Podcasts about douro river

The vibrant energy of Porto, Portugal comes to life through Cheryl's detailed account of her day and a half in this charming riverside city. While many travelers automatically gravitate toward Lisbon, Cheryl makes a compelling case for Porto's superior atmosphere, describing it as less touristy yet rich with authentic Portuguese culture.From the moment she steps off the train from Lisbon, Cheryl's adventure unfolds with visits to the famous Livraria Lello bookstore (which she recommends booking first thing in the morning to avoid crowds), the stunning Igreja dos Carmelitas with its iconic blue tiles, and the panoramic views from Clérigos Tower. Her exploration continues along Rua de Santa Catarina where local artists display their talents, though she cautions about distinguishing original artwork from printed replicas. The São Bento train station emerges as an unexpected highlight with its magnificent azulejo tile murals depicting Portuguese history.The crown jewel of Cheryl's Porto experience comes at sunset, where she describes climbing the hill past Ponte Luis I bridge to an old monastery vantage point. There, street performers create a lively soundtrack as the sun bathes the Douro River and Porto's terracotta rooftops in golden light. This magical moment, coupled with the city's walkability, rich architecture, and the unforgettable taste of authentic port wine, solidifies Porto as Cheryl's preferred Portuguese destination. Whether you're planning your own Portuguese adventure or simply dreaming of European travels, this episode provides both practical tips and the inspiration to discover Porto's unique charm. Have you considered Porto for your next solo adventure?Instagram @solotraveladventures50Facebook community: Solo Travel for Women Over 50 https://www.facebook.com/groups/860865768609200Send me a message or share your solo travel story with me.https://www.speakpipe.com/SoloTravelAdventuresLeave a review:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solo-travel-adventures-safe-travel-for-women-preparing-for-a-trip-overcoming-fear-travel-tips/id1650161410

Spanning the Douro River, the Dom Luís I Bridge in Porto provides a unique moment of calm in the early hours of the day. The recording captures the peaceful atmosphere, where the distant calls of seagulls and the quiet hum of the city fill the air. In this tranquil setting, the Metro train makes its dramatic entrance, its sound gradually building as it approaches, becoming louder until it passes by, leaving only the faint echoes of its journey. The bridge remains still, with the occasional shift of air and the gentle sounds of the river below, all while the city begins to stir.  This recording encapsulates the quiet tension between the city's calm morning and the inevitable passage of time marked by the Metro's presence. UNESCO listing: Dom Luís I Bridge Recorded by Serge Bulat. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world's most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage

Today on part 2 of our series, we're heading north to the magical city of Porto. Those visiting this charming city can enjoy breathtaking views of the Douro River, Porto's unique bridges, and the beautiful tile work at the famous Sao Bento train station.Show Notes ⬇️Published on 1/10/25Timecodes0:00 - Intro2:18 - The Train to Porto2:12 - Lunch and Free Time in Downtown Porto3:39 - Sunset Walk Along the Douro River7:43 - Porto Walking Tour9:27 - Livraria Lello Bookstore 10:03 - Pastel de Nata Baking Class11:21 - Experiencing the Douro Valley13:16 - Exploring Two Premium Wineries and Sampling Different Wines13:46 - Relaxing on a River Cruise Along the Douro River14:14 - Review of Eurostars Aliados HotelOur Itinerary for Porto and The Douro ValleyDay 3Train from Lisbon to PortoArrive PortoDrop Bags (Eurostars Aliados Hotel)Lunch and Free TimeSunset Walk Along The Douro RiverDinnerDay 4Porto Walking TourLunchLivraria Lello Bookstore Pastel de Nata Baking ClassDinnerDay 5Day Trip to Duoro ValleyDinnerIf You Need a Photographer in PortoJoana Cardoso - Porto Wedding Photography (Instagram)JOANA CARDOSO PHOTOGRAPHY (Website)Meet Joana in Porto (Flytographer)Here's What we Booked in AdvancePorto: Old Town and City Highlights Walking TourPorto: Pastel de Nata Cooking ClassFrom Porto: Douro Valley Wine Tour with Lunch and CruiseEurostars Aliados HotelLivraria Lello Bookstore TicketsFollow Destinations Beyond Expectations onFacebookInstagram

This spring I put together a small group tour to #Portugal and the #DouroValley - We began our journey in one of my favorite European cities, #Lisbon and made our way north to #Porto. I partnered again with Riviera River Cruises. This time on the River Boat, Riviera River Cruises, The Douro Splendour as this itinerary really fit a slower more intentional experience.⏱️TIMELINE⏱️1:00 Douro River is a different river cruise1:21 Beginning in Lisbon2:15 Hotel Real Palacio3:34 Belem (sites to see)4:54 Transfers & Tour - We Hate Tourism Tours (tell them I sent you!)5:36 Fatima6:27 Coimbra7:10 Porto7:45 Riviera River Cruise8:14 Salamanca Day Trip8:57 Castel Rodrigo9:40 Pinhão10:09 Lamego10:49 Pacheca Winery11:30 Meeting friends of a feather12:00 until next time Portugal!Interested in joining me on a group adventure? We have a few spots left for 2025 - here are our small group tours for Europe!Welcome to the Travel with Wendy PodcastI travel the globe interviewing really cool people and small hospitality businesses and tourism businesses from around the world. Join me each week as I discover and share something or someone new. It's always an adventure when you Travel with Wendy!Support the showContact information:NewsletterBlogVlogPinterestYouTubeFaceBook

What to expect on a river cruise through Portugal's most storied wine region

Are you ready to explore Europe's most iconic wine regions from the comfort of a luxury river cruise? In this episode of Travel Agent Takeaways, we chat with Kim Vaughan, Regional Sales Manager for AmaWaterways, to talk about the AmaWaterways' unique ‘Celebration of Wine' cruises. With over three decades in the industry, Kim shares her insights on what's different about these cruises and the exclusive experiences they offer.Learn about the onboard wine hosts, the regions and times of year to enjoy these journeys - from the lush vineyards of Bordeaux to the scenic Douro River in Portugal. And if you're looking to create a memorable group experience, this episode is packed with valuable tips and inspiration. What wine region would you most love to explore on a river cruise? Connect with me via LinkedIn or email to share your thoughts, I'd love to hear from you!Resources and links mentioned in this episode:Kim's Email (VIC, TAS, SA): kimvaughan@amawaterways.com Christine's Email (QLD, WA, NT): christineoliver@amawaterways.com Kylie Chapman (NZ, ACT, NSW): kyliechapman@amawaterways.com AmaWaterways: https://www.amawaterways.au/Celebration of Wine River Cruises: https://www.amawaterways.au/explore/wine-cruises/2025Travel Agent Portal: https://www.amawaterways.au/agent-registrationReservations: resaunz@amawaterways.comAU: 1800 867 126 / NZ: 0800 005 636Connect with Destination Webinars:Charlie Trevena LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlietrevena/ Charlie's Email: charlie@destinationwebinars.com.au Destination Webinars Library: https://www.destinationwebinars.com.au/webinar-library/ Destination Webinars Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/destinationwebinars Destination Webinars LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/destination-webinars/

Join us as we chat with Chris Fundell from Globus Family Brands about his recent journey to Portugal aboard the Avalon Alegria. This brand-new ship on the Douro River offers an immersive experience, visiting charming towns, world-renowned vineyards, and Michelin-starred restaurants. Avalon Waterways continues to innovate, with enticing itineraries in France showing a 30 percent rise in bookings. Next year, look forward to new one-, two-, and three-week voyages on the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers, offering a blend of culture, history, and adventure. Don't miss out on the latest deals and offers from Avalon Waterways, perfect for planning your next getaway. Plus, stay tuned for an exciting competition announcement that could see you cruising in style. Subscribe at cruisepassenger.com.au/rivercruise to keep up with the latest in river cruising news and opportunities.

This week, we are discussing Avalon Waterways on the Douro River with Hillary from Avalon Waterways. Welcome to this week's Cruise Chat! If you find value in this video and wish to help this channel, you can donate using this link: https://bit.ly/KathleenPenner. . Video Requests: info@PlentyofSunshineTravel.com. . I loved meeting with Hillary and learning more about the Avalon experience on the Douro River. . Why Choose Avalon Waterways? Avalon Waterways has the youngest fleet of ships on the Rivers of Europe. As Hilary said, "We are the youngest Fleet in the water. We don't refurbish our ships; we build new ships." . Avalon Waterways currently has 17 ships. . Avalon has a brand-new ship ready to hit the river! She is called Avalon Alegria. She is smaller than other ships, with only 51 staterooms and 102 maximum guests onboard. This is almost half the amount of their other ships. . With a Guest-to-crew ratio of 1 staff member to 3 guests, you know you will receive the personalized attention that Avalon offers. . One of the itineraries that they offer on the Douro River is: Vida Portugal Vineyards & Villages along the Douro, with 3 nights in Lisbon. This is 11 days. • With Avalon, excursions are also included in the land portion of your stay. Since Avalon is part of the Globus family of Brands, they have connections and relationships with the area, so you will love your extended stay. . All of the transfers are included. Day 1 - Welcome to Lisbon - 5-star accommodation will await you. Day 2 - Explore Lisbon and see Bellum Tower and Monument to the Discoveries. If you choose, you have an optional excursion this evening with a traditional Portuguese dinner at a live concert. Day 3: Another classical excursion awaits you. This time, you will visit the magnificent palace of Mafra, a traditional UNESCO World Heritage site. You w the Royal Palace by a Basilica and convent. Monument of Baroque and the architecture of that Day 4—This is where you're going to ship today. Your transfer is fully included. You will stop along the way for a Lisbon, Coimbra, and Porto tour with a local guide. You will also visit the oldest university in Portugal. Day 5 - Today, you are in Entre Os Rios with an excursion to Braga and Guimaraes. Choice of guided sightseeing in Braga and Guimarães or a Romanesque tour. Day 6 - You are in Peso Da Regua, with a choice of guided sightseeing in Peso da Regua and Lamego or a farm visit with a tasting treat of their Portuguese food. Day 7 - In Pocinho. Today, you can choose guided sightseeing in Freixo de Numão or guided sightseeing in Vila Nova de Foz Côa. Day 8 - In Barca D'alva, guided sightseeing in Salamanca or guided sightseeing in Freixo de Espada à Cinta. Day 9 - Caldas De Argegod You have an excursion to Amarante, where you can learn in a tile painting workshop and get guided sightseeing in Amarante. Day 10 - we are back in Porto, and you will enjoy a Porto experience with guided sightseeing. Day 11—You are headed back home today—unless, of course, you would like to extend your stay. . Avalon is all about Choice. You can choose to do many excursions and split up with your family to enjoy your excursions and share your stories with your travel companions. . If you want to learn more about Avalon Waterways or any of the other cruise lines I have met with, please email me at info@PlentyofSunshineTravel.com. . You can also fill out this simple form: https://bit.ly/3mxFUNd, and I will get back to you. . Subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell to ensure you catch all upcoming cruise videos. . If you want to see the images in this week's episode, click HERE to visit our YouTube Channel. . #AvalonWaterways #avalon #douro #douroriver #dourovalley #CruiseSpecialist #CruiseGuru #travelagenttips #luxurytraveladvisor #LuxuryCruiseTravelAgent --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cruisingthewavespodcast/message

We explore Porto & drive just over an hour to the Douro River & Valley staying in traditional Quintas along the way, cruise the river on Ravelo boats from the traditional town of Pinhoa.

Wandering Works for Us PodcastDate: 26 April 2024Title: Douro Valley and Port wine tours in PortoSummary of EpisodeIn this episode, we take you up the Douro River to the Douro River Valley and to the port houses of Vila Nova de Gaia to give you an in depth account of the tours we have taken. The Douro River Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in northern Portugal, is a breathtaking region renowned for its stunning landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and world-famous wine production. This picturesque valley stretches along the meandering Douro River, which carves its way through rugged mountains and terraced vineyards, offering visitors a unique and unforgettable experience.The other end of the Port wine trade is in Vila Nova de Gaia at the port cellars. Once the wine is made, it is shipped down to Porto to age. Lucky for us, there are many cellars open for tours and tastings. Key Topics[02:00] Douro Valley Tour [0700] What you get on a set up tour[11:50] Lunch [14:00] Boat ride up the Douro River[19:00] planning your own tour of the Douro (see blog post for suggestions)[24:50] Port houses and cellars[28:50] Sandeman tour[33:50] other options for tastings[39:25] Ferreira tour[43:45] what's coming up next!Important Links To follow all of our antics and adventures, please visit our social media pages and our website at wwforus.com! You can send us a message at any of these places and feel free to email us at wonderingworksforus@gmail.comInstagramFacebookTiktokYouTubeThreadsDouro Valley Blog PostPort Cellars blog postI mention a free sheet that tells you about the port cellars in Gaia. You can get that here.Thanks to Everyone who has been so supportive!Special thanks to all of you who have commented, subscribed, got in touch on social media, and have supported us in some way. We love you and appreciate it immensely!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/wandering-works-for-us/donations

Embark on an alluring escapade with Z Michelson and special guest Denise from Globus, as we traverse the lush landscapes of Portugal and delve into the undeniable charm of vintage TV. Prepare to have your senses tantalized with rich tales of vineyard glory alongside memories of "The Honeymooners," sparking a delightful fusion of cultural exploration and nostalgic musings. Denise brings the Douro River to life, with her recount of wine tastings and the intriguing subtleties of cork production, while I unveil the promising horizon of river cruises and the anticipated arrival of a new ship ready to set sail.Our podcast journey doesn't anchor there; we cast off to Peru's majestic terrains where Machu Picchu's ancient wonder awaits. Globus Escorted tours present a family-friendly adventure for all ages, where the verdant Amazon meets the Galapagos' unique charm. Stateside sojourns are not to be overlooked with scenic train odysseys and hidden American gems like Mackinac Island. As your podcast captain, I'll steer you through the essentials of a Globus tour and share how to secure those coveted excursion spots. Remember, every week brings travel trivia and a chance to share your tales – aim high, for every journey, whether reaching for the moon or the stars, is an adventure to cherish with Z Michelson.

