Reasons to Invest in Portugal property

Have you ever visited another area that entices you to stay longer than originally planned? Portugal has a charm that encourages people from around the world to relocate or buy a second home. 

The natural beauty and manmade creativity found in the cities, countryside and beaches are remarkable.

Four top reasons to live in Portugal

1. One of the Top Climates in Europe. The breeze off the Atlantic Ocean cools down the coast during the hot summer. Winters are mild, with winter temperatures in coastal regions generally remaining above 5 C/41 F.

2. English spoken here. Young people in this southern European country are adept at carrying on a conversation in English. The older generation typically includes French and English as joint second languages. You’ll likely never need a pocket translator because there are so many residents fluent in English.

3. Friendly people. You’ll find welcoming, friendly people who make you feel comfortable. A relaxed lifestyle reduces stress and builds happiness.

4. Anyone can buy property in Portugal. Contact the experienced real estate professionals at  www.menuportugal.com for information about how to invest in or buy property in fantastic Portugal.

Porto rated Europe’s top destination again!

TripAdvisor has just announced the Travellers’ Choice Awards for the Top Destinations on the Rise, revealing that the city of Porto heads the top 10 in Europe and is third globally. 

On the global list, 1st place goes to Tulum in Mexico and 2nd to Cartagena in Colombia, the birthplace of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. In Europe, Porto takes first place, standing out for a 48% increase in traffic related to the destination on the TripAdvisor site and a 39% rise in booking interest in October this year compared to the same month last year. 

The average price per night in the city through Tripadvisor is €52.79 and the best month to book, according to the site, is this month, when the average price per night is €43.24.

The low-cost accommodation preferred by Internet users planning to visit Porto is Moov Hotel Porto Centro. This statistic, according to the portal, relates to “highly recommended hotels with a minimum rating of four balls out of five on TripAdvisor” and the average price shown relates to the site’s data on bookings for the 1 December this year to 31 October next year. 

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Taste and travel in great taste!

Travel, taste, discover, get the best of life and degustations here in the one of the most beautiful places in the world
Douro river Valley. An art of world best wines gem.

The stunning Douro Valley provides extraordinarily good conditions for producing red, white and port wines.
A plethora of grape varieties can be found in the Douro, including Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Castelao.

Happy travelling! Happy tasting!!

One of the most beautiful examples of Baroque Architecture in Portugal.. and in the World!

The Freixo Palace Hotel, opened in October 2009 and is the first Portuguese Pousada in the Oporto city.

The adaptation of the Pousada do Porto, inserted in a palace which has been classified as a National Monument since 1910, was by architect David Sinclair and decorated by architect James Mitchell. The building is located on the banks of the Douro River, named after the famous Wine Region in Portugal, which dates back to Roman times.

Situated just a few kilometres from Guimarães, the European Culture Capital 2012, the 
Freixo Palace is a beautiful example of Portuguese civil baroque.

Characterised by its sumptuous eighteenth century construction, the work originally was authorised by the celebrated Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni. Nicolau Nasoni was one of the most significant architects of the Oporto city with an important contribution to the Historic Heritage where attention is also given to the Tower of the Clergy, ex-libris of the city. 
At the time of construction the Tower of the Clergy was considered to be the highest building in Portugal standing at 75 metres high

by visitportugal 

Lisbon is one of 10 best places in the world to drink coffee. Discover! Enjoy..

People get seriously poetic about coffee in Lisbon. It's a must to taste!  
The irresistible combination of a storied cafe culture and a fantastic cup of coffee can do that to a person. Pour yourself into the experience by heading to a cafe, settling in for a leisurely sit, and ordering abica. 
The revered shot of black coffee is longer than an espresso and usually features beans roasted with a traditional low-and-slow technique that yields the drink's signature flavour.

