All posts filed under: Travel to Mars

An inside look at Dali’s House at Costa Brava

Published by From Madeira to Mars

An inside look at Dali’s House at Costa Brava One of the highlights of my latest travel to Costa Brava was the opportunity to visit Dali’s house in Cadaqués, Portlligat. For those who never heard about Cadaqués, I can assure you that this is one of the most picturesque, beautiful cities I have ever seen… It has a little bit of Greece with white washed houses and turquoise blue doors decorated with pink bungavilleas and narrow stoned pavements. It has a little bit of France due to its proximity to the border and some dishes from the other side. It has a little bit of Portugal with some resemblance to Algarve’s fishing villages and its sunny beach coves by the sea. Cadaqués is nested in a beautiful bay with clear blue waters and lots of colorful fishing boats. Most houses have direct access to the sea, and while most locals have their siesta, visitors spend their time at the beach or enjoying a fresh beer in one of the many terraces by the sea – …

A weekend in Porto with friends

Published by From Madeira to Mars

Where are we going this year? That’s how this journey began … After Madrid last year, we made a statement: – A weekend just for friends, once per year! The choices were: Edinburgh or Prague, but Portugal spoke louder and we chose the city of Porto. And so it was… Where we stayed at Porto We stayed at the Gallery Hostel, Rua Miguel Bombarda. This is a street full of art galleries, alternative shops and friendly cafes. It is also a few minutes walk from the ‘Aliados’, not far from ‘Ribeira’, near the river. One of the highlights of this area is the street art and historical buildings covered in beautiful tiles. It also has a “ commerce center that is not a shopping”, the CCBombarda which offers affordable restaurants and creative shops. The Gallery Hostel is excellent. The rooms are nice, clean, spacious and so are the bathrooms. It has a very nice social area and breakfast is included. They also make dinner for 10 € with drinks included. Staff is very welcoming. What …

Porto

A family adventure in Oporto

Published by From Madeira to Mars

A Family Adventure in Oporto Oporto is one of my favorite Portuguese cities, not only for its authenticity but also for the memories it brings back to me. My older brother studied in Oporto, so I have a few friends from those times. Also in my college days, it was customary to visit the Madeiran friends distributed by the Portuguese Universities. Coimbra and Porto were a reference, especially at the time of “Queima das Fitas” Festival. The last times I went there, Oporto proved to be a city full of creativity and ability to reinvent itself. Walk along the street of Flores, the area of ​ Clérigos tower, in Miguel Bombarda Street without forgetting of course, the colourful houses of Ribeira, the crossing of the river Douro in Dom Luis Bridge and the walk by the river to the sea. Despite its serious look, this city is not at all dull, on the contrary, it is full of life and adventures to be discovered. This was our family adventure in Porto: – The more I …

Say YES to Athens!

Published by From Madeira to Mars

This year, while planning your next holiday, please say YES to Athens. Why? Athens is inspiring in so many ways…Friendly people, colorful buildings, pedestrian streets, amazing food and of course, the magnificent stories to tell. Apart from that, weather is nice, it’s not too expensive and there’s so much to explore. Just to inspire you a bit, I leave you with some Athenian moments you can experience while visiting Athens. 1. Put on your walking shoes and explore each neighborhood of Athens from the colorful Plaka with ancient houses and monuments to Kolonaki with chic boutiques, innumerable restaurants and cafes to see and be seen. 2. Admire the Acropolis, the athen’s ancient citadel built on a top flat rock. Feel the history, the beauty and imagine what is was like to live in 500 BC (go early, before the crouds). 3. Head to Anafiotika, the hidden jewel of Athens and one of my favourite parts of the city, inspired by Anafi a small island east of Santorini, with pretty gardens, whitewashed houses with blue shutters …

Paris for two, 40 tips

Published by From Madeira to Mars

PARIS for Two , 40 tips “She liked to be in Paris, favourable city to lovers, where the taxi chauffeurs never interrupted a kiss …” Anais Nin Paris. Each reunion is like the first time; discovery and excitement. I never get tired of Paris; there is always a new neighbourhood to find, a new spot to relax, a new graffiti to admire … and then there is the Seine, this river of stories to tell, that transports us to another century. I unplug from reality. The sounds of Paris … the movement of Pigale and its mills, the clicks of cameras that shoot in front of the Moulin Rouge, the “bateaux” sailing down the river,  the subway musicians, the sights of tourists sitting on the steps of Montmartre and voices of vendors carrying miniature flashing Eiffel Towers. The colours of Paris, pink (like life there), the green lawns, the grey roofs, the lake in Tuileries Garden and the multi-coloured shops like Pylones. And of course, the smell of “Nutella Crepes”; that addiction. Here I give you 44 tips for Paris for two (Other than …

