Along the seashore of Algarve

Another post about Portugal? Well, yes, and this time it's the beautiful seashore of Algarve that we took so many photos of. The list of Algarve beaches is reaaally long, and in 3 days we've spent there we've seen some of them, but we got the general impression- long, sandy beaches beaten by foamy waves, surrounded by steep cliffs, sea painted with a palette which ranges from turquoise to dark blue, and many flowers along the paths. The strong wind is omnipresent, and when I say strong I mean -making it hard to keep your balance strong-, which we experienced for the first time on the Cabo Sao Vicente (the southwesternmost point of Portugal). The view of the giant lighthouse nested on the steep cliffs is impressive, but the wind was so strong that we stayed in the car, drinking portuguese beer and eating snacks. Watching the sun set over that horizon felt like a drive in cinema (whit special 4D effects as our car was literally shaking on the wind).

We spent those 3 days mostly walking, soaking up the salty ocean air, admiring the landscape and taking photos. The towns along the shore are pretty touristy oriented, but we didn't came for towns, we came for nature, and it didn't disappoint. As the pictures speak for themselves, I'm cutting this post short and leaving you to admire these wonderful landscapes.

Peculiar rock formations on Praia da Marinha near Lagoa

Seaview near Benagil

Praia de Benagil, starting point of beautiful seashore trail

Beaches along the walking trail near Benagil

Cliff arches near Praia do Amado

Lighthouse near Cabo Sao Vicente

Hiking trail over Praia do Amado

Praia do Amado, a popular surfing spot

Windsurfing on Praia da Bordeira

Our favorite- Praia de Odeceixe

Searching for medieval traces and proper local food in Alentejo

Since the last two weeks have been pretty hectic, I failed to keep my one-post-a-week idea going. Today is Wednesday, the middle of another busy week and a perfect day to get inspired by browsing through my photos and sorting out my thoughts about our few days spent in the Alentejo region of Portugal.

The castle of Montemor-o-Novo in Alentejo

As I wanted to see a bit of everything- the big city, the countryside and the seaside, our next stop after Lisbon was the town of Evora in the interior of the country. Driving through the Alentejo region would be something I'd put on every itinerary when visiting central/southern Portugal. 

The landscape resembles a painting with its wavy green meadows dotted with cows and sheep, shaded by puffy clouds and cork oak trees (this region is one of the biggest producers of wine bottle corks in the world), while the storks are nesting on almost every anchor tower. 

When the landscape is beautiful, I really enjoy the drive, especially if there is a low traffic and the roads of Alentejo are literally empty- we would drive for half an hour without seeing another vehicle! We liked the landscape so much, that we decided to get off the highway and take a laid back drive through the picturesque countryside.

The ruins of the Montemor-o-Novo castle

On the way from Lisbon to Evora, there is a town of Montemor-o-Novo with medieval ruins on top of the hill which dominate the whole scene. Since we weren't in a hurry, we decided to visit the city and its ruins, and it turned out to be a lovely day trip! The town below feels as if the time has stopped- steep cobbled streets are lined with white washed houses with colorful window frames, elderly residents accompanied by few lazy cats are sitting and chatting in front of their houses and the whole atmosphere is a bit sleepy (but in a good way)!

Poisonous green tile facade in Montemor-o-Novo

The medieval ruins on top of the hill are dating back to 13th century and some parts like the entrance gate, defensive walls and some of the towers are still standing today. The view of the land is amazing, the entrance is free of charge, and you can basically roam around and climb the ruins as it suits you.

It was evening already when we reached Evora so we didn't have much time (or energy!) to explore the city. Followed by good reviews on Tripadvisor we roamed out of the city center to find a family restaurant called Vinho e Noz, specialized in great local meat- we had grilled black pork and steak made on a hot stone for dinner and it was delicious!

While planning our trip I was looking forward to indulge in great seafood everyone talked so much about, but we ended up eating meat and cheeses (and drinking wine) most of the time, as the local products of Alentejo are of such high quality!

Our morning in Evora started in a charming pastry shop called Pastelaria Conventual, where we had the best pasteis de nata in whole Portugal (including the ones we've tried in Belem, their place of origin). Except pasteis de nata, they have all sorts of local sweets, and they're all delicious! If you're visiting Evora, do not miss this place!

The main square of Evora

The temple of Diana near the cathedral

Evora is a city listed on Unesco world heritage list, thanks to the density of monuments packed inside of the old city walls. We visited the medieval cathedral which resembles a fortress and has a beautiful, peaceful cloister, the ruins of Roman temple of Diana next to the cathedral and the peculiar Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos).

The cloister of the cathedral in Evora

View of the cloister from the cathedral walls

Capela dos Ossos it is a chapel whose interior is completely covered (adorned) with human bones. I've heard about it before, but have never seen one in person and I was amazed by how the human bones served as a decoration to this chapel- the skulls are lining the arches of the nave, the pelvises are put as keystones and the side walls are covered in bones from bottom to top! The inscription above the entrance says something like: " We bones that here are, for yours await", as a reminder of transience of life.