This is the weekly columnPorto (port wine) often is mistaken to be a depth-of-winter libation sipped while gazing at a roaring fire, the finale to a robust meal. Porto certainly works in that scenario, but you miss out if you so limit your porto possibilities.Port can be enjoyed any time, including chilled in summer. In fact, tawny port is best appreciated slightly chilled. Ruby port and vintage port are best around 60-64 degrees. More about port designations in a bit.Here are the basics. Port/porto is a sweet, fortified dessert wine made in Portugal and identified by the word “Porto” on the label. The name comes from the city of Porto, the second-largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.Porto, Portugal — Creative Commons 2.0Porto and its sister city, Vila Nova de Gaia, are on opposite banks of the Douro River in western Portugal. Grapes for making porto come down the Douro from vineyards in eastern Portugal. Grape-laden barges arrive in Gaia and go to “lodges,” where porto is made. The wine is made in Gaia, then shipped out of Porto.Some 80 different grape varieties are permitted in porto making. Five are the most common: touriga nancional, touriga francesa, tinta roriz (aka tempranillo), tinta barroca, and tinta cão. Fermentation starts, but when it reaches six-to-nine percent alcohol fermentation is stopped by adding brandy. That brings the final ABV to some 20 percent. Porto is sweet, but tannins and racy acidity balance things out. Then the defining element of porto commences—aging.The aging regimen prescribes categories of porto:• Vintage Porto. Sits atop porto hierarchy. Made from best grapes in quality vintages. Very age worthy—coming into their own in decades rather than years. Oak influence is somewhat muted because they only spend two years in barrel, but then they spend years in bottle before release.• Late-bottled. Wines spend four-to-six years in oak. Oak aging smooths things out, but the wine is less sophisticated—and less expensive—than vintage.• Tawny. Experiences long aging in wood—10 to 40 years. The number of years usually is prominent on the label. Mellow, nutty, woody, dried fruit. Features oak more than quality grapes, although there are many examples that feature both.• Ruby. Entry level porto. Usually ages two-three years in oak. Often blended with older wines to create a consistent house style.Tasting note• Warre's Vintage Porto 2016: Plush dessert in a glass with alcohol oomph (20%). Elegant, balanced, charming. Sweetness deftly paired with excellent acidity, fine-grained tannins. $100-110 Link to my reviewLast roundHome is where cat hair sticks to everything but the cat. Wine time.Email: wine@cwadv.comNewsletter: gusclemens.substack.comWebsite:  gusclemensonwine.comFacebook:  facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/posts/Twitter (X): @gusclemensLong form wine stories on Vocal: Gus Clemens on Vocal This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe

Join our host, Ken, in a captivating conversation with Sheri Clarke, Co-owner of PT Travel, as they unravel the allure of Portugal and the Douro River on this exclusive episode of RTE-Travel Talk.

This week we continue our conversation with Tim and Audie about the real reason they headed over to Europe, to enjoy a week-long river cruise on the Douro River in Portugal and Spain. River cruise is a different pace and a different kind of experience than an ocean cruise - is it right for you? You'll have to listen to find out!Tim and Audie are travel agents with The Magic For Less. You can find them online at Meet Tim & Audie Lawley - The Magic For Less or shoot them an email at lawley@themagicforless.com.We've known Tim and Audie for over a decade, so we want to make it clear that this is not a sponsored episode. That said, if you're looking for a great agent to work with tell them we said hi!----Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattlites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own.Instagram, Twitter, Facebook: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

This week the America's Land Auctioneer radio show is hosted by Carolyn and Maurice Covington. The couple shares all about their recent travels to Spain and Portugal and what travel has been like so far in 2023. They also discuss the new visa that will be required by US citizens entering Europe. The couple dive deep into the terroir of Northern Spain and Portugal's wine regions. The couple also shares about their experience sailing down the Douro River and recommendations they have for anyone visiting Spain or Portugal. Follow Kevin at www.americalandauctioneer.com and on Instagram & Facebook

If you're thinking of relocating to Europe, you'll want to know all about the Golden Visas. We talk about the most welcoming countries. Also, a wrap on our two-part voyage down the Douro River in Portugal.

Great to be talking with Tony again, who's gearing up for his next trade mission for US realtors looking to discover and enjoy Portugal..."Will 2023 be the year you finally visit Portugal and the real estate opportunities???… If so begin making plans and start packing your bags as we got you covered… Accept our invitation to Infinite Solutions's upcoming Marvel and Experience #TRADEMISSION #PORTUGAL Spring 2023…❖ Full all-inclusive itinerary of 7 nights / 8 days exploring Porto; the Northern Minho Region and Galícia in Spain, as well as discovering real estate opportunities, from March 10th through the 17th… View full itinerary below and see full VALUE!!!…We look forward to presenting our beautiful Portugal as well as why it should be on your list of Countries to not only consider moving or investing and additionally presenting to your investor clients!!!❖ Some of the highlights of our full all-inclusive itinerary…✅ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Hotels ✅Discovering Porto; the Northern Minho Region and Galícia in Spain✅Sample the gastronomy and wine with visit to several wine estates and museum✅ Visiting the birthplace of Portugal (Guimarães) ✅Cruise on the Douro River with wine tasting✅Visit Premier Property Developments in Porto / Minho Region and Galícia - Spain

MAY 2021Hello!  I've made the move to Porto, Portugal!  I love it here and back into my routine!  The Douro River and all the bridges that cross it create so much beauty!   Thanks for listening!In this episode:New Airbnb in Porto, PortugalBack into a routineSelina Co-Working spaceDouro RiverWebsite  I  Instagram  I  Twitter  I  LinkedIn  I  YouTubeEmail: actorbobtapper@gmail.comSupport the podcast: patreon.com/bobtapperAirbnbwww.airbnb.comSelinawww.selina.comDouro RiverA World Heritage Site Support the Show.

Porto, Portuguese Oporto, city and port, northern Portugal. The city lies along the Douro River, 2 miles (3 km) from the river's mouth on the Atlantic Ocean and 175 miles (280 km) north of Lisbon. World-famous for its port wine, Porto is Portugal's second-largest city and is the commercial and industrial center of the zone north of the Mondego River. The historic center of Porto was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996.Joe and Sal met in Chicago in 2005, Joe is originally from Illinois, and Sal was born and raised in Mexico City. Prior to their meeting, Joe lived in Chicago for over 15 years and Sal lived there for over 4 years. In 2014 they left Chicago and since then, they have lived in Phoenix, AZ; Albuquerque, NM; and Houston, TX. Tired of the corporate BS and bureaucracy they decided to take a leap of faith and aim for early retirement in Europe. This became a reality in November of 2020 when they packed a few suitcases and embarked in search of a new life in Portugal with their 2 adorable Labrador retrievers Gaby and Uriel. In 2021 they cemented their immigrant commitment by acquiring a small condo in Porto, and since then they have been welcomed in their adoptive city free of stress or judgment, enjoying life, local wines, cheeses, food, as well as wonderful hospitality, and hundreds of years of culture and history that this beautiful country has to offer. 

Porto, Portuguese Oporto, city and port, northern Portugal. The city lies along the Douro River, 2 miles (3 km) from the river's mouth on the Atlantic Ocean and 175 miles (280 km) north of Lisbon. World-famous for its port wine, Porto is Portugal's second-largest city and is the commercial and industrial center of the zone north of the Mondego River. The historic center of Porto was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996.Joe and Sal met in Chicago in 2005, Joe is originally from Illinois, and Sal was born and raised in Mexico City. Prior to their meeting, Joe lived in Chicago for over 15 years and Sal lived there for over 4 years. In 2014 they left Chicago and since then, they have lived in Phoenix, AZ; Albuquerque, NM; and Houston, TX. Tired of the corporate BS and bureaucracy they decided to take a leap of faith and aim for early retirement in Europe. This became a reality in November of 2020 when they packed a few suitcases and embarked in search of a new life in Portugal with their 2 adorable Labrador retrievers Gaby and Uriel. In 2021 they cemented their immigrant commitment by acquiring a small condo in Porto, and since then they have been welcomed in their adoptive city free of stress or judgment, enjoying life, local wines, cheeses, food, as well as wonderful hospitality, and hundreds of years of culture and history that this beautiful country has to offer. Support the showIf you enjoy these podcasts, please make a donation by clicking the coffee cup on any page of our website www.wheredogaysretire.com. Each cup of coffee costs $5 and goes towards bringing you these podcasts in the future.If you or you know someone who is interested in being a guest on the podcast, please contact me at mark@wheredogaysretire.com. Please join our Where Do Gays Retire Facebook group at Where Do Gays Retire? | FacebookThank you so much for listening!

