We visited Aalborg, on the 4th day and 5th day of our stay in Denmark.
We took the train from Aarhus and the journey took us about 1 hour.
Aalborg is a developed, industrial and lively city by the sea.
Among its many attractions, you’ll find an outstanding collection of urban art. When walking through the city streets, we could hear the clinking of beer mugs on the terraces and see people with white foam mustaches turning into smiles. There’s a young and vibrant atmosphere in the air. Bicycles are always present and cool shops too.
As in Aarhus, summer is the time to enjoy life outdoors, to attend concerts in the city squares, to relax and feel the blessed sun. We enjoyed the ambience and beers too! One of the breweries, we visited was called Sogaards Bryghus. It is located in a cozy square called ‘C. W. Obels Plads’. The restautant and pub are on the top floor, the brewery is in the basement. “Missing Bell Brewpub” is the name of this pub serving homemade beers which flow from 24 taps.
The pub has furniture from an old church in northern England. The only thing that is missing is the bell, hence the name “Missing Bell Brewpub”.
This brewery was part of the “Aalborg Beerwalk” a route by the best pubs in town, where you can taste 6 beers from 9 different bars for 125 DKK (16€).
This was just a sample of the different beers you can taste in this brewery.
My favourite was the Utzon Blond ;)
We had dinner there. A 3 course meal costs 358 DKK (48 €). Food was really good and the atmosphere was great. We also enjoyed playing “cluedo” while waiting for the food to be served.
Late at night, we returned to the hotel while walking along the beautiful cobbled streets. It was a dreamy night…
The city is full of art, not only in the streets but also in the Museum of Modern Art – Kunsten.
I fell in love with this museum. The building was designed by renowned architects like Elissa, Alvar Aalto and Jean-Jacques Baruel and the garden had a walk through water fountain. We had lunch in the outdoor terrace of the Museum’s Café Aalto and we loved it. They serve a delicious brunch at only 135 DKK (18€), and lunch dishes start at reasonable prices like 95 DKK (12€).
The museum has plenty of natural light transmitted through skylights plus beautiful lamps. All the color of the paintings in contrast with the surrounding white marble gives you a ‘feel good’ vibe. Each room is unique.
Restaurant of Kunsten
I loved walking barefoot in the art installation of Ernesto Neto. The flooring was as soft as velvet. To go through the long tunnels made of colorful, giant, string networks, while listening to the sounds of the drums is an experience I will never forget. The kids loved it, of course. They could freely explore the area, barefoot as if they were home. I think if I lived in Aalborg, this would be one of my favourite spots.
The museum organizes several workshops for families. They even have an area where paintings are displayed on the walls, in a lower level, so that children can observe and interact and play with art, through colorful magnifying glasses.
Admission fee for Adults: 95 DK (12€). Children under 18 go FREE!
Another of the attractions of this city is the Aalborg Zoo. In addition to numerous species of animals there’s a great playground and many areas where families gather for picnics. You can admire the replicas of extinct animals from ice age such as the mammoths. They seemed so real! I found this concept very interesting, an excellent alternative to conventional zoos. The kids enjoyed experience and wondered, at some point, if those animals were also real (Video). Admission: Children 3-11years old: 95,00 DK (12€). Adults 155 DK (20€)
Aalborg is also known for the Utzon Center, located by the seafront and highlighting the beautiful cruise ships that visit this city. These buildings have shining roofs shaped as vessels and it represents the spirit, the architecture and design work of Jørn Utzon. Admission: 16 DK (8€) Children under 18 go FREE.
By the sea there’s a long promenade where you can watch locals dive into the sea. The next day we visited the Høje Lindholm Museum which tells the story of Vikings that once lived there. What impressed me the most were the stones as ancient traces of a village. The stones not only represent the tombs but also the houses where they lived. Many tombs are shaped as boats because they believed that death is a journey…
The museum has amazing 3D reconstructions and animations. It shows how the Vikings used to live, which animals they had, how they decorated their homes and what were their beliefs. Anyone can disguise as a Viking and feel the weight of their armor. Fun and interesting.
Admission fee: 6€ per person
We stayed in the Cabinn Hotel. This is a simple hotel with family rooms with bunk beds. The location is superb, right in the heart of the city overlooking the Utzon Center. For breakfast you can have waffles! If you want a luxury hotel option, I’ve been told that the First hotel Aalborg is also a good choice.
We rented a car with Europcar, to begin our ‘road trip’ towards Skagen – the northernmost point of Denmark.
Although I have only spent one night and one day in Aalborg, I liked what I saw and felt. This photograph represents my first impressions about the city. ;)
Aalborg, I hope we can meet again soon :)
I would like to thank visitAalborg and visitDenmark for all the support in this trip. TAK![:pt]
Aalborg – arte, vikings, cerveja e amigos.
Visitamos Aalborg, no 4º dia e 5º dia da nossa estadia na Dinamarca. Partimos de Aarhus de comboio e a viagem demorou cerca de 1 hora.
Aalborg é uma cidade desenvolvida, à beira mar e com muitos atrativos, entre os quais arte urbana. Ao andar pelas ruas, podemos ouvir o tilintar das canecas de cerveja nas esplanadas e ver os bigodes brancos de espuma, desfeitos em sorrisos. As bicicletas estão sempre presentes e as lojas giras também.
Tal como em Aarhus, o Verão serve para gozar a vida ao livre, frequentar esplanadas, assistir a concertos nas praças, relaxar e sentir o bendito sol. Soube-nos muito bem o calor (e a cerveja)! Uma das cervejarias, restaurante e pub que visitamos chamava-se Sogaards Bryghus. Fica situado numa praça acolhedora ‘C. W. Obels Plads ‘. A fábrica de cerveja fica no subsolo deste local. “Missing Bell Brewpub” é o nome do pub que serve cervejas caseiras que fluem de 24 torneiras originais.
O pub tem mobiliário de uma antiga igreja no norte da Inglaterra, desde janelas, azulejos etc. A única coisa que não tem foi o sino, daí o nome “Missing Bell Brewpub”.
(Esta cervejaria fazia parte do “Aalborg Beerwalk” uma rota pelos melhores pubs da cidade onde podemos provar 6 cervejas de 9 bares diferentes.) Preço: 125 DKK (16€)
Recomendo a Utzon Blond ;)
Ficamos para jantar. Come-se bem e o ambiente é ótimo, até jogamos “cluedo” enquanto esperávamos pela comida. Um menu de 3 pratos custa 358 DKK (48 €).
Ao cair da noite, regressamos ao hotel, percorrendo as ruas labirínticas desta cidade. Estava uma noite de sonho.
Gostei imenso de descobrir esta cidade, repleta de arte nas ruas e no museu de Arte Moderna – Kunsten.
Apaixonei-me por este museu. Não só pelo edifício que foi projetado por arquitetos como Elissa, Alvar Aalto e Jean-Jacques Baruel, mas também pelo jardim. Almoçamos no restaurante e gostámos. Como fazia sol ficamos na esplanada exterior mas o interior do restaurante é fantástico. Servem um brunch delicioso por 135 DKK (18€) e os pratos para almoço custam desde 95 DKK (12€).O museu tem imensa luz natural transmitida através de clarabóias, os candeeiros são lindíssimos e toda a côr dos quadros em contraste com mármore branco, faz-nos sentir bem. Cada sala é diferente. Há exposições temporárias e instalações de arte.
Restaurante do Museu Kunsten
Nem imaginam como foi fantástica a sensação de caminhar descalça pela floresta de Ernesto Neto. O chão era super macio, tipo veludo. Percorrer os longos tunéis feitos de redes gigantes de crochet colorido, ao ouvir os sons dos tambores é uma experiência que nunca irei esquecer. Os miúdos adoraram, claro. Podiam explorar livremente o espaço e ainda por cima descalços, como se estivessem em casa. Acho que se vivesse em Aalborg seria um dos locais que mais visitaria.
O museu dinamiza vários workshops para famílias, inclusive têm uma área em que os quadros estão a um nível da parede mais baixo, para que as crianças possam observar e interagir/brincar com a arte através de lupas coloridas.
Entrada Adultos: 95 DKK (12€). Crianças até 18 anos é gratuito!
Outra das atrações desta cidade é o Zoo de Aalborg. Além de inúmeras espécies de animais, têm também um ótimo parque infantil e muitas zonas ajardinadas onde as famílias se reúnem para fazer piqueniques. Existem também replicas dos animais extintos da idade do gelo, tais como mamutes que parecem mesmo reais! Achei muito interessante este conceito, uma excelente alternativa aos zoos convencionais. Os miúdos gostaram imenso da experiência e perguntaram-me várias vezes se estes animais eram reais ou não (Video). Mexem-se, fazem ruídos e tudo!
Aalborg é também conhecido pelo Utzon Center que fica junto ao mar, enaltecendo os belos navios de cruzeiros que visitam esta cidade.
Este espaço tem telhados resplandecentes em forma de velas e representa o espírito, a arquitetura e o trabalho de design de Jørn Utzon. Entrada: 16DKK (8€) Crianças até aos 18 anos não pagam.
A acompanhar, uma longa promenade onde se exibem mergulhos e se tomam banhos de mar.
No dia seguinte, visitamos o Høje Museu Lindholm que conta a história dos vikings. O que mais me impressionou foram as inúmeras pedras que são os antigos os vestígios de uma aldeia de vikings: os túmulos e as casas onde viviam. Muitos dos túmulos têm a forma de barcos, já que eles acreditavam que a morte é uma viagem…
O museu tem reconstruções surpreendentes e animações 3D. Mostra como viviam os vikings, que animais tinham, como decoravam suas casas e quais as suas crenças. Quem quiser pode até disfarçar-se de Viking e sentir o peso da sua armadura. Divertido e interessante.
Entrada: 6€ por pessoa.
Ficamos alojados no Cabinn Hotel. Este é um hotel simples, com quartos para famílias com beliches. A localização é suberba, mesmo no coração da cidade com vista para o Utzon Center. Ao pequeno-almoço há waffles!
Alugamos um carro na Europcar, para começar a nossa ‘roadtrip’ rumo a Skagen, o ponto mais a norte da Dinamarca que falarei no próximo artigo.
Embora só tenhamos passado uma noite e um dia em Aalborg, gostei muito do que vi e senti. Esta fotografia representa a minha primeira impressão desta cidade ;).
“Aqui não há estranhos, apenas amigos por conhecer.”
Aalborg, muito prazer em conhecer-te.
Agradeço a ‘visit Aalborg‘ e ‘visit Denmark por toda a colaboração e apoio na organização desta viagem. TAK![:]
Denmark, Aarhus. Words that always stirs up great emotions.
While talking about Aarhus this destination with my friends and family, I could always expect the following reactions:
– Seriously! I would love to visit Denmark … “
– ‘Oh … my girlfriend’s is always begging me to go to Denmark… tell me all about it.’
But what is all this fuss about Denmark? What is so special about this country?
Last month I went with my family to Aarhus, Denmark to investigate. I was really keen to know more about the Scandinavian culture; their daily routines and lifestyle: that was my motivation. We chose not to visit the capital, Copenhagen. We wanted to experience the ‘Denmark of the Danish’, away from the usual tourist itinerary. On a 9-day journey, we went to the east and north of Jutland, including the cities of Aarhus, Aalburg, Blokhus, Skagen (the most northerly point of mainland Europe) and Billund (the capital of the children and Legoland).
Day 1- Funchal – Billund
We arrived in Billund about 6:30 p.m. The sun was shining and we weren’t as tired as expected. To get through long hours spent on planes, we created music playlists on our tablets, uploaded some movies and also carried a few books and colouring pencils.
Tip: Listening to music with headphones in airplanes is a blessing (for us and for the kids). That was a good strategy to keep them happily entertained and free from the anxiety caused by ‘strange noises’ inside airplanes
Despite being a long trip, we made 2 stops, which allowed us to stretch our legs in Lisbon airport and go for a run in Oslo Airport when we had a very tight connection. Upon arrival to Billund we travelled 98 km to reach Aarhus. We could have rented a car but since we wanted to ride bikes in Aarhus, we took the bus.
Note: There are daily buses with regular departures from the airport. Fares cost 180 dkk (24 €) and journey takes 1.5 hours.
Day 2, 3 and 4 in Aarhus.
Arriving in Aarhus was euphoric. The bus stopped right in front of the central station of Aarhus whose watchtower reminded us of the one in the movie “Back to the Future.” This was also our feeling. We definitely felt we were somewhere between the distant past and the future in Aarhus.
Cafes by the canal in city centre
Pop Art
Old Town
Aros Museum
Aarhus is a lively town named by Lonely Planet as one of the best destinations in Europe, thanks to its nice atmosphere, gastronomy, designer shops and famous museums. It is the second largest city in Denmark with 330,000 citizens (including more than 45,000 students!).Energy and creativity lives in every corner. The streets are full of cafes, bars, restaurants and shops. Wherever you look there’s movement, colour and sustainability, especially in food options and bikes. This city was the first to develop the concept “Go Green Aarhus‘ – an app for sustainable choices in the city. For those of you who, like me, are not used to riding bikes, I must say that it was both scary and exciting. Especially because I had to ‘keep an eye’ on the children and make sure that they followed the right track. But oh! It was worth it :)
Note: You can rent your bike and take a guided visit to Aarhus courtesy of Cycling Aarhus.
