 Sintra-Cascais Natural Park is a protected area with 145 square km that includes not only an incredible natural heritage, but also very rich historical sites. It's close proximity to Lisboa, explains why it used to be the chosen holiday retreat for the royal family and many other wealthy families, who longed for fresh air during the summer.
Nowadays it remains a perfect relief from the hustle and bustle of the city and a great place to disconnect and get immersed in nature, no matter the season. Even winter is a great time to visit it, mainly due to the fact that during the colder months it is very quiet and the misty landscapes become even more magical. These are some of the reasons why you should visit Sintra Cascais Natural Park!
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 On our When to Go Where in 2020 article we chose Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina Natural Park for July 2020. This protected area is located in the southwest coast of Portugal and is a famous summer holiday destination for many reasons. In fact, this territory has so many highlights that it's hard not to fall in love with it and keep coming back to confirm why.
 Serra de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park is a protected area with almost 40.000 hectares located in the central part of the country, in the region of Beira Litoral.
Inside the park there are some small towns with a laidback atmosphere, where tourism has been growing in a slow and sustainable way, promoting and preserving the natural and cultural heritage. The drive from Lisboa takes about 1h and from Porto 2h, making it a great destination for a long weekend or even a base camp for some longer holidays. The surrounding area also has many points of interest, which we’ll write about in more detail.  We've once again come up with a "When to Go Where" as we have done in the past couple of years. For each month of 2020 we selected a destination in Portugal which for some reason we feel is just perfect. Read this post if you are in need of some travelling inspo.
Parque Natural do Douro Internacional (PNDI) is quite a challenging name, but it's one worth keeping in mind. The natural park covers part of 4 different municipalities: Miranda do Douro, Mogadouro, Freixo de Espada à Cinta and Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo. Each area has its own highlights, but it's possible to cover the main ones in a 2-day road trip. Below we tell you about some of the main reasons to visit.   Portugal is one of the finest destinations in Europe for birdwatchers. Despite its small size, our country comprises a big concentration of distinct habitats, which attract a wide array of bird species, from tiny ones to others with a large wingspan. In total there have been registered almost 450 different wild birds across the country.
In this journal post we tell you some curiosities about birdwatching in Portugal so grab your binoculars, field guide and notebook.  Portugal’s southern coast is a famous summer destination for both Portuguese and foreigners. The sunny weather, golden sheltered beaches, warm sea and delicious seafood are the highlights, which always attracted a huge amount of tourists. However, the rapid tourism growth changed the previously chilled atmosphere of this coastal region and some small towns lost their charm along the way… Somehow Sagres seems to be an exception to the rule, particularly after peak-season, and below we tell you why it should be on your bucket list.
 This is the ultimate aim: achieve a balanced life.
We need to juggle family, friends, work, exercise, meditation (and so on) without loosing it. The trick is establishing the priorities, defining the goals with achievable timmings and working inside out towards them in a conscientious manner. With enough time to reflect, evaluate and humility to recognise our flaws there is always room to improve. Below are some ideas to ease the mind and (re)gain quality of life, all attainable whilst enjoying our beautiful country.  Serra da Arrábida Natural Park is a protected area with 16.521 hectares located in the central part of the country and by the sea. It extends from Sesimbra to Palmela, already in Setúbal, and the whole southern stretch is bathed by the Atlantic Ocean.
June is a terrific time to explore this part of the country because the weather is nice, it's not as crowded as it is during July and August, and the natural scenery is a stunner. Below we’ve highlighted some of the main reasons to visit this natural reserve.  With Spring threatening to settle in it's time to plan an escape to the countryside of Alentejo. Serra de São Mamede Natural Park was considered a protected area 30 years ago, on the 14th of April, and occupies an area of 56.000 hectares. We've elected this natural park as our April destination for 2019 and in the article below we'll let you know why.
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