This week Darren & Paige are in Portugal. Why Portugal? You have to listen to find out. They talk about some of the travel tips they have learned over the last eleven years of traveling together, including what not to pack and how to tip your waiter.Why Portugal? Resort in Praia Del-Rei Porto Coimbra Travel tips  It might be cheaper to travel from a different airport. SFO was about half as much as flying out of SMF for use. It might be cheaper to rent a car one way than to pay for parking. Check it out before you rule it out. Stay in some place central where you can make day trips into the different cities. We have done this on multiple occasions. Plan out an itinerary but be flexible. We had a rough idea Before you fly Get snacks for the flight Try and switch to a better seat. Unless you are my flight. Have a battery backup or charger for your devices Download shows to watch before getting to the airport. Bring a blanket or sweater. Airplane temperatures are hot and cold depending on who has control of the thermostat. Check out the travel documentation requirements. Including COVID. They are changing all the time. Clothing Do your homework and pack accordingly. Light rain jackets are always good. Proper shoes or sandals. On Paige's first trip outside of the US, she brought plenty of proper shoes. Eating Tipping customs Times restaurants are open or closed. In Portugal, everything is closed down from 3-7pm. What kind of food is local in the places you are visiting. If you are visiting different cities, they have different dishes. Bring snacks in your carry-on and in your suitcases. We have been in situations when nothing was open when we landed or got to the hotel. Find the local hangouts. Ask your uber driver and even someone at the front desk. It is cheaper than the typical tourist areas. Understand the local customs with food and restaurants. Just because bread is free in America, it is not accessible in most places. They may even put it on your table and not tell you how much it costs. Hydration. We are over hydrated in the US and in Europe. Most times, the water is as expensive as soda or beer. Craziness for us. Find out if you can drink the local water. Websites should have this information. Driving and Transportation Look at the travel blogs and Reddit for tips on traveling in a foreign country. Rental cars can give you flexibility if you are exploring. Toll roads are big in almost every country in Europe.  Look at trains and subway systems for big-city transportation. Parking can take time and cost lots of money. UBER and Lyft are great alternatives. Lemonade Moment of the WeekAfter exploring Porto with sore feet and tired bodies after a long day, Darren & Paige walk along the Douro River and find a wonderful evening of music and food.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Become a Patreon supporter at www.themidnighttrainpodcast.com   This week we're taking the train across the pond for another creepy adventure. That's right, we are doing one of our creepy episodes! It's been a while so we figured it was time. This week we are headed to what some people say is one of the top scariest countries in the world! Not only that…we know we have some awesome listeners here. This week we are headed to creepy Portugal! We are gonna try our best to find the coolest, creepiest places for you guys. I'm just going to assume there's going to be a bridge in here someplace.  So without further Ado.. Let's fucking rock and roll!!!   So first up we're gonna do a little history lesson. Will keep it somewhat sorry and sweet since if we got into the complete history of a country of the age of Portugal, it would be an entire episode on its own. To get there history of this country we went to the source, portugal.com and an article written by Goncarlo Costa.    The history of Portugal starts many ages ago, when the so-called Iberian tribes inhabited the territory of today's Portugal. Then, in the beginning of the first millennium BC, Celtic tribes invaded and intermarried with the local Iberians, creating what is now known as the Celtiberians.   The Lusitanians, who inhabited the interior region of Portugal since the Iron Age, are considered the forefathers of the Portuguese nation. This is why today we have names like Lusophone, someone who speaks Portuguese, or Luso-American, a Portuguese American person. They were known for successfully fending off the Roman armies until the death of their leader, Viriathus, known as a hero in Portugal.   The tribe was considered a worthy adversary by the Romans, so much that they named the province of the whole territory of modern Portugal (south of the Douro River) and part of western Spain after them.   The Romans left various works, such as baths, temples, bridges, roads, theaters and statues; some of them are still found in different parts of the country.   This lasted until the Barbarian invasions, when Germanic tribes migrated to various parts of the Roman Empire. In Portugal, the territory became controlled by the Germanic in the 5th century. The Kingdom of the Suebi controlled Galicia and the North and Center of Portugal, while the Visigothic Kingdom controlled the rest of the Iberian Peninsula, including the rest of Portugal, until eventually conquering the Suebi and, consequently, the whole of Iberia. This is when the rigid class structure appeared in the country, with a Nobility and Clergy getting more and more political and social power.   In the 8th century, the Islamic Umayyad Caliphate invaded the Iberian Peninsula from the North of Africa. Al-Andalus, the Islamic name for the Peninsula, became a part of the Caliphate, and Portugal with it. The Portuguese kept lots of things from their Muslim past, like many of their words, architecture and the famous ‘azulejos'.   The Christians held on in the North of the Peninsula, creating the Kingdom of the Asturias. This was until the Reconquista, when they reconquered the lands from the Moors, the Muslims.   In this Kingdom, at the end of the 9th century, a county based in the now north of Portugal was established, the County of Portugal. The county grew in power and, at the end of the 11th century, a Burgundian knight named Henry, who was fighting in the Reconquista, was crowned as ‘Count of Portugal' and merged it with the County of Coimbra.   Henry's son, Afonso Henriques, proclaimed himself King of Portugal in 1139 with Guimarães as its capital. This city remains known until this day as the “Cradle of the Nation' by the Portuguese.   However, it was only in 1179 that a papal bull officially recognized Afonso I as king. The Reconquista continued with the Algarve, the south of the country, finally being conquered in 1249, and Lisbon becoming the capital in 1255. Since then, Portugal's land borders have remained almost unchanged, being considered one of the longest standing borders in Europe.   The Kingdom of Portugal remained very important in Europe's (and especially Iberian) politics, waging several wars against Spain, creating an alliance with England (the longest standing alliance in the world, lasting until today) and starting the “Age of Discovery”.   In this Age, the country built a vast empire, having territory all over the world, from South America to Oceania. They started by exploring their coast and adventuring into the Moroccan coast, hoping to continue the Reconquista to the North of Africa. Then, the Portuguese sailors started to adventure into the open sea, when they discovered the islands of the Canaries, Madeira, Azores and Cape Verde. Subsequently, the Portuguese explored the coast of Africa, setting trading ports, and tried to discover the maritime route to India, which they did in 1498, under the explorer Vasco da Gama.   They continued to explore and look for trade around the world, from Africa, passing through Arabia, and reaching Japan, setting several outposts, many of them having developed into colonies later on. In 1500, they reached South America and started the colonization of Brazil.   The Empire started to decline, however, when the Dutch, English, and French got in the game. They started to surround or conquer the scattered Portuguese trading posts and territories, diminishing their power. On the Battle of Alcácer-Quibir, in 1578, Portugal lost its king, becoming part of a dynastic union with Spain that lasted until 1640, when it finally gained its independence again.   After that, the country never became the great power it once was. It lost several colonies (including its largest one, Brazil) and trade routes, it saw its capital being destroyed by an earthquake in 1755 and it was occupied during the Napoleonic Wars.   From then on, Portugal was a minor power in Europe, having just some colonies in Africa and Asia and never becoming an economic powerhouse.   Then, in 1910, due to corruption, dissatisfaction with the several Kings and the loss of claimed African lands to the English, the monarchy ended and a Republic was created. Fiercely secular, to the point where it was antichurch, filed with corruption, government instability and near to bankruptcy, the regime came to an end with a military coup in 1926.   A military dictatorship was installed and then, a fascist-like regime, the ‘Estado Novo' (‘New State'), headed by António de Oliveira Salazar. This period was marked by authoritarianism, lack of freedom and, from 1961, by the Portuguese Colonial War.   All of this ended when, in April 25th 1974, the Carnation Revolution happened, carried out by the Armed Forces Movement (Movimento das Forças Armadas – MFA), a movement of young left-leaning captains of the Portuguese Armed Forces. With the Revolution, democratic reforms were made and the first free elections with multiple parties happened, as well as the independence of all of Portugal's colonies.   It also started the PREC (Processo Revolucionário Em Curso – Ongoing Revolutionary Process), a period when conservative and left-leaning forces inside the MFA confronted each other, marked by political turmoil, violence, instability, and the nationalization and expropriation of private lands. It came to an end on the 25 November 1975, when the MFA moderates appeared as the main force.   Nevertheless, revolutionary achievements were not forgotten, with the Constitution pledging until this day to realize socialism, as well as declaring extensive nationalizations and land seizures as irreversible, many, however, now overturned.   Nowadays, Portugal is one of 15 most sustainable states in the world and considered the third most peaceful. It has high living standards and a good economy. It was a founding member of NATO, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. It entered the European Economic Community (now the European Union) in 1986 and is one of its fiercest supporters, even having produced a European Commission President.   Ok so that's a brief…incredibly brief mini history of Portugal. Really the take aways are…super old, plenty of things happened to make the place creepy over that many years. So let's see what creepy stuff Portugal has to offer!   What better way to start than with a sanatorium! Valongo Sanatorium to be exact. The construction of the Mont'Alto Sanatorium began in 1932. Due to the appearance of a large number of people who had contracted tuberculosis, there was a need to expand the facilities, and these expansion works were completed in 1958. construction of these hospital units were carried out in high altitude places, due to the purity of the air, and also because they were away from the populations to avoid the effects of contagion. The sanatorium only operated for a short period, having been inaugurated in 1958 and closed in 1975, after which it entered a profound state of disrepair. Due to its dimensions, it is considered one of the most imposing buildings of its type in Portugal.Its building is large, with an area of ​​approximately 88,000 m², having been built with a view to housing about 300 patients. The building was designed by the architect José Júlio de Brito , who was also responsible for other prominent structures in the city of Porto, such as the Coliseu or Teatro Rivoli . The sanatorium complex, which occupied nine hectares, also included a school, a laundry room, a water reservoir, and a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Sick.    The installation of the Sanatorium in Valongo was part of a phase in the history of health in Portugal, during which the government undertook the construction of several specialized establishments to combat tuberculosis, a disease that was ravaging the country at the time. This period began in 1899, with the foundation of the National Institute of Assistance to Tuberculosis, which began the construction of several sanatoriums in different parts of the national territory. In 1930, efforts against tuberculosis were renewed in the north of the country, with the creation of the Assistance to Tuberculosis of Northern Portugal by António Elísio Lopes Rodrigues, and at that time, planning began to build a sanatorium that would house the sick in that region, who had lower economic resources.  Serra de Santa Justa was chosen, where the air was healthier, in addition to being isolated from urban centers, in order to reduce the risk of contagion.   Shortly after, the Sá family donated a plot of land in Serra de Santa Justa, allowing the construction of the building, whose works began in 1932.  However, the works were suspended due to lack of funding, having been resumed due to the support of the local populations.  On July 5, 1940, ATNP began building the Casa de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, to support the children of the sanatorium's patients. According to the Diário Popular of 3 January 1956, the finishing works and equipping of the sanatorium were already under way, and it was expected to be completed during the following year, and that it would have a capacity for 350 beds.  However, the works were only completed in 1958.  Another reason for the delay in the work may have been the opposition by the Companhia das Minas de São Pedro da Cova to the construction of the building, because it was being installed inside an area destined for coal mining, a few kilometers away from the mines.  However, at the time of the sanatorium's inauguration, mining was already entering its final phase, ending up closing in 1970.  Some of the users of the hospital were the mine workers themselves, who suffered from occupational diseases such as tuberculosis and silicosis . The Sanatorium of Monte Alto was inaugurated on 1 November 1958,  being the last one to be opened in Portugal. The inauguration ceremony included a religious service at the Chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Enfermos, the unveiling of a commemorative tombstone, a tribute to the League of Combatants of theFirst World War, and concluded with a port of honor offered by the board of directors. of the sanatorium.  During the ceremony, the admission and accommodation process of the first clients, all veterans of the First World War, was also carried out. Although it was planned for three hundred patients,  its initial capacity was only fifty beds, and during its operation it accommodated 350 people.    In the early 1970s, there began to be greater control over the tuberculosis disease, which began to be fought in a different way, through the outpatient system.  In this way, the sanatoriums ceased to be useful, and were progressively abandoned or underwent a process of readaptation for other purposes.  In the case of the Montalto Sanatorium, the closure process began in 1972,  due to the low number of tuberculosis patients in the Porto District.  At that time, the building already had only a few patients, having been thought of its adaptation as a psychiatric hospital or for the returnees from overseas, which did not advance.  Due to the process of closing the Sanatorium, Casa Nossa Senhora da Conceição ceased to function as a boarding school, starting to support only external students. The building was abandoned after the April 25 Revolution , when the last employee left, although it was only officially closed in 1975.  Following its closure, it was completely looted, being a of the main reasons its connection to the Estado Novo, as it was mostly built and used during that regime.  This connection to the Estado Novo also had a negative impact on the collection of funds, making it impossible to carry out works on the building. It was also used as a training ground by firefighters and civil protection, who performed drills there and destroyed some walls.  Later, the sanatorium was used for paintball games and photo shoots, and various ceremonies related to the supernatural, such as rituals, were also performed there. The building was also hit by several fires, accentuating its degradation. History is awesome and fun and you know we love it but…. The reason we're here is for creepiness! There are stories abound of how haunted this place is. Given the numerous people who died there it makes sense to us! So what kind of stuff are we talking about here ? Well, let's look.    Well paranormal investigators have been spending time here for years, when there's no paintball matches going on, to try and find crazy shit! There have been numerous reports of strange noises and things moving around. There have been entities seen and apparitions spotted. It's hard to find much in English so finding pages from Portuguese websites and trying to find studies was tough but we managed to find one study where a group of friends were exploring the abandoned hospital and had some interesting things happen. They talked about how they started hearing strange noises while they were exploring. The noises seemed to be following them around the building. They talked about how they had a heavy feeling around them as they explored. The sounds seemed to keep getting closer to them. They claim that things started getting knocked over and moved on their own. At one point, one of the group claimed they saw a shadowy figure seemingly watching them. At that point they all decided it was time to go! Sounds like a pretty crazy experience!  