Truly Off-The-Beaten Path

The term “off-the-beaten path” is incredibly overused in my industry. It runs the gamut from backpackers sleeping on glaciers or in hostels to exclusive experiences that cost a pretty penny but can only be had by a few. “Authenticity” is about to head down that route also. Becoming overused and never true to its original intent.

With as much as I travel, I can still be surprised by finding a spot in the world that truly embraces both of these descriptive phrases. The northwest corner of Portugal is one such place.

If you know me, read my blog, or follow me on social media, you know I absolutely love Portugal. There is a magic and warmth to this country and its people that have always made me feel, not just welcome, but embraced.

Early spring of this year, I had the opportunity to travel to the north west corner of Portugal, nestled between Porto, Spain, and the Atlantic Ocean. It was an industry trip put together by my trusted partner in country, Portugal by Travel Tailors. It was a small group of us but we made up for it in the experiences and laughter we shared. So, come along and travel back through this well-kept secret with me! Let’s start with our jumping off point, Porto (see previous post), and head north.

Guimaraes, Portugal

Guimaraes

Guimaraes îs a lovely town about an hour north of Porto. Many people visit this town as a day trip from Porto but we visited as a part of a bigger itinerary.

Guimaraes is considered the “birthplace of Portugal” as the first king of Portugal, Afonso I, was born here. It is rich in history and much more. Think medieval. The town center is a World Heritage UNESCO site for good reason. As you easily stroll the town you will find beautiful mansions, narrow streets and iron verandas. Oliver Square in the center of town is just beautiful.

A must-see is the Bragana Palace with beautiful tapestries depicting the history of exploration of Portugal, along with an amazing display of artifacts from throughout Portuguese history.

Solar das Boucas

We stopped for a short visit to Solar das Boucas, a lovingly restored manor house surrounded by 18th century vineyards and an expansive view over the countryside and mountains of the area. The manor house can be rented on a buy-out basis, providing a perfect location for a destination wedding or family/friends group trip. The restaurant is in a lovely separate building. Food, drink, and company were excellent!

Photo credit: Edgar Pimenta from Unsplash

Ponte de Lima

And then we were off to the lovely village of Ponte de Lima, the oldest village in Portugal and one of my favorites. The town is incredibly quaint with gorgeous and interesting architecture, churches, even the site of the old pillory.

Join the locals and take a stroll across the bridge, at the heart of this town. You can’t miss it! It is an easy, leisurely stroll and lovely to boot! Check out the Chapel of Anjo de Guarda on the other side.

Another must see is the Sao Paolo Tower in the town center.

Ponte de Lima is incredibly authentic and free of tourists. I felt like I was back in the Portugal I had first visited over 20 years ago!

Carmo’s Boutique Hotel

We had a fantastic meal and rested our heads that night at one of the most unique boutique hotels I have ever stayed. Carmo’s Boutique Hotel is nestled away amongst beautiful trees and gardens. You have to know where it is or you would never find it! It is a world unto itself, less than 10 minutes from Ponte de Lima but you feel like you have found a special world.

The Small Leading Hotels property is small with only 15 rooms and … wait for it … 3 safari style tent accommodations! It is decorated in a stylish yet whimsical manner, with treasures around every corner.

Though a perfect spot to use as a base camp to explore the region, you could also make a few night stay at the property and never leave. They have a lovely spa, pool, restaurant, gardens, wine tasting room, gorgeous children’s play room (its own gazebo structure), and lots of experiences on offer.

Peneda Geres National Park, Portugal

Peneda Geres National Park

For the start of my absolutely favorite day in Portugal, we were picked up by jeeps and our two fun drivers, ready for an adventure.

First stop was Peneda Geres National Park, the only national park in Portugal. Northern Portugal is actually quite mountainous and the roads of the park dip and circle back through stunning scenery. With miles of hiking trails and a variety of topography, my nature loving clients and friends will be happy here for days.

We started our day with a hike through the forest. Though a bit muddy in early spring, the hike was fun and relatively easy. It is a mystical little place in the park, with the sound of water running and moss covering everything. I was expecting to see a hobbit jump out from around a tree! It was so peaceful and felt wonderful to get away from the madness of the world for a few hours.

