Tag Archives: Portugal.

Where To Travel On A Budget In 2017

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We’re almost ready to turn the calendar over to a new year, and that means all kinds of suggestions and predictions for 2017 are floating around the internet. People are talking about resolutions, major upcoming events, changes in the world, exciting films on the way, and all kinds of other things. But one of the most enjoyable things to talk about this time of year tends to be travel. The turn of a new year is a great time to plan ahead for a vacation or two, and around this time there are always new (or rather, updated) suggestions regarding where to go.

Here, we want to look at a few destinations in particular that might be ideal for travellers on a budget in 2017.

where-to-travel-on-a-budget-in-2017nambia

Namibia

Even among those who are fascinated by the idea of vacationing in Africa, Namibia doesn’t seem to come up often. Most people tend to focus on places like South Africa, Morocco, or Tanzania. Lonely Planet—one of the better online sources for destination browsing—wrote up a list of 2017 budget destinations and pointed to Namibia’s appeal in a pretty irresistible fashion. Noting the long-term depreciation of the Namibia dollar as a reason that now is a great time to go, the article pointed out desert wildlife spotting, river canyon hiking, and even sand surfing as activities to enjoy. And on top of it all, this is a country filled with rare natural beauty—which of course is the cheapest feature to enjoy on any vacation!

venice

Venice, Italy

If you’re interested in travel, you probably don’t need to be told about the beauty and intrigue of Venice. Viewed by many as one of the most stunning destinations in the world, it’s a bucket list item for a lot of us. However, it also has a reputation as an expensive place to stay. But the aforementioned Lonely Planet post points out that thanks to services like Airbnb it has become far easier to find affordable accommodations in Venice.

hanoi

Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi led the way in a write-up about budget travel destinations compiled by the Irish lottery site Lottoland. While primarily geared toward gaming, the site makes a point of posting about fun things for lucky winners to do with their winnings. As a result, this was a nice little travel article. Regarding Hanoi, the point was that despite immense growth and popular recognition as one of the world’s most fascinating cities, has remained incredibly affordable. A hotel room can cost as little as £20/night, and food costs are practically negligible compared to most popular destinations. For those prices, travellers can enjoy an amazing city steeped in history and cultural intrigue.

lapaz

Bolivia

Bolivia, and specifically the capital city of La Paz, is also mentioned in the Lottoland write-up, on the grounds that it offers the beauty and charm of Latin America at a far more affordable rate than most other destinations in the region. It’s estimated that a whole day of activity in Bolivia can cost as little as £20, which means that outside of actually getting there, this can be an extraordinarily cheap trip. Best of all, visitors can check off one of the truly magical places in the world from their travel lists: the legendary salt flats, or Salar de Uyuni.

portoportugal

Portugal

Forbes compiled its own list of 30 cheap places to travel in 2017, and was remarkably thorough about it. Portugal was included because it tends to be more affordable than the rest of Western Europe. It’s also worth noting that Portugal is sometimes overlooked alongside France and Spain as a stunning destination. Described in the Forbes article as “California Highway 1-meets-Tuscany,” it’s a beautiful place to explore, and one where you’ll find plenty of comfort in food and wine as well!

November in Salema, Portugal – a Good Idea? By Jan Speedie

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I was invited to visit friends who live in Salema in the Algarve, Portugal, in November . It seemed like a great idea, but what’s a girl to pack? Is it cold, hot, or what?  And would it be a modern complex miles from anywhere or something that dreams are made of?

Dreams won out, and ‘warm’ was the order of the week. Salema is a fishing village situated on the coast of the western Algarve. As you drive/walk down the steep hill to the cobbled square in the centre of the village you pass doorways hung with bougainvillea, making a brilliant splash of colour.

pic bougainvillea

Once there, the day must start with a coffee and a pastel de nata (Portuguese custard tart) while you take in your surroundings, and people watch.  The fishing boats still go out daily to supply the local restaurants with fresh fish.  The narrow cobbled street Rue de Pescadores winds up through the old part of Salema.   A great many villa and apartments have been built but most are empty and unfinished waiting for new owner when the European economy revives.

Now that the long hot summer is over and the holiday makers have returned home, the village settles down for a period of rest and recuperation after the long exhausting season.