Aarhus has it all. Plus there are parks, forests, harbours and beaches. For me it was unexpected to find plenty of outdoor activities. The atmosphere was relaxed. There were barbecues and picnics happening in several parks and gardens of the city.Moreover, everything is just minutes away from the city center (by bike). I was also surprised with the engagement between people. You see, it is very common to see groups of people together, whether friends or family, all ages, from grandparents to babies. This was one of the main differences comparing with other European cities.People, in general, are also highly educated and friendly.
Togetherness is for me the word that best describes the general ambience of Aarhus.
Street Food Market
There is a lot to discover in Aarhus. One area that I found very interesting is Aarhus Ø. This location is still under construction and is located by the sea. I was curiously told, that the development of this area has a purpose. They’re hoping to have a mixed population living there. From students lifestyle to luxury, there are incentives for all. Next to each building there are urban garden areas. The waiting list for these allotments is a long one apparently. This is also the location for the famous building ‘ The Iceberg’ designed by CEBRA, JDS, Search and Louis Paillard Architects. It is located right next to the ‘Strandbaren´, a summer pop up beach bar , complete with beach volleyball courts.
Beach Volley
“The Iceberg”
The beach
Mejlgade was another favorite of mine in Aarhus. This street is located in the old town and was converted into a street where you can only walk or take your bike. In addition to its many unique shops, there is also an infinitude of cafes and restaurants.
The ‘Latin Quarter’ is a typical scandinavian scenario with a chic environment in Aarhus. Stores go from internationally renowned brands to Danish design and workshops of local artisans. This city is known for being the best across Scandinavia to shop. Stroll through Møllestien, considered the most beautiful street in Aarhus! This romantic street has tiny colourful houses – a small village from 1870-1880.
Streets of Aarhus
Streets of Aarhus
A shop in the latin quartier
Attractions you can’t miss?
1. In ARoS Art Museum you can walk on a circular glass path of 150 meters designed by Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Elias. It is called ‘Your rainbow panorama’ in Aarhus. It was amazing to ‘dive’ into the surrounding city, following the rainbow colours. It seemed to me that I was flying over the city and that we were part of the scenario as an eagle flying high in the sky. As for the colours … all that theory in which colours influence our emotions is correct. Warm colors like orange and yellow bring us happiness, blue and violet bring us peace. These emotions were felt as we could walk through them in this structure.
Rainbow Panorama
Rainbow Panorama
This museum in Aarhus also displays the work of progressive artists from all over the world either through painting, sculpture, photography, videos, drawings and art installations. Grayson Perry and Robert Mapplethrope were some of our favourites. The kids loved it because they could interact with the art, either in treasure hunts or through the emotions experienced inside the art instalations. In the case of Mapplethrope there are some areas prohibited to minors and we were given a guide on how to introduce children to his photos. Aros Art Cafe is very nice and has a divine chocolate cake …
2. Nearby the port is Dokk1, the library of the city designed by SHL Architects. This building is impressive and has probably the most spectacular library playground in the world. Kids loved it!
Dokk1
Bear Tobogan
Volcano tobogan
3. The Moesgaard Museum is also wonderful example of the rich architecture of Aarhus with its sloping rooftop covered with grass, designed by Henning Larsen Architects. The whole experience at the museum is fantastic, lights, sounds, animation, interactivity – awesome! It currently displays a special exhibition about the Gladiators of the Roman Colosseum, a three-dimensional scene. Another great feature offered by this museum is the opportunity to see one of the best-preserved bodies of the story “The Grauballe Man”. This man’s body dates from the third century A.C.! It was found in a Danish bog in 1952. It is impressively well-preserved. I even got goose bumps just from looking at his body, hair and face. It is believed that he was killed with a cut in the neck. You can also go up and down a staircase that leads us across our prehistoric family. This Museum has created a unique collection of seven copies of the human species. From Lucy with 3.2 million years old, found in Ethiopia, to Koelbjerg woman who lived in the Stone Age. These examples were generated according to bones found all over the world. It also has a great restaurant with good prices and if the temperature allows you can also have an outdoor meal.
Evolution staircase
The Grauballe Man
4. If you want to return to the past, you can always visit the old city in Den Gamle By – The Old Town Museum in Aarhus. Houses and historic districts are decorated according to the era, from the eighteenth to the twentieth century. There is also a team of people who dress up and act out life in those days. You will find a toy museum where there is everything from the first video games to the barbie dolls of my childhood. There are several restaurants, an old pastry, a 1974 clinic, a hairdresser, a jazz bar, a nursery, a library, and an amusement park in the garden. There are also several picnic areas. We had lunch in Traktorstedet Simonsen Garden, a restaurant with a cozy patio – beautiful. Here we tasted the typical sandwiches of Denmark: “smørrebrød”. These are made with dark bread and you can choose different types of fillings from vegetables, cheese and cold meats.
5. Right next to Den Gamle By is the Botanical Garden. (€ Free) A green and peaceful oasis with lakes, trees – an invitation to relax. Inside the greenhouses there is a fabulous collection of plants from all continents and a colony of beautiful butterflies flying freely around us.
Botanical Gardens
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden Aarhus
6. AarhusStreet Food Market. This market is right next to Dokk1, which I mentioned to you in point 2. It is a covered market with wooden tables and food from around the world, Vietnamese “Banh Mi”, Italian pizzas, Mexican burritos, ‘fish & chips’ English, crepes and wine . Foodies cannot miss this place, moreover it has a great environment. People of all ages share the table and one of the greatest pleasures of life – good food.
Street Food Market
In 2017, Aarhus will be the European Capital of Culture. It is expected a year full of events, new experiences and collaborations. The theme is rethinking. That’s the mentality – creating an open city to rethink the way we live.
‘Could things be done differently?’
And so it was, seeing the future while returning to the past, that we said goodbye to this magnificent city.
Aarhus is a city that makes us revive the past, envision the future, embrace the benefits of sustainability and rethink the world we want to leave for our children.
A future of togetherness, outdoor meals and bike rides through the city, forest, parks and beaches. A future of respect for the environment, made of rainbow colours, movement and a constant search for cultural enrichment that makes us open our horizons and rethink life. That’s Aarhus.
Thank you Aarhus.
A stay in Aarhus can be easily combined with other tours to unique destinations, as you can read in my next articles. ;)
See you soon!
Essentials:
To sleep
Luxury Hotel: Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel Aarhus.
Radisson Blue Main Bedroom
Radisson Blue Kids Room
This hotel is perfectly located besides the Aros Art Museum. Although it’s located right in the heart of the city, it is very quiet. The family room is spacious and cozy. The two bedrooms are divided by a glass door and each room has a window, a bathroom and a huge flat screen TV. The beds are super confortable! It has a nice buffet breakfast and dinner offers include a children’s menu with colouring activities. The food is delicious and the hotel’s staff is professional and friendly. Highly reccomended.
Cabinn Aarhus is good budget hotel. Afordable, clean and great location.
Ritz Hotel has a great location.
First Hotel Atlantic has great family rooms
To Eat
In Aarhus, restaurants and cafes have high gastronomic standards. In every corner you will find gourmet food, organic, creative and high quality food. In addition to organic farming being required by law, the fact that there are three restaurants awarded with a Michelin star is also a good sign of how food is valued here. The Nordic kitchen includes mostly fish and vegetables. You will also find organic bakeries and the “smørrebrød” typical Nordic sandwiches.
Yes, I found Denmark more expensive that the average countries of southern Europe still not as expensive as I was expecting.
Meal in a Restaurant from 15 €
Beer, Capuccino around 4,5 €, Juice 2.50 €, Water 2 €
Kids go free! in these museums as well as in public transportation!
How did we get there?
We took a flight from Funchal Airport to Billund Airport.
We made two stops, one in Lisbon and one in Oslo, Norway.
We traveled with TAP, Lufthansa and SAS. The flights were all great and on time!
There are also direct flights from Funchal to Denmark. Check the site.
I would like to thank visitAarhus and visitDenmark for supporting this amazing trip. TAK![:pt]
Viagem à Dinamarca – Guia para famílias
Parte 1 – Aarhus
‘Um Regresso ao Futuro’.
A palavra Dinamarca suscita sempre grandes emoções.
Ao falar sobre este destino com os meus amigos e familiares repetiam-se as seguintes exclamações:
– A sério! Adorava visitar a Dinamarca…!”
– ‘Xiii…a minha namorada anda sempre a pedir-me para irmos à Dinamarca…depois conta-me como foi!’
Mas qual a grande motivação para visitar a Dinamarca?
O que é que este país tem, de tão especial, para provocar tantos suspiros?
Veremos…
No mês passado, fomos os 4 à Dinamarca.
Tinha muita vontade de conhecer a cultura escandinava, as suas rotinas diárias e o seu estilo de vida – esta era a minha motivação.
Optamos por não visitar a capital, Copenhaga. Queríamos mesmo conhecer a ‘Dinamarca dos Dinamarqueses’, longe do circuito turístico habitual.
O nosso percurso de 9 dias passava por visitar o norte e este da Jutlândia, nomeadamente as cidades de Aarhus, Aalburg, Blokhus, Skagen (o ponto mais a norte da Europa Continental) e Billund (a capital das crianças e claro, da Legoland).
Dia 1- Funchal – Billund
Chegamos a Billund pelas 6 h da tarde. O sol brilhava e não estávamos tão cansados da viagem de avião como seria esperado. Para combater as horas passadas no avião, tínhamos feito playlists de músicas para ouvir nos Ipads, descarregamos alguns filmes e preparamos mochilas com livros e cores.
Dica: Ouvir música com auscultadores nos aviões é uma bênção para nós e para as crianças. Assim estavam, alegremente entretidas, a leste da inquietude provocada pelos ‘ruídos estranhos’ que os aviões, por vezes, fazem.
Apesar de ser uma viagem longa, fizemos 2 paragens, o que permitiu esticar as pernas no aeroporto de Lisboa e dar umas corridas no aeroporto de Oslo.
Obs: O Aeroporto de Billund é um dos mais importantes na Dinamarca. Não só por ser a sede da Legoland mas também o ponto de partida para vários destinos na Europa.
Após a chegada a Billund percorremos 98 km até Aarhus. Poderíamos ter alugado carro mas, como queríamos andar de bicicleta em Aarhus, optamos por ir de autocarro.
Existem autocarros diários com partidas regulares. Custa cerca de 24 € (180 coroas dinamarquesas) e tem a duração de 1,5 h.
Esse era também o nosso sentimento, à medida que descobríamos esta ‘nova’ cidade; ‘de volta’ ao futuro.
Cafes by the canal in city centre
Pop Art
Old Town
Aros Museum
Aarhus é uma cidade alegre nomeada pela Lonely Planet como um dos melhores destinos da Europa, graças ao ambiente descontraído, gastronomia, lojas de design e museus famosos. É a segunda maior cidade da Dinamarca com 330.000 cidadãos (incluindo mais de 45.000 estudantes!). A energia e criatividade pulsa a cada esquina. As ruas estão cheias de cafés, bares, restaurantes e lojas. Há movimento, cor e sustentabilidade em todo o lado, sobretudo na gastronomia e nas bicicletas ;). Esta cidade foi a primeira a desenvolver o conceito de “Go Green Aarhus ‘- uma aplicação para escolhas sustentáveis na cidade.
Para quem está mal habituado a andar de bicicleta, (como eu) confesso que foi simultaneamente assustador e excitante conduzir em Aarhus; sobretudo porque tinha que ‘estar de olho’ nas crianças e certificar-me que seguiam o trilho certo. Mas oh! se valeu a pena :)
Obs: Poderá alugar a sua bicicleta e fazer uma visita guiada a Aarhus no site.
Aarhus tem de tudo. Parques, florestas, portos e praias.
Para mim foi inesperado a quantidade de atividades ao ar livre. Vive-se um ambiente relaxado. Há churrascos e piqueniques nos parques e jardins da cidade.
Além do mais, fica tudo a poucos minutos do centro da cidade (de bicicleta).
Fiquei também surpreendida pelo convívio entre as pessoas. Foi uma das principais diferenças que encontrei relativamente a outras cidades Europeias. É muito comum verem-se grupos de pessoas juntas, quer amigos ou familiares. As pessoas são, na sua maioria, extremamente educadas e amigáveis.
Street Food Market
Aarhus tem muito para descobrir.
Uma zona que achei muito interessante é Aarhus Ø. Esta área está ainda em fase de construção e fica junto ao mar. Achei curioso o o que nos foi dito, acerca do desenvolvimento desta zona. O objetivo destas habitações é que exista uma população mista. Desde os estudantes ao luxo, há incentivos para todos. Junto a cada edifício há zonas de horta urbana. A lista de espera é infindável…Aqui encontra-se o famoso edifício ‘ The Iceberg’ desenhado pelo CEBRA, JDS, SeARCH, Louis Paillard Architects, mesmo ao lado do ‘Beach Bar’, com campos de volley de praia.