True or not? We like to think so!   Can't go and episode without fucking tuberculosis… Teatro Lethes:   The building that today is called Teatro Lethes, began as a Jesuit College – Colégio de Santiago Maior, founded by the then Bishop of the Algarve, D. Fernando Martins Mascarenhas -, whose license was granted to them on 8 February 1599. of learning, above all of a religious nature – the “first university in the Algarve”, as someone has called it. In 1759, the Society of Jesus was banned from the country and its goods were confiscated. The College of Santiago Maior closed its doors. With the occupation of Napoleonic troops commanded by General Junot, the premises of the former College were raided and desecrated in order to enlist the soldiers there. Years later, in 1843, the College was auctioned off by Dr. Lazaro Doglioni, who had publicly expressed his intention to build a theater in Faro similar to S.   The Latin inscription on the facade of the building, monet oblectando , can be translated as “instructing, playing”, thus emphasizing the cultural concerns of the promoter of the construction of this concert hall.   The inauguration of Teatro Lethes took place on 4 April 1845, as part of the celebrations for the birthday of Queen Maria II. Later, in 1860, it was expanded by Dr. Justino Cumano, nephew of Lázaro Doglioni. On September 11, 1898, the so-called animatograph was exhibited for the first time in Faro., installed in the Lethes Theater as it is the largest and most distinguished cultural space in the city. It was restored between 1906 and 1908 to improve acoustics and comfort. The decline of the shows and, consequently, of the hall, begins in 1920, with the Theater closing in 1925, having sold the property to the Portuguese Red Cross, in whose possession it still remains. The Lethes Theater room was later ceded, by protocol, to the Algarve Regional Delegation of the Ministry of Culture. In the North wing, restored and adapted in 1991, the regional services of the Ministry of Culture operated. On October 5, 2012, by protocol between the Municipality of Faro and the Portuguese Red Cross, Teatro Lethes recovered its initial design. The Algarve Theater Company – ACTA was installed as a resident structure. ACTA, in addition to presenting shows of its own creation, also promotes hospitality at the Lethes Theater, and is also responsible for managing the equipment. this history was taken directly from the theatre website!   There are a couple stories about this place that prettier day lead to its hauntings. The first is the story of a ballerina who was in love but was not loved back. She was so distraught that she hung herself in the middle of the stage. Some versions say that she was driven to the brink by the demands of theater life. The second is that of a soldier's body that was found inside one of the walls. There isn't as much info on that story as the ballerina. Staff and visitors claim you can hear the ballerinas footsteps in the theater to this day. There are also reports of a shadowy figure moving about as well. Could this be the ballerina still performing for the people? Or the soldier patrolling the theater? Who knows but it sounds like a cool place to visit!! The Castelinho of Sao Joao, Estoril   The area between Estoril and Cascais, out on Lisbon's Atlantic coast, is rife with buildings of character. Many of them are designed to give the impression of miniature castles, indeed some of them were fortified because they were built during times of instability within the Iberian peninsula.   In the 1980s, a wealthy socialite, José Castelo Branco, was looking for just such a property and found one that seemed ideal in Sao Joao, a district on the edge of Estoril. The day he went to view the property was a beautiful sunny one and so he decided to walk along the cliff path which adjoined the property. As he was walking back to the building, he saw a young girl. She didn't speak, but simply stared at him. In his own account of the events of that day, Mr Castelo Branco said that he felt a compulsion to jump from the edge. This feeling was, he believed, coming from the young girl. He immediately elected to leave the property and ruled out buying it.   On hearing what had happened, someone from the local town hall did some research into the building and discovered that a young blind girl had fallen from the cliffs to her death in the eighteenth century and that several people had reported seeing her at the castelinho since, each claiming that they felt a strong will to jump while she looked at them.   Let's check out a cemetery now…cus those are always fun!    This one is called the cemetery of pleasures. After the city of Lisbon was hit by an outbreak of cholera in 1833, causing thousands of deaths,  it was urgent to create a large cemetery for both rich and poorer victims. It has the weird name of  Cemetery of ‘Pleasures', called after the nearby neighborhood (Prazeres) with the same name. Many of its tombs are big mausoleums, some with the size of small chapels.    Most of the Prazeres mausoleums belong to rich, old or ‘important' families, like  the Palmela family. Many of the mausoleums are richly elaborate, have fine sculptures and decorations. There are also statues of the deceased. It's like a ‘city in a city' for the dead, with well-defined lanes (70! ) and funerary chapels that were built to look like little houses.   The unusual thing about a lot of these graves is that they have little “front doors” with glass windows through which you can see the caskets and remnants of the dead and their visitors. Most of the trees are a species of cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), much used in Portuguese cemeteries.   The cemetery is one of the largest in Lisbon.    The Autopsy Room , which was in the chapel until the Morgues were created in 1899, is one of the curiosities that can be seen, as well as the Sala do Acervo , where some of the oldest funeral records can be consulted. This is another way of helping the visitor to interpret the different ways that human beings have had to culturally, socially and psychologically approach Death, throughout different times.   As with the many famous families and celebrities, another thing that adds to some people thinking there's more going on at this place is the presence of many freemason symbols and you know how that gets people talking!    At any rate, being a cemetery you can imagine the tales of hauntings surrounding this place! Everything from apparitions being seen wandering the grounds, to Disembodied voices. People have seen orbs in person and in pictures. I mean being able to see into these little houses and see the caskets and remains is creepy enough…add haunting to that…and it's definitely a place we want to go!   Next up, Quinta Das Conchas   The Quinta das Conchas (or the garden of shells) in Lisbon is best known for its expansive parkland, just to the north of the city centre. Families can be found playing here during the warmer months and countless dog walkers can be seen at any time of the year. The house at the heart of the estate though has a darker past which is lesser known. In the early part of the twentieth century, when Portugal was still a colonial power, the owner of the estate was a wealthy man called Francisco Mantero Belard. Like many of his countrymen, he was accustomed to having servants who took care of the running of his home. So, when he moved into the quinta, he acquired the services of a slave from Sao Tomé and Principe. There was nothing unusual about this at the time, other than that he elected to keep this slave woman in a small cage. She was made to live like an animal and, according to local myth, subjected to a variety of cruel treatment for several years. People working in the manor house in modern times have reported hearing wailing coming from empty rooms, as well as dramatic changes in temperature.   Let's switch it up and talk a little about Portuguese folklore! We're gonna talk about the coco or coca. There are also many other names for this guy or gal including Cucuy, Cuco, Cuca, Cucu or Cucuí. It is a mythical ghost-monster, equivalent to the bogeyman, found in many Hispanophone and Lusophone countries. It can also be considered an Iberian version of a bugbear as it is a commonly used figure of speech representing an irrational or exaggerated fear. A bugbear is described as  a legendary creature or type of hobgoblin comparable to the boogeyman and other creatures of folklore, all of which were historically used in some cultures to frighten disobedient children. The Cucuy is a male being while Cuca is a female version of the mythical monster. In Spain, Portugal, and Latin America, parents sometimes invoke the Coco or Cuca as a way of discouraging their children from misbehaving; they sing lullabies or tell rhymes warning their children that if they don't obey their parents, el Coco will come and get them and then eat them.    Continuing with the mystery surrounding this child scarer, the Coco also does not take on a specific physical form. For the Portuguese it is a dragon that is represented every year in the celebration of Corpus Christi…at least that is what I've source says.. another says: "In Portuguese côco, refers to a ghost with a pumpkin head. The male form is known as Coco, and the female form as Coca. It is said it's hard to tell the difference between the two. It seems that parents are to blame for the invocation of the Coco as a way of punishment for their wayward children. They would sing rhymes warning their children if they did not obey their parents the Coco would come and eat them.".... So a pumpkin headed goblin… Although the Coco was ghostly monster like in appearance, that wasn't the most frightening thing about them. Children would be scared out of their wits at the idea of a monster that could eat them and not leave a trace. So imagine being a child forced to sleep with a lullaby of a monster that was coming to devour them.    Duermete niño, duermete ya…que viene el cuco y te comerá (sleep child, sleep now…or else comes the coco to eat you).   Creepy, so this folk tale seems to have many different versions depending on where you look. We think that due to the fact that many Latin American countries also use this in folklore as well as there being a certain in Brazil, it's hard to actually put the facts together. Every place we looked about this tale had a little bit of a different take, hopefully we got it close as we mean no disrespect to the tales!   You know what else Portugal has…aliens, at least a few. He's a couple stories!    On September 4, 1957, four Portugal Air Force pilots claimed to have seen and chased some UFOs. They took off with their bomber aircraft from the Ota Air Base in Portugal under Captain José Lemos Ferreira leadership (the others pilots were sergeants Alberto Gomes Covas, Salvador Alberto Oliveira e Manuel Neves Marcelino). When they were heading towards the city of Portalegre, Captain Ferreira noticed a light above the horizon and warned the others. The light changed its own sizes a couple of times, first increasing, then shrinking. After several minutes the pilots noticed a small yellow circle getting out of the craft, and 3 more circles appeared later. When the UFOs were near Coruche, the bigger aircraft climbed out of the Earth as the smaller ones disappeared. The bombers landed without any problems and Captain Ferreira declared: "after this, do not come to us with that Venus, weather balloons, aircraft and similar stuff which have been being used as general explanations for almost every case of UFOs".   On September 10, 1990, around 9:30AM and for about 50 minutes, a small "balloon" was seen hovering towards a small football field, on a small village called Alfena in the outskirts of Porto. The object was described as "a small turtle with long legs" with a metallic shine. The people present got scared and a group of construction workers started throwing stones at it, and the object hovered backed away, leaving the site. An amateur photographer took several pictures of the shapeshifting object; the pictures were considered by several experts as real and the witness accounts by the simple folks were not considered hoax.    We also found this first hand account.. "My name is Cristina Marto de Pimental. I am a reporter. On New Year's Eve, December 31, 1997, my husband and I were at a seaside party in Funchal, which is on the South shore of Madeira Island, in the Atlantic Ocean, 912 kilometres East of Morocco. We were watching the New Year's festivities, all the fireworks in the sky. Then several people at the party called my attention to a red and motionless light above Funchal. The OVNI suddenly made a very tight circle, returned to its initial position, and, a few seconds later, it accelerated at great speed in a vertical direction. We were all quite amazed at the sight. A British couple at the festival videotaped the UFO as it hovered. The next day I telephoned the Fuerzas Aereas Portugeses (FAP) headquarters in Lisboa. The Portuguese air force told me that they'd had no flights, neither planes nor helicopters, and no satellites were over Madeira at that time."   Whoooooo aliens!!!   Time for some quick hitters, you beautiful bastards!   Quinta da Paulicea, Agueda:   Not far from the city center of Águeda, Quinta da Paulicea sits in the middle of large unkept plot of land surrounded by a wrought iron fence. It is the classic image of what a Hollywood haunted house should look like. It was inhabited by an Águedense family, who had moved to Brazil in the late 1800s, but returned in the early 1900s, naming the home after the city of São Paulo. Much of the family succumbed to the influenza pandemic in 1918, with the exception of Neca Carneiro. He was a patron of the community's sports and cultural programs but died childless at the young age of 37. The home has sat vacant ever since, due to legal constraints with the family back in Brazil. Although not certified as haunted, there are many reports of supernatural encounters at Quinta da Paulicea. Some have heard the neighing of horses where the stables once stood. Others have been frightened by the sound of a shotgun blast or a gentle pulling on hair. A worker in the garden suddenly experienced such an intense headache that he fled and never returned. Whether haunted or not, this beautiful home has many stories to tell.   Mines of São Pedro de Cova – Gondomar:   The village of São Pedro da Cova was largely an agricultural community until the discovery of coal in the 1802. The exhausting and dangerous industry of mining soon took over. Several generations of miners worked here until low oil prices forced the mines to shut down in the 1970's. All that's left of the mines are these ruins. Neighbors say spirits of the miners protect the ruins and the mine shafts. Others claim to hear screaming from the deep holes.   Termas de Água Radium, Sortelha:    Legend has it that this beautiful structure, in the Guarda District, was built by Spanish Count Don Rodrigo after learning that the natural “healing waters” might cure his daughter's skin disease. News of the waters quickly spread. In the 1920s, the site became a restorative spa known as the Hotel Serra da Pena. In actuality, the waters were radioactive, seeping from a uranium mine not far away. Radioactivity was all the rage in the 20's and 30's, so the site bottled the spring water and sold it under the name “Radium Water.” Of course, after radioactivity was studied further in the 40's, it became apparent that the healing qualities of radium water actually carried the opposite effect. The hotel went out of business in the 50's and has been abandoned ever since. It is said the site is haunted by the many people who drank from the contaminated spring.   Sanatório da Serra da Estrela – near Covilhã:   This massive structure was built in 1936 by Portugal's railway department as a treatment facility for its employees suffering from Tuberculosis. The building was later leased to the Portuguese Society of Sanatoriums on condition of receiving all patients needing treatment.  However it was closed in the 1980's and left to deteriorate for decades to come.  Rumors circulate that it is haunted by its many former patients.  The Sanatório has now been refurbished and transformed into the luxurious new Pousada Serra da Estrella.   Quinta da Juncosa – Penafiel, Rios de Monihos:    This old farmhouse was home to the Baron of Lages and his family.  The Baron was very jealous, and suspected his wife of infidelities.  Legends have it, the Baron tied his wife to a horse and dragged her around the farm until she died.  After discovering his wife was innocent, the Baron killed his children and committed suicide.  They say the Baron's guilt keeps him from resting in peace.  Ghosts of the Baron and his wife are said to be seen around the property.   So we did this episode in honor of our Portuguese listeners who have keep us in the top 10 in Portugal for quite some time. We thank you guys so much for that. But we have one request for you…in every creepy episodes so far until this one…we've found a haunted bridge, Texas had like 50. In all of my searching the recesses of the Internet, I could not find a single reference to a haunted bridge in Portugal, we need our Portuguese listeners to hit us up and let us know any stories about haunted bridges. It was tough to find a ton of information on a lot of these places so hopefully we did them right! If we made any mistakes or got anything wrong, you know what we say…blame the Internet!! Movie list   https://www.indiewire.com/gallery/best-body-horror-movies/

