Tag Archives: portugal

Cork Report | Obrigado

Posted on 2016-04-10 by tikichris

From ancient oak forests south of Lisbon to state-of-the-art processing facilities near Porto in the north, tracing cork’s route from the tree to the finished product turned out to be a fascinating journey across Portugal. Continue reading →

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Cork Report | Bringing It Back Home

Posted on 2016-04-08 by tikichris

So impressed were we with our cork tour of Portugal that Kemey and I wanted to bring back home with us a more substantial than usual souvenir as a keepsake. Before we knew it we were making plans to clad an entire wall of our house with cork tiles. Having now lived with the tiles in place for several months, our choice seems more and more sensible and aesthetically sound as the days go by. Continue reading →

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Cork Report | So Much More to Bark About

Posted on 2016-03-09 by tikichris

Obviously, cork stoppers are by and far the most likely application for cork. But – as a sustainably harvested crop that’s naturally fire retardant and insulating (thermal and acoustic), flexible, hypoallergenic, and impermeable to liquid and gas – there’s plenty more being done with it. Shall we have a quick look? Continue reading →

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Cork Report | Stop and Go

Posted on 2016-03-01 by tikichris

POP! It’s the exuberant sound of victory, celebration and achievement. And it starts with a simple pull of a cork stopper from a wine bottle. Continue reading →

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Cork Report | From the Forest

Posted on 2016-02-24 by tikichris

Just across the Tagus River about 30k south of Lisbon is Herdade de Rio Frio, a centuries old 4,000 hectare “homestead” with strong traditions in horse breeding, equestrianism, and polo as well as viniculture and winemaking. Within the Herdade is what was once the world’s longest vineyard – with rather delectable quaffs still being bottled from the grapes of remaining vines today. This vast expanse of land is also home to a cork forest. Continue reading →

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Cork Report | Popping Down to Portugal

Posted on 2016-02-21 by tikichris

Back in June of last year, Kemey and I popped down to Portugal for an immersive two-day crash course in one of the country’s most enduring, sustainable and biggest industries: cork. Continue reading →

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Best Restaurants of 2015 (Excluding London)

Posted on 2015-12-20 by tikichris

The tikichris of 2015 series continues with a look at some of the most amazing restaurants I visited this year. Continue reading →

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1 Way to Save Big While Visiting Lisbon (OneTravel)

Posted on 2015-07-10 by tikichris

Not my first time exploring Portugal’s steeply sloped and indubitably sunny riverside capital and I sincerely hope it won’t be my last – but a recent weekend break in Lisbon turned out to be a brilliant way to spend a … Continue reading →

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Best Restaurants (Everywhere Else) – 2014

Posted on 2014-12-21 by tikichris

Have I ever eaten so well in so many different destinations? Nope. If 2014 was one thing for me, it was a fantastic time of great foodie adventures. When coming up with this list of noteworthy restaurants visited the past year (see my list of London’s best here), I realize I did the bulk of the job of making a list of the best restaurants I’ve ever visited in my life. Continue reading →

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Best Hotels – 2014

Posted on 2014-12-19 by tikichris

From the inner core of downtown DC to a sparsely settled archipelago at the junction of the North Atlantic and the Norwegian Sea – with loads of scenery and bon vivant adventures along the way – I stayed in some fantastic hotels this year. Continue reading →

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4 Great Blogs about Portugal (OneTravel)

Posted on 2014-05-23 by tikichris

It’s right there almost glaring at you on any map of Western Europe: Portugal. So to call it a hidden gem would be something of a misnomer. Nonetheless, compared to most of its neighbors, this compact and scenic country is … Continue reading →

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Discover The Douro (Great British Chefs)

Posted on 2014-05-08 by tikichris

Chris Osburn takes us on his journey of discovery in the Portuguese regions of Porto and the Douro Valley. The trip has clearly changed his views on Port as well as all wines from those areas he visited. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Até Logo