Beach Volley
“The Iceberg”
The beach
Mejlgade foi outra das minhas zonas preferidas de Aarhus. Esta rua fica na parte antiga da cidade e foi convertida numa rua onde se pode andar a pé ou de bicicleta. Além de muitas lojas originais, há também uma infinitude de cafés e restaurantes.
O ‘Latin Quartier’ é outro cenário típico com um ambiente chique. Nas lojas encontra desde marcas de renome internacional ao design dinamarquês passando pelas oficinas de artesãos. Não é por acaso, que esta cidade é conhecida por ser a nº1 de toda a Escandinávia para fazer compras.
Streets of Aarhus
Streets of Aarhus
A shop in the latin quartier
Passeie pela Møllestien, considerada a rua mais bonita de Aarhus!Esta rua romântica tem casinhas coloridas, onde somos novamente transportados a uma pequena aldeia de 1870-1880.
Atracções a não perder?
1. No ARoS Art Museum poderá percorrer um caminho circular de vidro colorido com 150 metros desenhado pelo artista islandês-dinamarquês Olafur Elias. Chama-se ‘Your rainbow panorama’. Foi incrível ‘mergulhar’ na cidade circundante, seguindo as cores do arco-iris. Parece que voamos sobre a cidade, fazemos parte do cenário tal como uma águia que voa bem alto. Quanto às cores…toda aquela teoria que as cores influenciam as nossas emoções comprova-se. As cores quentes como o laranja e o amarelo trazem-nos felicidade, o azul e o violeta trazem-nos paz. Estas emoções sentem-se à medida que caminhamos sobre elas.
Rainbow Panorama
Rainbow Panorama
Este museu exibe o trabalho de artistas progressistas de todo o mundo quer através de pintura, escultura, fotografia, vídeos, desenhos e instalações de arte. Grayson Perry e Robert Mapplethrope foram alguns dos nossos preferidos. As crianças adoraram, porque podiam interagir com a arte, quer em caças ao tesouro, quer nas sensações experienciadas nas instalações de arte. No caso do Mapplethrope há algumas áreas vedadas a menores e um guia sobre como introduzir as crianças à sua fotografia. O café do Museu, Aros Art Café é muito agradável e tem um bolo de chocolate divinal…
2. À beira-mar encontra-se o Dokk1, que contém a biblioteca da cidade projetada por SHL Architects. Este edifício é impressionante e tem provavelmente o parque infantil mais espetacular do mundo. Adoramos!
Dokk1
Bear Tobogan
Volcano tobogan
3. O Museu Moesgaard é um assombro, com o seu telhado inclinado coberto por relva, projetado por Henning Larsen Architects. Toda a experiência no museu é fantástica, a luz, os sons, a animação a interactividade – incríveis! Exibe atualmente uma exposição especial sobre os Gladiadores do Coliseu de Roma, num cenário tridimensional. Outra das particularidades é poder ver um dos corpos mais bem preservados da história “O Homem de Grauballe”. Este corpo data de 310 A.C. e foi encontrado num pântano da Dinamarca em 1952. Encontra-se tão bem preservado que fiquei arrepiada ao ver o seu corpo, cabelo e face. Julga-se que foi morto com um corte no pescoço. Para desanuviar, suba e desça uma escada que nos leva a conhecer de perto, a nossa família pré-histórica. Este Museu criou uma coleção única de sete exemplares da espécie humana. Desde a Lucy com 3,2 milhões de anos de idade, encontrada na Etiópia, até à mulher Koelbjerg, que viveu na Idade da Pedra. Estes exemplares foram criados de acordo com ossadas, provenientes de todo o mundo. Tem também um restaurante ótimo a bons preços e se a temperatura convidar poderá fazer uma refeição ao ar livre.
Evolution staircase
The Grauballe Man
4. Se quiser regressar ao passado pode sempre visitar a cidade antiga em Den Gamle By – The Old Town Museum. Moradias e bairros históricos estão decorados de acordo com a época, desde o século XVIII ao século XX. Existe também uma equipa de pessoas vestidas a rigor e a encenar a vida naqueles tempos. Encontrará um museu do brinquedo onde há de tudo desde os primeiros videojogos, às barbies da minha infância. Existem vários restaurantes, uma pastelaria antiga, uma clínica de 1974, um cabeleireiro, um bar de jazz, um infantário, uma livraria, e um parque de diversões no jardim. Há também diversas áreas de piquenique. Almoçámos na Traktorstedet Simonsen Garden, um restaurante com um pátio acolhedor, muito bonito. Aqui provamos as típicas sandes da Dinamarca: “smørrebrød”. Estas são feitas com pão de forma escuro e podemos escolher diversos tipos de recheios desde legumes, queijos e carnes frias.
5. Mesmo ao lado do Den Gamle By fica o Jardim Botânico. Um oásis verde e tranquilo, com lagos, árvores e relvados – convite a relaxar. Dentro das estufas encontra-se uma coleção fabulosa de plantas provenientes de todos os continentes e uma colónia de belíssimas borboletas, que esvoaçam livremente ao nosso redor.
Botanical Gardens
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden Aarhus
6. Street Food Market. Este mercado fica mesmo ao lado de Dokk 1 que vos falei no ponto 2. É um mercado com mesas de madeira e comida de todo o mundo: “banhmi” vietnamitas, pizzas italianas, burritos mexicanos, ‘fish&chips’ ingleses, crepes e vinhos franceses. Os bons apreciadores de comida não podem perder este local, além do mais tem ótimo ambiente. Pessoas de todas as idades e com diferentes gostos partilham um dos maiores prazeres da vida – boa comida.
Street Food Market
Em 2017, Aarhus será a Capital Europeia da Cultura. Espera-se um ano repleto de eventos, novas experiências e colaborações. O tema é repensar. Essa é a mentalidade – criar uma cidade aberta a repensar a maneira como vivemos. ‘Será que as coisas poderiam ser feitas de forma diferente?’
Aarhus é uma cidade que nos faz matar saudades do passado, vislumbrar o futuro, abraçar os benefícios da sustentabilidade e o mundo que queremos deixar aos nossos filhos.
Um futuro de união, de refeições ao ar livre, de passeios de bicicleta pela cidade, floresta, parques e praias. Um futuro de respeito pelo ambiente, feito de cores, de movimento e de constante busca pelo enriquecimento cultural que nos faz abrir horizontes e repensar o viver…
E foi assim que nos despedimos desta cidade magnífica.
Obrigada Aarhus.
A estadia em Aarhus pode ser facilmente combinada com passeios para outros destinos únicos como poderão comprovar no meu próximo artigo. É sobre Aalburg. ;)
Até breve!
Essenciais:
Dormir
Luxo: Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel Aarhus.
Radisson Blue Bed Room
Radisson Blue – Kids room
Este hotel está super bem localizado. Fica mesmo ao lado do Museu de Arte de Aros e embora esteja no centro da cidade, é muito tranquilo. O quarto familiar é espaçoso e acolhedor. Os dois quartos estão divididos por uma porta de vidro e cada quarto tem uma janela, uma casa de banho e uma TV de écran plano enorme. As camas são super confortáveis! Oferece um bom buffet de pequeno-almoço e ao jantar têm um menu infantil e dão atividades às crianças para colorir. A comida é deliciosa e os funcionários do hotel são profissionais e amigáveis. Altamente recomendado.
Em Aarhus os restaurantes e cafés têm padrões gastronómicos altos. Em qualquer canto, encontra pratos gourmet, orgânicos, criativos e com muita qualidade. Além da agricultura biológica ser obrigatória por lei, o facto de existirem três restaurantes galardoados com estrelas Michelin é também exemplificativo de quão é aqui valorizada a alimentação. A cozinha Nórdica inclui maioritariamente peixe e legumes. Irá também descobrir padarias orgânicas e a “smørrebrød”, sandes típica Nórdica.
O restaurante Mefisto encantou-nos pela decoração, bom ambiente e ótima comida!
Descubra qual a filosofia por detrás de um bom café em GreatCoffee.dk
Although Funchal is not the typical cosmopolitan city where you can easily find a music gig happening every night, I have compiled a list of my favourite live music bars and Summer Festivals.
Whenever I go travelling I enjoy discovering hidden bars and local bands. It allows me to experience the city as a local while sharing an authentic experience.
There’s something about a good live music performance that makes me feel very happy and living in the present.
Plus I got the chance to meet and listen to the amazing voice of Skye Edwards!
Morcheeba songs accompanied me since my days in the University in Lisbon so whenever I listen to those warm psychedelic tunes I feel those good vibes coming back. I love the mellow sounds and the wise lyrics accompanied by the most haunting, smoothest voice ever. It was truly an honour to see them performing live in Madeira. The show had great intimacy. You could feel bodies swinging, a nice small crowd of people and some pretty magic moments on stage. The light’s halo on the stage was impressive, beautiful really.
As for Skye, she is the queen of a band full of extremely talented musicians, including her own son, playing the drums. Loved every minute of it.
What an amazing voice…
My favourite song? It depends on the mood. I should say I find great comfort in the album ‘Mind how you go’ specially the songs ‘Stop complaining’ and ‘Solitary’. If I’m in the chill out mood I love the old classics like ‘the sea’ or ‘the world looking in’.
Another Music Festival you should be looking for is the Atlantic Roots Festival, the oldest festival of world music in Portugal. It merges different musical styles set in the beautiful gardens of an old manor house – Quinta Magnólia You can expect a diverse and rich experience.
My favourite band of this year’s Festival was ‘Sons of Kemet’ What a great energy and rhythm!
Funchal Jazz Festival can’t be missed specially if you’re a jazz lover. Those summer nights in Santa Catarina Park are magical. National and international renowned artists gather in this Festival. Unfortunately this year, I was not in town those days (no pictures, sorry) but everyone was raving about the concert of Mr. Gregory Porter!
If you’re looking for a unpretentious, pure music festival that involves no more than good live music by the sea, then ALeste Festival is a great one.
Aleste is warmth, is sea, is embrace, is smiles, is music to my ears.
As someone said to me, “The days before the aleste are like those that precede a”wedding”: excitement, joy, expectation, with the great advantage that you can get married every year …”
This year was no exception … with a bonus, it lasted until Sunday! Late on Saturday night it began to rain and the organization assured that “there was more music between us” the next day. The promise was accompished. I loved the ISLAM CHIPSY and it get the feeling that they also loved it too…
This is for me one of the greatest qualities of ALESTE, musicians are handpicked for their dedication to music. The audience feels their enthusiasm, delivery and vibrancy. Lavoisier, Captain Faust, Bonga, The Poppers, Sensible Soccers … It was oh so very good.
It is a case to say, where are these vibrant, relaxed and alternative crowd gonna go to the rest of the year? Thank you ALESTE!
It’s a date Aleste, next year – the last weekend of May!
Also on an everyday basis you can also find a few Live Music Bars or cafes.
Hole in One is the name of one of the most popular live music bars in Funchal. Everyday from 9 p.m. onwards there’s live music – You’ll find a relaxed atmosphere either sitting inside or outside the bar.
DTOX is here to stay with cool tecno and acid jazz music plus excelent coktails at late hours of the night…
Trap is a two floor bar venue recommended for having cocktails or listening to life music performances. Check their calendar of events and don’t miss the happy hour!;)
Café do Teatro is right in the heart of the city, in Avenida Arriaga. You can easily find it nearby the beautiful Baltazar Dias Theatre. In this café I attended the concert of my favourite local band – the Akoustic Junkies who played an awesome tribute to Pearl Jam.
Copacabana Garden is a cool open air bar located in the Casino, part of the Copacabana club. It is popular for its gin bar surrounded by palm trees. Here you can also find live performances of local and occasionaly international bands.
Barreirinha Bar Cafe is one of my favourite bars and it is also so much more that just a bar… Expect Dj sets, movie screenings, a cool crowd of people and of course live music performances by local and foreign musicians. André Santos e Caio Oliveira are playing this Saturday. Check the calendar of events here.
Visiting Madeira is not just about walking and sightseeing there are cultural events happening in the Island. From jazz to summer festivals, I encourage you to discover Funchal’s live music.
Enjoy!
P.S – Feel free to add your comment if you reccomend any other live music venues in Madeira. Thanks! [:pt]
Onde encontrar música ao vivo e festivais no Funchal
Embora o Funchal não seja a cidade cosmopolita típica, onde pode facilmente encontrar uma banda a tocar a cada esquina, aqui apresento uma lista dos meus bares favoritos com música ao vivo e alguns Festivais de verão.
Sempre que viajo gosto de descobrir bares escondidos onde tocam bandas locais. Permite-me experienciar a cidade como um local ao partilhar uma experiência autêntica.
