Tuesday, 05 January 2010 21:44
We wanted to share some changes we are working on for Portuguese Tourism in the coming year. The biggest thing we have done, realizing how important immediate information is these days, is to totally revamp our media resource center at www.InsideportugalTravel.com. We started by surveying you last summer, then looked at the leading news sites in travel. Next, we created a new website that lets you find news, deals, and ideas about travel to Portugal.
The site has retooled navigation, and is aimed at the media, not the consumer. And, it is the most comprehensive source for news on Portuguese travel and tourism. That is because we translate news straight from Portugal that, for the most part, would never appear in English. So, this is the excusive place to find new hotels and resorts, restaurants, travel deals, trends, story ideas, new places and museums, plus cultural, architectural, historic and adventure offerings… Please join our RSS subscription by clicking on the top RSS icon " SUBSCRIBE VIA RSS ".
We are also revamping this newsletter to make it shorter, and link back to breaking news on our site.
Portugal saw an increase in U.S. visitors this summer, and set a record for Americans arriving by cruise ship. Americans helped increase the incoming market ranking to the 9th largest and the 6th largest in terms of spending.
What has changed is the traveler’s desire to justify the need to travel. Portugal offers one of the most unique experiences in Western Europe, a fresh culture and new destinations that are distinctly unique. These characteristics are evident from our Fado, to our Manueline architecture, to our grilled sardine, and cutting edge new eateries reinventing the best of Portuguese food. Additionally, our 100-plus unique grape varieties, Portugal’s ancient history and culture combined with new modern hotels integrated into the landscape show our advancements while maintaining the charm of the ancient culture.
Then, there is the fact that the vast majority of Portuguese hotels are locally owned and managed, and while we offer a nice array of international brands, their share of the market is much smaller than in most Western nations. This means that you get an authentic Portuguese experience at our hotels, with just enough international flair to make it the perfect stay.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*** INSIDE THIS MONTH'S EDITION ***
1. THIS MONTH'S TRAVEL SECRET
2. NEWS
3. PACKAGES/DEALS
4. EVENTS
5. EATS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. THIS MONTH'S TRAVEL SECRET: Flores
If you stand on the beach at Faja de Baixo and look out at the sea you can imagine that there is nothing but water between you and the eastern coast of the
United States. Behind you, 40 waterfalls cascade down soaring cliffs. There is not a more enchanting place than Flores, and its tiny neighbor Corvo. Together they make up the Western Group of Azorean islands – over 150 miles from the Central Group, Flores’ landscape is quite different from the rest of the
Azores, it feels younger, and windswept.
Flores western coast is a flat slice of land, called a Fajã, running from the cliffs of the mountain plateau to sharp black rocks and beaches along the Atlantic. Tiny towns, with white washed houses flow to the sea, and a dozen of waterfalls splash from the cliffs behind them. In this mild climate, there are cedar forests, tidal pools, and trails to climb to the waterfalls, and even ponds to swim in at the foot of waterfalls.
The central mountain plains are dotted with seven crater lakes, all easily accessed by foot or car, all at different heights, so that some are actually higher than others that fall along side. The landscape here is like an English moor with lines of hydrangeas that follow the roads that rise and fall with the green landscape. Sheep, goats and cattle graze amid the dark crater lakes, and rabbits dash back and forth from the brush.
The southern coast is home to the former whaling town of Lajes das Flores, where the black ramp leading up to the former whaling factory is still the best way to the rocky beach. Old tripots and whaling implements are on display at the factory. Nearby restaurants serve the fresh catch of the day, and a 19th century church crowns over the village.
Follow the ocean road north through cedar forest to the main town of Santa Cruz on the east coast. The small island of Corvo, shaped like a giant tear floats 30 miles off the coast, its 300 inhabitants living in the island’s only town, Vila Novo do Corvo. The wild and open place is accessed by a 10-minute flight, ferry, and by tagging along on a local fishing boat.
Pleasant, white, and riding high black sea cliffs, Santa Cruz boast most of the island’s simple eateries, many run by fishermen and their families, as well as a whaling museum (with lots of New England artifacts, and all sorts of bottles of whale oil), and numerous churches. The town offers a few basic hotels, and plenty of activity in its ports.
