On a recent trip to Portugal Explore Sideways spent some time visiting the coastal city of Lisbon as well as the breathtakingly beautiful Douro Valley, the famous wine growing region located in the north of the country.

Lisbon:

Lisbon (or Lisboa in Portuguese) is a city steeped in history and heritage. In the summer, the cobbled streets bustle with the daily toing and froing’s of the local population going about their business. The sound of Fado music spills out onto the streets through kitchen windows and the smell of Bacalao or salted codfish fills the air. There is an air of festivity and holiday as people enjoy the summer sunshine. People sip pingados (coffee with milk served in an americano glass) or Vinho Verde (‘green wine’) in the squares and chat amiably in the shade of the buildings when the heat gets too much.

If you visit Lisbon you should make sure to check out the Rossio Square (officially the Pedro IV Square) for the history, the Time Out Market for the food, the Bairro Alto for late night bar hopping , Miradouro de Santa Catarin for the amazing view from the terrace and Park for cocktails and the best sundowner spot in Lisbon (our personal favourite!).

The Douro Valley:

The Douro Valley is absolutely spectacular and is an absolute must if you are a foodie or wine lover. The Douro River’s source is in northern-central Spain. It flows west and spills into the ocean at the historic city of Porto on the west coast of Portugal. In the Douro region, in the northern part of Portugal, the steep banks of the river are covered in ancient terraced vineyards as far as the eye can see. This is where the port grapes for the famous traditional port style wines are grown and vinified. The wine is then transported downriver on the belly of Rabelo Boats.

Port Wine:

Port is wine fortified with brandy. This gives it a deliciously sweet taste and it’s often paired with cheese or chocolate or used as a dessert wine. In South Africa port style wines can be found near Calitzdorp, a town in the hot and semi-arid region of the Klein (or Little) Karoo about 5 hours drive from Cape Town. In South Africa, this method of production is referred to as port style wine (rather than straight Port) because it doesn’t come from the region in Portugal, much the same way we cannot call our sparkling wines after Champagne because they do not come from there.