Há algo de especial na música ao vivo que me faz sentir feliz e ‘no presente’.
As minhas piores memórias desaparecem.
Resta apenas o poder curativo da música…
Um dos pontos altos deste verão na Madeira foi assistir ao festival Nos Summer Opening no Funchal.
Tive a oportunidade de ouvir a voz surpreendente de Skye Edwards!
As canções dos Morcheeba acompanham-me desde os tempos da Universidade em Lisboa, por isso sempre que oiço as suas músicas, quentes e psicadélicas, sinto essas boas vibrações.
Adoro os sons suaves e as letras sábias desta banda, acompanhadas por uma voz ‘linda de morrer’…
Foi realmente uma honra poder vê-los ao vivo na Madeira. O concerto teve momentos mágicos. Sentiam-se os corpos oscilantes de uma pequena multidão rendida, conduzida pelas luzes do palco – muito bom.
Quanto à Skye, ela é a rainha de uma banda cheia de músicos extremamente talentosos, incluindo seu próprio filho, na bateria.
Que voz…
Adorei cada minuto.
A minha canção preferida? Depende do meu humor. Devo dizer que encontro grande conforto no álbum ”Mind where you go”, especialmente as músicas “solitary” e ”stop complaining”.Se estou no modo relax gosto dos velhos clássicos como ‘The Sea’ ou ‘The world looking in’. O single ‘Light of gold’ é lindo.
Este ano teremos Seu Jorge! Os passes de 2 dias já estão à venda em nossummeropening.com e na Fnac!
Outro festival de música a não perder é o Festival Raízes do Atlântico – o mais antigo festival de música do mundo em Portugal. Funde diferentes estilos musicais e acontece nos belos jardins de uma antiga casa senhorial – Quinta Magnólia. Oferece uma experiência diversificada e rica.
A minha banda favorita do Festival deste ano foi ‘Sons of Kemet’. Grande energia e ritmo!
Quanto ao Funchal Jazz Festival, aquelas noites de verão no Parque de Santa Catarina fazem magia. Não perca os concertos dos artistas nacionais e internacionais que aqui se reúnem anualmente. Infelizmente, este ano não estava cá, mas ouvi comentários delirantes sobre o concerto do Sr. Gregory Porter!
Se procura um festival de música pura, despretensiosa, à beira-mar, o Festival Alesteé uma ótima escolha.
Seu lema é “Há mais música em nós” e há mesmo…
Aleste é calor, é mar, é abraço, é sorriso, é música para os meus ouvidos.
Como alguém me dizia :” Os dias antes do aleste são como os que antecedem um “casamento”: excitação, alegria, expectativa, com a grande vantagem que estes se repetem todos os anos…”
Este ano não foi exceção…com um bónus, prolongou-se até domingo! No final da noite de sábado começou a chover e a organização garantiu que “havia mais música entre nós”, no dia seguinte. O prometido foi devido. Adorei os ISLAM CHIPSY e deu para sentir que eles adoraram também…
Esta é para mim uma das maiores qualidades do ALESTE, os músicos são escolhidos a dedo, pela sua entrega à música. A plateia sente o seu entusiasmo, entrega e vibração. Lavoisier, Capitão Fausto, Bonga, The Poppers, Sensible Soccers… Foi tudo muito bom.
É caso para se dizer, onde é que anda esta multidão vibrante, descontraída e alternativa o resto do ano? Obrigada ALESTE!
Marque já na sua agenda, o Aleste do próximo ano: é no último fim de semana de Maio!
Diariamente poderá também encontrar bares ou cafés com música ao vivo.
Hole in One é o nome de um dos bares mais populares no Funchal. Todos os dias das 21:00 em diante ouve-se música ao vivo – Quer escolha ficar dentro do bar ou na esplanada encontrará um ambiente turístico, simpático.
O DTOX veio para ficar e ainda bem, já precisavamos de um bar assim: acid jazz, tecno, indie e coktails fora de horas…
O Trap é outro bar recomendado para tomar um copo ao som de música ao vivo. Verifique o calendário de eventos e não perca a “happy hour “, os mojitos são ótimos!
O Café do Teatro fica bem no coração da cidade, na Avenida Arriaga. Poderá facilmente encontrá-lo junto ao belo Teatro Baltazar Dias. Neste café assisti a um dos melhores concertos da minha banda madeirense favorita – os Akoustic Junkies num tributo incrível a Pearl Jam.
Copacabana Garden é um bar ao ar livre localizado no Casino da Madeira e integrado na discoteca Copacabana. Poderá encontrar atuações de música ao vivo, sobretudo de bandas locais e ocasionalmente internacionais.
O Barreirinha Bar Café é muito mais do que apenas um bar…Desde Dj’s a sessões de cinema, aqui se junta um aglomerado de pessoas ‘fixes’ para ouvir o som do mar e da música ao vivo não só de músicos locais mas também estrangeiros. Confira o calendário de eventos aqui.
Visitar a Madeira não é apenas fazer caminhadas e admirar as vistas há vários eventos culturais a acontecer.
Das bandas locais, ao jazz e aos festivais de verão, cá fica o convite para descobrir a música que vive no Funchal.
Até já!
P.S. – Conhece outros Festivais, bares ou cafés com música ao vivo no Madeira? Fique à vontade para deixar um comentário ou recomendação. Obrigada![:]
Although the last days have been terribly sad in Madeira, with the fires that unfortunately assaulted our capital city, it’s time to rise up and keep looking foward.
I’m happy to say that things are slowly getting back on track.
Whether alone, as a couple, with children or friends, here are some suggestions to enjoy Madeira this Summer:
#1. Join a kayak tour.
At Quinta do Lorde you can rent kayaks and paddle all the way to the Baía d’Abra. Book it with Esther or the Marco from the Blue Diving Center Madeira. I’ve had the opportunity to try it and loved it!
#2. Enjoy a ‘Levada’ walk.
Did you know that there are about 30 recommended routes in Madeira? Hit the mountains early in the morning, take good company and join a group of tourists or a group of friends on a guided walking tour and enjoy.
#3. Have fun in local summer parties ‘Arraiais’.
From Machico to São Vincente there’s no lack of parties and festivities on this Island.. Have fun, taste the regional delicacies, listen to music and enjoy the summer moonlight. Check this (link) for more information.
#4. Go to the movies.
If it’s one of those hot days and you want to cool down, head to the movies. Local cinemas display movies on their original languages. (There’s a short film film festival running in Funchal. It is called Shortcutz Funchal and the next session takes place on Castanheiro Boutique Hotel. This was one of the shorts I liked the most, so far.)
#5. Go “Birdwatching”.
Did you know that Madeira has four endemic bird species? Trocaz pigeon, the Zino’s Petrel, the Bugio’s Petrel and the bis-bis. Grab the binoculars and discover how to identify them in our sky. For more information please consult the (link).
#6. Photograph whatever you like the most.
I love shooting pictures. Especially early in the morning or late in the day when the light is ‘spot on’. Take your camera or your mobile phone and look around. There are also many daily challenges in instagram to inspire you such as the #cy365. You can also put together a scrapbook with photos and other collectibles things. See here several ideas of how to do it.
#7. Walk in Nature.
Have a nice walk into the UNESCO World Heritage Laurissilva forest.
#8. Visit a museum.
There are many interesting museums to visit in Madeira such as Sacred Art Museum and the Cruzes Museum in Funchal, the Solar do Ribeirinho in Machico, the Press Museum in Camara de Lobos, the Ethnographic Museum in Ribeira Brava and many more here.
#9. Enjoy a ‘bath of Nature’.
Whether by the sea, on air or in the mountain, there is plenty of nature to discover in Madeira. Take advantage of the good weather and go for it!
#10. Have a meal in a award-winning Restaurant.
Benoît Sinthon is the chef of Il Gallo d’Oro Restaurant ( The Cliff Bay Hotel) awarded with a Michelin Star in 2009. This is the first and only Michellin star featured restaurant in Madeira, renewed year after year.His style of cooking? A French classic technique, fluid and full of flavour, integrated with the ingredients from the land and the sea. ‘Flavour, seasonality and freshness’ are his motto.
#11. Have a picnic.
When I was last month in Catalonia, I saw several picnics on the beach with ‘gazpacho’, salad with peppers, feta cheese and olives, followed by watermelon and white wine. Prepare your wicker basket with your favourites ( I personally love homemade lemonade) and pack a wide blanket where you can fit everything and everyone. Choose a park or a beach nearby and enjoy! (Tip: Take some soap bubles – its fun for children (and adults))
Nice view for a picnic, no?
#12. Practice sports.
Running, cycling, playing tennis (even if with beach rackets), playing football, Stand up paddle, skating, surfing or bodyboarding.Watch the video: Your Adventure Starts Here
#13. Go camping.
Madeira Island has 1 campsite at Ribeira da Janela. Even if just for one night, take some sleeping bags outside and lie down to look at the stars. For more information please visit (website).
#14. Play some cards.
When was the last time you played cards? Nothing like a night of cards with friends or family, accompained by a nice summer playlist, some snacks, a few beers in the fridge and great fun.
Dedicate yourself to giving a holiday to do whatever he / she likes, since smelling the forest nooks to digging in the sand. There are many hotels in Madeira that accept pets.
#17. Spend the night in a hotel that you have never been to, in Madeira.
I’ve been willing to try these 3 : Atrium, Nature Inn and Casas da Levada.
#18. Go sailing.
I love the views of the coastline of Madeira. One of my favourites is Cabo Girão Cliff, seen from the sea.
#19. Experience the nighlife of Madeira.
Some of the most popular areas in Funchal are the old town (Santa Maria Street), Avenida Sá Carneiro (near the marina) the ‘ Vespas Disco’ and the Casino’s ‘ Copacabana Disco’.
#20.Enjoy the shopping sales!
Everything is on sale during the month of August and this is a nice opportunity to buy something different. There are also new shops to discover in Funchal, this is one of them: KICKFLIP.
#21. Enjoy a guided tour.
Whether it’s a touristic bus ride, a jeep tour or a tuk-tuk ride, enjoy the knowledge and the experience.
#22. Challenge yourself to try a new taste.
“Lapas” are aquatic snails with a shell which are very popular in Madeira. Have you tasted?
#23. Spend a day at the spa.
Whether you are looking for a massage or a manicure; pamper yourself, you deserve it;).
There are many hotels with great spas in Madeira.
#24. Have a drink in a rooftop bar.
Choose a rooftop bar with beautiful views. I suggest any of the following: Nini Design Centre, Formosa Beach Restaurant, Pestana CR7, Castanheiro Boutique Hotel and Estalagem da Ponta do Sol.
Embora tenhamos vivido momentos muito marcantes e dolorosos nestes últimos dias, devido aos incêndios que invadiram a nossa ilha e o nosso País… é hora de olhar em frente, prevenir, curar as feridas, entreajudar e seguir …
É também tempo de relembrar que continuam a haver potencialidades fantásticas na nossa ilha. Uma delas é esta nossa capacidade de não baixar os braços, atirar-se à vida, voltar acreditar e sorrir. Seja after-work, ao fim de semana, a sós, a dois, com crianças ou amigos, deixo-vos aqui algumas sugestões para ajudar a levantar a moral, neste Verão:
#1. Faz um passeio de caiaque.
Na Quinta do Lorde podem-se alugar caiaques e remar até à Baía d’Abra. É só combinar com a Ester ou o Marco da Azul Diving Center Madeira. Já tive a oportunidade de experimentar e adorei!
#2. Passeia numa “levada”.
Sabias que há cerca de 30 percursos recomendados na Madeira? Aposto que há muitos que ainda não conheces. Faz-te à montanha, parte de madrugada e leva companhia. Podes deixar o carro em casa e juntar-te a um grupo de turistas ou a um grupo de amigos numa visita guiada. Respira o ar fresco.
#3. Diverte-te nos arraiais de Verão. De Machico a São Vicente o que não faltam é festas e arraiais. Diverte-te, prova os petiscos regionais, o popular vinho com laranjada, ouve música e desfruta do luar de Verão. Consulte este (link) para mais informações.
#4. Vai ao cinema.
Agora à terça-feira, ir ao cinema com o cartão continente fica mais barato. Bilhete + Pipocas + Bebida = 6,00 €. Ando desejosa que estreie este filme e este também… :). Está neste momento a decorrer um festival de cinema de curtas metragens no Funchal. Chama-se Shortcutz Funchal . Este foi uma das curtas que mais gostei .
#5. Faz “Birdwatching”.
Sabias que a Madeira tem 4 espécies de aves endémicas? Temos o pombo trocaz, a freira-da-madeira, a feira do Bugio e o bis-bis. Agarra nos binóculos e descobre como identificá-los no nosso céu.Para mais informações consulta o (link).
#6. Fotografa tudo o que mais gostas.
Adoro fotografar. Sobretudo logo de manhã ou ao final do dia quando a luz está ‘no ponto’. Leva a máquina fotográfica ou telemóvel e olha à tua volta. Há muitos desafios diários no instagram. Um dos que eu mais estimo é o #cy365. Também podes montar um scrapbook com fotos ou outras coisas colecionáveis . Vê aqui várias ideias de como fazê-lo.