Our 200th episode kicks off a series of podcast episodes covering Kim and Tamara's recent EPIC trip to Portugal. This week we are joined by Kirsten Maxwell, from Kids Are a Trip and Multigenerational Vacations to talk about visiting Porto and the Douro Valley in Northern Portugal. Stay tuned for future episodes on the Alentejo, Algarve and Azores regions of Portugal! Disclosure: Our trip was hosted by EPIC Travel, a boutique travel agency specializing in arranging custom itineraries in Portugal and Morocco. EPIC's in-country travel planners have close relationships with hotels, guides, drivers and tour operators and can design the perfect trip for your travel style and interests. EPIC focuses on adventure and cultural experiences to allow you to have a deeper and more epic journey. Visiting Porto & the Douro Valley Porto is similar to Lisbon but much smaller and more compact, easier to explore in just a couple of days. Start off your visiting with a walking tour (we used Explore Sideways) to get a feel of the city. Be sure to walk across one of the bridges, or take a water taxi, to Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river World of Wine is an entertainment complex with multiple museums, restaurants, and bars in Vila Nova de Gaia -- offering so much to do for families, friends, and couples. WOW offers a Chocolate Museum and experience where you can take workshops such as a chocolate and port pairing class. There is also a museum about Porto and Portuguese history and even a Rosé museum! You can learn a lot about Port wine with a tour and tasting at Taylor's, one of the major port producers, which is located right next to WOW. We stayed at Vila Foz, a luxury boutique property in the Foz district of Porto, about 10 minutes from downtown. It is located right across from the coast, along a coastal pathway great for walking, running, or biking. Vila Foz offers both a historic manor house and more modern rooms. The service and food are excellent and the hotel has a very nice spa, making it ideal for couples or a girlfriend getaway. To visit the Douro Valley, you can either rent a car and self-drive, or take a day trip tour from Porto. Even if you are staying in the Valley, we would recommend that you hire a driver or take a wine tour (we worked with Lab Tours Portugal) when you want to go wine tasting. Also keep in mind that driving in the cities is quite harrowing, as are the narrow streets you will find in many of the small towns in the countryside. So if you are not comfortable with that, be sure to hire a driver instead. The Douro River Valley is a UNESCO Heritage site for its terraced vineyards. It is a popular river cruise destination but if you are visiting by land, you can get a good sense of it in just one to two days. If you want time to relax and enjoy activities at your hotel, then plan on staying longer. The Douro River Valley is ideal for couples or friends because the main activity is wine tasting. However, if you are visiting with kids you can find other activities like hiking and kayaking. You can also take a Douro River boat cruise from the town of Pinhaõ on one of the historic boats used to transport barrels of port wine down the river to Porto. If traveling with young kids, be sure to stay at a hotel that offers on-site activities and/or babysitting. Douro 41 is located between Porto and the Douro Valley, but on the Douro River, and it is a great choice for families with young kids or teens. They offer many activities on site including picnics, boat cruises, kayaking, and paddleboards. The hotel also has a movie corner and game room with a snooker table and board games. When going wine tasting, you will want to make reservations ahead of time and be sure to plan out your day as the quintas are all very spread out and there aren't a lot of restaurants and things around. It is best to work with a wine tour company like Lab Tours Portugal. For a high-end, luxury stay, book a room at the Six Senses Douro Valley. The Six Senses offers a convenient location, great rooms, wonderful food, and tons of activities on site for adults as well as children from pickling classes to making your own bath products. Some are complimentary and some are additional. The Vintage House in Pinhao is a more traditional British style hotel located right on the river in a convenient location for exploring the small town. There is a wonderful on-site restaurant, outdoor terrace, and lovely pool. Full Episode Transcript [00:00:00.190] - Kim Tate Discover why you should visit the second biggest city in Portugal.   [00:00:15.950] - Announcer Welcome to Vacation Mavens, a family travel podcast with ideas for your next vacation and tips to get you out the door. Here are your hosts, Kim from Stuffed Suitcase and Tamara from We 3Travel.   [00:00:30.410] - Kim Tate So, Tamara, we are back from our massive epic trip to Portugal, and we are going to dive in on some coverage and talk about our trip over the next few episodes.   [00:00:41.990] - Tamara Gruber Actually, I know we have to apologize for having, like, an extra week break in there, but we were just too tired last week. Guys, we couldn't do it, I think.   [00:00:51.050] - Kim Tate My eight hour time zone change. I'm still not recovered one weekend. There was no way we were making it happen. So hopefully you guys forgiven us for our extra delay.   [00:01:03.530] - Tamara Gruber We had a very busy trip. And so when we were on the trip, we decided that the best way to do to cover it for our listeners would be to break it up into the different regions that we visited. Because as much as you may like us, you probably don't want to have us going on and on for about 4 hours trying to cover everything that we did in our trip, and then we probably still couldn't get to it.   [00:01:25.310] - Kim Tate Yeah. I think 17 days in one podcast episode is too much to ask of anyone. So I think we made the right choice. And I think that we learned about the variety of Portugal and how much more there is than just Lisbon. And that's what we're hoping to help share with you guys with these episodes. And having multiple episodes is that we can help you see that there is variety. It's not just pretty tiles and Rivers. So we're going to help share some of that.   [00:01:53.810] - Tamara Gruber So let's break down where we went and we're just going to probably cover things maybe not exactly chronologically the way that we did them, but breaking up into regions. But our trip started out in Porto, which is a Northern city of Portugal. And from there we explored the Douro River Valley, and those two areas are what we're going to talk about today, because a lot of that would be captured in one trip. But I think as we work our way through the different episodes, you'll kind of get a better sense of if you want to do this region in that region, like what things kind of go together.   [00:02:29.390] - Tamara Gruber But after Porto and Douro, what do we cover next?   [00:02:33.350] - Kim Tate I think we're going to move to the Alentejo region, which is the biggest region of Portugal. And it's kind of that whole middle section in between kind of the Northern section, which is Porto Douro, and then the Southern section, which is the Algarve. It was a real delight for me to discover. It's definitely a wine region, has some epic night skies and sunsets, and we're going to kind of get more information about that region.   [00:03:02.090] - Tamara Gruber I kind of think of it as if you like Southern Spain or if you like Tuscany, like you would probably really like Alentejo. It has a lot of that kind of rolling Hills. There's some small hillside, historic towns, big wine farms, I should say, big vineyards as well as wine, hotels and estates that are on those properties. So a lot to offer families, couples, really any type of travelers, especially those that like to get a little bit more off the beaten path. But then from Alentejo, we're going to go.   [00:03:37.070] - Tamara Gruber I don't know if we'll cover it this way, but on our trip, we went down to the Algarve, which is going from off the beaten path to probably very much the beaten path with many tourists. But it was some place I've never been to, and I've always wanted to go because I don't care how busy something is. Those gorgeous coastlines and the caves and the cliffs is just something that I needed to see for myself.   [00:03:59.090] - Kim Tate Agreed. It's quite beautiful. And again, another amazing place to find sunsets. And yeah, it was neat to see that. And then I think then we'll wrap up. We came back into Lisbon after the Algarve and flew over to the Azores, which is kind of I think that's probably the trendiest place that people seem to be most excited about hearing about based on social shares that I've seen all of us, the comments we've been getting.   [00:04:24.710] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, I think not as many people have gone. It's on a lot of bucket lists. There's a lot of curiosity in terms of where do you go? How do you do it? There's a lot more information out there about Lisbon and Porto, so definitely look forward to sharing that. Of course, we only had a chance to visit one of the Islands, but we try to see as much of that island as we could, so definitely stay tuned, lots of content. But this week we're going to start off with Porto and Douro.   [00:04:52.490] - Tamara Gruber And since you probably don't want to hear just from us, we're going to try to bring in some other people on these episodes, too. That joined us on the trip or that helped us plan the trip.   [00:05:02.330] - Kim Tate So we're starting off today with Kirsten, who is with us for the first seven days. And so with her, we are going to talk all about Porto and Douro Valley.   [00:05:18.810] - Tamara Gruber So this week we're here with Kirsten Maxwell, who is founder of Kids Are A Trip. And you may remember her from previous episodes where we talked about what do we talk about? We've talked about kids with allergies I know. You've been on many times. Kirsten right.   [00:05:31.350] - Kirsten Maxwell That's right. I also did all inclusive Mexico resorts with you guys yes.   [00:05:36.270] - Tamara Gruber Such a good resource. So this time, we're having on to talk about Porto and the Douro Valley in Portugal because we were all just there together.   [00:05:44.190] - Kirsten Maxwell We're so fun. Yeah.   [00:05:46.230] - Tamara Gruber So before we get into talking about that particular region, I just wanted to kind of go through a Disclaimer and talk a little bit about how we did our trip. So for this trip, we worked with Epic Travel. Epic is a boutique travel agency that focuses exclusively on Portugal and Morocco, and they create custom itineraries for families and couples and others that are looking to explore a little deeper and add some adventure and culture into their journey through Portugal. And so we worked with them to try to get a sense of what type of experiences and things that they can arrange.   [00:06:23.430] - Tamara Gruber And so just as a Disclaimer, our trip was hosted by both Epic, and their travel partners, different hotels and activity providers. And our flights were provided by TAP Airlines. So big thank you to them. But in the meantime, if anyone is interested in planning a trip after you're inspired by our little discussion here today, then you can reach out it's Epic Travel and check out what they have to offer. But let's talk about it. So, Kirsten, you've been to Portugal before, but I think this was your first time in Porto or the Douro Valley.   [00:06:57.450] - Tamara Gruber What did you expect when we went? What were your overall thoughts about that part of the trip?   [00:07:03.630] - Kirsten Maxwell This was my first time to visit both those areas. And I think what I expected was a smaller version of Lisbon, which I kind of feel like Porto is and with the Douro Valley, I had no idea what to expect. I mean, I knew it was a wine region famous for its river cruises, but no idea what we would find there.   [00:07:24.750] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, I've heard about it being very pretty and a UNESCO heritage site with the terraced river valleys. Also, I knew it was the birthplace of Port, but I was not thinking of it exclusively as Port. And then when we were in Porto, we learned so much about Port that I got worried. I know it's going to be only Port. I was relieved to find out that they actually do a lot of other wine there as well.   [00:07:49.650] - Kirsten Maxwell I think I probably have the same misconception as well.   [00:07:52.470] - Kim Tate Well, I was kind of excited to see how each of the Quintas as we soon learned what they call their farms and kind of wineries out there. They do wine differently than I think in the States that we're used to where it's like, oh, these are the Cab grapes, and this is our cab. Sov and this is our Merlot or whatever it is. And there they just kind of say, oh, we're just going to grab all the grapes, mix them together and see what we get.   [00:08:18.990] - Kirsten Maxwell That's true.   [00:08:20.790] - Tamara Gruber Mix and match different way of planting. Yes.   [00:08:25.110] - Kim Tate So we only had two days in Porto, but why don't you kind of highlight some of the things that stood out to you? And how long do you think people should maybe plan on spending in Porto?   [00:08:37.710] - Kirsten Maxwell We did pack in a lot in two days. I think I had mentioned maybe to Tamara while we were walking around through the city. I mean, that was my favorite part, just walking through the little back alleyways and seeing the historic buildings and seeing all the people outside enjoying dining and the restaurant terraces. I really thought that was part of the fun was just kind of going through the back alleyways and finding those hidden gems I still love.We went to this place called the World of Wine or WOW World of Wine and it is massive. I can call it like an entertainment complex with I think there's seven different museums, twelve restaurants. It has everything you could want to spend, like a fun day out with family, kids, husband, girlfriends, whatever. For as many days, I would say at least two days minimum in Porto. And you probably could go up to maybe four with, like, a day trip to the Door Valley.   [00:09:39.030] - Tamara Gruber Probably. Especially if you wanted to build in some of the workshops or experiences that they had. It. Well, like we did the chocolate and Port tasting, but even for kids and families, they have, like the chocolate pop cake, pop making and the whole chocolate Museum. I think my kid could spend a good amount of time in there, especially when they got to the tasting section.   [00:09:59.730] - Kirsten Maxwell Agree that and the Rose place. I can't remember what it was called, but I think a teenager that was of drinking age would really enjoy doing all the selfies that they had to offer. Yeah.   [00:10:11.430] - Kim Tate You can tell that that whole Museum district was definitely designed with kind of Instagram and very modern tourism take on stuff.   [00:10:20.910] - Kirsten Maxwell That's cool.   [00:10:23.610] - Kim Tate I think you made a good point, though. That one of the highlights for me was that they arranged that walking tour for us because I think Porto is definitely one of those cities, and I think this is like it. I mean, Tamara does food tours a lot, but just when you're new to an international city, getting a tour early on can really, I think help you know what you want to do on the other days as well and kind of give you more of a feel for the city and help you identify things that maybe you wouldn't have noticed before.   [00:10:55.110] - Kim Tate And so I love those local walking tours when you kind of get a feel for the city and being able to find where to eat and where to get stuff. I mean, that was huge. Yeah.   [00:11:05.850] - Tamara Gruber And I found it really interesting, too, to learn about some of the history of Porto as you're walking around, you see all these names that sound very English, like Taylors and Sandman. So you're like, what is that connection with Port and the English? And you learned about this, like, 500 year old history and this alliance and how they developed Port because the regular wine didn't make the journey up to England, and so they fortified it. And just so many interesting little facts that help you feel like you understand the place a bit more.   [00:11:34.530] - Tamara Gruber I mean, look, we learned all about these kind of winemaking families in the Douro Valley and competition or competitiveness, I guess, between some of them.   [00:11:44.190] - Kirsten Maxwell Yeah. And I would agree it was such a nice introduction to the city in the area to do a walking tour. And for us, that's one of the best places to start. Like you said, you do different classes and stuff when you travel for us. It's a tour because it gives you the instant layout of the city. And usually the tour guides are a great resource for where to eat or what not to miss or a special gem. So definitely recommend taking a tour.   [00:12:10.590] - Tamara Gruber So what did you think of Porto in general compared to Lisbon? I have a feeling I know what Kim is going to answer, but I want to hear what yours is first.   [00:12:18.090] - Kirsten Maxwell So it's such a hard thing to say because they're totally the same but different if you understand what I mean. Porto is smaller, but it's got the Atlantic Coast, it has surfing, it has rocky shorelines, it's much more compact. And I think that Lisbon is just humongous. I mean, it's just hard to explore in a day or two. You really have to set yourself there and make time to see everything. But now I want to know what Kim has to say.   [00:12:52.290] - Kim Tate It's so funny because I fell in love with Lisbon, but I really liked Porto, and I think it's for a little bit of the same reasons. They have much of the similar feel. I liked that Porto was kind of a little more compact. And then I really liked how they had, like, the two feels of the town, like Porto and then going across, I can't remember what it was called Gaia. And then it's called something like Novella Gaia or whatever. But I like that kind of how they had little sectors that they considered.   [00:13:24.030] - Kim Tate And I really liked Porto. I just thought it was a cool thing. I loved staying at where we stayed. I love being able to see the rocky shoreline and kind of walk around. And then all the bridges were just so amazing. And I remember we were on one of the bridges and looking out and seeing all these modernist type buildings and boats and everything. And then there's like this Castle wall right there as well. And I love that about Portugal, that it's just such a really unique blend of history and old with kind of modern life still and I just love that.   [00:13:54.810] - Kim Tate I think I liked Porto slightly more than Lisbon, but I love them both, so I'm not sure.   [00:14:00.330] - Tamara Gruber Visit them both, I guess.   [00:14:03.270] - Kim Tate I think it is really we can talk about this later. But I do think for people who are planning to go over there, I think it makes a lot of sense to fly into Porto and back out of Lisbon and do some stuff in between. I think that makes a lot of sense.   [00:14:17.250] - Tamara Gruber Well, Kim, you mentioned where we stayed, which was a little bit outside of the downtown historic center of Porto in this neighborhood called Foz with Foz. And we really all loved our stay at Villa Foz. I think it was one of our favorites of the trip. And so Kirsten, I guess maybe you could tell our listeners a little bit about this hotel. Like, why did we like it so much? And would you recommend that people stay there, or do you think it's better to be in town?   [00:14:45.330] - Kirsten Maxwell Yeah, sure. So like you mentioned, it's kind of on the outskirts of Porto, and it's a former Manor home and a newer building hotel building kind of attached to it, but attached to an underground. And the decor is phenomenal. I mean, it's just stunning when you walk in and you're just greeted by these high ceilings and wood and beautiful, deep, rich colors. And I will say the hospitality, I think we can all agree with second to none. You felt like wherever you turn, there was somebody there who could help you with anything you needed.   [00:15:20.910] - Kirsten Maxwell And I think that as far as who should stay there definitely families. Maybe if you're looking for a little bit somewhere close to the beaches, it has good beach access, but more maybe for couples because they had a great spa and the restaurant top notch, one of the best meals we had there.   [00:15:43.170] - Kim Tate Yeah, I agree with what you said. What do you think, Tamara? What did you think of Vila Foz?   [00:15:48.150] - Tamara Gruber I mean, I loved it. Definitely. Like you said the service, the breakfast was great. I mean, not many places have oysters and champagne for their breakfast buffet. Not that I was ever up for oysters and champagne after, like, late night chef's tasting dinner with wine courses. But it was nice that it was there if I wanted it true. But yeah, I definitely thought it was great. And I agree it would be good for couples.   [00:16:12.090] - Kim Tate And I think it was nice that they did have the set up where they did arrange transportation in and out of the city via Uber, but they kind of managed it themselves. So that is a little bit of a perk. It's maybe a little clunky right now how that works. But for people who are maybe looking to be not in the middle of the city necessarily. And like those lazy mornings and kind of being on site and eating, I think that's a good option, because you can then just get transportation into the city and then back home when you're ready or back to the hotel.   [00:16:43.050] - Kim Tate But building on that, why don't we talk about maybe getting from place to place? Because we got to explore a lot of Portugal, which was one of my favorite things that I kind of got outside of the cities and got to see more of what Portugal is like the countryside. So what do you think your recommendation is for families or couples, whoever. How should they get around Portugal? Because don't you agree that there's more to Portugal to see than just Lisbon and Porto?   [00:17:10.350] - Kirsten Maxwell Yes. Absolutely. And I think that was one of my favorite parts of this whole trip was getting outside of the major cities and seeing the countryside both in the Douro Valley and in Alentejo. And I think for families because usually have more than two, three, four people. I would recommend probably renting a car or hiring a driver, I think definitely hire a driver if you're going to do wine tasting. I highly recommend that I have had experiences many times with the transportation system, the public transport in Portugal, and it's not the most efficient.   [00:17:49.710] - Kirsten Maxwell So for me, it just kind of makes more sense to do it on your own or hire a driver or like you said, take a plane, fly into one, fly out of the other, rent a car in between the two. I think that would be a great idea. What did you guys think?   [00:18:04.890] - Kim Tate I definitely felt like the highways and everything are very easy to drive. It's normal, right sided driving. So for those who are used to driving in the States and everything, it's easy and things are well marked and all of that. The only thing is little towns. There are some tiny, tiny streets, and I would definitely not want to be doing that. So that's where if you're going to be touring little towns or like you're getting in and out of Lisbon or Porto, I would be a little hesitant to be driving in the city itself, but definitely small cars are going to be your friends there, which is going to be a little trickier for families with a lot of luggage.   [00:18:44.850] - Tamara Gruber I feel like with so many cities, the idea is if you have to have a car, drop it off, like outside of the city, right. We saw Kirsten, you weren't there, but driving in Lisbon is just impossible. There's no way I'd want to attempt that. And I definitely would also agree with certainly hiring a driver for the Douro Valley and having someone that is maybe not just a driver, but that can arrange a wine tour for you to visit different wineries, because like many places, it's something where you need to have an appointment.   [00:19:17.250] - Tamara Gruber But we saw, like, especially on I think it was the north side of the river. The roads aren't even as fully developed. So we were on some very narrow, gravely roads that were like Cliff right there, and there's no way you'd want to go wine tasting and beyond those roads. So 100% you need a driver then?   [00:19:35.850] - Kim Tate Yeah. Absolutely agree.   [00:19:37.770] - Tamara Gruber Since we're talking about the Douro Valley, we should talk to a little bit about kind of what it's like when we touched on it briefly. We know it's popular as a river cruise destination. So what are some of your overall thoughts about the region? Just what are the things to do outside of wine tasting? Or is this strictly something that you would recommend for people if they're looking for kind of beautiful scenery and wine?   [00:20:05.190] - Kirsten Maxwell That's an interesting question. I think that there probably is a lot to do. We didn't have a lot of time to explore outside the vineyards, but we had a conversation with our host at Douro 41 Hotel, and they were talking to us about going kayaking, that there's several national parks nearby that you can go and explore and do hiking and stuff like that. So I think you could make time out of it. A little bit of a city escape where you're sitting by the pool or you're going out and doing some hikes.   [00:20:39.090] - Kirsten Maxwell For the most part, though, I probably stick to couples, girls trips, single travel, even. I think that it really is all about the wine region for the most part there.   [00:20:51.390] - Kim Tate Yeah, we did do that boat tour on the river out of when we were in Pinhaõ, and I think that was quite fun and neat and would be great for families. And maybe we didn't spend enough time in that city specifically. But I agree 100%. I think that region the real gem of it is visiting the different Quintas and tasting Port and wine and having some lazy lunches and definitely can find some luxury and high end stuff there as well. So maybe not the best for families, depending on how much time you want or what your family's travel style is, I think.   [00:21:31.230] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. I must feel like if you have little kids, you could stay at a place where there's a lot of very kid focused activities and do some relaxation and then just take a day trip, even if they had kind of the babysitting or kids club activities, maybe just the parents go off and do some wine tasting and come back. But you need to look at it as like this is the downtime, quieter time of the trip.   [00:21:54.390] - Kim Tate Or just like your hotel base type. It's the kind of destination where you're going to really enjoy your hotel activities. Yeah, that's fine.   [00:22:03.390] - Kim Tate So do you think, Tamara, you recommend the Douro, just like Kirsten said, you think it's good for mostly couples or girlfriend getaways type thing.   [00:22:11.010] - Tamara Gruber I think it would be ideal for that again. Like with little kids. I think you want to be at a hotel that has hotel based activities. And then for teens, maybe you want to be a little bit more like where we were at Douro 41, which is somewhere between Porto and the Douro Valley, where you can do a lot more adventure and active types of things.   [00:22:31.530] - Kim Tate I definitely think that was kind of a little gem there, with the Douro 41 being kind of on the Porto side of the Douro Valley, and it seemed like they did have more. They were saying they're pretty popular families and had, like, the movie nights and stuff. But then they had beaches and water activity on the riverfront, so definitely more of a fit for families there. So what do you think about any tips for visiting Douro? I feel like we kind of went through Porto pretty quickly, but maybe those together.   [00:23:01.410] - Kim Tate What do you think are the tips for visiting the Douro region? And what about anything to follow up with Porto either?   [00:23:08.130] - Kirsten Maxwell Yeah, I think we covered some of the small tidbits. But number one, Tamara talked about the roads. Definitely. If you're not comfortable driving small roads or winding roads or have a kid that gets car sick, you might want to make a mental note and consider an alternative option of exploring, which would be by a river cruise or just a day trip. Even from Porto, you could take a cruise up there might be easier and then making appointments at the different Quintas because they aren't like, I know a lot of places in the States you can just drop in.   [00:23:41.730] - Kirsten Maxwell It seemed like many of them were making appointments ahead of time. I'm sure maybe some of the bigger ones you can drop in, but I'm not even sure about that. Which is why it comes in helpful to have somebody do that for you.   [00:23:54.870] - Kirsten Maxwell I think that the hotels, restaurants, everything else seemed to be pretty spread out. So you want to have a clear plan going into things like have your itinerary sketched out of where you're going to go. What you're going to see what you're going to do ahead of time because it's not really let's wing it kind of a trip.   [00:24:15.210] - Kim Tate Yeah, I know. Let's get on the road. Oh, let's stop there. That looks good.   [00:24:19.170] - Kim Tate It's not really not that kind of part of your trip.   [00:24:22.350] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. I found that, especially in the Douro Valley, that it wasn't like they were just restaurants all along. You had some that were tied into Quintas, which I think you pretty much needed the reservations for. There was that one. Was it called like, Doc, I think. Yeah, Doc or something? That was, I think, a Michelin star chef, but it's a very nice restaurant right on the river. And then there's only really a couple of little towns there's Pinhao that we stayed at that seemed pretty small in terms of restaurants and things.   [00:24:51.450] - Tamara Gruber And then there was one larger town gosh. I can't remember the name of it. I remember, it wasn't, like, super attractive.   [00:25:00.450] - Tamara Gruber You definitely need some planning. And we all enjoyed our experience with Lab Tours Portugal.   [00:25:08.310] - Kim Tate I was going to say I really think he did a great job, and I would recommend that way of doing it and even doing it from, like Kirsten said, a day trip from Porto kind of getting over there and getting picked up. That's really great.   [00:25:21.390] - Tamara Gruber Well, we talked a little bit about some of the hotels that we experienced. One of the things that as we get into more of our Portugal trip, we'll find that we moved around a lot. But the good news is we got to experience, like, a lot of different hotels, which some of them would appeal to different types of travelers. And so we can break down some of the ones that we experienced in the Douro Valley when we stayed at two and then we had lunch and took a tour of another.   [00:25:46.650] - Tamara Gruber So should we start at the top and just talk about six senses?   [00:25:50.730] - Kirsten Maxwell I mean, how do you not? I think it's one of the most popular accommodations in the Douro Valley. If I'm correct it's very high end luxury property and tons of activities for families, families, adults, friends. They've really kind of thought about everything when it comes to six senses. I think that's kind of what they're known for. I would definitely recommend that for families with young children because I believe they had a child care there. You guys can correct me if I'm wrong and definitely had activities. Teens might like it, but I could see them getting kind of bored.   [00:26:29.490] - Kirsten Maxwell You'd have to schedule some off property activities, which I'm sure they could schedule for you.   [00:26:34.470] - Kim Tate I did see they did have quite a few activities each day that some were complementary and some were extra. But there were things like four by four tours and things like that. So I think if you're splurging to stay at the Six Senses, you can probably afford a few of those activities, and you could keep teens entertained so that could work. But yeah, and I think when you talk about luxury, we all looked up kind of the pricing there, and it's definitely you're going to be paying for that.   [00:26:59.970] - Kim Tate But it's a very nice property. I loved how it was decorated and everything, and especially their little hotel dog Aqua.   [00:27:09.210] - Kirsten Maxwell So cute.   [00:27:10.950] - Tamara Gruber It's always nice to have a little friendly greeter like that. I feel like a lot of the programming that they had. I agree. It would definitely like that younger age group would be wonderful. We did something in the spa where we made a scrub. So they do those types of things for adults. But then they had that whole little workshop where they did types of things from the ground. So they would do things with herbs or pickle vegetables, or they seem like all types of different, very unique hands on types of things that I think some younger kids can really get into.   [00:27:44.070] - Tamara Gruber So definitely, if you can spring for six senses would be a great way to go. But then we had another stay at Vintage House, which was a very different vibe, but very nice in its own way. So can you describe that one Kirsten?   [00:27:58.050] - Kirsten Maxwell The Vintage house is. I call it traditionally British kind of hotel. It's very classical decor, something you'd expect to find in England almost was located right on the river, which was perfect. And you can kind of see the boats coming and going from your balcony in the room. They had lovely restaurant. We had really good dinner there, and it's located in the town of Pinhao. So if you wanted to walk into town and explore, you could do that. But it really was for them all about I think the location and their food. They had a great pool to be wonderful during the summer for kids and families, but there wasn't really much I felt going on for a family stay. Do you guys agree? Disagree.   [00:28:48.030] - Kim Tate I agree. That's where we took that river cruise and they offer longer river cruises. We did, like a 1 hour one. I think that was ideal. So for families or even couples, it gives you a good little taste, but it's not so long that you're like, okay. Yeah, I've seen this. There's another Quinta on the Hill, so I definitely think that that was really nice and its location right there on the river was great. I loved the decor and kind of the classicness.   [00:29:15.810] - Kim Tate They mentioned that it's going to be going through a remodel soon because you definitely had the it's very old and classic and kind of original. It's the original building. And so it's kind of got some really quaint and cool things like that. But I wish we would have had more time to kind of explore that city because I feel like if we knew more about Pinhao and what it was like, then maybe that would be more of a gem. So if you're thinking of kind of a little bit of a city stay in the Douro Valley region, you might look at Vintage House and Pinhao out and see what it kind of attracts.   [00:29:46.530] - Kim Tate But I think overall, as we kind of expressed, Douro is kind of a maybe one or two night stay type destination, depending on what type of vacation you're looking for.   [00:29:58.710] - Tamara Gruber Definitely central location. Good for that short stay. If somebody did want to stay longer in Douro, then stay at one of the other properties where they have much more going on on site. And it's more of a relaxation. This is kind of like a great place to lay your head while you're exploring the Douro Valley.   [00:30:15.450] - Tamara Gruber So we already talked a little bit about the other one that we see. That Douro 41. But, Kirsten, what are your thoughts about Douro 41?   [00:30:22.810] - Kirsten Maxwell I love six senses because it was super over the top and amazing. But Douro 41 is more of the reachable hotel for most families. What I loved about the rooms is you really felt like you walked in. Then you had floor to ceiling windows right overlooking the river. And it feels like you're almost on a river cruise. It seemed like that was kind of the feel that you got in the room. And then there were so many different little nooks and crannies around the hotel for families.   [00:30:53.910] - Kirsten Maxwell There was a game area, there was a snooker table, there was a movie night area. They had pizza making classes, so many different things they had to offer for families that I thought it would make a really good stay if you wanted to escape from the city. Yeah.   [00:31:11.370] - Tamara Gruber I was really impressed by some of the things they did from arranging picnics and doing the boat rides, doing the stand up paddle boards and kayaks. It just seemed like there was really such a great range for different age groups. And while it wasn't right there by anything, there were some restaurants. They said they were, like, 15 minutes away. Plus, they have two restaurants on site. One was like, I think a Michelin Star chef, and the other one was a casual, more of a casual pizzeria. So, like having those options around it.   [00:31:40.170] - Tamara Gruber So you're not in the middle of a certain region or town, but there's still plenty to do, especially if you're willing to drive a little bit. Yeah.   [00:31:48.330] - Kim Tate Agree. So any final thoughts about Porto and Douro Valley? Kirsten, you start then maybe Tamara you can kind of give your chime in about what you thought of those two areas. And just so people know, they're the north. They're on the north side of Portugal. So to give you a feel for the country, that's where we're talking.   [00:32:09.030] - Kirsten Maxwell I think they're definitely must visit places in Portugal. I think so many people get trapped into the Lisbon Algarve experience because that's what they hear.   [00:32:21.750] - Kirsten Maxwell But I think Porto is one of those. I mean, it's a huge city. Don't get me wrong, but there's still something about that seems a little bit hidden gem exploration kind of thing. Douro Valley. I really loved it, but I kind of feel like it's once you do it, then you can be. I don't know that I would go back to experience it's. Maybe with my husband. It just didn't give me that vibe of, like, hey, everything here is unique and felt very repetitive for me. The region.   [00:32:54.870] - Kim Tate I totally agree.   [00:32:57.270] - Tamara Gruber Before I went, I've heard so many people, especially young people, like, really raving about Porto, and I was never quite sure if it was just because it's like, the new thing versus Lisbon, like Lisbon being a little bit over touristed and trying to find that new thing. So it kind of had really high expectations of Porto. And with the Douro Valley. I've heard descriptions and I've seen some pictures and I kept thinking, oh, it would be a great place to do one of those week long river cruises, like a Viking cruise or something like that.   [00:33:29.010] - Tamara Gruber So my two impressions, like leaving are that I really love Porto, but I didn't love it like that much more than Lisbon. So I think it's maybe just if people went to Lisbon and it was a little too crowded that Porto would possibly be a better alternative. I think we were also there at a nice time in fall when it's maybe not high season, but those nice shoulder seasons. So I definitely enjoyed it. And then the Douro Valley, I am pretty sure I would not need to take a river cruise through there.   [00:33:59.790] - Tamara Gruber I think spending the two to three days there, it was definitely good. I think a week would feel kind of long. And then also, I guess there was our experience in the lounge of seeing all the people going on the Viking cruise, where we were kind of convinced that maybe we should pick a different one, right?   [00:34:17.010] - Kirsten Maxwell Yeah. Different demographic than us.   [00:34:19.770] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. So I feel like if you want to go to Portugal for just a few days, like, maybe you have, like, a five day trip in mind. If you did just Porto and Douro, you could do that. And if you wanted to do a longer trip, then you want to add in those other things and do it. Kim said, which is like, go into one and out of the other. That would make a lot of sense. But it would be nice, like, as a pairing if you want to do just a five day trip or if you want to stretch it into a week and just have a little bit more downtime to relax.   [00:34:49.350] - Kim Tate Yeah. I think that's all good. Those are all good points.   [00:34:51.750] - Kirsten Maxwell I agree.   [00:34:52.170] - Kim Tate I think the one thing we're not giving enough credit to Douro Valley is that no, I think we're doing enough credit, but that's the thing to know. It's amazing to see. And I remember the first day when we drove into there. We're like, Can you please pull over the car and we're all taking pictures? It was just amazing.   [00:35:06.630] - Tamara Gruber It was so beautiful.   [00:35:07.650] - Kim Tate And so it's breathtaking like that. It's a very unique area, and you can see why it's UNESCO World Heritage Site. However you get that and then you've gotten it. So you're good. So that's the thing to know about it. We're a week long vacation. It's kind of like, okay. Well, I guess we're going to go this do this again. So I think that that's good points for people to know. And I think that if you do, like Port and you do like wine tasting. It is a fun destination to go like that.   [00:35:33.450] - Kim Tate However, it's also not like Napa, where you're able to just drive down the street and find another winery. I mean, they're spread out very far, and it's in a region that's not overly developed. So they were saying, like we were talking when we were on the river, like Kirsten said, one side, there's like no roads, barely. And the other side is where the main road is. And so if you're doing wine tasting and you work with a driver or a tour guide, they're going to help, you know, to stay on that other side of the river where you can visit a couple at a time.   [00:36:02.010] - Kim Tate Because if you go across and try and drive on those no road type places, you're going to spend your whole day getting to one quinta, and you're going to miss out on when you maybe would have been able to visit two or three on the other side.   [00:36:13.590] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. Great points. Great point, Kirsten. We obviously worked with Epic to plan this trip, and they kind of took what we were interested in covering and developed an itinerary for us. When do you think it would make sense for a family to work with someone like Epic when they're planning a trip to Portugal?   [00:36:32.970] - Kirsten Maxwell Wow. There are so many good times, I think, to use a boutique travel agency like Epic, it was so nice to be able to tell them our interest and have them kind of figure out what would be a good itinerary to go along with that. I think too often if you book, like, one of the major group tour travel agencies, you're stuck with a big group of people and you're going to the places that they pick for you versus Epic. I mean, they're working with you to customize everything from the beginning of your day to the time your head hits the bed at night and to kind of relieve yourself of all that stress of planning.   [00:37:15.270] - Kirsten Maxwell There's just something to be said for that. And I think they did a phenomenal job of just hitting everything kind of right for us and what we were looking for.   [00:37:24.270] - Kim Tate I think one of the other things that was huge about them is they're able to arrange kind of these unique things that maybe you wouldn't necessarily know to ask for to look for. And I think that's where the fact that they're not just a general travel agency, they only focus on Morocco and Portugal, and they live in those countries, so they know the guides, they know the hotels, they have personal relationships. Like we were there. Tamara and I were on talking to one of the Epic girls that was traveling with us, and she was like, oh, yeah.   [00:37:50.670] - Kim Tate I'm just checking in with the hotel about some clients that are coming in next week, and I just want to make sure everything is set up for them. It's like a real personal experience. They're making sure everything is ready for you. And I think that's a huge thing. And little things, like, Tamara and I were going to the source, and we needed to have a negative PCR test. And so they arranged all of that in Lisbon for us. So we had the appointment, they got that all set up.   [00:38:19.110] - Kim Tate So that kind of having someone that just knows what to do and helps you set all that up is huge.   [00:38:25.290] - Tamara Gruber And the experiences that they can do, and they really focus on finding those unique things. I mean, it's easy enough nowadays to be like, oh, I want to do a food tour, walking tour, like, when you're in a city, fine. Like, you can find that. But then there's always, like, that next level of experiences. Like, I remember when we were taking the tram into downtown Porto, they were telling us about some things they did, like, they can arrange to do a private tram with a dinner on it with a great chef.   [00:38:52.710] - Tamara Gruber Where you're doing, like, a chef's tasting while you're on the tram, going around the city. And one of those bridges, they do this experience where you're I don't know what you'd call it, like bridge climbing, like, you're like cable. So if you're into adventure, I mean, I'm thinking some teens, especially, would love something like that. It just seemed like there were so many of these things that they can do throughout the country that were so unique. And, like you said, you wouldn't know to ask for it.   [00:39:20.550] - Tamara Gruber You many know I want to take a walking tour. I want to take a wine tour. Things like that. But these are things that you would never even come up with. But because they've spent so much time getting to know people personally, they have these relationships can do these types of things. So if you say, hey, I know I if I was working with them, I'd be like, hey, my daughter really loves stargazing, and we definitely would have been doing that. They can find those interests and things and then just make that next level experience and then having that hands on knowledge and even things when it comes to the hotel rooms, like, okay, this one is going to be better for, like, this room type is going to be better for you, like, knowing things to that level.   [00:40:01.470] - Kim Tate Well, even me, like you said, I mentioned, oh, when we're in Lisbon, I really want to see a great sunset. Can you help us figure out and arrange so at sunset, we were at some kind of lookout or really great sunset. And they ran with that. And they were like, we ended up on a private Chartered sailboat river cruise for sunset. Right. Tamara? And she said it was all because you mentioned that you wanted to have a great sunset in Lisbon. And that's what we ended up with.   [00:40:26.610] - Kim Tate So that's the kind of stuff that they do.   [00:40:29.310] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. And that's the kind of thing where that's just the moment that you remember with the trip, right? Like, something like that is the best way to start a trip or end a trip. It's just so like, wow, special.   [00:40:42.210] - Kim Tate Well, Kirsten, we've probably already asked you what you like to wear when you travel since you've been a guest before. But what about anything new, any new travel products or apps or anything you've discovered recently that you want to share with our listeners. Okay.   [00:40:54.090] - Kirsten Maxwell I came up with two things that I thought. Okay, maybe you haven't discussed on here before, but number one, because of the whole thing with having to carry your vaccine card. Now I've invested in a passport wallet so that I can always keep the vaccine passport and vaccine card with my passport anywhere I go. So I found that carrying one of those kind of wallets has been super helpful for me, especially when I'm usually tasked with carrying everybody's passports in our family. So it's kind of nice to have them all in one place.   [00:41:26.970] - Kirsten Maxwell And then the other thing that I've found for individual traveling is a doorstop. And you guys maybe have seen these, but that you put underneath your hotel door and that if anybody tries to get into your room, it makes a big alarm, super blaring alarm to let you know somebody's trying to break into your room. But I feel like when you travel alone, you can never be too safe. So in addition to checking out your surroundings, like, I think it's a nice peace of mind to just stick it under the door at night, go to bed and then enjoy the rest of your trip.   [00:42:01.890] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, that is a good idea. I feel like I've thought about those in the past, and I haven't invested in one. And I said I'm thinking about that time I forget where we were, which hotel. But I went to take a shower and I came out and they had made a delivery of, like, an Amenity or something. And I'm like, that wasn't fair when I went in the shower. Yeah.   [00:42:20.970] - Kim Tate I'm thinking even with being the mom of two teen girls as they start going off on their own travels or stuff, maybe with girlfriends or whatever by themselves, then that would be a good little.   [00:42:31.650] - Tamara Gruber Or you can have them in a separate room, right?   [00:42:33.930] - Kirsten Maxwell Yeah. Exactly.   [00:42:36.630] - Tamara Gruber Good suggestion, Kirsten.   [00:42:38.010] - Kirsten Maxwell Oh, thank you.   [00:42:39.090] - Tamara Gruber So can you remind our listeners where they can find you online? Absolutely.   [00:42:44.430] - Kirsten Maxwell You can find me at kidsratrip.Com.   [00:42:48.030] - Kirsten Maxwell That's A-R-E-A. Versus just the letter R. And then I'm at multigenerationalvacations.Com.   [00:42:55.530] - Kirsten Maxwell That's my site about multigenerationalfamily travel.   [00:42:58.830] - Tamara Gruber Awesome.   [00:42:59.370] - Kim Tate Well, thanks again for being a guest. And I'm so glad we all got to travel again. It was really fun, and there's nothing quite like taking a trip with your girlfriends so thank you.   [00:43:10.050] - Kirsten Maxwell Guys, thanks so much for having me. This was such a fun trip, and I would love to repeat it again with a different destination because there were so many good times that I'm like, oh, my God. That was really fun. Having a good time relaxing and enjoying life without the stresses of family.   [00:43:28.110] - Tamara Gruber 2022 Here we come. Thank you.   [00:43:32.250] - Kirsten Maxwell Thanks.   [00:43:32.610] - Tamara Gruber Bye.   [00:43:32.850] - Kirsten Maxwell Thanks, guys.   [00:43:37.690] - Tamara Gruber Well, thanks for listening to another episode of vacation mavens, I hope you enjoyed hearing about our first few days in Portugal, and we are going to take a little break from our Portuguese coverage.   [00:43:46.990] - Kim Tate So tune in next time because we are going to be talking about cruising and how cruising is coming back, which I know we just booked a spring break cruise. So I'm definitely interested in hearing about this. And maybe you are, too.   [00:43:57.610] - Tamara Gruber Yes, lots of new policies, new ships, things to talk about. So we're going to get a couple of cruise experts on to dive into some details. So see you next time. Talk to you soon. Bye.  