Try: Cafe A Brasileira, the cafe at Miradouro de Sao Pedro de Alcantara, or any neighborhood pasteleria that strikes your fancy.

by usatoday.com

Ciclo de Fins de Semana Gastronómicos 2012 chega ao fim com aroma a Moscatel

A Câmara Municipal de Palmela, a Associação da Rota de Vinhos da Península de Setúbal/ Costa Azul e 19 estabelecimentos do concelho promovem os Fins de Semana Gastronómicos do Moscatel nos dias 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 e 11 de novembro.  O Moscatel de Setúbal é o rei da iniciativa, aromatizando pratos principais e sobremesas, para ementas cada vez mais criativas e requintadas. Com estes Fins de Semana, chega ao fim o ciclo 2012, que deu continuidade ao trabalho de promoção dos produtos locais e dos estabelecimentos de restauração do concelho. Parte integrante do projeto “Palmela – Experiências com Sabor”, os Fins de Semana Gastronómicos temáticos apostaram, este ano, na utilização do queijo de ovelha, da fruta, do vinho e do Moscatel enquanto ingredientes-estrela na confeção de receitas diferentes.  “Palmela, Cidade Europeia do Vinho 2012” surge, assim, cada vez mais associada a gastronomia e vinhos de qualidade, produto estratégico identificado nos planos nacionais e regionais de desenvolvimento do turismo. Os Fins de Semana Gastronómicos do Moscatel de Setúbal estão inseridos, também, no programa de comemorações do Dia Europeu do Enoturismo que, entre 9 e 11 de novembro, apresenta um conjunto variado de propostas, onde se destacam atividades culturais nas adegas, provas comentadas, um jantar vínico, um magusto gourmet e a realização do seminário “Inovar e Qualificar a Oferta Enoturística”. by cm-palmela.pt

Douro Museum. Heritage, History and Beauty. Learn... Then go and taste its best!

The Douro Museum can be defined as the Museum of the Douro Territory, as an expression of the cultural identity of the Demarcated Region of Douro, a Community Museum, as it expresses the identity of the Man who built, builds and looks after the landscape of the region and produces wine of highly renowned special features: it is therefore also a Wine Museum.
The Fundação Museu do Douro (Douro Museum Foundation) was established on 23 March 2006 by Decree-Law No. 70/06. It is an institution of private law and a public utility with legal personality.

The Foundation’s purpose is to pursuit cultural activities, including the facilities, maintenance and management of the Museum of the Douro Region, created by Law No. 125/97 of 2 December, and the fulfilment of the duties established in this law.

O Museu do Douro, criado pela Lei 125/97, foi concebido como um museu de território, polivalente e polinuclear, vocacionado para reunir, conservar, identificar e divulgar o vastíssimo património museológico e documental disperso pela região, devendo constituir um instrumento ao serviço do desenvolvimento sociocultural da Região Demarcada do Douro. Numa perspetiva de "museologia de comunidade", o Museu do Douro assume-se como processo cujo desenvolvimento deverá envolver a colaboração ativa com as instituições locais, regionais e internacionais.

A gestão do Museu do Douro é da responsabilidade da Fundação Museu do Douro, criada pelo Dec.-Lei 70/2006, instituindo-a como pessoa coletiva de direito privado e utilidade pública. A Fundação Museu do Douro tem como fim a instalação, manutenção e a gestão do Museu do Douro.

Para atingir a sua missão o Museu do Douro preserva, estuda, expõe e interpreta objetos materiais e imateriais representativos da identidade, da cultura, da história e do desenvolvimento da região do Douro, independentemente da época histórica, de vários tipos e fabricos, com especial incidência nos elementos associados à vitivinicultura, atividade primordial na região.

O Museu do Douro pretende assumir o papel que lhe cabe na formação de valores culturais, em articulação ativa com os demais agentes e instituições, promovendo não só uma função educacional de divulgação e contextualização da cultura e história da região mas, sobretudo, proporcionando experiências capazes de motivar a participação e o envolvimento ativo do público que serve.

by museudodouro.pt, Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto

Lisbon Story Centre marks the 257th Anniversary of the 1755 earthquake. Secrets of Portugal..