Posted on 2014-04-23 by tikichris

If you’re into engaging with friendly salt-of-the-earth folks in a beautiful and largely rural setting, Portugal should be at the top of your list of destinations. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Comporta Comfort Food at O Zé

Posted on 2014-04-23 by tikichris

One last lunch, one last chance to take in all the yummy hospitality I’d come to expect while travelling through Portugal – a stop in the seaside town of Comporta en route to the airport in Lisbon yielded one of the best meals I had during my stay in the country. With an emphasis on serving traditional dishes from Alentejo using fresh, local, sustainably sourced, and mostly organic ingredients – the family owned O Zé Restaurante Lounge pleased my palate and ensured I headed back London satisfied to be sure yet already longing to return for more festive feasting. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Padaria Joana Roque, Traditional Alentejo Bakery

Posted on 2014-04-22 by tikichris

Instant Grandma! That’s what I got my final morning of my Portugal Please road trip when I dropped by the a traditional home bakery in the village of Vidigueira where Joana Roque’s been baking the same bread in the same method for more than 40 years. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Herdade da Malhadinha Nova

Posted on 2014-04-21 by tikichris

My Portuguese adventure coming to a close, I was left with only one more night to savour before flying back to Blighty. Good thing my last night was in an absolutely fantastic setting! Otherwise, I might have started to doubt for a second the hospitality show to me throughout this lovely little country as well as the foodie expertise that’d gone into the execution of my Festival of Food itinerary. As the trip unfolded though, I never once questioned the restorative benefits of my adeptly planned week-long ramble through Portugal. Indeed, I arrived back home eager to share the stories of my time abroad. The story I’m sharing today is one of a luxury homestead that’s an easily recommendable destination: Herdade da Malhadinha Nova. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Evocative Evora

Posted on 2014-04-20 by tikichris

Leaving the Almojanda farm, I hit the open road for an afternoon in UNESCO World Heritage city of Evora. The hour and a half drive was pure scenic joy. I’d been to Evora before years ago and getting to go back there was a treat – and something I’d be happy to repeat several times over. Indeed, when talking with the Sunvil folks about the design of my Festival of Food itinerary I specified that I was especially keen to stop in Evora. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Delicious Diterra and Tasty Terrius

Posted on 2014-04-19 by tikichris

Another day, another delicious opportunity to have a taste of the Festival of Food offerings in the Alentejo. Before leaving the Portalegre area, I spent my morning at the family-run Almojanda farm sampling a variety of products from its own Diterra range (under the brands of Almojanda and Fadista) as well as items from Terrius, another food producer from up the road about 20 kilometres in Marvão. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Eggs-cellent Time in Portalegre

Posted on 2014-04-19 by tikichris

Next on my Portugal Please road trip itinerary was the southern and sunny region of Alentejo where the appetising promise to “road test” the new Festival of Food offering from British tour operator, Sunvil, lay ahead. First stop in this gorgeous land of cork farms and vineyards … of ancient Moorish ramparts and prim churches hiding grandiose interiors … was the hilltop border town of Portalgre where I arrived just in time to attend the annual and eggy Feira de Doçaria Conventual for a taste of traditional sweets from the region and more. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Coimbra

Posted on 2014-04-18 by tikichris

Capital of Portugal during the Middle Ages with a historic UNESCO World Heritage Site university established in 1290 (making it the fifth oldest in the world), Coimbra is a city steeped in age old tradition yet imbued with a youthful spirit. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Suckling Pig Paradise, Bairrada

Posted on 2014-04-18 by tikichris

From Aveiro, I drove south to the town of Mealhada for a meal that had me squealing with piggy delight. Mealhada and its region of Bairrada (still within the greater region of Centro) seem to be the suckling pig capital of the world, where the main drag through town is lined with restaurant after restaurant boasting leitão à Bairrada (as suckling pig is called there). For my feast, I paid a visit to one of the most popular and best established eateries, the rather prosaically named Restaurante Típico da Bairrada. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Charming and Cheeky Aveiro

