Porto is a historical Portuguese city located on the hills along the Douro River estuary in the north-east part of the Iberian Peninsula with a Mediterranean climate that is cooled somewhat by the Atlantic ocean that laps at its shores. The city’s history as home to the Portuguese bourgeoisie and affluent foreigners has earned it a reputation for being more refined and wealthy than the rest of Portugal and people here, whilst still Portuguese, definitely distinguish themselves from the rest of the country’s population.
When exploring the city of Porto, most people choose to start in the Ribeira area and venture through the World Heritage Site area of the old city centre, taking in the Port Wine Cellars and a museum or two such as the Fundaçao de Serralves (a contemporary museum with a beautiful garden and Art Deco Villa) or the Casa da Musica. Popular things to do when in Porto on holiday are to visit the Dragäo Football Stadium if you are a football fan or take a cruise along the Douro River or simple stroll around the old part of the city taking in the lovely old architecture and making the most of those pleasant cafe terraces.
If you have managed to save a little money on accommodation in Porto, venture out for a meal. Typical dishes here include “Tripas a moda do Porto” a tripe dish that is very traditional but for the brave only! “Francesinha” a dish that consists of toast stuffed with various types of meat, covered with cheese and a spicy sauce – like most traditional, local dishes, it is very filling and hearty – best eaten with a glass of beer. If you are on a tighter budget, you don’t have to miss out entirely on the local culinary experience – head to one of the city’s bakeries and try some of the delicious Portuguese pastries washed down with a good strong coffee.
Porto is not a huge city and is the ideal size for exploring on a weekend break – especially if you like city breaks but would like to be near the sea.
Getting in and out of the city by air means flying to Sá Carneiro Airport which is just 15 km from the city centre with an airport shuttle bus running to Praça da liberdade in the centre for just a few euros. You will find low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and Easyjet operating between cities like London Stansted, Liverpool, Marseille, Frankfurt and Porto.
Archive for June, 2010
A quick guide to Porto
June 25th, 2010Salzburg for beginners
June 20th, 2010Fancy a European getaway with a difference? Have you considered Salzburg? This surprising little Austrian city has a lot to offer the discerning traveller looking for a unique destination so read on if you know nothing about Salzburg but are interested in a location that offers beauty and a wealth of culture…..
Salzburg literally means “salt fortress” and is famous mainly for being the birthplace of Mozart and for its incredibly well preserved historical city centre which the UNESCO declared a World Heritage Site in 1997. This delightful city with its cobbled streets, horse-drawn carriages and tempting coffee shops was used as the setting for part of the famous film – The Sound of Music starring Julie Andrews. It would appear that there is more of a fan following of this film outside of Austria than within the country itself and those foreign fans can get their fix of musical fun by tagging along at one of the Sound of Music Tours offered in and around the city.
Salzburg is located on the banks of the River Salzach, north of the Alps, so the stunning baroque architecture is not the only beauty that you can find here, a short trip out of the city will take you to places of spectacular natural beauty too. The locals here speak Austrian German and a German dialect known as Austro-Bavarian. If you know a little German, you should get by just fine.
Tourists generally flock to a few main sights which include the Salzburg Cathedral, Mozart’s birthplace and residence, the Hohensalzburg Castle and the whole historical part of the town centre. The Salzburg Music Festival which takes place every year over the summer months also attracts a lot of visitors to Salzburg so bear this in mind if you are planning to visit the city in July or August as flight prices go up and budget accommodation in Salzburg fills up early,
You can see pretty much all that the city centre has to offer in a weekend but a four or five day break is ideal if you intend to take a trip out of the city and get a glimpse of those beautiful Alps. Salzburg – a great choice in my opinion for an original European city break
Valencia by neighbourhoods
June 14th, 2010Valencia is a beautiful Mediterranean city with an enviable location, climate and colourful cultural life. Valencia’s history and cultural diversity is reflected in its different neighbourhoods. Here is a quick guide to the three main areas of the city to hopefully help you choose which one you would most like to stay in on your trip to Valencia.
If you are travelling to this part of Spain in search of sun and fun or you are with small children, the beach area is probably the best bet for you. You will find the coastline on the eastern side of the city and they all have attractive seafront promenades lines with bars, cafes and shops. The main beaches in Valencia are Malvarrosa Beach – which is famous for its nightlife, Alboraya Beach and Las Arenas Beach.
