The absolutely indispensable guide for occasional visitors and serious travellers alike!

Everything you need to know about Real Portugal: places, maps, food, culture, history and traditions ...

13th edition (April 2010) has 592pp, regional and local maps and a 24pp colour introduction

Well worth GBP 15.99 RRP but you can buy it cheaper! Just click here

http://u4portugal.com/travel

© 2008 Google - Imagery © 2008 Digital Globe, Cnes/Spot Image, -
Map data © 2008 Tele Atlas AND - Terms of Use

Azoia, Vila Cha Apartment for 4-6, family pool

Chamosinhos, Amorim Villa for 8, private pool

Jardim da Praia, Averomar Beach house for 6

Praia, Vila Cha Cottage for 4

Rosetta, Vila Cha Beach house for 4

© 2008 Google - Imagery © 2008 Digital Globe, Cnes/Spot Image, -
Map data © 2008 Tele Atlas AND - Terms of Use

Augustinho, Anha Villa for 4, private pool

Barge, Venade Villa for 8, private pool

Bouca, Outeiro Villa for 4, private pool

Cristina, Afife Cottage for 2, private pool

Cruz Nova, Afife Villa for 8, private pool

Estrela, Vila Praia de Ancora Apartments for 2-4

Matos, Carvoeiro Villa for 6, private pool

Madalena, Carvoeiro Cottage for 2

Parque do Rio, Ofir Hotel with 36 rooms

Pedreira, Afife Villa for 8, private pool

Sao Joao, Santa Marta Villa for 10, private pool

© 2008 Google - Imagery © 2008 Digital Globe, Cnes/Spot Image, -
Map data © 2008 Tele Atlas AND - Terms of Use

Mata, Ovar Villa for 6, private pool

Quinta da Lagoa, Mira Hotel with 130 rooms, pool and lagoon

Caminha is the first in a chain of historic fortified towns running west to east along the Portuguese bank of the river Minho, which forms the border with Spain. Once a major port, it's now a quiet spot with plenty to see and a good base for exploring the Minho hinterland.

Visit Caminha - Minho Valley

Barge, Venade (villa for 8, private pool)

Fabulous hideaway you would just love to own, about 1km from Venade village and 5km from historic Caminha. Set in a peaceful valley amidst lush countryside, it looks across forested hillsides rolling down to river Minho with sandy beaches at Moledo about 10 minutes' drive.

This lovely old Minho house built on 2 floors dates from around 1890 and has been lovingly renovated to provide a supremely comfortable home with many rare and precious features. Mature gardens with lawns, fruit trees, covered eating area and 12x6m pool (depth 0.8-1.8m) with steps. A relocated and restored granary provides both pool shower and WC and via ladder and trapdoor a summer bedroom with twin beds for guests to fool around in, but also treated as extra beds for 2 adults for larger parties.

Portugal Villas

In the Cima Corgo, Quinta do Bom Retiro has 62 hectares of 25 year old vines.

This region produces various wines from the somewhat coarse and very alcoholic to light sparkling and semi-sweet. Well known labels include Tavedo, Tres Bagos, Quinta dos Bons Ares and Valle Pradinhos.

Quinta dos Bons Ares, has 20 hectares of vines at an altitude of 600 m. The white Viozhino grape dominates, but Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Merlot and Touriga Nacional are also grown.

North Portugal Villa Holidays

© 2008 Google - Imagery © 2008 Digital Globe, Cnes/Spot Image, -
Map data © 2008 Tele Atlas AND - Terms of Use

Arelho, Foz do Arelho
Villa Apartment for 2-4 adults + 2 children, shared pool

Paula, Nadadouro Apartment for 2 adults. private pool.

The Ribatejo Wine Route has four different itineraries, in distinct Ribatejo categories.

Gothic Treasure, beautiful cellars in Azambuja, Cartaxo, Golegã and Santarém – the Gothic Capital.

Bulls and Horses, with producers of wine, bulls and horses. The bullfighting and the Reserva Natural do Estuário do Tejo (Natural Reserve of the Estuary of the Tagus).

By the Tagus, along the river with a largest diversity of cellars to visit in a landscape distinguished by vineyards.

Manueline Treasures – Templar Castles, cellars and cultural heritage. One of the most important regions of the birth of the Portuguese nation.

Central Portugal and Silver Coast Holidays

In Algarve - white, red, and liqueurous castas are are authorized in the demarcated region.

Lagos is a wine producing region famous for its moscatel wine, and also for a strong alcoholic spirit. "Medronho" is perhaps one of the most famous local brews made from distilled medronho berries.

Originally created in back room stills, Medronho is now a commercial product chiefly in Silves and Monchique. The aguardente de medronho is made with berries from "The Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo L.)" which is an evergreen shrub shown above. (the fruit sometimes called arbutus-berry, looks a little like strawberries).

The following designations for spirit drinks in the European Union are listed for the Algarve.

Aguardente do Algarve
Bagaceira do Algarve
Medronheira do Algarve

Algarve Villa Holidays

Licor Beirao is a Portuguese liqueur. Beirao is Portuguese for "from Beira", a former administrative region.

Its recipe is a secret. The producer, J. Carranca Redondo, Lda., only states it is made from a double distillation of seeds and herbs from all over the world, including Malaysia, Brazil and Thailand.

The liqueur was produced in the 19th century as a medicinal product for stomach aches by a pharmacy in Lousã. In the late 19th century alcoholic beverages were no longer qualified as medicinal but the liqueur was kept in production in a small factory owned by the son-in-law of the original producer.

Info from Wikipedia

Villa Holidays in Portugal

Touriga Nacional is a variety of red wine grape, considered by many to be Portugal's finest. Despite the notoriously low yields from its small grapes, it plays a big part in the blends used for the best ports, and is increasingly being used for table wine in the Douro and Dao.

Touriga Nacional provides structure and body to wine, with high tannins and concentrated flavours of black fruit. Jancis Robinson has compared its relationship with Touriga Francesa to the partnership between Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the former providing structure, the latter filling out the bouquet.

Info from Wikipedia.

Algarve Villa Holidays

This grape plays a role in the production of wines in two regions of Portugal, central Alentejo and Douro. In Alentejo Central it is known as Aragonez and used in red table wine blends of variable quality, while in the Douro it is known as Tinta Roriz and mainly used in blends to make port wine.

Tempranillo is a grape native to northern Spain and widely cultivated as far south as La Mancha. The two major regions that grow Tempranillo are Rioja in North Central Spain and Ribera del Duero, which lies a little further to the south. Substantial quantities are also grown in the Penedès, Navarra and Valdepeñas regions.

Info from Wikipedia

Holidays in Portugal