Posted on 2014-04-17 by tikichris

Know as the “Venice of Portugal,” Aveiro is an attractive little coastal canal-crossed town in the Centro region of Portugal. I spent a couple of days in this part of the country, marvelling at how awesome the region was yet how largely undiscovered by tourists it seemed to be. Pretty, walkable and full of lovely shops, bars and restaurants, Aveiro was a particularly fine place for my introduction to the area. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Amarante Quickie

Posted on 2014-04-17 by tikichris

Halfway between Provesende and Porto (or at least that’s how it seemed riding around in the press trip van), is Amarante. Like so many of the places I visited in Portugal, Amarante was sweet, cosy and somewhat kitsch without ever crossing over into being twee or cloying. With the others in my party needing to catch and flight (and me with a tight road trip itinerary of my own), I was really only in Amarante long enough for a short walk and (of course) a tasty snack. However, I saw enough to know I would love to return and reckon if you’re thinking about visiting Porto or the Douro Valley, you’d be wise to consider a stop in Amarante too. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Morgadio da Calçada

Posted on 2014-04-16 by tikichris

Situated atop a plateau yielding (yet more) beautiful panoramic views of the Douro River and its undulant valley, the tiny ancient village of Provesende was my final stop in the area. Here I took a quick wander round the village and a proper snoop inside 17th century mansion (with contemporary accommodations) Morgadio da Calçada. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Even More Douro Valley Quintas

Posted on 2014-04-16 by tikichris

No, I didn’t just lounge around at a couple of scenically situated hotels while in the Douro (although, that would be a terrifically recuperative way to spend one’s time). When I wasn’t enjoying my stay in the luxury laps of Quinta do Vallado and Quinta Nova, I was bopping all over the rest of the valley trying to visit as many different vineyards as possible – and loving every minute of it. Here are a few brief notes about the rest of the Douro Valley quintas I visited, including Quinta do Crasto, Quinta da Pacheca, Quinta do Panascal and Quinta do Seixo. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please:  Quinta Novo de Nossa Senhora do Carmo

Posted on 2014-04-16 by tikichris

A lovingly restored 18th century manor cum 21st century four star hotel and the centrepiece of a lofty patchwork of vineyards rolling down to the Douro River: Quinta Novo de Nossa Senhora do Carmo was my home for a night. Leaving Vallado for a full-on day of winery visits around the Douro, my second evening in this idyllic valley wound down in equal parts elegance and comfort. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please:  Sniffing Around Quinta do Vallado

Posted on 2014-04-15 by tikichris

After a quick sightseeing jaunt and overnight stay in Porto, I was off to the Douro Valley for a few days of scenic sipping. My first night there, I had the ultra-luxe pleasure of spending some time – and a very restful night – at Quinta do Vallado. To put it plainly, I loved everything about this place. It hurt a little to have to leave and I’m aching to return for another chance to admire in situ this wine hotel’s blend of tradition with modern design; savour more of its homey food; and, of course, enjoy its fabulous wines. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Porto

Posted on 2014-04-15 by tikichris

My Portugal Please tour commenced in the compact and cosy city of Porto, which proved to be an excellent gateway to the Douro Valley and a fine place to visit in and of itself. If you’re looking for somewhere to visit for a city break, Porto is only a two hour flight away from London with plenty to see and do and eat and drink and browse and buy. Here are some highlight from my all too brief time there. Continue reading →

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Portugal Please: Wão. What a Trip!

Posted on 2014-04-14 by tikichris

Does it ever seem like far too many folks are stuck in the same tired rut of a far too well beaten path, only hitting a few main sites in a short selection of only a few Western European countries – namely Spain, France, and Italy – and never realising that there’s so much more to explore just as close, just as scenic, just as steeped in tradition … and often accessible at far greater value than most of the EU? Not you and me though. We’re going to Portugal! Continue reading →

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