Here you can find all the Travel Stories from Portugal by Besides the Obvious.
Portugal is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula, in Southwestern Europe. And whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira. It features the westernmost point in mainland Europe.
As you might know our mission is to share something relevant, something authentic, something real, something cool, something interesting, something personal & something different, via our travel stories & images. We are focusing on ideas from local sources, giving tips that are usually unknown for travelers and foreigners, guides to secret places which only the guy from the given neighborhood could know about, to the hidden picturesque view, with recommending everything besides the obvious: the local real feel, the adventure of discovering the unknown, the authenticity, culinary guide to the meals that locals are really cooking and eating at home, and much more. Hope you will read our Travel Stories from Portugal, feel inspired and enjoy the journey, as much as we do!
Best restaurants & bars of Madeira
During the days we spent on Madeira we had the chance to taste the local gastronomy in many places. Here, we have compiled a list with the best restaurants & bars of Madeira. There are some posh places included in the list, as well as many street food options. So let’s see, where to eat…
Lisbon or Porto? 10 things to keep in mind before you choose!
Both Lisbon and Porto are super popular destinations among travellers to Portugal. Especially among the first visitors to the country. It’s indeed hard to choose between the two cities. The most obvious answer would be that you need to see both. But what if you need to choose? We are here to help! These two…
Funchal Bucket List
You cannot and won’t miss Funchal for sure. It is the capital of the island and the majority of the services are based here. It is in fact a modern, cosmopolitan, rejuvenated city, well known for its many top class restaurants, stunning new 4 & 5-star hotels, warm all year round climate. Located in the stunning…
Madeira bucket list & the perfect roundtrip on the island
We visited the island of Madeira by a rented car. Without the departure days, if you have 7 days, you can easily follow this plan and you won’t miss out on anything important. So let’s see our Madeira bucket list broken down into 7 consecutive days.
The Last King of Hungary, who died on Madeira
The last king of Hungary was given little time on the throne. Charles (in Hungarian Károly IV.) took over the estate of Emperor and King Ferenc József in November 1916. Just two years later, he was forced to relinquish his sovereign rights. Károly IV. died in exile, on the Portuguese island of Madeira, on April…
The gastronomy of Madeira – What to eat on Madeira?
The kitchen of Portugal is outstanding. On Madeira, if it’s possible, the gastronomy is even better. You cannot go wrong, wherever you go or whatever you order. The locals are really friendly, also like to help to explain what the dish is about, what kind of ingredients they use. So let’s see what to eat…
Madeira Top 10
Madeira has many things to offer for its visitors. Here you can read our Madeira Top 10 list, with the ten best places that you cannot miss visiting once you’re on this Portuguese island.
Discovering São Vicente, the quintessence of Madeira
Discovering São Vicente is a trip to the quintessence of Madeira. São Vicente is a small town on the northern coast of the island.
Churchill on Madeira – Câmara de Lobos
Câmara de Lobos is a beautiful fishermen village on Madeira island. The specialisation of the area is the black sablefish fishing. Therefore its main bay gives home to local fishermen boats, and they come in many vivid colours. They call them “Xavelhas”. The former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill visited Madeira in 1950. While he…
Visiting the beautiful capital of Portugal – Lisbon bucket list
Lisbon is beautiful and no matter which part of the year you are coming you will be able to enjoy a nice and moderate climate thanks to the Atlantic Ocean. Lisbon offers a lot of sightseeing activities, cultural sites, cool party districts and many tour options into the surroundings. We have compiled for you the…
Wonderland, the best Christmas Market in Lisbon
Lisbon’s Wonderland is inspired by London’s Winter Wonderland. It’s is definitely the biggest and the best Christmas market in Lisbon. It opens its gates on the 1st of December and stays till 1st of January. If you are in the mood of Christmas spirit, lights, flavours, and scents, this is your place!
The 10 most romantic places on the earth
Looking for the perfect scenery? You are the right place, here we are listing you the 10 most romantic places on the earth.
8 amazing non-capital cities to visit in Europe
Have you already visited all the big capital cities in Europe?! This is great! But let’s not forget that capitals are usually multinational melting points, and regardless of the amazing sightseeing spots, you can face many catchy tricks, standardized offers, a crowd of tourists, and less authenticity. As they say, to understand the real sense…
The 15 most romantic islands in the world
Looking for a romantic trip idea or the perfect island vacation? This list is not in order of preference, but obviously includes all our favorites, all the romantic, dreamy and lovely islands from all over the world that we love. So let’s review the 15 most romantic islands in the world – according to Besides…
Oporto para principiantes
¿Qué hacer durante tu primera visita a esta hermosa ciudad portuguesa? Aquí tienes finamente una guía para tu primera visita a Oporto. 1. Azulejos de Oporto Una de las representaciones más emblemáticas de la historia y la cultura de Oporto son esos hermosos azulejos que vemos en toda la ciudad. Vienen en diferentes colores, pero…
La ruta de los imperios. Una historia de São Miguel, Azores
Este es un artículo acerca de nuestra ruta personal sobre la historia de São Miguel y cómo y dónde los viejos Imperios lucharon por tener la isla bajo su control. La isla fue descubierta probablemente entre 1426 y 1439 y se llamaba “Ilha Verde” según los antiguos mapas de mediados del siglo XIV. Tal apodo…
Portói útikalauz
Mit érdemes megnézni Portóban? 1. Azulejos – portugál csempék Porto történelmének és kultúrájának egyik legjellegzetesebb ábrázolási formája. A gyönyörű csempék, amelyeket szinte az egész városban láthatunk mindenfelé, és a helyiek körében “azulejos” néven ismertek. Különböző formákban és színkombinációkban találkozhatunk velük, de leggyakrabban fehér és kék színekben pompáznak. “Az azulejo egy jellegzetes, arab, spanyol és portugál…
Porto for beginners
What to do during your first visit in Porto, the beautiful Portugués city? 1. Porto patterns One of the most emblematic representations of Porto’s history and culture are those beautiful tiles we see all over the city which are known as azulejos. They come in different colors, but most commonly, they are in white and…
The Route of Empires. São Miguel, Azores
This an artcle about our personal route on the history of São Miguel and how and where the old Empires fought to have it under their control. For more information about São Miguel click here. The island was probably discovered between 1426 and 1439 and was called “Ilha Verde” according to ancient maps of the…
São Miguel off-season – where to eat & drink?
This is an article about where to eat and drink in São Miguel, Azores. For more information about São Miguel click here. 1. Café Central, Ponta Delgada If you arrive to Ponta Delgada and you are heading to the center, most likely this will be the first place you would consider to give a try.…
6 formas de bañarse al aire libre en São Miguel, Azores
Bañarse en São Miguel al aire libre viene a ser como marcarse un selfie con los elementos. Antes de informarnos pensábamos en las Azores como un archipiélago lejano, a medio camino entre Europa y América que caía demasiado lejos de la tierra firme de Portugal como para parecérsele. Y allí donde había islas pensamos que…
One week on the ‘Green Island’ – São Miguel, Açores
Nature at its best, this is how I could briefly summarize our experience on São Miguel island in Açores. Even though January is considered there as off-season, and we haven’t seen the famous Hortensia flowers in full bloom… and the fact that the island is indeed tiny, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, and influenced by…
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