#7. Deixa-te embalar numa rede.
Nem precisas de perfurar a parede porque há uns suportes que se podem por em qualquer lado; seja varanda ou jardim. Dorme uma bela sesta ao ar livre, após um doce embalo.
#8. Toma um ‘Banho de Natureza’.
Seja longe ou perto, no mar, no ar ou na montanha, há muita natureza por descobrir. Aproveita o bom tempo.
#9. Faz um piquenique.
Quando estive no mês passado, na Catalunha, vi vários piqueniques na praia com ‘gaspacho’, salada com pimentos, queijo feta, azeitonas, melancia e vinho branco. Prepara o teu cesto de vimes com o que mais te apetecer (pessoalmente, adoro limonada caseira) e arranja uma manta larga onde caiba tudo e todos. Escolhe um parque ou uma praia e bom apetite! Sugestão: Leva bolinhas de sabão – diversão garantida para as crianças ( e adultos).
Bela vista para um piquenique, não achas?
#10. Visita um museu que não conheças.
Reabriu recentemente no Funchal o Museu do açúcar, já conheces? Há também muitos outros para visitar; o Solar do Ribeirinho em Machico, o Museu da Imprensa em Câmara de lobos, o Museu Etnográfico na Ribeira Brava e muitos mais aqui.
Leva o fato de banho na mala e faz-te às ondas, nada, faz stand up paddle, corre, anda de bicicleta, joga ténis (nem que seja com raquetes de praia), joga futebol, patins em linha, voley de praia etc. Depois de ver este vídeo, fiquei cheia de vontade de experimentar o bodyboarding: Your Adventure Starts Here
#13. Joga às cartas.
Quando é que foi a última vez que jogaste ‘às copas’, ‘à bisca’ ou mesmo ‘ao King’? Marca já uma noite de cartas com amigos ou familiares, escolhe uma playlist de Verão, prepara uns petiscos, guarda umas cervejas no frigorífico e passa uma noite divertida!
#14. Vai acampar.
A Madeira tem 1 parque de campismo na Ribeira da Janela. Nem que seja por uma noite estende uns cobertores ou sacos cama e deita-te a olhar as estrelas. Para mais informações visite o (site).
Dedica-te a fazer tudo o que ele/ela mais gosta, desde a cheirar os cantinhos da floresta a escavar na areia. Há também muitos hóteis na região que aceitam animais.
#17. Passa uma noite num hotel que nunca tenhas estado na Madeira.Ando desejosa por experimentar estes 3: Atrium, Nature Inn e Casas da Levada.
#18. Vai à biblioteca.
Adoro a biblioteca pública. É um dos meus sitios preferidos para escrever e encontrar inspiração quer em livros, revistas e até DVD’s. Já vos disse que podem requisitar livros gratuitamente? A escolha é muita e o ar condicionado sabe tão bem… :).
#19. Desafia-te a cozinhar uma nova receita.
Transforma uma noite vulgar numa noite especial. Escolhe umas flores bonitas, põe luzes na varanda, prepara uma bela sangria e desafia-te a ti próprio. Aposto que o resultado vai valer a pena.
#20. Aproveita os saldos!
Em agosto está tudo em saldos e esta é uma boa oportunidade para comprar aquela peça de roupa que andavas a namorar. Há também novas lojas para descobrir no Funchal.
#21. Convive com alguém que não vês há algum tempo.
Seja um elemento da tua família ou um amigo, às vezes, na correria do dia-a-dia, esquecemo-nos de conviver…
#22. Faz voluntariado.
Marca a diferença na vida de outro. Vê aqui como contribuir.
#23. Toma um copo ao final do dia.
Escolhe um bar com terraço e belas vistas. Sugiro qualquer um dos seguintes: Nini Design Centre, Restaurante da Praia Formosa, Castanheiro Boutique Hotel, e Estalagem da Ponta do Sol. Até ao dia 26 de Agosto há também sushi no cais do The Cliff Bay Hotel.
Over time, and a few not so good experiences, I realized that there are some reservations sites I prefer because I find them easier and more intuitive, offering more variety and good prices.
So, I decided to share here on the blog which are the sites that I use to book my flights, hotels and car rental.
Regarding hotels I use Booking. I think it’s a very complete site because I can select not only the type of hotels (5 stars to apartments or hostels) but also the price I’m willing to spend per night. It also gives me the option to select extras like wifi or swimming pool and even to view only the hotels that have good reviews (eg + 8 in the 1-10 classification).I always read the comments about the hotel, sometimes the photos are very beautiful but the comments are terrible. It is also good to take into account how many people have reviewed. To have 10 very good reviews is very different from having 100 very good reviews, and in the latter case approval is much more reliable …
Regarding the flights I use Skyscanner a lot. This site allows me to select flights from Madeira (or any other destination) to anywhere in the world, then all the options from different airlines, displaying the cheapest price for destination. It also allows me to receive alerts on price changes for a given flight. By flight searching it appears a button on the left “Receive alerts” where I can enter my email and ensure that I am warned of price changes.
This is how sometimes I find very cheap prices to unlikely destinations, as it happened to me once with a direct flight from Madeira to Edinburgh for 70 €. This site also gives me the option to book the car rental directly at the destination airport.
In terms of apartments I also use Airbnb. It’s a different kind of experience, more intimate and unique. I’ve had great expereriences so far.
Google Maps– I use it mostly to check the distances bettween places and to see which options I have in terms of transportation – Sometimes walking can be a lot faster than getting on the bus. I also use it to find hotspots near my location. Like in this vídeo.
You can find lots of inspiration in travel blogs and social networks like Instagram, Pinterest and Tripadvisor, which are my favorite, in that same order.
Now you just go and fly away… :)
Happy travels!
P.S- Looking on how to travel in style on a budget? Follow this blog.
Some links on this post contain affiliate referrals. By clicking through, you’ll be helping reduce this site’s running costs.[:pt]
Planear viagens é uma das minhas atividades favoritas.
Ao longo do tempo e de algumas experiências menos boas, percebi que há alguns sites de reservas que prefiro, pois acho-os mais fáceis e intuitivos, além de que oferecem mais variedade e bons preços.
Sendo assim, resolvi partilhar aqui no blog quais são os sites que eu uso, para reservar viagens, hóteis e aluguer de carro.
Em relação aos hotéis uso o Booking. Acho que é bastante completo pois posso selecionar não só o tipo de hotel (5 estrelas até ao apartamento ou hostel) como também o preço que estou disposta a gastar por noite. Além disso, dá-me também a opção de marcar extras como wi-fi ou piscina e até visualizar apenas os hotéis que têm bons comentários (ex: +de 8 na classificação de 1-10).
Leio sempre os comentários acerca do hotel, já que por vezes as fotografias são muito bonitas mas os comentários são péssimos.Convém também ter em atenção quantas pessoas comentaram, ter 10 comentários muito bom é muito diferente de ter 100 comentários muito bom, sendo que neste último caso a aprovação é muito mais fiável…
Em relação aos voos uso muito o Skyscanner. Este site permite-me ao selecionar viajar da Madeira (ou outro destino) para qualquer parte do mundo, visualizar logo todas as opções de diferentes companhias aéreas, mostrando primeiro o preço mais barato por destino. Também permite-me receber alertas sobre as oscilações dos preços para um determinado voo. Ao fazer a pesquisa de voos à esquerda aparece um botão “Receba alertas” onde posso introduzir o meu email e garantir que sou avisado das alterações dos preços.
É assim que por vezes descubro preços muito baratos para destinos improváveis, como já me aconteceu uma vez, com um voo direto da Madeira para Edimburgo a 70€.
Este site dá-me também a opção de reservar logo o aluguer do carro, diretamente no aeroporto de destino.
Em termos de apartamentos eu também uso o Airbnb. É uma experiência diferente, mais personalizada. Até agora só tive boas experiências.
Google Maps – Uso-o sobretudo para verificar as distâncias entre os locais e ver que opções tenho em termos de transportes. Também uso para ver o que se encontra à volta de uma determinada localidade, como exemplificado neste video.
Em relação ao que fazer, onde comer, o que visitar o que não falta é inspiração em blogs de viagem e nas redes sociais Instagram, Pinterest e Tripadvisor são as minhas favoritas e por essa mesma ordem.
Agora “basta ir, voar, seguir”…:)
Boas viagens!
P.S. – Alguns links neste artigo contêm referências a afiliados. Ao concluir as reservas dos serviços através desses links, contribui para reduzir os custos de funcionamento deste site.[:]
Friday the 22 of June 2016. The big day had arrived – the official opening of CR7 first hotel. And what better location than his hometown – Funchal – Madeira Island. I have a big admiration and respect for Ronaldo’s accomplishments. His football achievements need no description and as a madeiran myself, my heart grows even founder.
In all of my travels, whenever I mention I’m from Madeira, people always end up talking about Cristiano Ronaldo and sometimes, people know about Cristiano Ronaldo more than they know about Madeira. Some people have also heard about Madeira wine as well and some of their parents have been to Madeira and loved it! That’s also when I usually start showing pictures from my Instagram account and telling them about how passionate I am for this beautiful island… Things are changing nowadays, younger people are visiting Madeira and so are families with children. The opening of Hotels like this one are the real proof of that.
Stories from the road about Ronaldo… I remember once meeting someone from Bhutan in ITB tourism fair in Berlin, that was a major fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, you should have seen the sparkle in his eyes when I told him I was from Madeira – he knew all about Madeira and followed Ronaldo since the days he played for Manchester United. I remember once asking directions to a girl in Japan, a football player. After I said I was from Madeira, she guided me all the way through Shibuya crossing to help me look for a restaurant – she was totally obsessed with Ronaldo and promised she would come to Madeira, one day. And so on, and so on…
Apart from his skills and talent which are extraordinary, to say the least, there’s something very special about someone who fights very hard to reach this high. This is the case with both these extraordinary madeirans that got together to open this hotel – Dionisio Pestana and Cristiano Ronaldo. After all this is the best football player in the world and the owner of one of the most successful Portuguese Chain of Hotels, the Pestana Hotel Group, which now exceeds the threshold of 90 units in 15 countries!
I felt the excitement on Funchal’s streets the minute I walked onto the avenue where the hotel is located, Avenida Sá Carneiro. You could feel the joy, hear the shouts and see the smiles of thousands of people, including little boys, wearing Ronaldo’s t-shirts. People were standing under the sun, waiting for hours to see CR7. Fans from all over the world got together at the hotel door to see this event, waiting to get a glimpse of Ronaldo. It took me a while to process the emotions lived on that evening, mostly because I felt totally overwhelmed by Cristiano Ronaldo’s presence and the whole dreamlike atmosphere. He is also a lot higher than I expected and has a “monumental attraction” effect.
As for the hotel, it is really lovely. The rooms are beautifully decorated with lots of light and a cool hip atmosphere. This is a themed hotel and the theme is CR7. The hotel has large windows and open spaces, the perfect place to see and be seen. From autographed football t-shirts, to black and white sketches of Ronaldo, to inspirational quotes including the carpet in the hallway simulating the grass of a football field, everything is very stylish.
Hotel Pestana CR7 Funchal has 48 rooms and 1 Suite. The suite includes Cristiano Ronaldo PlayStation 4 + Virtual Reality Glasses & Games and even equipment for cardio workout with a personalised training program created by CR7 for his guests. There’s also a customised program ‘Get In Shape’, for those who want to be in good shape. Throughout the hotel, guests can use the free access to high speed WIFI and also take advantage of WIFI hotspots outside the unit, completely free. This unit has also a pool on the rooftop, a deck for relaxation and the most breathtaking views of Funchal’s bay. The CR7 museum is only a few steps away.
My favourite features in the hotel were its stylish decorations surrounded by a relaxed, hip atmosphere and the breathtaking views to Funchal’s bay from the rooftop bar and pool.
Here are some of the hotel pictures.
‘To be the best, you need the best’ – here’s sending all my best wishes to CR7;)! [:pt]Um vislumbre do novo Hotel Pestana CR7 Funchal
Sexta-feira, 22 de junho de 2016. O grande dia chegou – a abertura oficial do primeiro Hotel Pestana CR7. E que melhor local para inaugurar o primeiro hotel de Cristiano Ronaldo que na sua cidade natal, o Funchal.
Tenho uma grande admiração e respeito pela carreira de Cristiano Ronaldo. O seu reconhecimento no futebol mundial dispensa qualquer descrição, e como madeirense que sou, esse sentimento de orgulho cresce, ainda mais.
Em todas as minhas viagens, sempre que digo que sou da Madeira, as pessoas falam de Cristiano Ronaldo e muitas vezes, sabem muito mais sobre Cristiano Ronaldo do que sabem sobre a Madeira. Algumas pessoas já ouviram também falar sobre o vinho Madeira, ou noutros casos os seus pais já vieram à Madeira e adoraram. É assim que eu geralmente começo a mostrar as fotos do meu Instagram e a falar sobre esta minha paixão pela ilha…
Hoje em dia sinto que as coisas estão a mudar. Cada vez mais jovens e famílias com crianças, visitam a Madeira. A abertura de hotéis como este são a verdadeira prova disso.