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I'm featuring a few river cruise options that sail through Hispanic destinations.  Second up is the charming Douro River, which runs through Portugal and Spain.  Enjoy! Schedule your Cruise Retreat Discovery Call:  https://calendly.com/ritaventures/retreatbrainstorm Get in touch: Visit: http://www.ritaventures.net Email: rita@ritaventures.net Follow me: https://www.facebook.com/ritaventures/ https://www.instagram.com/ritaventures/ https://www.linkedin.com/ritaperez19/

Jennifer Tombaugh, president of Tauck and co-godmother of Tauck's new Andorinha, talks with James Shillinglaw about this brand new river ship designed specifically for Portugal's Douro River. Tombaugh details the many features of this new vessel, including a new sun deck, a new dining and lounge area. She also talks about what this will mean to Tauck as it expands its river cruise product. For more information, visit www.tauck.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast -- with supplemental pictures and video -- can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel  or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube. 

Dan Mahar, CEO of Tauck, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at the christening of Tauck's new Andorinha riverboat earlier this month on Portugal's Douro River. Mahar details the many new features of this revolutionary riverboat, Tauck's first in Portugal, from the unique sundeck, with a collapsible Arthur's restaurant and large pool, to the atrium-like, two-deck lounge and restaurant. For more information, visit www.tauck.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast -- with supplemental pictures and video -- can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel  or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube. 

Mario Ferreira, CEO of Atlas Ocean Voyages, Mystic Cruises and DouroAzul, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report aboard the brand new World Navigator about the many features and amenities of this luxury expedition vessel from Atlas Ocean. Ferreira is known for building and operating river cruise ships on the Douro River in Portugal and on rivers in the rest of Europe. Now he's taking to the oceans with World Navigator, the first of five vessels planned for Atlas Ocean, with cruises around the world ending this year in Antarctica. For more information, visit www.atlasoceanvoyages.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast -- with supplemental pictures and video -- can be found on the Insider Travel Report Youtube channel  or by searching for the podcast's title on Youtube. 

My guest today is Nick Yarnell, the General Manager of Six Senses Douro Valley. This hotel is one you just have to see to believe. It’s set in a completely renovated 19th century manor house, high on a hill. While lounging at the pool, doing yoga, or sipping port on the patio - you’ll look down onto the shimmering Douro River flanked by lush green, terraced mountains growing some of the most under appreciated grapes in all of Europe. This is the kind of place where doing nothing but enjoying, is an accomplishment. Where learning just one new tidbit can shape the way you think about the world. Your days will be filled with stand up paddle boarding, visiting the spa, boating, hiking, or wine tasting. Then you’ll settle back in at arguably the best hotel in Portugal for a relaxed evening celebrating your day. Nick and I discuss how Six Senses takes sustainability and wellness to another level, the friendly hospitality in this region of Portugal, and the fascinating history of the manor house. Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn

A changing climate leads to changes in the frequency, intensity, spatial extent, duration and timing of extreme weather and climate events (EWE). These are the words of the IPCC. Per se, these EWE do not prove the existence of global warming, but it is a given fact that climate change exaggerates them. Reality, as we speak, is a reflection of this and of the current climate crisis: a few years ago, South Africa faced a period of severe water shortage in the Western Cape region. In 2017, the exact place where the Douro River is born, Picos de Urbíon, dried up. This year, in Germany, ice wine harvest failed for the first time due to a warm winter. A year ago, Australia was on fire, with an unrepairable and unprecedented loss for its ecosystems, let alone lives and businesses. As we speak, California, Oregon and Washington are being devastated by wildfires that preceded record heatwaves, followed by storms that ignited the fires. In Maryland, tornados were followed by hurricanes and then frost. Again, countless producers are still unsure about whether they will be able to save their harvest from smoke taint, and many have lost their vintage altogether. Why? What are the causes? What are the impacts? How can we prepare our vineyards, our operation, ourselves, reduce the impacts and minimize the losses? This Climate Talk will address these questions by gathering producers and scientists from different parts of the world that have experienced these EWE's. They will share their knowledge, experience, different realities, and above all the ideas and practices implemented to tackle this reality. In a conversation starting with a scientific data approach, we will try to understand how can science help producers to predict, adapt and decide which are the best options available to deal with ewe, and how can they do this in a very practical manner. Host: João Santos . Professor at the Physics Department of UTAD (University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro) . Portugal Guests: GREGORY JONES . Director of the Evenstad Center for Wine Education, professor and research climatologist at Linfield College . USA PHIL FREESE . Winegrowing Partner and creator of the Vilafonté vineyards . SA & US ALISDAIR TULLOCH . Winery Assistant & Carbon Neutral Spokesperson at Keith Tulloch Wine . Australia RICHARD HAMILTON . Principal Consultant Viticulturist at Hamilton Viticulture . Australia

Since 1756, the area surrounding the Douro River in northern Portugal has been a renowned wine region. It’s home to the world famous port wine. Here, the grapes are still stomped by foot!

