Monte Horizonte

Archive for April, 2010

The International Association of Culinary Professionals at their annual cookbook awards, honoring the best in food writing, photography, design and journalism over the last year gave the First Book: The Julia Child Award to ‘The New Portuguese Table: Exciting Flavors from Europe’s Western Coast.’ by author: David Leite. The New Portuguese Table takes you on a culinary journey into the soul of this nation and looks at its 11 different historical regions, as well as the island of Madeira and the Azores, and their food culture, typical dishes, and wines.

Turismo de Lisboa has taken the city’s famous “miradouros” overlooks and put them in virtual form on the Internet. SightseeingWeb® gives visitors panoramic views of Lisbon’s famous white-washed buildings and orange-tiled roofs. Scan the hills of the city down to the Tagus River and out toward the Atlantic Ocean. Take a look at www.visitlisboa.com

he 25 de Abril, or 25th of April 1947, is the day of Portugal’s Carnation Revolution when a coup brought down a dictatorship and led to Portugal’s democracy today. To celebrate in 1974, thousands of people took to the streets, mixing with the military rebellion. This revolution was special for many reasons, but mostly because the revolutionaries did not use violence to achieve their goals. With red carnations in their guns, they brought down the longest standing authoritarian regime in Western Europe. In less than 2 years a new constitution was drafted, censorship ended, free speech declared, political prisoners released, elections held  and the Portuguese overseas territories granted independence.

Lisbon’s recently resorted São Jorge Castle set overlooking the Portuguese capital, has brought to light some vestiges of the ancient Islamic city of Lisbon, as well as from previous eras. Installed in the walls of the Praça Nova next to the Castle, the Museum features an important collection of ruins from different periods allowing visitors to recreate and develop a better understanding of Lisboa’s history and its inhabitants. Thanks to the work of team of archaeologists, visitors can now see the Iron Age structures, from the 7th century AD; the Islamic fortress from the 11th and 12th centuries, with its streets and foundations, and the ancient medieval palace of the Bishop of Lisboa/Palace of the Counts of Santiago. Discovered in 1996, the ruins are enclosed within a protective structure designed by Portuguese architect Carrilho da Graça

2009 Conde Nast Traveler travel specialist Tours For You has  a new Elegantly Tour program with high quality  charming hotels (belonging to ‘Design Hotels’, ‘Relais & Chateaux’, ‘Small Luxury Hotels of the World’, all of them inaugurated or refurbished in 2009 and 2010), with prices starting from 985 EUR per person, for 8 days/7 nights, with guaranteed departures from 4 people (and backup plan if the departure is not confirmed) Price based in 4 star hotels or from 1360 euros per person based in 5 star and Relaix&Chateaux hotels that includes 3 nights in Lisbon, 1 night in Coimbra and 3 nights in Porto. The idea is to make an itinerary with a super-price, when compared with other ³usual² itineraries from competitors, but having the quality of service and great inclusions guaranteed by Tours For You!  The price includes:
* 7 Nights in the Charming Hotel mentioned on the program, based on double occupancy, with breakfasts
* 1 Private Transfer on a luxury Mercedes vehicle with driver, from Lisbon¹s Airport to the Hotel.
* Deluxe Transportation (Coach, Mini-bus, or Tourism VAN, depending on the group size.)
* Official Licensed Private English Speaking guide throughout the described itinerary.
* Visits and Entrance fees to Monuments referred on the program.
* Wine Tasting at Traditional Wine Estate in the Alentejo.
* Lunch at Manor House ‘Casa de Juste’

It is called the dark street – or Rua Escura, in Porto – with a sweeping view of the Cathedral or Sé, and now the home of a new craft store selling traditional crafts. The Attraction Store, and it just opened. Look for all kinds of wonderful handicraft for the rich North province of Portugal, for leather, to gold, to pottery. Check the store’s on Facebook and Twitter.

The Algarve will invest some 2.6 million euros in nine new aquiculture installations, with eight more under study. Currently the region produces half of Portugal’s 7,000 metric tons of fish per year. Part of the harvest will be clams and bivalves while the fish farms will raise sargo, corvina, pargo, sole, dourada and robalo. The farms will also feed blue fin tuna.

Centro Cultural da Gafanha da Nazare opens on June 20, 2010 near Ilhavo in the year that the paroquia/freguesia celebrates 100 years. Today it is Portugal‘s most famous fishing village, having always drawn visitors to its beachs. Not too long ago, fishermen were seen using oxen to pull their brightly painted boats from the ocean and even today many locals still wear their characteristic traditional costumes. The fishermen have checkered shirts and trousers, and the women wear several layers of petticoats. The fishing boats are Phoenician in design with bright colors and eyes painted on the vessels, supposedly with the magical power to avert storms.

Madeira is know for its molasses, or mel-de-cana. Now the regional government has created certification stamp for real Madeira molasses – and products made with it; including molasses cakes (bolo de mel) and molasses snaps (broas de mel).