Quanto a histórias das minhas viagens sobre o Ronaldo… Lembro-me de uma vez encontrar alguém do Butão, na ITB (Feira de Turismo em Berlim), que era um grande fã de Ronaldo. Se vissem o brilho dos seus olhos quando lhes disse que era da Madeira – ele sabia tudo sobre a Madeira e seguia Ronaldo desde os dias em que ele jogava no Manchester United. Lembro-me de uma vez pedir direções para a uma senhora no Japão, uma jogadora de futebol, que depois de lhe ter dito que era da Madeira, acabou por me guiar o caminho todo através de Shibuya, só para me ajudar a encontrar o restaurante que eu procurava – ela era totalmente obcecado por Cristiano Ronaldo e prometeu que um viria à Madeira um dia. Tenho tantas outras histórias destas por contar…
Além das muitas capacidades de Cristiano Ronaldo, que são no mínimo extraordinárias, há sempre algo de inspirador nalguém que luta muito para conseguir feitos incríveis. Este é o caso de ambos os madeirenses que se uniram para abrir este hotel – Cristiano Ronaldo e Dionísio Pestana. O melhor jogador de futebol do mundo junta-se ao proprietário de uma das mais bem-sucedidas e internacionais Cadeia de Hotéis, o Pestana Hotel Group, que assim ultrapassa a fasquia das 90 unidades em 15 países!
Senti a emoção nas ruas do Funchal, à medida que eu me aproximava da Avenida Sá Carneiro, onde o hotel fica localizado. Pude viver a alegria, sentir os gritos e ver os sorrisos de milhares de pessoas, incluindo crianças que vestiam as camisolas de Ronaldo. As pessoas esperavam de pé, sob o sol quente, horas a fio, para ver CR7. Fãs de todo o mundo estavam reunidos à porta deste hotel, para presenciar este evento e quem sabe vislumbrar Ronaldo.
Demorei algum um tempo a processar as emoções vividas naquela noite, principalmente porque me senti, sem esperar, totalmente arrebatada pela presença de Ronaldo e toda aquela atmosfera de sonho. Confesso que o achei muito mais alto do que na televisão e tem aquele efeito de ‘atração monumental’!
Em relação ao hotel, é realmente muito agradável. Os quartos estão muito giros e bem decorados, com muita luz e vive-se uma atmosfera ou “estilo de vida” descontraído. Este é um hotel temático e o tema é CR7. Desde camisolas autografadas, a esboços a preto e branco de Cristiano Ronaldo, a citações inspiradoras, até ao tapete no corredor simulando a relva de um campo de futebol, está tudo muito bem pensado.
Hotel Pestana CR7 Funchal tem 49 quartos, dos quais 1 é Suíte. A suíte inclui uma PlayStation 4 + óculos de realidade virtual com jogos e até mesmo um programa de treino personalizado criado por CR7 para os seus hóspedes. Os hóspedes podem utilizar o acesso gratuito à wi-fi de alta velocidade em todo o hotel, assim como tirar proveito de hotspots Wi-Fi fora da unidade, completamente gratuitos. Esta unidade tem também uma piscina, um deck para relaxamento, sauna e uma vista deslumbrante sobre a baía do Funchal. O museu CR7 fica a poucos passos do hotel.
O que gostei mais neste hotel foi do seu ambiente com uma decoração atual, cheia de estilo e das suas deslumbrantes vistas sobre a baía do Funchal.
Aqui ficam algumas fotos do hotel.
“Para seres o melhor, precisas do melhor ‘
Aqui deixo os meus melhores votos de muito sucesso para o CR7 – Pestana Hotel!
I disagree when people say that having kids and travelling are two opposite choices in life.
I actually think that these are the best parts of my life. Having both, at the same time, feels like winning the lottery. Add to this happy mix , the perfect family holiday destination and you realise that happiness and perfection exists.
Ever since I was a child, no matter what happened, my parents would always save money throughout the year to make sure we would have a family holiday. Sometimes for one week. In good years for two. Our annual ritual would always observe the following four acts; getting on an airplane, relaxing under the sun, eating good food and having fun. Lots of it.
My best memories of my childhood were created during summer holidays. I want my kids to have these same memories.
Memories.
Simple act of packing our bags. Entering the airplane and feeling like the luckiest girl in the world for bagging the window seat. The nervous excitement of discovering a new city (which still remains today) Playing cards all afternoon while listening to the Gypsy Kings from the balcony of our hotel (no iPads in those days). Relaxing in our crocodile shaped floating bed in between the best diving competitions. The sound of laughter from my parents, relieved from their work concerns.
This year, our family went to Costa Brava to recreate some of those memories and collect some new ones.
I had heard about Costa Brava a few times and it sounded like a great option. Sun. Wild untamed coastline. Beaches. Good food.
It was good enough for me. I would be one of the few people ‘in my hood’ to tell the story. Plus a new direct flight with Vueling from Madeira (my Island) to Barcelona was another key factor.
So. What happened next and where did we stay? Here’s a practical guide and our itinerary.
Where is Costa Brava?
Costa Brava is located in the province of Girona, on the northeastern coast of Spain, Catalonia. It is renowned for being a popular destination for its beautiful sun kissed beaches in the mediterranean sea, the local history and the excellent food. One of the other reasons which bring visitors to Costa Brava is the so called Dalí triangle. Salvador Dalí, left a huge imprint in Costa Brava and visitors can discover it through 3 sites : The Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, the Dalí House-Museum in Portlligat (Cadaqués) and the Gala-Dali Castle in Púbol.
Address: Avenida de Andorra, 28, 17250 Platja d’Aro, Spain
This star hotel has the most beautiful surroundings you can image, rising above two beaches (Cap Roig and Belladona) nested in coves and surrounded by pine trees.
It took us literally 5 minutes to walk from our room to the beach…What more can you want ;)
In terms of facilities, this hotel is beautiful with lots of light , pearly white interiors which create a relaxed ambience and is the perfect contrast to the deep metallic the blue of the mediterranean sea. The best feature of the hotel for me was the terrace which offered the most stunning views. You could stay there the whole day, reading books, having cocktails or even breakfast (which we did a few times).
Our room was spacious ( no problem fitting an extra bed for the kids) and very clean. Bathroom was spacious, nice shower, good range of toiletries and a nice balcony with sun beds.
This is the perfect place to relax and a great base to explore the region, which was our main goal.
In terms of entertainment, Platja d’Aro has lots to do. There are many great , unique places to shop, great range of restaurants, bars, ice cream shops, playgrounds for children, bowling and a nice, long promenade by the sea.
Our guilty pleasure every evening was buying an ice cream at Rocambolesc. This ice cream parlour recreates a dreamy atmosphere, with cute lollipops and red and white pipes. Every night we were greeted with smiles and they have hilarious ice cream names like : ‘May the force be with you’… :) I highly recommend the coconut and violet flavour. There’s also a great waterpark – Aquadiver. Although it is expensive, this was probably the nicest waterpark we’ve been to. It is beautifully shaded by pine trees with large lawns to relax on as well as sun beds. It is served by a few restaurants (including a creperie) and shops (in case you need an extra swimsuit), and has lots of fun water slides and pools. It is not overcrowded specially in the afternoon, so no long queues or too much noise, just perfect. There are different types of slides to choose from (besides a huge jacuzzi pool) like a fast river, zig-zags, kamikaze, baby pools and a fun temple with lots of hideaways and surprises. Kids loved it.
The local gastronomy is excellent and mostly affordable. Wherever you go you can find lunch and dinner menus for a reasonable price . You can find meat (sausages and veal), fresh fish and also vegan dishes like tomato tapas and pimentos padron.
The Suquet de peix was one of my favourite local dishes: a tasty fish stew made with different pieces of fish and rice cooked in squid’s ink. Also very popular, are the prawns from Palamos which were a bit expensive but also the sweetest and tastiest prawns I’ve ever had. The wines are wonderful here. You can easily drink a bottle of white wine without noticing…
Day 1 – Arrival to Barcelona and drive to Costa Brava. (about 2 h drive)
The most affordable option for a family is to pick up a rental car in Barcelona airport:
Day 2 – Beach Cap Roig ( 5 minute walk from the room)
I still remember how I felt the first time I saw this beach.
It was a Sunday and we spent the first day relaxing on the beach, exploring the area of the hotel, playing games with the kids by the pool and resting from our flight. You can also book a cheap beach massage on the sun beds (my partner Kash did) and there’s also a very good ‘Chiringuito’ on the beach for mojitos and tapas. The water is absolutely translucent. You can even see the fishes swimming around your feet.
Lunch: We had pizza at the hotel. The vegetarian option is really good. Other options are hamburgers or pasta which work really well if you’re traveling with kids. I’ve also noticed that many locals brought their own picnic to the beach: Gaspacho, olives, tapas and water melon – a delicious idea!
Day 3 – Girona (40 minutes drive)
Morning: We had a great guided visit of this enchanting medieval city thanks to a tour by passionate local , Margarita. Aimed at both kids and the adults , the tour was a wonderful introduction to this city. It can be difficult to walk around a city, specially when the sun is burning and the kids are constantly asking when do we go back to the hotel pool. However, when you have a guide that speaks directly to them and engages them in discovering the city, it makes such a huge difference. This was the case on our tour with Margarita and most of the tours we had in Costa Brava. – this is a destination that knows and understands the needs of family travellers. Map in hand, we crossed the bridge that Eiffel created to connect both sides of the Onyar river. We then wondered into the Jewish neighborhood which figures prominently in the latest series of Game of Thrones. We also visited some original shops, climbed the steps to the cathedral and walked along the narrow streets and picturesque alleys. This medieval city is surrounded by walls and you can walk along some parts of it to admire the panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. There’s also a great museum for families called the Cinema Museum which allows you to play with shades among other interactive experiences, but unfortunately it was closed on that day. One of the best times to visit Girona is during the Flower Time in May, where for 10 days, the whole city is decorated with flowers and artistic installations in the monuments, patios and gardens. We saw some pictures of it – it looks beautiful!
Girona has many interesting stories.
One is about the witch of the Cathedral, a woman that used to be a witch and insult religious people by throwing stones. One day she became a stone herself and you can see her in the walls as a gargoyle.
Another thing that caught our attention were the flies as a symbol of the city. This is related to the legend of San Narcís – the bishop. When the King of France invaded Girona and burnt the city, San Narcís’s tomb opened and thousands of flies came out to bite the enemies for which they died and the invasion ended.
There is also a legend that says whoever wants to come back to Girona, needs to touch the lioness butt, and so we did…
Lunch: Le Bistrot Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman shot a scene at Al Bistrot of ‘la Pujada de Sant Domènec’ for Hitchcock 1946 classic Notorious. You can imagine how full of character this restaurant is… It has that vintage atmosphere with beautiful tiles on the floor and classic furniture. The food is typical form this region and included dishes like pig cheeks, cod fish and pizzas for the kids. The deserts were super! The wine was delicious (when in Costa Brava…)
Address: Pujada de Sant Domènec, 4, 17004 Giron
Afternoon: Púbol Castle (35 minutes drive) This is a medieval building which Salvador Dali decorated to offer to his muse and wife – Gala. This oasis was her refuge and people could only visit her by written invitation. The 3 floors of this castle open to a beautiful inner courtyard and a garden with a beautiful pool and sculptures of Dali. Inside the house you can admire the most beautiful painted ceiling of the main room, the kitchen, the bedroom, the bathroom and even her stunning collection of dresses from Dior. The garage is also worth visiting with beautiful classic cars. Gala’s tomb can also be visited here. The garden is very dreamy and the sound of the waterfall dripping into the pool takes you to a world away. Address: Gala Dalí Square E-17120 Púbol-la Pera
We spent the whole morning by the beach of the hotel. Couldn’t help it …:).
By 12:00 we headed to Figueres and arrived by lunch time. Parking was easy, there are many parking spots in Costa Brava: some are paid , others free.
Figueres is the home town of Salvador Dali. This city is very pretty, it has a nice old area with a ‘rambla’ where locals meet, a popular toy museum, nice shops, old cafes, hotels and restaurants.
Although the main reason that brings visitors here is the famous Museum of Dalí.