If Santorini could speak…

Published by From Madeira to Mars

If Santorini could speak, it would tell you that here life is blue. Blue as in the color of the sky, the sea and the 365 domes of the churches that exist on this island (one for each day of the year). Santorini is made from the remains of a volcanic eruption that formed this huge boiler, which looks like a lake, around which are located the beautiful small villages of the island. Santorini has around 15,000 inhabitants. The island’s capital is Fira. The main source of income is tourism and the production of wine. Santorini comes from the name Santa Irene, but its official name is Thera meaning “the most beautiful”. The beaches are black sand except for two, a white sand and a red one (dependent on the geological layer that they are exposed). You can hop on a boat trip to the crater of the volcano. You can swim in volcanic waters, 5 degrees warmer than the usual. Oia is the oldest town, beautiful but crammed with people, especially due to the …

Things to do in Lisbon

Published by From Madeira to Mars

Things to do in Lisbon My cousins Justi&Roberto went recently to Lisbon, to spend a Holiday in Bairro Alto. This wasn’t their first time there, in the University days, they lived in different areas of the city (Benfica, Novas Avenidas, Graça), but nothing compares to the intensity of living in the central frantic Lisbon. Here are their fun things to do in Lisbon: To Sleep in Lisbon: An accommodation in Bairro Alto was our choice.The central location and the possibility of walking into areas where “everything happens” (Principe Real, Chiado, Baixa and Cais do Sodre) was our priority. There are some places with excellent ratings on Booking.com, including ours: rent4rest, which is well located in a quieter street, but very close to the center of nightlife. Contrary to what most people would think, the area is very safe (a friend lent us a smart cabriolet, which we parked in the surrounding streets without any type of vandalism) and we had the privilege, every day at night, to open the windows of the apartment and listen to fado in a nearby restaurant. Book it here. What better Lisbon experience …

Barcelona com Crianças , 5 locais a visitar.

Published by From Madeira to Mars

Nas férias da Páscoa, fomos a Barcelona. Durante 2 noites e 2 dias percorremos a pé o Passeig de Gràcia, andamos de avião, autocarro “descapotável com auscultadores” de metro, de funicular e de taxi amarelo…foram muitos os transportes, cada um com o seu encanto. Confesso que, muitas vezes, o colo e as cavalitas foram o melhor remédio para uns pezinhos mal habituados a andar, mas a aventura, a alegria e as recordações que nasceram naquelas cabecinhas, ficarão com eles e comigo para sempre. Aqui ficam, os nossos 5 locais a visitar em Barcelona com crianças: ( se quiserem adicionar mais alguns à lista , por favor, fiquem à vontade) 1. Gaudi, contem-lhes a história da Sagrada Família… Que há uma igreja em Barcelona que está por acabar. Que há cerca de 100 anos que está a ser construída, começada por Antoni Gaudi, um dos arquitetos mais famosos do Mundo, um génio que construía casas “muito loucas” com paredes onduladas e formas estranhas e que dedicou grande parte da sua vida a esta igreja, acabando por gastar todo o …

The footsteps of Van Gogh

Published by From Madeira to Mars

I’ve always loved his paintings. I remember that long before enjoying museums, I knew his painting of the sunflowers, from a calendar in my mom’s kitchen. Now, that  I set out to find out who is the man behind the painting, and I like it even more … Last March, the Dutch tourism in partnership with Expedia, launched a campaign entitled “Following the Van Gogh footprints” #Vangogh2015. Van Gogh died 125 years ago but his work remains as present and current. Museums, landscapes, paintings and thoughts that accompanied his journey through life, reveal him as an outstanding person . Vincent Van Gogh lived 37 years (my age), having been born in a family overshadowed by the death of the first child at birth, who had been assigned his name, Vincent. Later, his brother Theo was born.  He became  his best friend and life companion. Vicent began painting at  the age of 27. He committed suicide at 37. For 10 years he painted about 900 pictures and wrote more than 800 letters, leaving an estate of creativity and talent which was recognized …