How many cities can boast a unique genre of mooooosic?  Fado, sang with emotion and melancholy and often accompanied by a Portuguese 12 steel-string guitar, is typical of Lisbon and most famous throughout Portugal.  Fado originates back to Moorish times with thematic songs about the hardships of life, love and death.  No visit to Lisboa [...]

On my drive down from Porto to Lisbon, I stopped in Sintra to experience the mystery and magic I heard so much about.  As a summer residence of Portuguese wealth and royalty, Sintra is brimming with palaces, castles, estates and gardens waiting to charm and allure its many visitors.
My first stop was Quinta da Regaleira, [...]

Ever taste port wine and wonder where it has come from?  Porto, the second largest city in Portugal, is responsible for aging and exporting nearly 100 million liters of Port wine a year.  The Douro Valley, where Port wine is produced, was the first defined and protected wine region in the world.  While wines may [...]