November brings moments of much needed rain that softens the sun parched ground and nature comes to life again. It actually feels ‘spring like’ with the almond trees in blossom.

almondblossom

The gardens of the houses and villas are coming to life again. The long sandy beach has lost its sun loungers and umbrellas but the Atlantic waves roll in for the waiting surfers to enjoy, clad in their wet suits.

surfers

November is when the Medronho berries ripen. Medronho trees grow wild on the poor soil of the Algarve and the berries are collected by farmers to process by hand into a drink known as ‘firewater’ because of the hot sensation felt in the throat when drunk. Aquardent de Medronhos (firewater) is very popular with farmers and fishermen and often drunk for breakfast to ‘waken the spirits’.  I’ll stick with a coffee, please.

medronho

Salema is situated on the edge of the Parque Natural which extends down to Cape St Vincent. This nature reserve is designed to protect the outstanding beauty of the coastline, the wildlife and the region’s unique flora and fauna. The whole area is rich in history with remnants of Roman and Phoenician settlements.

If after a few days at a gentle pace of life you feel the need to see modern life again the large town of Lagos is only 20 minutes drive away with its shops, bars, restaurants and marina.

sunset

Yes, Salema is indeed the place of, and for, dreams.

 

 

Travel trends: Hot Tips For 2014 Plus 2013 Best Performers

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Morocco, Barbados and Kenya were the big success stories for 2013

Montenegro is hotly tipped for 2014, while Spain and Portugal continue to perform well

Morocco has outperformed any other worldwide holiday destination in terms of increased bookings for 2013, according to loveholidays.com

Montenegro, top travel destinations, travel trends, Data from the online travel agency reveals bookings to Morocco are up a staggering 1,100% year-on-year. Barbados and Kenya have seen bookings soar, by 800% and 700% respectively, while regular favourites Spain and Portugal also report big increases.

Montenegro, meanwhile, is being tipped as the next big destination in 2014, after it too showed a healthy increase in bookings last year.

Morocco holidays: up 1,100%

Morocco has been boosted in recent years, partly since easyJet launched flights to the destination. Since then, UK holidaymakers have started to realise what great value it is, and because it’s only a three-hour flight away, it’s possible to nip over for a short break.

loveholidays.com founder Alex Francis says: “Morocco is a very decently priced option for people who want to set foot on exotic soil and experience ‘Africa’ from as little as £150 per person.”

“Air capacity from the UK is increasing by 60% this winter with easyJet, for example, further expanding with the launch of a Bristol-Marrakesh service last month. It’s not surprising the Moroccan Tourist Board is predicting double-digit growth in travellers to the country. We think Morocco has still further to go.”

Barbados holidays: up 800%

Barbados is served with a great selection of flights from UK airports and transfer times from the airport to resort are shorter than some of the other Caribbean destinations.

Francis says: “It’s relatively safe and very “British” – you could say it’s got a ‘faraway familiarity’ about it, which is why it’s a firm favourite among Brits. This year, the Barbados Tourism Authority ran a promotion in conjunction with selected hotels giving tourists ‘free spending money’, redeemable at restaurants and attractions, to boost low-season bookings – and this definitely helped raise the island’s profile as a value-for-money destination.

“In addition, Barbados’ best-known export, Rihanna, is never far out of the media spotlight, ensuring regular publicity for the island.”

Kenya holidays: up 700%

Tourism to Kenya reached record levels three years ago, with British travellers making up the biggest proportion of its one million visitors. Political unrest, terrorism and rare instances of attacks on holidaymakers since then have kept the destination in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. But Kenya is so unusual that it never takes long to bounce back. Hence a 700% increase in demand.

Francis says: “There really is nowhere on earth like Kenya and safari holidays combined with a few days on the beach are really popular. Prices remain keen, so a bargain safari and beach holiday in Kenya is perfectly possible.”

Montenegro holidays: up 300%

“Our money’s on Montenegro as a hot destination for 2014. It’s a tiny country, but it’s going to be huge this year, with tourists flocking to the resort of Becici and the nearby Medieval town of Budva. Upmarket accommodation providers, such as Regent Hotels and Resorts and Kerzner International’s One&Only, are opening new properties in 2014; however, even on a smaller budget, it’s easy to experience Montenegro in style and comfort.”

