Author Archive

The relationship between the Azorean island of Pico and the sperm whales that pass through its cool waters goes back a long way. It was here in the 18th century that English and later American whaling ships would call during their missions to capture whales and harvest

Portugal may not be the most obvious European walking destination, yet a recently opened trail may be about to change that. Here’s a short trailer that does a great job in showing just what you can experience on the Rota Vicentina in the coastal Alentejo region: It

The Faroe Islands’ association with sheep goes back a long way. In fact the name of the Faroe Islands apparently means ‘sheep islands’ and the woolly creatures have been on the island since they were introduced in the 9th century. Tuck in to a meal in a

Visitors to Sicily may be surprised to discover so many signs of Norman influence among the historic sites around the island. While many of us assume that the invasions of the Norsemen, who were initially Vikings but later mixed with English, Frank and Roman stock, were concentrated

According to the 93% of the Portuguese population who have the misfortune to be born outside a region that accounts for a third of the country, the people of Alentejo have a most perverse attitude to life. It seems Alentejans are resistant to the idea that life

  Take a holiday in rural Italy and the chances are that the itinerary will at some point include a visit to a vineyard to sample a glass of local produce. Italy’s wine producers have a long tradition of encouraging visitors to become familiar with not only their end

Imagine an island filled with the most colourful flowers in bloom where even the hedges that frame the quiet lanes are made of up of miles of vibrant hydrangea bushes. If we add in a sprinkling of  banana and pineapple trees you’ll probably have placed your imaginary