A new 15-million-euro spa facility featuring the Banyan Tree brand will be officially opened by the Portuguese President of the Republic in the beach resort of Estoril on Monday the 12th of April. Set next to the town’s famous casino, and adjacent to the five-star Palácio Estoril, one of the region’s landmark hotels, the Termas do Estoril (as the spa will be known) feeds from the natural thermal waters that exist some 150 meters underground. The facility will be in a five-storey building covering 5,000 square-meters, making it the largest of its kind in Europe and equal in scale to the biggest spa in the U.S.

Exhibition DARA BIRNBAUM: THE DARK MATTER OF MEDIA LIGHT -  Now until July 2010. Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art presents, in co-production with SMAK – Gent, the exhibition The Dark Matter of Media Light, by the American artist Dara Birnbaum (New York, 1946). Birnbaum’s provocative video works are among the most influential and innovative contributions to the building of a relationship between art and television. Birnbaum started making art that was politically and critically relevant in the mid1970s. Since then she has been provoking a strong inquiry as to the way we look at political events and how we are influenced and manipulated by images, television and the media in general. Covering more than 30 years and bringing together both early and recent works, this retrospective is a unique opportunity to get acquainted with one of the most important works of our time.

Conceito wines is blend of a  new producer in the Douro Superior, working with old growth vines. Young winemaker Rita Ferriera takes the grapes from her mother Carla Ferriera’s quintas, and gives the market some fresh new wines. With the influx of investors the Douro’s forgotten spots have undergone a revival, as is the case with the Teja valley:  a remote area 30 years ago, has now become a lively and prosperous wine valley. The Teja is  a tributary to the Douro River that flows through a valley of hills and mild climate, at an altitude between 300 and 400 meters. To the south lies the village of Cedovim and in the northern heights by the ancient Numão Castle, the valley forms a narrow, stony, 2 miles long plateau that provides a cool and mild microclimate . The family’s properties are dotted along this strip of land: the Quinta da Veiga, 20 metric acres on the long straight stretch of road at the entrance to the valley; the Quinta do Chão-do-Pereiro, around 20 metric acres in the northern heights with the Numão Castle as backdrop; and the Quinta do Cabido, so-named thanks to the sharp curve made by the river as it meets the slopes near the Douro, forming there a 23 metric acres natural amphitheatre. These are the families four vineyards, plus a 10 metric acres vineyard at the top of the valley where there’s some granite, used solely for whites. The first of the Conceito wines were made in 2005.

Portimão in the Algarve will welcome some 60,000 cruise ship passengers in 2010, more than double the number of 2009. The city has a new port facility set to open in April, which will allow larger cruise vessels to dock. Some 68 ships are already confirmed for this year – 30 more than in 2009.

High level clouds of volcanic ash from Iceland are not impacting take offs and landings at Portugal’s airports (Lisbon,Porto, Azores, Madeira, and Faro). U.S. bound flights are arriving on schedule – and the clouds are predicted to stay well north of Portuguese airspace.

A French firm is mixing the best of wine traditions with the latest technologies, and a contemporary winery to invest in the growing recognition of wines from the Douro Valley. The new winery is in São João da Pesqueira and called the Adega Quinta da Teixeira, with a design by the firm “Oitoemponto.” The new winery will be functional by the fall harvest. The new winery is planning to offer a Porto Single Quinta Vintage, Porto Branco (White) e and DOC Douro red and whites.

The new Oitavos hotel in Cascais will be a contemporary work of art in the design of the hotel. It will open in  September, 2010. The Oitavos is just 20 minutes outside of Lisbon, near the city of Cascais. Inspired by the beauty of the Atlantic coast, The Oitavos has a bold design, sleek lines and elegantly simple interiors focus attention outwards – on the historical and natural elements of the grounds and the drama  of the Atlantic Ocean. A stunning blue color palate will cool your senses, blending with the colors of the sea and the violets of the flowers dotted across the landscape. Contemporary sculpture and paintings by Portuguese artists will enrapture against the white canvas. The 142 guestrooms of The Oitavos, includes 16 suites, with at least 64 square meters, with the two deluxe suites double that size, all with a private balcony offering ocean, golf course and mountain views. In addition the hotel will offer: Restaurants and bars; Spa; Outdoor seawater swimming pool.

The Porto Palácio Congress Hotel & Spa is rich in flavor – the new Salsa & Loureiro has taken the place of Le Coin, and is totally dedicated to typical Portuguese cuisine under the direction of chef Hélio Loureiro. In a space designed by Paulo Lobo, Salsa & Loureiro is where the right spice meets Portuguese cooking, all at 1281 da Avenida da Boavista. Imagine roasted octopus rice, rojões (pork) in the style of the Minho with papas de sarrabulho, tripe Porto style, Portuguese boiled dinner, cod fish with broa bread crumbs, and many more with an amazing selection of wines. The Hotel Porto Palacio Congress & Spa is a 5-star luxury property conveniently located in the heart of Porto and has been recently been voted a member of ‘The Leading Hotels of the World’. This Porto hotel was renovated back in 2006. It features 251 guestrooms including doubles and singles. Guests can dine at the Madruga restaurant serving an American buffet breakfast every morning plus lunch and dinner.