We returned to the jeeps to find that one of our lovely guides had prepared us an al fresco snack with chorizo and cheese and crusty bread and port tonics all around. It was a lovely surprise and had the feel of a sundowner after a safari game drive.

To top off this most perfect of days, we climbed back in the jeeps to take a journey through the rest of the park, stopping at vistas and gorgeous waterfalls. From there we headed to the ocean. Down through the mountains, we started to catch glimpses of the ocean from a distance. As we got closer, we could hear the sound of the pounding early spring surf. After leaving the beaten path, we headed straight to the sea where we found the quaintest of old fishermens’ huts nesled into the dunes.

As we all ran to the waterfront and strolled the gorgeous beach, our guides once again went to work to make us a traditional Portuguese shrimp and runny rice lunch, while sipping wine and sharing thoughts on the day. Outside, on the beach, with the sound of the surf and the sun as the backdrop to a most memorable afternoon.

You know when I talk about the non-googlable experiences I can find for you? Well, this is a perfect example!

Viana do Castelo, Portugal

Viana do Castelo

The end of the day brought us to the beautiful city of Viana do Castelo. The city is situated next to the sea and on the mouth of the River Lima. The highlight is the beautiful Basilica of Sacred Heart of Jesus that sits on the top of Santa Luiza Hill. The panoramic views are just stunning, stretching for miles in every direction.

The city center is beautiful and begs for a wander.

We ended our day at the Feel Viana Hotel right on the sea. The Feel Viana is a really unique property, created for the enjoyment of the outdoors. Everything revolves around sports - surfing, hiking, biking. With a location right next to the ocean, it is also conducive to long, sunset beach walks!

Barcelos, Portugal

Barcelos

The next morning, we were off again to the lovely town of Barcelos, a town where the fishermen’s wives still sell the catch in metal wagons they cart around town. This town breathes authenticity from every crack in the cobblestone streets.

We wandered the weekly market, admiring the produce and more bounty from the sea. We also spent a fair share of our time where the pottery is, all choosing momentos of the trip to take home with us. All suitcases were just a little bit heavier for the trip home!

We also spent some time painting the traditional Portuguese cock, a symbol of a long ago tale where a rooster crows to tell of a man’s innocence. We also spent some time with a woman who does the most amazing embroideries by hand.

A must-do is the costume museum displaying all the traditional costumes of various regions of Portugal. Being a textile artist in my other life, the embroidery knocked my socks off!

Pinhais Cannery Co, Matosinhos, Portugal

Our next stop was the Pinhais Canning Co, a factory that has been producing the traditional snack of Portugal for over 100 years. I truly never would have believed that a trip to a sardine factory would have been this much fun! The building is drop dead gorgeous, the guided tour excellent, the ladies who work there funny and friendly, and the sardines so tasty.

We all tried our hand at wrapping the cans for ourselves. Needless to say, I think we are all keeping our day jobs. They kindly let us take them home as none would have passed QC standards.

Matosinhos, Portugal

Next, we scooted off to the market to choose the ingredients for our cooking class and meet some new friends. No, that bird was not our lunch! But we did share lots of laughs with her owner. We stayed with the gifts of the sea for our menu.

Some traditional Portuguese soft cheese may have found its way into my bag. Stinky but oh, so good. If you are ever in Portugal, please try it!

Then it was off to learn to make some Portuguese dishes in a lovely private studio kitchen with a local chef. Yum!

Villa Foz, Porto

We ended our lovely adventures with an evening at Villa Foz, a gorgeous property in Porto, in the Foz area outside of town. See my previous post for more information. Located right across from the water, we could not have asked for a better setting to celebrate own time together and say goodbye.

The final touch was a lovely treatment at the Villa Foz spa and a dinner at the Flor de Lis Restaurant in the hotel.

Portugal

This ends The Portugal portion of my spring trip. I just can not say enough about this part of the country. Authentic and off-the-beaten path do not do it justice.

Thank you to Paula at Portugal by Travel Tailors for an incredible itinerary with amazing experiences!

Keep your eyes and ears out for some fun news on upcoming trips to this region!

Next up, Madrid!