Lunch: La Taverna del Barril Veil We were attracted by the welcoming atmosphere and the local feeling. They offer a lunch menu which is brilliant, and the food was surprisingly good. I’ve had a nice salad starters, grilled salmon for mains and a heavenly chocolate mousse for dessert. Wine as usually – great. We waited a while to be served but while waiting they offered a tasty starter of asparagus, eggs and chorizo which was very good. At the end of the meal the chef came to greet us at the table which made us feel welcome and wishing us to come back again. Adress: Carrer Dels Tints, 7, 17600, Figueres
Afternoon: Guided Visit in the Theatre – Museum Dalí Marta was our guide and her love and enthusiasm for Dali’s art was contagious… “Dali was like ‘a small kid’ – she said to the boys. “You know like those kids in school, always craving for attention, saying LOOK AT ME! But his creativity and imagination were genius.” “This is not a boring museum, this is FUN! You’ll see ;)” “I’ll be asking you many questions and you have to answer the first thing that comes to your head. Ready? “ And so it was, guiding us through his museum built upon the remains of Figueres theatre, against all odds. People asked him to build his museum in Barcelona, Paris or New York but he had made up his mind that it would be in his hometown: Figueres. The whole museum is spectacular. You can feel how much work and attention to detail has been given to create this masterpiece.
The main message of this place for me was that art doesn’t have to be serious and that in the world of dreams anything is possible – to create is to dream awake.
Examples? There’s a cadillac ( in the theatre ) and if you insert a coin, it rains inside the car and a black umbrella opens up on the top of the car. The ceiling of the museum look like two eyes of flies. He loved flies of Cadaqués and used to put honey on his moustache so that they would lay there… There is a photomosaic painting in the lateral wall of the theatre that at first sight looks like a woman (Gala) contemplating the Mediterranean Sea but if you look at it though your phone or at 20 meters of distance it is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. You can also see many monsters with drawers coming out of their bodies. He believed that our mind and bodies have drawers where we keep our secrets. He also kept his secrets in a small red velvet safe – a treasure room in the museum with his signature jewels and his favourite paintings. One of them is Atomic Leda – inspired by the myth of leda and the swan, which he loved, hence his obsession for eggs. The myth of Leda recounts that Zeus, was in love with Leda but she rejected him so he turned himself into a swan to seduce her. The egg that resulted from that union gave birth to twins: one immortal and the other mortal. Dali believed that he and Gala were immortal twins and he wanted time to stop (which is the meaning behind the melted clocks of his paintings ) so that they could live forever. Another fun part of the museum is the Mae West Room. Dali was inspired by her sensual lips and created a painting inspired by her face where the nose became the fireplace, the eyes became paintings, the hair became the curtains and the lips became part of the famous Mae West Lips sofa. The visit finished with fun activities to take home inspired by Dali’s creativity. Address: Plaça Gala i Salvador Dalí, 5 17600 Figueres
Palafrugell is another city worth visiting in Costa Brava. Marta, a local guide, guided us through her city as a local friend would do, taking us to her favourite places and telling us the stories behind it. Palafrugell has narrow streets and lively squares where people greet each other. It has that feeling of a small town where “everyone knows someone that knows who you are” – I felt at home.
The market is impressive with a wide variety of fruits, vegetable, ‘chorizo’ and sea food. There are also many interesting old buildings in the city, where locals meet to catch up with the news of the world, day and night. We also climbed to the modern catalan tower of Can Mario, near the Cork museum. It used to be the water tank and is now the symbol of Palafrugell. At the entrance there’s a tunnel which displays the history of this place and then simulates water falling before you gently climb the steps that will take us 30 metres up.Once you reach the top, you can enjoy 360º views of the surrounding countryside , stretching all the way to the sea. From there we went to the Sant Sebastià cape and lighthouse which offers panoramic views over Llafranc’s bay, Calella’s coves, Cap Roig and Palamós. We then headed to the nearby beach of Llafranc. This is a really nice area with many restaurants(including a Michelin star restaurant called ‘Casamar’ ) , a few shops and cafes. From there you can also go hiking along part of the famous coastal path ‘Cami de Ronda’.
Lunch: La Llagosta We chose this restaurant for its good reviews and location on the seaside boardwalk, right in front of Llafranc beach. The staff was cheerful and helpful serving catalan food with a modern twist. Good value, great presentation and taste. Desserts were also realy good. There was a menu for kids. I’ve tasted the Pálamos prawns – Heaven.
Address: c/Francesc de Blanes, 24, 17211 Llafranc
Afternoon: We went hiking along part of Cami de Ronda coastal path from Llafranc, the views again breathtaking…we could see many families kayaking along the coast or walking this same path. In some parts of the walk there was no one, just you and the sea.
Day 6 – Cadaqués + Cap de creus ( 2 hour drive)
Morning: Cadaqués is one of the most picturesque, beautiful cities I have ever seen…it has a little bit of Greece with its white washed houses and turquoise blue doors, decorated with pink bougainvilleas 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 also feels a bit like Portugal with some resemblance to Algarve’s fishing villages and its sunny beach coves by the sea. It is nested in a beautiful bay with clear blue waters and lots of colourful fishing boats. Most houses have direct access to the sea. 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.
Afternoon Visit Salvador Dalí House in Portlligat. This house was where he lived and worked from 1930 to 1982. He stopped living there after his wife, Gala died. He liked the isolation, the views and the light of this place. Located in Portlligat, just a few minutes from the city centre, it had direct access to a stunning bay which he enjoyed the most, either through mirrors strategically located in the house to see the sunrise/sunset from his bed or through open windows in probably all divisions, meeting the sea.This house is a labyrinth since he created it little by little, adding a new room at the same rhythm as each new pulse in their lives; crazy beautiful as the artist. What I loved the most? The yellow flowers which his wife Gala spread in unusual places such as on top of wardrobes and all around mirrors and windows. The pool where you can imagine the insane parties held there. The oval room with perfectly lined pillows and the most particular acoustics… The olive tree garden, side by side with wooden chairs , a “ready to land” invitation to soak up the sun kissed views. The wardrobes covered in black and white pictures of intimate, meaningful and funny moments of their lives.
Lunch: El Barroco We had a Lebanese meal in a restaurant called ‘El Barroco’ that was decorated and frequently visited by Dali himself. Food dishes can range from vegetarian or non vegetarian and can be accompanied by Beirut beers. Address: Carrer des Pla d’en Retalla, 2, 17488 Cadaqués
Afternoon: Cap de Creus
After lunch we visited the easternmost tip of Spain and Costa Brava: Cap de Creus. At an altitude of 672 meters from the sea, stretched across a rocky unforgiving wild deserted terrain you to feel closer to the sky, to the sea and to nature. When I say it is deserted, it doesn’t mean you won’t find other visitors.You’ll find signs of humanity cycling their way along the road: dad on the front followed by two kids and mother behind, you’ll find couples walking their way to desert golden sand beaches and families sitting together for a selfie near the edge of the cliff or having a meal near the lighthouse. As for the rock that inspired Dali’s painting, I couldn’t find it, I was too busy admiring the views, watching the sea in the distance, looking at my kid’s astonished faces and my parent’s satisfaction for being in this amazing location. One of kind location, one of a kind experience.
Day 7 – Barcelona Airport (2 hour drive)
Morning: We spent the morning enjoying the last minutes of the holiday in Belladona Beach. Listening to this sound…
It was hard to leave this beautiful part of the world. Return rental car at arrivals in the airport. Direct flight to Madeira (3 hours then home :))
The best of Costa Brava?
The beaches are absolutely stunning and there’s a specially inviting atmosphere in the air.
Camin de Ronda is like a fairytale path along the coast specially early in the morning when its just you and the sea.
Plus, being able to follow the footsteps of Dali was a privilege. This is a truly family friendly ( meaning pet friendly as well) destination. You can find many fun attractions, excellent playgrounds and most restaurants offer kid’s menu. Food is really good.
Any advice?
Stay longer than we did. One week is too little to enjoy the surroundings at a slow pace. If possible stay at least 10 days or 2 weeks.
Conclusion?
Do take your family to visit Costa Brava.
It has lots to do and see yet it also has everything you need to enjoy a ‘stress free’ holiday.
Show them the views, tell them the stories, visit museums, get them to know who Dali was, enjoy the beaches, go for walks and share great meals by the mediterranean sea.
Happiness lives in this brave coast.
A big thanks to Costa Brava Tourism for supporting this trip and a special thanks to Kash, who for the last 3 years has been telling me: – “You would love Costa Brava!” You were absolutely right! :)
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 – sounds good? It gets better.
Cadaqués people are friendly and have a nice sense of humor.
Food dishes can range from anything like fresh grilled prawns to a fusion of pastas, french crepes and even Beirut beers. We had a Lebanese meal in a restaurant called ‘El Barroco’ that was a dream, decorated and frequently visited by Dali himself, this place was full of character.
As for Dali’s House: He picked well… This house was where he lived and worked from 1930 to 1982, he stopped living there after his wife died. He liked the isolation, the views and the light of this place. Located in Port Ligat, just a few minutes from the city centre, it had direct access to a stunning bay which he enjoyed the most, either through mirrors strategically located in the house to see the sunrise/sunset from his bed or through open windows in probably all divisions, meeting the sea.
This house is a labyrinth since he created it little by little, adding a new room at the same rhythm as each new pulse in their lives; crazy beautiful as the artist. What I loved the most?
The yellow flowers which his wife Gala spread in unusual places such as on top of wardrobes and all around mirrors and windows. The pool where you can imagine the insane parties held there.
The oval room with perfectly lined pillows and the most particular acoustics…
The olive tree garden, side by side with wooden chairs , a “ready to land” invitation to soak up the sun kissed views. The wardrobes covered in black and white pictures of intimate, meaningful and funny moments of their lives.
We just stayed there for a few hours of the day, before visiting the easternmost point of Spain Cap de Creus, which inspired some Dali’s paintings. Cap de Creus is another stunning location in Costa Brava, at 672 meters of altitude from the sea, a completely desert, protected area of the world which invites you to feel closer to the sky, to the sea and to nature. When I say desert, it doesn’t mean you won’t find other visitors, which you will. You’ll find them cycling their way along the road: dad on the front followed by two kids and mother behind, you’ll find couples walking their way to desert golden sand beaches and families sitting together for a selfie near the edge of the cliff or having a meal near the lighthouse.
As for the rock that inspired Dali’s painting, I couldn’t find it, I was too busy admiring the views, watching the sea in the distance, looking at my kid’s astonished faces and my parent’s satisfaction for being in this amazing location. One of kind location, kind of out of this world experience.
To know more about why I ended up discovering Costa Brava, how is it, what to see and do, check out this post.
A big thanks to Costa Brava Tourism for supporting this trip and a special thanks to Kash, who for the last 3 years has been telling me: – “You would love Costa Brava!” You were absolutely right! :) [:pt]
Espreitem a Casa de Dali na Costa Brava
Um dos pontos altos da minha recente viagem à Costa Brava foi visitar a casa de Salvador Dali em Cadaqués, Portlligat. Para quem nunca ouviu falar de Cadaqués, posso assegurar-lhe que esta é uma das cidades mais pitorescas e belas, que eu visitei…
Tem um pouco da Grécia, com casas caiadas de branco e portas azuis turquesa decoradas com bunganvilleas côr de rosa e ruas estreitas empedradas. Tem um pouco de França, devido à sua proximidade com a fronteira, os idiomas que se ouvem falar na rua e alguns pratos vindos do outro lado. Tem um pouco de Portugal com alguma semelhança às vilas de pescadores do Algarve e as suas enseadas com praias ensolaradas.
Cadaqués está aninhado numa bela baía com águas azuis cristalinas e muitos barcos de pesca. A maioria das casas têm acesso directo ao mar. Enquanto a maioria dos habitantes dorme a sesta, os visitantes passam o seu tempo na praia ou a desfrutar de uma cerveja fresca, numa das muitas esplanadas à beira-mar – Parece-lhe bem? Ainda fica melhor.
As pessoas de Cadaqués são amigáveis e têm um bom sentido de humor.
Os almoços vão desde os camarões grelhados a massas, crepes franceses e até mesmo cervejas de Beirute. Tivemos uma refeição libanesa num restaurante que era um sonho. Decorado e frequentemente visitado por Dali, o próprio, este lugar tinha imenso carácter.
No que diz respeito à Casa de Dali: Escolheu bem… Esta casa foi onde viveu e trabalhou desde 1930 a 1982. Após a morte da sua esposa, abandonou este local.
Ele gostava do isolamento, das vistas e da luz deste lugar. Localizado em Portlligat, a poucos minutos do centro da Cadaqués, oferecia acesso directo a uma baía deslumbrante que ele fazia questão de aproveitar, seja através do reflexo nos espelhos estrategicamente localizados na casa (para ver o nascer do sol / por do sol desde a sua cama) ou através de janelas rasgadas em (provavelmente) todas as divisões da casa.
Esta casa é um labirinto já que foi criada, pouco a pouco, adicionando um novo quarto ao mesmo ritmo de cada novo impulso na sua vida; louco e bonito, como o artista.
O que eu mais gostei?
Das flores amarelas (sempre vivas) que sua esposa “Gala” colocava em lugares incomuns, como por cima dos guarda-roupas e à volta dos espelhos e janelas. Da piscina onde se pode apenas imaginar as festas insanas que lá foram realizadas. A sala oval com almofadas perfeitamente alinhadas e uma acústica especial … O jardim de oliveiras com cadeiras de madeira lado a lado, num convite para aproveitar o sol e beijar as vistas.
