Exploring the Alto Douro

Touring Portugal’s Premiere Wine Regions The Alto Douro Although long famous for its fortified wines from such port houses as Taylor-Fladgate,  Offley, Graham, Noval and Sandeman, the Alto Douro Vinhateiro, one of the most beautiful wine growing regions in Europe, has, in the last twenty years or so, come into it own as a producer…

Paradors and the Camino

A Journey Through Northwestern Spain Following the Pilgrims Route – León to Monforte de Lemos During the fall we enjoyed a leisurely excursion through northwestern Spain, traveling from Castilla y León to Galicia, staying in Paradors, government owned hotels, primarily historic monuments; castles, monasteries, palaces, fortresses and convents, converted into sumptuous lodgings for travelers. We…

Chasing Fall Colors

  Northwestern Spain and Northern Portugal Autumn in northwestern Spain and neighboring Portugal is a vibrant splash of color as you travel through Castile and León’s stunning El Bierzo wine region to Ponferrada and Villafranca del Bierzo from the provincial capital of León.  Crossing into Galicia’s Ourense province on the N-120, you’ll find the vineyards…

Exploring Portugal’s Alentejo

Arraiolos to Vila Vicosa Our latest Iberian sojourn took us to Portugal’s largest province, its “wild east”, the Alentejo, “the land beyond the River Tagus”, just 90 minutes east of Lisbon and just west of Spain’s Extremadura, the land of the Conquistadors.  The Alentejo is a vast, primarily rural, utterly tranquil and unspoiled area of…