Portugal is an incredible holiday destination for lovebirds and there are options for all sorts of couples. Whereas it is a break to celebrate a special date, a honeymoon or just an escape from the  frantic daily routine without the kids, our country has some perfect romantic hideaways.

Vhils, Bordalo II, Vanessa Teodoro, Mário Belém, Aka Corleone, Mr. Dheo, Eime, ±MaisMenos±, Tamara Alves, Hazul, Add Fuel... the names flow as their skills, creativity and imagination.
What used to be perceived as a degrading art of the marginalised is now considered "proper art" and used as an innovative vehicle of information and change in various fields. Read about the impact of Portuguese street and urban art in this journal post.

Portuguese have always loved their beer, but truth is we didn’t have much to choose from. In a country where the noble drink is wine, beer always came second. However, a few years ago small breweries started to pop up from north to south and the whole beer scene changed radically...

Every year Christmas approaches and we start thinking about the family members that are about to return home from abroad, eating the so awaited cod and roasted turkey, cosy nights by the fireplace and Christmas decorations. And outside the house there’s some kind of a “competition” going on...
From north to south there are several spots on the run for “Sparkly Destination” or “Santa’s Paradise” and other Christmassy titles. Picture everything from trains, to ice skating rinks, massive Christmas trees and even real reindeers!
​There are many places worth visiting during this time of the year and here are some of the very best.

From north to south, June is all about the summer celebrations, more commonly known as Santos (saints).
They have their origin in the summer solstice pagan rituals. This phenomenon, that creates the longest day with daylight and marks the beginning of summer, can be witnessed in the northern hemisphere around the 21st of June. Before Christ celebrations were thrown to  praise the sun, the light and the fire and, at the same time, people asked the gods of fertility to ensure good crops for the following months.
Afterwards, with Cristianism spreading fast all over the country, the Church took over this celebrations and changed them to the 24th, the day St. John the Baptist was born. Later on, the 13th and the 29th were added to the religious festivities calendar to pay homage to St. Anthony and St. Peter. These are the three main saints celebrated in June and are considered the patron saints of the month. 

Changing temperatures have blurred the seasonal boundary and nowadays Portugal can be explored from north to south almost all year round. The weather plays an important role, but it is not the only reason why people have started venturing off the beaten path and looking for less known locations. Travellers want to discover and truly get to know the most authentic regions, to find well preserved locations and have real local experiences.​
That's why we have tried to come up with the best places to visit in each month. With that said, some of them can and should be visited more than once, ideally in different times of the year, as the landscapes change abruptly and the feeling you get is very different.

The summer festivals season just started and many interesting ones are yet to come throughout the next 3 months. Portugal is known for having festivals well organised, in beautiful settings, with engaging audiences and real summer weather.
Here are #mybookpack top picks!

Date: June 8th – 10th  | Location: Parque da Cidade, Porto
Price: Day Ticket 55€, 3 Days Ticket from 85€ to 110€.
Started yesterday, for the sixth edition in Portugal. This European Festival, called by the organizers a “gourmet version” of the mother festival (Primavera Sound Barcelona), brings independent pop music to Porto at one of its best locations: Parque da Cidade. More than a beautiful green park, it’s a wide place that ends at the sea, just by Matosinhos beach. Full care is taken on the food and drinks stands. And, as if this wasn't already a good reason, listening to Justice, Bon Iver, Alphex Twin, Metronomy and Richie Hawtin definitely is!  If you are in Porto or around, hurry up to get the last tickets for Saturday.