1 November and the 1755 earthquake Holiday and long weekend with reduced prices in the Lisbon Story Centre. From 1-4 November, the Lisbon Story Centre marks the 257th Anniversary of the 1755 earthquake and invites tourists and residents to know the history of the brand-new Portuguese city equipment, at special prices. Feeling through an immersive experience, the devastating effects of the natural disaster that struck the Portuguese capital on 1755, 1st November, meet all plans for rebuilding the city and its development, through the use of special effects and multimedia solutions. Through a "time travel", the visitor learns about the key moments of the collective memory of Lisbon, its myths and its realities, and see how past events influenced the current city. The visit lasts for 60 minutes, guided by an audio guide available in 9 languages including a children's version, through the themes "Lisboa, Myths and Realities," "Lisboa, Global City", "November 1, 1755, the day of All Saints "," The vision of Pombal "," The Terreiro do Paço" and "Virtual Lisbon. " The exit is via the shop and a tourist information center, where visitors can gather all the information needed to prepare and plan a visit to the tourist and cultural offer of the Portuguese capital. Located in the Terreiro do Paço, the Centre Lisbon Story - Memories of the City is an unmissable experience. Lisbon Story Centre - Memories of the City Palace Square 1 to 4 November 10h00-20h00 Last entry at 19:00 by visitlisboa.com

Portuguese Red Wines Come of Age, Steal Spain’s Thunder

Back in the 1990s Spain seemed to be Europe’s most forward looking wine producer. But as overproduction and high alcohol wines increasingly dominate Spanish viniculture, it now appears Portugal can steal some of its thunder. 
Such an achievement would simply not have been possible 10 years ago. Prior to 1986, when Portugal joined the EU, its wine industry was wracked by political directives and a lack of any dependable system to make sense of its wine regions.

After joining, EU subsidies and investments poured into Portugal for the regeneration of old and the building of new wineries, attracting a young generation of winemakers, including an impressive number of women, who now account for 60 percent of the students at the oenology school in Vila Real.
Today there are 31 DOC and DOP appellations and 14 approved wine regions in Portugal, including the beautiful Douro River Valley, famous for its fortified Port wines.
Indeed, Port’s historic renown has blinded many to the charms of Portugal’s modern red wines, 30 of which, all from the Douro, I got to taste at a recent Wine Media Guild luncheon in New Yourk.

Modestly Priced

My overall impression was that many were so very good and so modestly priced, with some of my favorites retailing at only $10 - $16. In fact, none cost more than $40.
My second surprise was that very few topped 14 percent in alcohol, with most at a reasonable 13.5 or below, indicating that, at least so far, Portuguese winemakers have resisted going for that bold but imbalanced style that plagues international wine markets and destroys any subtleties of individual terroir.
One of my colleagues at the luncheon said he thought too many of the wines tasted very much the same, but I reminded him that all were from the same Douro region and therefore shared identifiable characteristics.

Some of the newer blends -- and Portugal offers a wide palate of grapes to choose among -- include the robust touriga nacional; the late-ripening baga, sometimes used as a base for sparkling wines; the widely planted, zesty castelao; the aromatic touriga franca; the fruity, herbal trincadeira; and the increasingly impressive tinta, in Spain called tempranillo.

Fuzzy Reservas

These were young wines we tasted, and the laws about “reservas” are a bit fuzzy: a reserva must spend at least one year in oak and one in bottle -- rather liberal for a wine that is held back for more maturity -- and a garrafeira must spend three years aging, at least one in bottle, but the rules allow for a good deal of flexibility.

Most of the wines were recent vintages from 2009 and 2010 vintages, with the oldest going back only to 2007. I enjoyed the younger, fresher wines, including a lovely, sweetly juicy and floral Vinho Oscar Quevedo Douro Oscar’s 2009 ($10) that makes for very easy drinking. Sales-wise, Quevado is cutting edge: the producer markets only through its social network.
At $13, the 2009 Quinta dos Murcas Assobio, is a terrific buy, with a remarkably assertive bouquet and fine texture felt from the tip of the tongue to back of the throat. “Assobio” means “whistle,” in homage to the winds in the Douro hills.

Persuasive Blend

The 2009 J. Portugal Ramos Colheita ($20) is a persuasive blend of two touriga varietals plus tinta roriz, with plenty of complexity.
If you want a sense of what a “typical” Portuguese wine tastes like, try the 2009 Quinta de Roriz Prazo de Roriz ($16), which is a little rough around the edges but would be perfect with Portuguese dishes like caldo verde soup, the salt cod dish called bacalhau, or just with a handful of the country’s wonderful roasted chestnuts.

My favorite wine, at just $21, was the PV Mutante 2007, whose age mellowed its tannins and acids, revealing layers of integrated flavors of fruit and woodsyness.