In 2010 the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), will open three new Portuguese properties offering some 600 rooms. And in 2011 look for two more openings. First up is the new Crowne Plaza Vilamoura (327 rooms + suites) followed by the Holiday Inn Figueira da Foz (158 rooms in July). By the end of the year, look for the new InterContinental Porto Palácio das Cardosas, with 109 rooms. For 2011 expect a Holiday Inn Express, in Porto, with 96 rooms, as well as one in Lisbon with 127 rooms. The Crowne Plaza Vilamoura Algarve, Beach, Golf and Conference Hotel is situated just next to the Casino and walking distance from the Marina.  The Holiday Inn Figueira da Foz will have some 15 meeting rooms. The InterContinental Porto Palácio das Cardosas will be the first of this brand in Portugal. Set in a 250-year-old palace in the main square of Porto, and will feature a renovated historic Café Astória as well as a Spa.

Tour the countryside surrounding Lisbon from the seat of a mountain bike. A2Z Adventures has organized two challenging biking adventures this year, highlighting the natural and historic beauty of the villages and farmland surrounding Serra da Estrela. This 330 mile ride will bring you whizzing down rocky hills, past ancient castles and through quiet villages that have stood in this scenic area of Portugal for almost 1000 years.  Mountain biking legend Gary Fisher took this tour on one of the initial rides and gave it his stamp of approval.The first tour is from June 6-12, 2010 and the second is from Oct. 2-8, 2010. Click here for more information on this unforgettable trip. 

The Atlantic Festival, 5 to 26 June, 2010, is an important event that combines entertainment and culture. It has three components: the Madeira Music Festival, the International Fireworks Competition and performances by philharmonic bands in the city center. During this festival classical music performances are held in the city center, Teatro Municipal Balthazar Dias and within some churches. It has been further enhanced by the recent introduction of the International Fireworks Competition in which contestants organize firework displays to accompany the music on Saturdays.

The newest five-star resort in the Algarve, Real Marina Hotel & Spa, will soon offer guests modern luxury in one of Portugal’s most scenic locales. Situated where the Ria Formosa meets the Atlantic Ocean, this area is known for its stunning beaches, beautiful water and an important estuary teeming with wildlife. Real Marina Hotel & Spa has 144 guest rooms that include 12 suites. The hotel provides guests access to its marina so that the Algarve’s most secluded beaches and barrier islands are just a boat ride away. If you prefer quiet relaxation to adventures on the water, there are plenty of opportunities for personal pampering at the Real Spa. Bringing the kids? No problem. The Realito Kids Club will keep them entertained while the parents get away for the afternoon.Located in Olhão at the heart of the Algarve, the Real Marina Hotel & Spa is close to golf courses, fine restaurants and other modern amenities. Located a few miles from the airport in Faro, Olhão and the Real Marina Hotel & Spa can easily be reached from a number of cities throughout Europe.

The Pousada that started it all in the Alentejo has been reborn with a make over, and is now open. Opened in 1942, the Santa Luzia Pousada was the first of the Pousadas de Portugal and is an example of typical Alentejo architecture.

Braga has joined a group of “Roman cities of the Atlantic” with partners in Spain, France and Portugal. The cities include Irun, Pontevedra, Saragoça, Gijón, Seville, Santarém, Lisbon, and Dax. These cities work to bring focus to the cultural, historic, and architectural heritage that they share. As a city of the Roman Empire, Bracara Augusta was capital of the province Gallaecia. It was under Emperor Augustus in 20 BCE that the city of Bracara Augusta was founded to meet the administrative needs of the new Roman territory. Bracara was dedicated to the Emperor, Augusta-Bracara after the name of the tribe that had first built the town. The city of Bracara Augusta developed quickly during the 1st century and reached its height in the 2nd century.

Katie Stevens is burning up the stage on “American Idol” – and now she has her own Portuguese fan page. Katie speaks fluent Portuguese and has a bond with her Portuguese-born grandmother who has Alzheimer’s disease. Katie is 17 and has been singing since she was 3 years old. She plays the guitar, piano, flute and cello, and is a student at Pomperaug High School in Middlebury, CT.

The year 2010 makes the 500th anniversary of the Portuguese taking the Indian city of Goa under the command of the great Afonso de Albuquerque.Portugal came to the aid of a Hindu price, Thimayya, and the two forces combined and liberated the city from Muslim rule. Portuguese forces entered the city on 17 February 1510, with little fighting- only to be besieged and forced to retreat in May 1510. That November 34 ships with 1,500 Portuguese soldiers and 300 Malabarese took Goa in less than a day from Ottoman forces. Goa soon became the Portuguese eastern capital until it was retaken by India in 1961.