Portugal - Aveiro

The district of Aveiro captures the essence of the perfect picture-book destination, with its colourful gondola-shaped boats, natural lagoons, elegant 19th Century architecture and traditional cobblestone passageways – this is a special place where old meets new.

Situated in the Baixo Vouga sub-region between the Atlantic Ocean and the mountainous surroundings of its neighbouring districts, Aveiro’s rich landscape is characterised by its sandy coast, beautiful estuary, gardens and parks.

Commonly nicknamed the ‘Portuguese Venice’, the enchanting capital city of Aveiro is crossed by a shimmering canal and is considered one of the most charming destinations in the country for its brightly patterned moliceiro boats, array of pastel-tinted Art Nouveau buildings and its calm urban atmosphere – a scenic backdrop for your holiday. While in the city centre, make your way to the famous Mercado do Peixe, a traditional fish market that houses one of Aveiro’s most acclaimed seafood restaurants. A variety of dining establishments, as well as a fun selection of bars and shops can all be found nearby. Stop at any typical café whenever strolling through the city and taste the heavenly ovos moles, the district’s sugary, egg-based delicacy. 

Also be sure to enjoy one of the many free-hire BUGA bicycles during your holiday and ride along Aveiro’s glistening canal, its picturesque streets and visit some of its foremost attractions. 

Travel further into the district and discover Ílhavo, a seaside city that represents Aveiro’s thriving maritime heritage and home to the internationally acclaimed Vista Alegre porcelain factory. See Portugal’s oldest lighthouse in Praia da Barra and stop by Praia da Costa Nova to find Aveiro’s iconic, multicoloured striped houses. These beaches are also excellent spots for soothing days in the sun and to enjoy an array of water sports. 

Taste the ‘convent sweets’ that the town of Arouca is so well-known for and visit the southern city of Mealhada to enjoy a traditional meal of suckling pig and regional Bairrada wine. To complete your holiday, find relaxation in Luso and Curia, two quaint towns known for their magnificent hot springs and natural beauty.

PORT WINE - Portugal

A glass of tawny port.

Aging in wooden barrels.

Rabelos, a type of boat traditionally used to transport barrels of port down the River Douro for storage and aging in caves at Vila Nova de Gaia near Porto.

The vineyards that produce port wine are common along the hillsides that flank the valley of the River Douro in northern Portugal.

Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produced exclusively in the Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal. It is typically a sweet, red wine, often served as a dessert wine, and comes in dry, semi-dry, and white varieties. Fortified wines in the style of port are also produced outside Portugal, most notably in Australia, South Africa, Canada, India, Argentina, and the United States. Under European Union Protected Designation of Origin guidelines, only the product from Portugal may be labelled as port or Porto.  In the United States, wines labelled "port" may come from anywhere in the world, while the names "Dão", "Oporto", "Porto", and "Vinho do Porto" have been recognized as foreign, non-generic names for wines originating in Portugal.

Port is produced from grapes grown and processed in the demarcated Douro region. The wine produced is then fortified by the addition of a neutral grape spirit known as aguardente in order to stop the fermentation, leaving residual sugar in the wine, and to boost the alcohol content. The fortification spirit is sometimes referred to as brandy but it bears little resemblance to commercial brandies. The wine is then stored and aged, often in barrels stored in a cave (pronounced kah-vee and meaning "cellar" in Portuguese) as is the case in Vila Nova de Gaia, before being bottled. 

The wine received its name, "port", in the latter half of the 17th century from the seaport city of Porto at the mouth of the Douro River, where much of the product was brought to market or for export to other countries in Europe. The Douro valley where port wine is produced was defined and established as a protected region, or appellation in 1756, making it the oldest defined and protected wine region in the world. Chianti (1716) and Tokaj (1730) have older demarcation but no regulation associated and thus, in terms of regulated demarcated regions, Porto is the oldest.

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Capital of Croacia - Zagreb

Zagreb is an important tourist center, not only in terms of passengers travelling from Western and Central Europe to the Adriatic Sea, but also as a travel destination itself. Since the end of the war, it has attracted close to a million visitors annually, mainly from Austria, Germany and Italy. However, the city has even greater potential as many tourists that visit Croatia skip Zagreb in order to visit the beaches along the Croatian Adriatic coast and old historic Renaissance cities such as Dubrovnik, Split, and Zadar. There are many interesting things for tourists in Zagreb, for example, the two statues of Saint George, one at the Marshal Tito Square, the other at Kamenita vrata, where the image of Virgin Mary is said to be only thing that hasn't burned in the 17th century fire. Also, there is an art installation starting in Bogovićeva street, called Nine Views. Most of the people don't know what the statue Prizemljeno sunce (The Grounded Sun) is for, so they put graffiti or signatures on it, but it's actually the Sun scaled down, with many planets situated all over Zagreb in relative scale with the Sun.

The historical part of the city to the north of Ban Jelačić Square is composed of the Gornji Grad and Kaptol, a medieval urban complex of churches, palaces, museums, galleries and government buildings that are popular with tourists on sightseeing tours. The historic district can be reached on foot, starting from Jelačić Square, the center of Zagreb, or by a funicular on nearby Tomićeva Street.