Uma foto publicada por Ana Sofia (@frommadeiratomars) a
Das portas dos armários cobertas com fotos a preto e branco, retratando momentos engraçados, significativos e íntimos das suas vidas.
Apenas lá passamos algumas horas do dia, antes de visitar o ponto mais oriental da Espanha – Cabo de Creus, que serviu de inspiração a algumas pinturas de Dali. Cabo de Creus é outra localização deslumbrante na Costa Brava, a 672 metros de altitude. Completamente deserta, nesta área protegida do mundo sentimo-nos mais perto do céu, do mar e da natureza. Quando digo deserto, não digo com isso que não irá encontrar outros visitantes. Irá encontrá-los a percorrer os caminho de bicicleta, a caminhar rumo a praias desertas de areia dourada ou a saborear uma refeição perto do farol. Quanto à rocha que inspirou a pintura de Dali, não a encontrei. Estava demasiado ocupada a admirar as vistas, a olhar o mar no horizonte, a sorrir com o ar de espanto dos meus filhos e com a satisfação dos meus pais, incrédulos com esta vista incrível. Uma experiência “fora deste mundo”.
Para saber mais sobre como conhecer a Costa Brava; como lá chegar, o que ver e fazer veja também este artigo
Um grande obrigada ao Turismo da Costa Brava por todo o apoio que me deu na organização desta viagem e ao Kash que há 3 anos me anda a dizer: “Tu ias adorar visitar a Costa Brava!” :)[:]
I’m always happy when someone wants to visit my city — Funchal, the capital of Madeira. As locals, we Madeirans love sharing our island and helping visitors discover the best places, beyond the typical tourist routes.
Funchal is a beautiful city, and although I might be biased, the more I travel, the more I appreciate the quality of life, nature, and culture this island offers. If you’re visiting Madeira for the first time, I challenge you to spend a few days in Funchal and you’ll quickly understand why so many people fall in love with it.
Here are 5 things to do in Funchal to help you experience the city like a local.
1. Explore Largo do Socorro & Funchal’s Historic Districts
Funchal, the capital of Madeira, is divided into three historic districts: Santa Maria (the Old Town), São Pedro, and Sé. Many streets in these areas are pedestrian-friendly, making them perfect for exploring on foot.
As you wander around, you’ll discover 19th-century manor houses (now turned into museums), traditional Madeiran pavements, viewpoints overlooking the sea, and charming houses filled with flower gardens.
Funchal, the capital of Madeira, has three historic districts: Santa Maria (renown as Old Town), São Pedro and Sé.
Santa Maria (Old Town)
São Pedro |This photo was courtesy of Budgettraveller
Sé Cathedral
Explore monuments such as the São Lourenço Palace or the Santa Clara Convent, the buzz of Rua da Carreira and the peace of Largo do Socorro. In this square, lays the Barreirinha Bar Cafe, the perfect place to take a break and soak up the local lifestyle:
Barreirinha Bar Café
São Tiago Beach nearby Largo do Socorro
2. Taste Madeira Wine at Blandy’s Wine Lodge
Visiting Madeira without tasting Madeira wine is like going to Rome and not seeing the Pope. Madeira wine is one of the island’s most iconic products and a must-do experience in Funchal.
This is the perfect gift to celebrate life: a light fragrant flavour with a golden color.
There are wines for every kind of taste; dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet or sweet, as is the case of the wine of Malvasia, which offers a full-bodied and dark coloured wine. Madeira wine was chosen to celebrate the US Independence Declaration, on the July 4, 1776. An English Duke that faced with his death sentence in the XV century, asked to be drowned in a Madeira wine barrel, such was his devotion!
Do not miss the opportunity to understand the why behind these stories, and visit the Madeiran wine cellars, such as the Blandy’s Wine Lodge, which is one of my favourites. Enjoy and have a glass of Madeira wine. Cheers!
Blandy’s Wine Lodge
3. Relax at Formosa Beach
No trip to Funchal is complete without taking a dip in the Atlantic Ocean. One of my favorite beaches in Funchal is Formosa Beach, known for its black sand and pebbles and stunning views of Cabo Girão, one of Europe’s highest sea cliffs.
Formosa Beach
Sunrise in Formosa Beach
Limpets and beer at Formosa Beach
This is also a good spot to go for a walk to Camara de Lobos or watch sunset, while enjoying the local limpets washed down with the local beer.
4. Drink ‘Poncha’ at Mercearia do Bento
To experience local life in Funchal, stop by one of the traditional “mercearias“. These old grocery stores were once community meeting points and still preserve that authentic charm.
Mercearia do Bento
Some of these places are beautifuly stuck in time, loyal to itselves. Stop over at Tanoeiros Street 2, “Mercearia Bento” and sample the Poncha, the regional drink made with sugar cane brandy, bee honey and lemon.
Madeira is often called “the garden island,” and Funchal is full of beautiful green spaces. While the Monte Palace Tropical Garden and Municipal Gardens are popular, Palheiro Gardens is one of the most impressive gardens near Funchal.
Palheiro Gardens
Be amazed with the colors of camellias and magnolias, visit the charming chapel of São João and taste the homemade cakes at the local teahouse.
Here’s hoping you spend a great time in my city. Enjoy! :)
“Quer visitar o Funchal e está farto de ler as mesmas dicas de viagem em todos os guias? Entre uma poncha e uma sandes de carne de vinho e alhos na zona velha do Funchal, o Filipe Morato Gomes do blog Alma de Viajante desafiou-me a partilhar cinco sugestões para tornar a sua estadia no Funchal única e inesquecível.
“Se um amigo te visitar no Funchal, onde o levarias?” – leia aqui as minhas sugestões.[:]
[:en]Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit Lisbon and stay in the new boutique hotel of PortoBay Hotels & Resorts – Hotel PortoBay Marquês.
This picture was courtesy of PortoBay Hotels
This hotel opened doors only three weeks ago and it is already a hit. Here’s why:
Location This hotel is perfectly located: 5 minutes walk from the metro at Marques de Pombal Square and a short walk from Avenida da Liberdade.
Hotel PortoBay Marquês is a charming hotel set in a, not too large, historic building with a relaxed atmosphere. It displays an intimate decoration containing design pieces such as vintage radios, a library with a nice collection of books , beautiful photographs of Lisbon by Henrique Seruca and a warm welcome from the minute you step in.
The Hotel has also 2 bars; Bar de baixo and Bar de cima – rooftop bar. This is the ideal place to soak up the light falling on the rooftops of Lisbon, listen to some music and have a drink by the end of the day. If you want to lay down under the sun there is also a solarium with a small heated pool that has a strong jet of water, which invites you to relax.
Rooms
PortoBay Marquês has several types of rooms, from singles, to superior or to the suites with balcony. Some rooms are ideal for families as they have extra amenities such as microwave, refrigerator and sink. If you’re traveling with small children you will be happy to know that even in the standard rooms, the microwave can be provided by request.
The 71 rooms are decorated with neutral colors and wood, providing everything you might need to have a pleasant stay. From the minibar to the tea kettle, to room service, everything is taken care of, including in small details which bring a nice sense of humor to the experience.
I really liked the desk, the design is beautiful and has a small radio, the vintage style.
It has also an interactive flat-screen TV displaying national and international channels.
My room overlooked a courtyard, surprisingly quiet considering that we are in the heart of Lisbon.
The bathroom is super spacious, illuminated by a large mirror and bath with rain shower. The Rituals bath products are a nice touch.
Warning: You are most likely to get addicted to this bed, as the mattress, the mattress pad and bed linen feel as if they’re singing you a lullaby song – incredibly comfortable :).
Restaurant TRATTORIA32
The cuisine of PortoBay Marquês has a taste of Italy with a touch of Portugal. It has an industrial-chic decor and the menu has very affordable prices, whether at lunch (menu for € 15) or dinner. The flavors and the nice atmosphere made me recall Basilico Restaurant in Funchal, which belongs to the Hotel of the same company.
At dinner I tasted the beef Carpaccio with Mediterranean seasoning, followed by linguine of crab and for dessert, I’ve had pineapple roasted with coconut ice cream, accompanied by a Madeira glass of wine – a happy ending to a great meal.
In the morning, breakfast was accompanied by a cappuccino, fresh bread, fresh fruits, cereals, yoghurts, cheese, eggs, bacon and a blueberry muffin that was a dream.
Tip: It would be interesting to also feature a children’s menu, since the hotel offers family rooms.
Conclusion: This is a boutique hotel with a great location of Lisbon. It is tastefully decorated offering a good night sleep, delicious meals and a friendly atmosphere. Another good reason to visit Lisbon soon…
Hotel PortoBay Marquês Rua Duque de Palmela 32 1250-098 Lisboa Cost: Standard Room from 81 € Book here.
My stay at the Hotel PortoBay Marquês was courtesy of PortoBay, but the views expressed are my own.[:pt]No passado fim de semana tive a oportunidade de visitar Lisboa e ficar alojada no novo boutique hotel da PortoBay Hotels & Resorts – o Hotel PortoBay Marquês.
This picture was courtesy of PortoBay Hotels
Este hotel abriu portas há, apenas, 3 semanas e já está a dar que falar. Veja porquê:
Localização Este Hotel tem uma localização perfeita: a 5 minutos a pé do metro do Marquês de Pombal e a poucos passos da Avenida da Liberdade.
Hotel
O PortoBay Marquês é um hotel de charme, instalado num prédio histórico não demasiado grande e tem uma atmosfera descontraída. Exibe uma decoração intimista, contendo peças de design tais como, rádios vintage, biblioteca de livros antigos (e actuais), belas fotografias de Lisboa por Henrique Seruca e um ambiente simpático que nos faz sentir aconchegados desde o primeiro momento.
O Hotel tem também 2 bares (gosto dos nomes); o Bar de Baixo e o Bar de Cima – no terraço. Este é o espaço ideal para absorver a luz que incide sobre os telhados de Lisboa, ouvir música e tomar um copo ao final do dia. Se quiser estender-se ao sol, há também um solário e uma pequena piscina aquecida, com um forte jacto de água, que convida a relaxar.
Quartos
O PortoBay Marquês tem vários tipos de quartos, dos singles aos superiores, até às suites com varanda. Alguns quartos são ideais para famílias. Têm comodidades extra, como micro-ondas, frigo-bar e lava-loiça. Se viaja com crianças pequenas, gostará de saber que mesmo nos quartos standard, o microondas poderá ser disponibilizado, se solicitado.
Os 71 Quartos estão decorados com cores neutras e madeira oferecendo tudo o que poderá precisar durante a sua estadia. Do minibar à chaleira de chá, passando pelo serviço de quartos, está tudo bem pensado, inclusivé pequenos pormenores com sentido de humor.
Tem também uma TV de écran plano, interactiva, com canais nacionais e internacionais.
Gostei muito da secretária, o design é lindo e tem um pequeno rádio, ao estilo vintage.
A vista do meu quarto dava para um pátio interior, surpreendentemente silencioso, considerando que estamos no coração de Lisboa.
A casa de banho é super espaçosa, iluminada por um espelho e chuveiro “rain shower”. Os produtos de banho ‘Rituals’ são um toque agradável.
Alerto que a cama deste hotel poderá provocar vício, já que o colchão, o sobre-colchão e os lençóis parecem cantar cantigas de embalar…
Restaurante TRATTORIA32
A gastronomia do PortoBay Marquês tem um sabor a Itália com um toque Português. Faz-se acompanhar de uma decoração industrial-chic e tem preços muito acessíveis, quer ao almoço (menu por 15€) quer ao jantar. Os sabores e o “bom feeling” fizeram-me lembrar o Restaurante Basílico, no Funchal, pertencente ao Hotel desta mesma cadeia. Ao jantar degustei, como entrada, Carpaccio de novilho com temperos mediterrânicos, seguido de linguine de Sapateira e como sobremesa, ananás assado com gelado de côco acompanhado por um cálice de vinho Madeira – um final feliz para uma ótima refeição.
Logo pela manhã, o pequeno-almoço é acompanhado por um cappuccino, pão fresco, frutas naturais, cereais, iogurtes, queijo, ovos, bacon e um muffin de mirtilos que era um sonho.
Sugestão: Seria interessante ter também um menu para crianças, já que o hotel oferece quartos familiares.
Conclusão: Este é um boutique Hotel, decorado com bom gosto, que oferece noites bem dormidas, refeições deliciosas e uma estadia simpática, como se quer, nesta cidade que deixa sempre saudades. Mais uma boa razão para voltar a Lisboa…
Hotel PortoBay Marquês Rua Duque de Palmela 32 1250-098 Lisboa Preço: Quarto Standard desde 81 € Reserve aqui.
A minha estadia no Hotel PortoBay Marquês foi cortesia da PortoBay, mas as opiniões aqui expressas são da minha autoria.[:]
Escolhe um parque ou uma praia e bom apetite! Sugestão: Leva bolinhas de sabão – diversão garantida para as crianças ( e adultos).
