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.
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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. 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...
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.
Everyone knows we do not joke around when it comes to food. Portuguese absolutely love meal times and they’re important at a social level. Most celebrations mean gatherings around the table, where food and wine always play a lead role.
Grandmothers are usually the ones responsible for the mouthwatering menus, from the appetisers to the decadent desserts. Main dishes are cooked without rushing following old family recipes and Sunday is the favourite day to have long lazy lunches. In Trás-os-Montes, the region located in the northeast of the country, there is a peculiar tradition about to take place…
In October temperatures tend to decrease a fair bit, particularly in the mountainous regions. When the thermometer lowers people start craving for hot beverages, blankets and a cosy fireplace to stay warm. Aldeias do Xisto are a great destination during this time of the year. There you’ll find a curious mix of genuine people, comfort food and beautiful natural landscapes, which creates the perfect scenario to really unplug from the frantic rhythm of the daily routine.
Late Summer and beginning of Autumn means it’s vindimas, what we Portuguese call the harvest season. In the main wine-making regions, such as Douro, Alentejo and Dão, producers and local workers are busy cutting the grapes from de vines, bunch by bunch. It’s hard work, but as we start preparing the delicious and world-known Portuguese wine it’s also time to celebrate!
Walking is free, relieves stress, sparks creativity, helps you sleep better, is a great way to stay fit without intense physical effort, and the list goes on… Everyone is well aware of the uncountable benefits of walking on a daily basis and it is fairly easy to squeeze a short walk here and there on weekdays and a longer one during the weekend. However, holidays tend to ruin good habits and the walking routine is replaced by the tempting moto “eat, sleep, repeat”. What if you could pair both and go for a “walk, eat, sleep, repeat” kind of day?
Rota Vicentina is the perfect place to do so. It matches spectacular walking trails, beautiful beaches, fresh and delicious food and peaceful villages where relaxing and going offline seems almost mandatory. Algarve is the southernmost region of Portugal, cornered against the immense Atlantic Ocean. This Portuguese region has been home to many civilizations throughout the years. Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans and Moors all left a little bit of their heritage behind, which is still present in different fields such as architecture and art. In fact the word azulejo (tile) comes from zulaich, which means “small rock” in arabic.
When speaking about Algarve the first thing people mention is naturally the beautiful beaches. They are definitely a great reason to visit, specially if you’re in need of a vitamin D boost, but despite its stunning coastline Algarve is still an amazing destination. The peaceful vibe, the natural landscapes, the food and the historical heritage are also good enough reasons to visit. So instead of soaking up the sun at the beach, we challenge you to discover the other Algarve. |
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