Port is an historical, complex, and sometimes confusing wine, but it is more than worth your time to learn about. M.C. Ice go over everything from the vineyards of the Douro, to the history of this wine (with geopolitical implications), to how it's made, and the array of styles. There's something for everyone in the world of Port and after this show, you should be able to figure out which is for you! Here is the written primer to go along with the show... The Basics: What is Port? Port is a Portuguese fortified wine, meaning you add distilled grape spirit, or brandy, to the wine at some point during production. A wine is technically only Port if grapes are from the Douro Valley in northeast Portugal and winemaking takes place there or in the area surround the city of Porto on the Atlantic Coast. There are tons of styles and flavors of this wine – there’s something for everyone.   Douro Valley: The Vineyards The Douro Valley wine region follows the path of the Douro River as it comes out of Spain into Portugal. The region goes west through rugged, remote, steep and terraced granite mountains of northern Portugal, past  the city of Porto into Atlantic Ocean. There are three official zones of the Douro Valley: the Baixo (lower) Corgo, the Cima (higher) Corgo and the Douro Superior Baixo Corgo is the westernmost zone and is cool, rainy and the sub region with the most vineyards.Often these grapes are for cheap ruby and tawny Port Cima Corgo  is upstream from the Baixo Corgo and is where the best vineyards for Port are located. Hotter and drier than Baixo, these excellent grapes are used for Vintage, Reserve, aged Tawny, and Late Bottled Vintage Ports Douro Superior is the easternmost zone, going right up to the Spanish border. It has a lot of land but is least developed. It is the hottest, driest area, and a bit flatter   Land and Climate The Douro has hot, dry summers and steep rocky hillsides bordering the Douro River and its tributaries. The thin, poor schist and granite soils force the grapes to dig deep into schist to look for water and force humans to build terraces to do viticulture: 2/3 of vineyard are on slopes with 30%+ grade. The Grapes Reds: Producers are permitted to use more than 80 red varieties but 5 are widely used: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinta Cão. The best wines are blended from low yielding vines with grapes that are small with thick skins and good acidity levels. The grapes here, with the exception of Tempranillo, are indigenous and suited to the hot, dry conditions of the Douro. There is nothing else that tastes like these blends Whites (30 allowed): Gouveio, Malvasia Fino, Moscatel, Vinosinho, Rabigato, Esgana-Cão (Sercial of Madeira, dog strangler), others   History of Port: Most of the information on Port was on Taylor Fladgate’s excellent site.    Winemaking: The Steps Grow grapes in Douro. The IVDP (Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto– Port and Douro Wines Institute)uses the beneficio system (similar to the Échelle des Crus in Champagne) to classify vineyards with a grade that will determine the quantity of Port Wine that can be made from each parcel.   Put the grapes in a vat (different varieties are usually co-fermented). Stomp them by foot or press them and then start fermentation. When you get to the sugar level you want in the finished wine, run the wine out of the lagar into a vat. To that runoff of juice, add aguardente to kill the yeast and stop fermentation, leaving some sweetness. The resulting wine is usually 19% to 20% alcohol Let the wine chill out in Douro until spring, evaluate it for what style of Port it will make and then take the wine to lodges at Vila Nova de Gaia near the city of Porto to be blended, aged, bottled and then sold. The real magic is in the ageing…   Ageing & Port Styles Ports differ because of the quality of the vineyards/grapes, the makeup of the blend, and the ageing regimens they go through. Age softens the bitter, astringent tannins and with time older Ports become brownish in color, soft in tannin, and full of interesting aromas and flavors. Port is classified by how long and WHAT it’s aged in: Wood or bottle Wood Aged Port is matured in wooden barrels. They’re permeable to air so this is called oxidative aging. These wines lose color faster than bottle aged Ports. Bottle Aged Port is aged in barrel for 2 or fewer years. It then goes into a bottle and the buyer ages it in their own cellar. Vintage Port, the finest of all Ports, is made this way.   Styles of Port Fruity, dark colored Ports: Ruby, LBV Ruby Port is, not surprisingly, ruby red in color. Looking to maintain color and its full cherry and black fruit notes, this wine goes through very little oxidation before release. It can age up to 3 years in wood or another vessel that allows small amounts of air in. It is generally sweet, cheap, and is the most widely produced style (because from a cost perspective – it’s as turn-and-burn as it gets in Port – not inventory holding costs). Special Ruby Ports are: Reserve: This is where the term reserve actually matters! These wines are better quality, age for slightly longer, and more rounded, full-bodied and complex Rosé: Like any rosé, this type of Ruby Port is in contact with the skins for a shor period of time to obtain the pink color. This is a new type of Port and best chilled with ice   Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port is always from a single vintage year, always bottled after spending 4 to 6 years in a wood vat of some sort, and is a dark purple-ish color, full-bodied, and is a little like drinking a young Vintage Port but without bottle ageing and from less good vineyards. This is the Port I usually drink – it’s predictable, tasty, and a great value for what it is. There are two subcategories here: Bottle Matured Port: Is generally a higher quality LBV that ages in bottle for at least 3 years before release These can come filtered and fined, unfiltered and unfined or in a few other variations. Unfiltered and unfined may throw more sediment. Food Pairings with these fruity Ports: Brie with Ruby, cheddar with Reserve, tangy cheese with LBV (goat). Chocolate desserts for all that have sweetness.   Nutty, dried-fruit, woodsy flavored Port:   Tawny Port in theory is made from red grapes, for a long amount of time that will cause gradual oxidation and evaporation, changing the color of the wine to a brownish TAWNY color, rather than purple or ruby. These wines are known for more secondary notes of nuts, dried fruit, smoke, and sometimes oak. With lots of age they can be like honey or even maple syrup. Often lots of different wines have aged for different lengths of time in casks or in vats are blended to reach the house style. They can be sweet or medium dry or dry. These wines are ready to drink when they are bottled. TYPES of Tawny Tawny (No age): Basic blend of wood-aged wine that has usually spent 3+ years in a seasoned cask so they don’t taste oak aged. The reality is that cheap versions of these contain unripe grapes that lack color, the addition of White Port to lighten color, or commonly, carmelized grape must that can add desired color and flavor. Reserve: From a blend of wines aged 5-7 years. From better vineyards than regular Tawny, these have more nuttiness, vanilla notes, and complex fruit flavor. Tawnies with an indication of age – These are blends of several vintages to get target color, flavor, and aroma. The best versions include very old wines but many large brands just aim for a “target age profile.” This is a flavor they aim to get (that yummy old wine flavor, I guess?) and the “target” is stated on the label -- 10, 20, 30 or 40 years. It’s not even an average of the ages of the wines used. Colheita is a single-vintage Tawny, aged for at least 7 years and it has the vintage year on the bottle. Although it’s not a Vintage Port, if the idea of uncertainty around “20 year Tawny” bugs you, this is a more regulated wine. Also a more expensive one in many cases.                                   Food pairing with Tawnies: Cheese wins the day -- hard, aged cheeses like Pecorino or Parmesan and nut or cream-based desserts (Pecan pie, caramel or fruit based desserts,). Older Tawny pairs well with all that stuff, plus crème brulee, and honey- and nut-based desserts. Like most really old wines, really old Tawny should be consumed solo, chilled.   Garrafeira is a rare vintage-dated Port that first goes through oxidative ageing for 3-6 years in wood and then is moved into huge glass demijohns for reductive aging for 8+ years.   White Port is made solely from white grapes in very sweet, sweet, dry or extra dry styles (called Extra Seco, Seco, Doce and Lágrima). Reserve is aged slightly longer and is slightly better quality. These wines are great as cocktail mixers!   Bottle Aged Port: Vintage Port is one of the greatest wines in the world. Harvested during a single year and bottled two to three years after the vintage, it develops gradually for 10 to 50 years in the bottle. Each Port house decides whether to make a vintage declaration and the IVDP approves the declaration, which only happens 3 in 10 years. These wines are only a small percentage of the total production of Port. They are bottled relatively quickly and sold, for the buyer to hold and wait for the flavors to change in the bottle. Great Vintages in the last 20 years: 2018, 2016, 2011, 2007, 2003, 2000, 1997, 1994 Single-Quinta Vintage Ports come from a single quinta, or estate. It is a very dark, full bodied red wine that becomes softer after ageing in bottle. It is the most terroir-expressive Port.                                       Crusted Port is high quality Port that’s a blend of wines from different harvests. Crusted Port is bottled after 2-3 years of ageing in wood. The wine throws a thick sediment deposit (crust) in the bottle so you need skill in decanting to get the wine out without the chunks! Some consider it bottle-aged, some consider it wood-aged but I think since it spends most of its time developing in the bottle, we’ll leave it here. Food Pairing with Vintage and Crusted Ports: Blue cheese – Stilton or Roquefort are the traditional pairings for Vintage Port, as are nuts and dried fruit. A fine, old Vintage Port should be enjoyed alone.   Serving Tips: 59–68 °F /15˚ and 20 °C is the ideal serving range Tawny port may also be served slightly cooler Vintage Ports and Unfiltered Ports need to be decanted Tawny, ruby, and LBV Ports may keep for several months once opened Old Vintage ports are best consumed within several days of opening   Famed shippers (AKA Producers) British influence remains: Broadbent, Cockburn, Croft, Dow, Gould Campbell, Graham, Osborne, Offley, Sandeman, Taylor-Fladgate, and Warre Dutch: Niepoort Portuguese origins: Ferreira and Quinta do Crasto, Quinta do Noval _____________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Access  Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!  Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!    Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople   And register for current classes at:  www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

A woman writes in her diary about a wonderful trip to the Douro River valley!

It's Spring 1809 and Sir Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington) has returned to Portugal to continue the campaign against the French invaders. In this important episode, we see Wellington at his most decisive as he sends his army across the Douro River to throw the French out of northern Portugal at the 2nd Battle of Oporto.

Paul and Elizabeth bring you highlights of a one-week cruise on Portugal's Douro River aboard the Scenic Azure.

Sail away to Portugal this week as we cruise along the beautiful Douro River.

Evan and Leslie Tait join Paul and Elizabeth to reveal why they’ve repeatedly traveled with Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours: a serendipitous encounter aboard the line’s Scenic Azure on the Douro River in Portugal.

LocalAdventurer’s Esther and Jacob chat give Paul and Elizabeth a millennial’s-eye-view of a river cruise aboard Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours’ Scenic Azure on the Douro River in Portugal.

Executive Chef Pedro Ribeiro and Restaurant & Bar Manager Pedro Pereira of Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours’ Scenic Azure on the Douro River in Portugal make a return appearance to reveal the ship’s myriad dining options and discuss the real meaning of vintage port.

Award-winning photographers Robert Holmes and Andrea Johnson join Paul and Elizabeth aboard Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours’ Scenic Azure on the Douro River in Portugal to reveal how changing your perspective can enhance your appreciation of a place.

Executive Chef Pedro Ribeiro and Restaurant & Bar Manager Pedro Pereira join Paul and Elizabeth and show how their teamwork and friendship help them deliver local Portuguese specialties to guests aboard Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours’ Scenic Azure on the Douro River in Portugal.

Timeshare authority Jeanne Gillies joins Paul and Elizabeth to dispel common misconceptions about timeshares and offer tips if you’re considering one: a serendipitous encounter aboard Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours’ Scenic Azure on the Douro River in Portugal.

Douro is a Portuguese wine region centered on the Douro River that delights tourists with its landscapes, gastronomy, and cruises. Meet the home of port wine and become mesmerized with the beauty of this region!

Join me on my podcast as I talk about all things cruises. On my fifteenth episode, I am joined by Katharine Bonner, senior vice president of Tauck River & Ocean Cruises, to talk about the history of Tauck, and a new ship that will cruise the Douro River. Articles mentioned: https://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2019/01/tauck-announces-new-douro-river-ship/ https://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2019/02/viking-announces-new-river-cruise-offerings/ https://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2019/02/uniworld-will-launch-four-new-ships-in-2020/ https://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2019/02/riviera-river-cruises-will-launch-two-ships-in-2019/ Check out my writing on www.avidcruiser.com/blog/ www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/blog/ Contact me: britton.frost@gmail.com Photo courtesy of Tauck See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join me on my podcast as I talk about all things cruises. On my fifteenth episode, I am joined by Katharine Bonner, senior vice president of Tauck River & Ocean Cruises, to talk about the history of Tauck, and a new ship that will cruise the Douro River. Articles mentioned: https://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2019/01/tauck-announces-new-douro-river-ship/ https://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2019/02/viking-announces-new-river-cruise-offerings/ https://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2019/02/uniworld-will-launch-four-new-ships-in-2020/ https://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/2019/02/riviera-river-cruises-will-launch-two-ships-in-2019/ Check out my writing on www.avidcruiser.com/blog/ www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/blog/ Contact me: britton.frost@gmail.com Photo courtesy of Tauck

Check your local public television station for this new Rick Steves' Europe episode! Portugal has an oversized history, fascinating culture, and boatloads of sardines. Saving the capital city of Lisbon for another episode, we'll dance on the beach at Nazaré, marvel at a medieval abbey in Batalha, visit a royal library and revel with university students in Coimbra, savor port wine with the people who made it along the Douro River, and get to know Portugal's gritty and fascinating second city, Porto. Watch this and other full episodes of Rick Steves' Europe at http://www.ricksteves.com.

Check your local public television station for this new Rick Steves’ Europe episode! Portugal has an oversized history, fascinating culture, and boatloads of sardines. Saving the capital city of Lisbon for another episode, we'll dance on the beach at Nazaré, marvel at a medieval abbey in Batalha, visit a royal library and revel with university students in Coimbra, savor port wine with the people who made it along the Douro River, and get to know Portugal's gritty and fascinating second city, Porto. Watch this and other full episodes of Rick Steves' Europe at http://www.ricksteves.com.

Welcome to this episode of the Real Fast Results podcast!  Today’s episode features a very, very special guest.  His name is John Pollack, and he is a world-class writer and an expert on the use of language.  So, if you are an author or publisher, you are going to gain a lot by reviewing this material.  John helps people just like you to tap the full potential of language to reveal truths, articulate ideas, and persuade others to take action. Download the Complete PDF Show Notes Free for this Episode John’s expertise comes from working in the corporate arena and for nonprofits.  Additionally, he is a journalist as well as a former Presidential Speechwriter for Bill Clinton, and he has spent more than a decade as a consultant for Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and public sector leaders.  His proficiency doesn’t end there either.  John has worked as a speechwriter on Capitol Hill, as a foreign correspondent in Spain, and is known for his work as a project manager at The Henry Ford, which is a museum of American innovation. [bctt tweet="Becoming flexible in the association of ideas is the key to becoming stronger when using analogy." via="no"] Above all else, John is probably most recognized for the empathy and creativity that comes across in his writing.  He has a tendency to venture off the beaten path, and this has led him to become more persuasive as a result of the insight and understanding he has gained.  Moreover, his world view has grown immensely from working and living in places like Africa, Antarctica, and Europe.  He has also hitchhiked across Australia, explored Caucasus, and skippered a boat, which he built out of 165,321 corks, down the Douro River in Portugal.  Some of his written works include The Pun Also Rises, Cork Boat, The World on a String, and Shortcut: How Analogies Reveal Connections, Spark Innovation and Sell Our Greatest Ideas.  Without further ado, John welcome to the show… Learn How to Use Analogies to Communicate Better and Persuade More People How to Broaden Your Awareness of Analogies Effectively Using Analogies in Your Writing 5 criteria of what goes into an analogy How to Craft a Good Analogy Play with language and ideas Download the Complete PDF Show Notes Free for this Episode Connecting with John The best way to reach me is through my website, JohnDPollack.com.  Also, if you are interested in learning more about the subject of learning to use analogy, pick up my book, The World on a String and Shortcut: How Analogies Reveal Connections, Spark Innovation and Sell Our Greatest Ideas.  You can find it on Amazon and through other great retailers. Real Fast Results Community If you are diggin’ on this stuff and really love what we’re doing here at Real Fast Results, would you please do me a favor? Head on over to iTunes, and make sure that you subscribe to this show, download it, and rate & review it. That would be an awesome thing. Of course, we also want to know your results. Please share those results with us at http://www.realfastresults.com/results. As always, go make results happen!

This week we are broadcasting live in Porto, Portugal with CroisiEuope River Cruises as they christen the brand new MS Miguel Torga. The Miguel Torga sails six to eight-night cruises along the Douro River across Portugal. The Douro River is known for its scenic views and wine trails. We discuss the ship itself, the services offered onboard, dining, tours, and who is CroisiEurope River Cruises is for.  Chris Owen joins us to answer a listener question from Alex. Alex needs help on where to start when it comes to buying his parents a river cruise for Christmas. This will be their first river cruise and Chris helps him make an informed decision. 

A special live episode of the Amateur Traveler with three guests, Aaron Saunders, Jonathan Souza and Mary Quincy talking about the recent VikingSocial, Viking River Cruise on the Douro River in Portugal.

A special live episode of the Amateur Traveler with three guests, Aaron Saunders, Jonathan Souza and Mary Quincy talking about the recent VikingSocial, Viking River Cruise on the Douro River in Portugal.

This Week in Travel - Travel News Podcast. Regular host Chris Christensen are joined by this week's guests who are on the VikingSocial cruise, a Viking River Cruise on the Douro River in Portugal

A special live episode of the Amateur Traveler with three guests, Aaron Saunders, Jonathan Souza and Mary Quincy talking about the recent VikingSocial, Viking River Cruise on the Douro River in Portugal.

We have a special edition for our 10th How Are You? Where Are You? podcast. We take you on a cycling tour of the Douro River from Pocinho to Porto.