Another popular choice with tourists when choosing their accommodation in Valencia is obviously the historic city centre, known as El Barrio del Carmen. This is where you will find the city’s charming cobbled streets, narrow lanes and historic buildings. This is, in my opinion, the most attractive part of the city for just wandering and enjoying a tasty coffee on one of the cafe terraces and watching the world go by. This neighbourhood runs from the Central Market to the dried out Turia River bed which has been converted into an attractive park. The Carmen neighbourhood is home to some of the city’s best nightlife as well as its best museums and most important historical monuments.
If shopping is your thing, head to the Casanovas area which has Calle de Colon in the middle of it – a long avenue dotted with great shops and cafes as well as some excellent restaurants. This is the ideal place to discover the more modern, more commercial side to this old Spanish city and take in some of the glamour as well as the history.
If you only have a few days to spend in Valencia, it is worth choosing the location of your accommodation carefully bearing in mind what you want to get out of the city. Having said that, Valencia is not a sprawling European city like London or Paris and is fairly easy to navigate using the efficient local transport if you do want to see all of the neighbourhoods and get a more balanced idea of what Valencia is all about.
Stockholm on the cheap
June 6th, 2010Stockholm is a notoriously expensive European city, but that is not to say that you have to rule it out as a destination if you are a budget traveller. As always, with a little careful planning and research you can enjoy this city without your wallet feeling the strain too much. Here are some tips on free sights, cheap accommodation and student discounts in the Swedish capital.
The first piece of advice I would give to anyone staying in Stockholm for more than 2 days and looking to save money is to invest in a Stockholm Card. This card can be bought at the tourist information office and will allow you to enjoy free public transportation and entry to over 70 of the city’s museums and attractions. It costs SEK 375 for 24 hours, SEK 495 for 48 hours, and SEK 595 for 72 hours for adults. If that still seems a little expensive to you, then you should consider just heading to the free sights and museums which include the National Museum, Army Museum, National Maritime Museum, Historical Museum, and Royal Coin Cabinet, as well as the city’s Cathedral which is free from May to August. If you are a holder of the ISIC (International Student Identity Card) you are eligible for discounts on all kinds of tourist attractions and even meals out in restaurants and travel deals in travel agents.
As for cheap accommodation in Stockholm, it is not particularly easy to come by but there are definitely cheaper and more expensive areas that you can book in. As you may expect, Gamla Stan is the most popular with visitors for its central location and picturesque appearance, and it is therefore the most expensive neighbourhood in terms of tourist accommodation. An alternative is Sodermalm. Sodermalm is in the southern part of central Stockholm and is full of alternative restaurants and bars and slightly more affordable hotels. It is a little further away from the tourist attractions but that really doesn’t have to be an issue as the city is pretty small and the public transport is very efficient.
Hopefully, with these tips in mind you can enjoy a fun holiday in Stockholm without your budget suffering too much!
Valencia with kids
June 4th, 2010Valencia is an ideal destination for families with children of all ages thanks to its extensive selection of stimulating indoor and outdoor activities not to mention the delicious local cuisine and mild climate. Whether your kids prefer the beach, museums, theme parks or wildlife – Valencia will keep them (and you) happy. Read on for some of my personal favourites….
The Bioparc is a place where you can observe animals in their “natural” habitat. It is located in the dried up bed of the Turia River and covers over 100,000 m2. Animals from the Savanna, Madagascar and Equatorial Africa roam around and this alternative zoo gives you a chance to see them up close. The rest of the Turia Gardens are also nice to wander around, play sports or have a picnic.
Malvarosa Beach and Playa de las Arenas are just 15 minutes away from the city centre by tram and offer a beautiful, clean place for you to soak up that glorious Mediterranean sun and for your children to play with the sand and splash around in the clean, shallow waters. There are also some playgrounds dotted along the sea front if they get bored with the sand.
If you have a little money to spend and want to treat the kids to something really special (or its raining), you can always head to the L’oceanografic, Europe’s largest aquarium, or to the City of Arts and Sciences where you can easily spend the whole day and enjoy entertainment for all members of the family.
In the old centre of town you can hop on a sightseeing bus and treat the kids to a delicious Horchata (a sweet milky drink, often served with sweet buns called fartons) or chocolate and churros (hot chocolate and doughnuts) on one of the pleasant café terraces.
If the children are not frightened of a lot of noise and commotion, bring them to Valencia during Las Fallas, the local firework night; it is out of this world and will turn your trip into one they will always remember.
