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Showing posts from December, 2020

Best things to do on New Year's Eve in Porto (if we weren't on a pandemy)

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If you are coming to Porto for the New Year's Eve celebration you have made an excellent choice. Not only Porto is one of the liveliest towns in Portugal in the last night of the year, but also because you can take your time to get to know the city better, a city full of history, culture and heritage. Of course, this situation can't be applied to the current year since we are in the middle of a terrible pandemy caused by Covid-19 virus (SARS-Cov-2). We hope that next year will be better so we can enjoy this beautiful place with friends and family. Now, let's check some of the best activities to do in this special night. Enjoy the Christmas Lights  Christmas and the New Year's Eve in Porto are two major events for all people in Porto, and experienced with great intensity and joy by all of those who visit the city this time of the year. As always, Porto has lit up the city with light and illuminated Christmas Trees.      Warm up with wine and chocolate at the Port Wine Ce

6 Reasons Why Portugal's Douro Valley Should Be on Your Bucketlist

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An unforgettable road trip or train journey through Portugal awaits you in the mesmerizing Douro Valley, located just 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of the city of Porto. Sought out by curious travelers looking for an up-close-and-personal introduction to Portuguese viniculture, visitors get more than insight to port wine production-find out why the Douro Valley is one of the places in Portugal that locals are most proud of and make sure to add it to your travel bucket list. The world’s oldest demarcated wine region Boundaries were determined for the Douro Valley’s vineyards in 1756, making it the oldest demarcated wine region in the world. Grape harvest and wine production goes back 2,000 years, however, and the support of the people led to the vineyards’ recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The terraced fields on either side of the Douro River are breathtaking and unique to the region.  Experience Port wine production and help in the harvest Port wine   is the Douro Va

The 4 different types of Port Wine

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Port wine is most commonly enjoyed as a dessert wine because its richness. There are several styles of Port, including red, white, rosé, and an aged style called Tawny Port. While much of the Port we see in the supermarket is of average quality, there are many fine Port wines that are highly treasured and cost several hundred dollars. Let’s get up to speed on this fascinating, historic sweet red wine . There are several styles of port, but the 2 major styles of Port include a red Port with more berry and chocolate flavors (and slightly less sweetness), and a tawny-colored Port with more caramel and nut flavors (and more sweetness). Older, fine Tawny Ports have an even wider array of subtle flavors including graphite, green peppercorn, hazelnut, almond, butterscotch, and graham cracker. Look for wines aged for 30 or more years for this level of complexity! There are many different official categories of Port, but most fall under these 4 categories: Ruby (Red) Port: a deeply-colored red

Tio Pepe: the wine cellar in Porto where you taste the best wines from around the world

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Founded in 1986, the space has passed through three generations of the Cândido da Silva family. It is not difficult to find nº 51 on Rua Eng. Ferreira Dias. The exterior of the Tio Pepe cellar is imposing enough to attract attention.  The interior aspect is phenomenal, starting with the floor, that is similar to the typical Portuguese sidewalk, stroked and then treated with a kind of varnish. The effect is not only beautiful but practical. All the decoration is sober, but elegant, and the display of the bottles is well made.  Portuguese and foreign wines, spirits and cognac, spirits, whiskey, sparkling wines and champagne, liqueurs, Port and muscat are displayed in the various rooms of the wine cellar. There are whites, reds, rosés and greens. Everything is air conditioned, especially a special space, the “Sala dos Portos”. It contains a remarkable set of Port wines and other fortified wines (like Madeira).  No ordinary wine enters the cellar without someone from the team tasting it fi

5 typical dishes to try in the Douro Region

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The (good) gastronomy is an essential factor for the decision and choice of the next trip. For this reason, it is easy to see why Portugal has become an emerging tourist destination and one of the great havens for most international tourists.  The Douro region is one such example. The diverse landscapes and the pure and healthy environment give rise to succulent, tasty and varied ingredients that, washed down with a delicious homemade seasoning and combined with the art of good cooking, high quality and informal climate, make Douro gastronomy one of the most appreciated in the world. parents. From meat to fish, from appetizers to desserts, everything is delicious and deserves to be enjoyed leisurely, overlooking a golden and immense valley. And so that you can try the most typical Douro dishes during your trip, we have collected the best snacks that cannot be missing from your gastronomic itinerary. We will show you some ofd the most famous typical dishes from the region. Francesinha F

Three villas to visit in Douro

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Along the Douro valley there are farms that are worth a visit, not only to harvest or admire the view but to spend a quiet night along the banks of this beautiful river. In this guide we will present you with 3 villas that you must visit in this beautiful region. Quinta do Vallado Quinta do Vallado, established in 1716, is one of the oldest and most famous estates in the Douro Valley. It is located on the banks of the Corgo River, a tributary of the Douro River, right next to its mouth and close to the town of Peso da Régua. It belonged to the legendary Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira and remains to this day in the hands of her descendants. Acquired in 1818 by António Bernardo Ferreira (uncle and father-in-law to Dona Antónia), Quinta do Vallado’s main activity was the production of port wine, which was sold by the family’s port house – Casa Ferreira. This occured until 1987, when Casa Ferreira was sold. During this period, Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, great-grandson of Dona Antónia Adelaide

Harvest process in Douro: How the real Port Wine is made

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The end of summer marks the beginning of one of the most important seasons in the Douro: the beginning of the Harvest. Find out here, how to make real Port wine starting with the grape harvest to its aging in the cellars. In September, one of the most important seasons in the Douro begins: the beginning of the Harvest. During the day, people work in the grape harvest, a manual and labor intensive process. At night, the voices are raised, humming to the sound of the accordion, while embracing, they step on the grapes until all the berries are crushed. Although it is a relaxed and party atmosphere, the work is hard at this time, which is the highlight of a long year of work for wine growers. Discover the harvesting process in the Douro, which gives rise to the delicious Port Wine, which begins with the grape harvest and ends with the wine aging. The grape harvesting process Source : Observador “Agosto madura. Setembro vindima.” A portuguese dictate that older people say. September is the

History of the Douro region

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Source : Best Lisbon Travel Guide The Douro, in the northeast of Portugal, is one of the great and historic wine regions in the world. The vine has grown there since antiquity and it is known that the Romans made wine on the steep banks of the Douro River during their long occupation of the Iberian Peninsula. Later, after the ordination of the Kingdom of Portugal in the 12th century, the country became an important exporter of wine. However, it was only in the middle of the 17th century that the Douro region became the source of what we know today as Port wine. It was the Treaty of Windsor, signed between England and Portugal in 1386, that sowed the seeds for the emergence of this great classic wine and the transformation of the Douro region into one of the most considered wine regions in the world. The treaty established a close alliance and a strong commercial relationship between the two countries. Many English merchants settled in Portugal, where the treaty had granted them special