“The four-star Hotel Montenegro Beach in Becici has proved really popular this year. As far as value for money goes, it’s hard to beat – and that’s why we’re tipping Montenegro as one to watch this year,” predicts Francis.

Spain and Portugal holidays: up 571% and 616% respectively

The original summer holiday destination for Brits – Spain – has been back in favour for a few years now. It’s not surprising, since it’s got brilliant flight links, offering the convenience of flying from a local airport in the vast majority of cases. Its neighbour, Portugal, is also a staple favourite and both destinations have a loyal repeat visitor clientele.

“In addition, these are two destinations that, even throughout the economic downturn, still represent great value for money, especially holidays to Spain,” says Francis.

“It’s just over two hours away and has stayed relatively ‘cheap’ while other destinations have shot up in price. Spain is consistently our big seller.”

Other high-performing destinations during 2013, and expected to prove popular next year, are: Tunisia (up 408%); Canary Islands (up 340%); Egypt (up 317%); Aruba (up 300%); Jamaica (up 289%); Balearic Islands (up 267%); Turkey (up 271%) and Slovenia (up 250%).

 

"Naked Girl with Egg" by Lucian Freud in Oporto

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“Naked Girl with Egg” by Lucian Freud in Oporto
until 23 october

“Naked Girl with Egg” by Lucian Freud is on the centre stage of My Choice, an exhibition founded on the now known and tried concept of the artist-curator, with Paula Rego.

Mostly comprised of drawings and etchings, but also photography and painting, the 87 works mirror their creators’ identity. Always individualized, each work seems to have been observed and selected as a unique piece, her selection being unconcerned with the building of a body of related works. What unites each piece is Paula Rego’s way of seeing, which is almost always drawn to works with an intrinsic narrative that becomes manifest in extreme situations, of great tension and drama, and others that develop more universal themes, such as life, death, love and sex.

“I really only chose what I liked. I didn’t choose pictures because of the name of the artist, or because they were considered historically significant. Very often I didn’t know who had done them. Some I had seen before, but others not. I loved the freedom to like by looking”, stated Paula Rego.

“The sadness in the
the woman’s expression” of ” Naked Girl with Egg” was the reason why Paula Rego choose this painting, she explained in the opening of the exhibition, 14 th july, in Oporto, Portugal.

The selection of this work has less to do with plastic expression or empathy with the extraordinary harshness of the painting than with the strong emotions it stirs.

MY Choice is being held on Espaço Fundação EDP, in Oporto, until 23 october, as well as “The Poacher”, an original project, between Fundação EDP and Fundação Paula Rego/Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, with works by Paula Rego – paintings and drawings – produced in 1990, when the artist received the invitation to inaugurate the residency programme of contemporary artists at London’s National Gallery.

Mostly comprised of drawings and etchings, but also photography and painting, the 87 works mirror their creators’ identity. Always individualized, each work seems to have been observed and selected as a unique piece, her selection being unconcerned with the building of a body of related works. What unites each piece is Paula Rego’s way of seeing, which is almost always drawn to works with an intrinsic narrative that becomes manifest in extreme situations, of great tension and drama, and others that develop more universal themes, such as life, death, love and sex.

“I really only chose what I liked. I didn’t choose pictures because of the name of the artist, or because they were considered historically significant. Very often I didn’t know who had done them. Some I had seen before, but others not. I loved the freedom to like by looking”,

stated Paula Rego.

“The sadness in the
the woman’s expression” of ” Naked Girl with Egg” was the reason why Paula Rego choose this painting, she explained in the opening of the exhibition, 14 th july, in Oporto.

The selection of this work has less to do with plastic expression or empathy with the extraordinary harshness of the painting than with the strong emotions it stirs.

MY Choice is being held on Espaço Fundação EDP, in Oporto, until 23 october, as well as The Poacher an original project, between Fundação EDP and Fundação Paula Rego/Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, with works by Paula Rego – paintings and drawings – produced in 1990, when the artist received the invitation to inaugurate the residency programme of contemporary artists at London’s National Gallery.

Espaço Fundação EDP Porto
Rua Ofélia Diogo da Costa, nº 39
4050-009 Porto
Tuesday to Sunday
12 pm – 7 pm
Free entrance