Follow the road north along steep sea cliffs to the northern town of Ponta Delgada, with its lighthouse and open coast. From here trails stretch back miles to the south coast, perfect for hiking. There is no access for cars, and the landscape is green, wild, and natural. No village or sign of life can be found for miles, as the centuries old footpaths lead through waterfalls, and striking sea views back to the westernmost coast in Europe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. NEWS:
Troia Golf Championship Course one of the Best in Europe
Olive Oil route in the Trás-os-Montes
The Historic Palácio de Maiorca will become an Inn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. PACKAGES/DEAL:
++ Lisbon for $969
Exploring Lisbon is easy and affordable with Azores Express/SATA’s new travel packages. Fly from Boston and stay six nights in the city for just $969 per person this fall. Packages from Boston to Lisbon, via the Azores Islands, depart Tuesdays and Fridays through mid-June 2010, and include a six-night stay and breakfast at a choice of three hotels. Tuesday departure packages cost from $969 to $1,769 per person, double occupancy, plus tax. Travelers can also chose a package that combines a stay in São Miguel in the Azores for the same $969 base price. Children under six yrs pay only child’s airfare and children under 10 yrs pay 10% of the hotel rate, plus airfare. New this year is the elegant, centrally located Tivoli Jardim, a 4-star hotel just off Lisbon’s Avenida da Liberdade in the heart of the city’s main shopping district and minutes from most major sights. Visitors can also chose from Lisbon’s stylish Hotel Azores Lisboa, a modern 4-star hotel in the city’s business and shopping district, and the Hotel Mundial, located right in the heart of the city’s center. Recently restored, the Mundial, was famed as a center of espionage during World War II. Lisbon sits on the north bank of the Tejo River, where the river meets the Atlantic. Azores Express/SATA has connected New England with the Azores and mainland Portugal for more than 20 years. Today it offers direct flights on a wide-body A310 aircraft to São Miguel, the main island in the Azores archipelago. Connecting flights from São Miguel to Lisbon and/or the island of Madeira are available. The carrier is part of the SATA Group. For more information and reservations, contact Azores Express/SATA at 800-762-9995, www.sata.pt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. EVENTS:
++ Peixe em Lisboa 2010
The 3rd edition of “Peixe em Lisboa” or the Lisbon Fish & Flavors festival will run April 10 to 18, 2009 in Lisbon. More than 20 national and international chefs will unveil the mysteries of seafood to offer a mouthwatering assortment of dishes. At Pavilhão de Portugal, from noon to mid-night, every day, visitors will be able to find special areas dedicated to Lisbon’s regional products - olive oil, bread and the famous ginjinha liquor plus 2 wine bars, 2 beer bars and one dedicated to spirits will also be available for tasting. Lisbon Fish & Flavors offers a magic combination between restaurants, live cooking shows, gourmet products, live music and, last but not least, the best wines and beers. In special areas for restaurants, tasting dishes will be served. If you have never had the chance to go to some of the most famous restaurants in the Lisbon region, this is the opportunity to delight yourself with the greatest chefs’ creations.
Informative shows will also take place featuring the best Portuguese and international chefs who will emphasize the importance of fish in a balanced diet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. EATS: Ginja
++“I try will to forget, with a few ginjinhas. For giving a drink to pain is the best way to do that….”
- from one the many Fados that speak lovingly of Ginja
Ginja is a flavorful, sweet cherry liqueur and is the unofficial drink of Portugal’s capital. Trying it is a rich and affordable experience. Two centuries ago Lisbon was surrounded by fruit orchards. The local bitter cherries mixed well with the local brandy, or aguardente, making ginja. Tiny ginja bars sprung up around the Rossio, the heart of the city, some no larger than a doorway. Many survive today, offering their own small-batch of locally produced ginja, fondly called a ginjinha by the locals. Two are quite famous. Next to the Arco da Bandeira, there is a little ginja house that in the 1830s was a hotbed for revolutionaries, poets, Fado singers, and artists. The Tendinha was captured in song in the Fado “Tendinha” as made famous by Amalia Rodrigues. Still there, some 180 years later, it now boasts a modern 1960’s interior, and views of Lisbon’s main square. A few blocks away is tiny ginja bar the size of a doorway-literally room for 3 customers, so have your ginja outside with the other locals on the Rua Portas de Santo Antao. The Ginja Sem Rival, or ginja without equal has been run by one family since the 1840s, and offers a small glass of ginja for about 90 cents. But the ginja is all home made, and the bar proudly boasts that its product has never won or competed in any competition. Be prepared for the classic ginja question: with or without fruit, as ginja is bottled with sour cherries, that are optional when served. They have quite a kick, but we suggest you try them.
Portugal National Tourist Office