At $30, the curiously-named Twisted Tinto 2009, a blend of the two tourigas, roriz, amarela, and barroca, by Niepoort (one of the finest Port producers) had medium body, a rich, fat quality and plenty of dense fruit flavors, ideal with suckling pig or lamb.

Yet not one of these wines went above 13.5 percent alcohol, while providing real depth of flavour.

by blomberg.com

Gastronomia Portuguesa.

Vinho e gastronomia de mãos dadas

 by Revista EPICUR

Os nomes da quinta e do restaurante encontram-se na adega  na cozinha, dão-se as mãos à esa, para momentos de fruição  promessa de prazeres futuros. A concepção dos pratos de cada enu e  sua conjugação hão-de ser pistas para casamentos uturos, lá em casa (por que não?), entre uma asca disto ou aquilo e uma flute daquela colheita, um tinto de boa casta.

Que a concepção da casa obedeceu à intenção de divulgar a culinária regional, privilegiando o leitão, adivinha-se desde logo pela integração, de raiz, na própria memória descritiva do projecto, de um forno destinado à assadura do réquinho. E as referências nas redes sociais ainda atribuem ao local as virtudes todas desse brinco – o forno contempla a utilização das vides retiradas na limpeza das vinhas.

A verdade é que o leitão à Bairrada já não figura na ementa. Hoje, o cardápio está organizado por menus, desde logo o que responde por Grande Encontro. Aí se contempla um camarão fumado, salva e tártaro de cenoura e courgette, a que se liga, na proposta, o espumante Cabriz Dão

Touriga Nacional rosé Bruto 2006. Já para a truta assada com figo e damascos, puré de grão-de-bico e salsa frisada é sugerido o Encontro 1 Bairrada branco 201.

Nas carnes, o lombinho de borrego grelhado, esparregado de grelos e macaxeira frita, vem com um Grande Encontro Bairrada tinto 2008. Por fim, aos doces, a Quinta das Tecedeira comparece num Porto Vintage 2007, a enfrentar um enrolado de ovos- -moles, seu gelado e salada de fruta fresca. Já o Menu Preto Branco arranca com atum marinado com funcho, vinagrete de toranja e canónigos, assessorado por espumante Cabriz Dão Encruzado Bruto 2007; chamuça de enchidos serranos, salada de ananás dos Açores, creme de coco e azeite de coentros, em que os copos acolhem um Quinta de Lourosa Regional Minho Alvarinho – Arinto 2011; segue-se terrina de porco bísaro, chips de batata-doce e rúcula, mais o Preto Branco Bairrada Reserva tinto 2009; pudim de cenoura, chocolate negro e caruma de camelo, embalado pela Quinta das Tecedeiras Porto LBV 2009, completam o quadro.

Vamos ao Menu Bical, casta acarinhada nos brancos bairradinos: tempura de legumes, creme de queijo da Serra da Estrela e zimbro, mais espumante Quinta do Encontro Bairrada Bruto 2008; centro de bacalhau frito, arroz de tomate assado e hortelã da ribeira, com um QdoE Bairrada Bical 2011; creme queimado de espumante Quinta do Encontro, acolitado de Conde de Sabugal Douro Moscatel 2009. E lá vão 24 euros. Agora o Menu Encontro, nos seus 17 euros. Abre com um creme de abóbora, espuma de camarão e cebolinho, com espumante QdoE bruto, seguido de um caldo de cogumelos, osso-buco estufado e estaladiças de legumes, regado a QdoE Bairrada tinto 2009. À sobremesa comparece o soufflé de lima, gelado de nata e hortelã, mais o Conde de Sabugal Douro Moscatel 2009.

As perspectivas de visita e convívio familiares obrigam a menus de criança, sob a forma de bife do lombo com creme de manteiga ou massa com cogumelos, queijo e bacon. Bastam 12,5 euros para esta experiência abstémia. O visitante não fica, no entanto, obrigado, a consumir um menu. Os pratos já referidos estão disponíveis, cada um por si. E os vinhos, claro, à escolha. Pela prova, é uma grande experiência. O chefe de cozinha está à altura, sem arrebiques de descrição. Cada preparação culinária, numa refeição destas, há-de servir o vinho que a convoca. Gostámos e aplaudimos.