cuisine, Ocean offers a selection of excellent wines from all over the world.

Thursday 25 September 2014

LARGO DO PAÇO - BEST EUROPEAN RESTAURANT

 http://www.travel-tailors.com/detalhado.php?i=284

The restaurant of Largo do Paço, of Casa da Calçada & Chateaux Hotel, in the city of Amarante, was elected the Best European Restaurant by the biggest European site of suggestions about restaurants and bars: The European 50 Best Restaurants. The site gathers the opinions of thousands of consumers, accepting only a vote per computer.

The restaurant has 1 Michelin Star and its chef is Vítor Matos. It has an exquisite but cosy environment, as well as menus, balanced between tradition and modernity, that change according with the season. It's open everyday of the year, between 12:30 and 15:00 for lunch, and 19:30 and 22:30 for dinner.

Friday 19 September 2014

COFFEE LOVERS - BEST PLACES IN THE WORLD: OPORTO

 http://www.travel-tailors.com/detalhado.php?i=394

A great place to find excellent coffee is Pérola do Bolhão (photo), a traditional grocery store founded in 1917 in the city of Oporto. Its unique façade is covered in tiles that illustrate the Spice Trade, in a way that is characteristic of Art Nouveau. Pérola do Bolhão sells items such as cheese, nuts, enchidos - cured sausages -, traditional biscuits, wines, and, of course, coffee that you can take home to enjoy whenever you want.

However, if you prefer to have your coffee in a beautiful and historic coffee shop of Oporto, you can visit the Café Majestic, a unique piece of the Belle Époque that you will certainly find very appealing.

Tuesday 9 September 2014

2014 REPSOL GUIDE – TOP 4 PORTUGUESE RESTAURANTS: VILA JOYA

 http://www.travel-tailors.com/detalhado.php?i=263

According to the Repsol Guide of 2014, there are 4 Portuguese Restaurants that you should consider for an incredible lunch or an amazing dinner.

In Albufeira, Portugal, there's a gourmet restaurant in the Luxury Spa and Beach Resort of Vila Joya. It is open from Thursday to Tuesday, for both lunch and dinner, and the dress code is casual elegant. This restaurant also has a wonderful view of the amazing Atlantic coastline.

This 2 Michelin Stars restaurant, directed by the Austrian chef Dieter Koschina, has wonderful dishes that mix Portuguese cuisine with other European cooking techniques. The skill that the chef has for local seafood is very impressive, and some of the most interesting and creative dishes include "Cataplana", a stew with pork, cockles and lobster, and Bacalhau with beetroot coulis and yoghurt.

Wednesday 3 September 2014

THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED SITES IN PORTUGAL #9 - MUSEU DE ARTE NOVA, AVEIRO


http://www.travel-tailors.com/detalhado.php?i=286


According to the website sightsmap.com, Portugal is one of the most photographed areas of the world.
We wondered if some of the photos are yours?

Inaugurated in 2012, Museu de Arte Nova (Museum of Art Nouveau) is considerate to be one of the most emblematic buildings of Aveiro. This Museum gathers information to build a guide of Aveiro’s Art Nouveau, so the visitors can explore it at their own pace and as they wish to.

The building is divided into three floors. The ground floor has the Map of Art Nouveau’s Network, the Tea Room and the Music Room. On the first floor, there’s the Gallery of Art Nouveau Artists, the Room of Aveiro’s Architects, the Interpretative Exposition and the Auditorium. Finally, the last floor is reserved for temporary Art Exhibitions.

Monday 1 September 2014

THE MISSING ISLAND


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You probably heard of Atlantis an island kingdom mentioned in Plato’s work. Controversy abounds around the real versus mythical nature of this island. Atlantis is one of the biggest mysteries in world history and literature.

What’s this to do with Portugal?... Well some say the Azores are the lost Atlantis… of course some others say Atlantis is now underwater and closer to the Bahamas, and still others that it never really existed. Those trying to push the Azores theory argue based on the location, its natural setting, and more recently even tried to use some underwater vestiges as extra evidence. Regardless of the real truth, the Azores and their pure untouched vegetation are a magical destination.

An archipelago with nine islands, the Azores are the result of a cultural melting pot which cooked over many centuries. Here you can see dolphins and whales flirting in a boundless ocean. In fact, the Azores are currently one of the world’s largest whale sanctuaries. You can spot more than 20 different types of cetaceans... that’s a third of the total number of existing species! Diving is another exciting activity available in the Azores. Day or night, sand or rock, caves or shipwrecks, you chose which diving experience you want… or you can also bring it down a notch and enjoy some calmer snorkeling in the crystal-clear waters around the islands. Finally if you want to pay homepage to those courageous whale hunters, the Azores are a world top destination for big-game fishing. The Azores are known among others for its large quantities of bluefin tuna and enormous blue and white marlins.

The Azores are much more than its surrounding water though. Of volcanic origin, its islands display blue and green lakes, deep green pastures, extinct volcanic craters, and rare plant species. One of its islands, Pico Island, is classified as World Heritage and boasts the highest mountain in Portugal (“Pico”). With its pristine vegetation, Mount Pico is home to some of the best views and hikes in the world. The volcanic origin of its islands also allows for some unique food experiences. In the Azores you can cook underground using the heat from special holes on the ground called “fumarolas”. Finally, other experiences include horseback riding, hiking, golfing, canyoning, bird watching, surfing and paragliding.

Whatever brought these nine islands together, made sure each of them kept its own identity. When you visit the Azores, make sure to save time to visit as many as possible. You’ll understand why being Atlantis or not is irrelevant, and how magical places still exist just a few hours away from Europe’s mainland.

Don’t wait until Atlantis disappears again: visit the Azores!