After the unusual experience in Capela dos Ossos we headed south, to our next destination. On our way to the southwestern most point of Portugal (Cape Sao Vicente), we made a stop on one of the numerous Alentejo beaches. It was the beach of Carvalhal near Odemira, first in a row of beautiful beaches we've seen in Portugal. The wind was so strong that I barely dared to peak my nose out of the car, but in the end I couldn't resist the beauty of steep cliffs, clean sand and big, ocean waves, so we took a short walk, breathed the salty ocean air and left for Algarve.

Lisbon- the city of colors and light

What can a person say about Lisbon that hasn’t been said before? I guess it’s hard for every blogger to think about thousands of posts and photographs on the same subject, and to try to write original content, something that will intrigue the reader.

The view of the city from Castelo Sao Jorge

As there are many great posts and ultimate guides to this astonishing yet quirky city, I am going to write just my personal experience, accompanied with bunch of photos!

It was a long winter and after a hard battle between Iceland and Portugal, we decided to flee to the south, with the first signs of spring. By the time the first buds appeared we longed for the sun, longer days, warm climate and light food.

Soaking up the sun and the views of Alfama

We landed in Lisbon by night, greeted by strong wind and a heavy shower. The broad avenues were magnificent even by night, our neighborhood was scented by beautiful jacaranda trees and on our first dinner in Portugal I ate (without knowing what I’m ordering) a delicious, heartwarming soup which turned out to be made of tripes! And that's what's traveling is about- it makes you step out of your routine and comfort zone and provides you with new experiences, something that you normally wouldn't experience at home.

Jacaranda trees in March (I would love to see them in full bloom in the early summer when they color the city purple!)

Due to time difference, we woke up early in the morning which gave us enough time to explore the city a bit, before heading to Ėvora and Algarve for a few days.

Followed by a recommendation on the lovely Eating the World blog we went to Pastelaria Versailles, which was fortunately located about 5 minutes from our apartment- this old style cafe imitates the grandeur of the palace of the Sun King in a very charming manner- the waiters are extremely polite, the place is filled with locals having their breakfast, and the selection of sweets is so wide that if it weren’t for Lisbon's signature sweet Pasteis de nata, one would have difficulties choosing!

Breakfast at Cafe Versailles

After breakfast we browsed a little around the Avenida da Repùblica and the thing that amazed us the most was the light- everything was so bright, the sun shined intensively, the air was- airy, and the ocean wind was omnipresent.

Another great coincidence was that the Museu Gulbenkian was also in our neighborhood, and we had just enough time to visit it. We expected a nice collection, but we didn’t expect amazing gallery space with large glass walls that open up to the greenery of the garden and almost look like a picture on its own, admirable collection which contained art pieces from Egyptian figurines and medieval manuscripts to impressionists and wonderful secessionist jewelry by René Lalique and a nice museum shop. One more thing- there are no crowds and waiting in lines for the masterpieces in this museum, one can really take some time to sit, enjoy, contemplate, relax in this amazing space!

Museu Gulbenkian was one of great surprises of this trip!

Before heading to Ėvora we had a quick lunch in the restaurant called A parte, also in the neighbourhood- apart from having unusual and charming interior, this restaurant also makes the best salad I’ve ever tasted- out of green salad, grilled prawns, fresh mango and caramelized nuts! Yum!

Lunch at A parte restaurant

The view from our apartment in Alfama

We returned to Lisbon after a few days spent on the wild coast of Algarve, and the first impression of the city was so good that I could not wait to come back. We found an apartment in the old quartier of Alfama, in a steep narrow street adorned with many plants- for some reason, every tourist group and tuk tuk stopped to take a photo of that exact street, we never found out why!

Colorful streets and lovely details of Alfama

A minute walk from our apartment was a wine bar called The Corkscrew where we had dinner on all the three nights we spent in Lisbon. So in a street renowned for its fado restaurants, we listened to jazz music, eating punchy Portuguese cheeses and drinking wine. This restaurant makes few dishes, but they are prepared from scratch, in front of you, and their bartender style steak and flambeed pancakes are to die for!

One of the lovely evenings spent in the Corkscrew wine bar

Since we had only two days left in Lisbon we decided to make the best of it and take at least a peak of every of the old neighborhoods. We started in Alfama, climbing up to Castelo São Jorge for some incredible views of the sunbathed city- there were lots of tourists wandering around its ancient walls, but the funny thing was that we kept bumping into the same people on different parts of the city, as if we were in a small one :D

Castelo Sao Jorge- spectacular views and medieval architecture

The Ponte 25 de Abril red bridge which dominates the scene reminded me of the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, and although I’ve never been to SF, I got the impression that these cities are alike- from the bridge, to the hilly neighborhoods, old school trams and the jacaranda trees.

Passing the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge on our way to the Alentejo region

We did visit the cathedral (Sé) in Alfama, but otherwise, we just strolled up and down the hilly neighborhood, both amazed by the lovely alleys and tile adorned houses and surprised by many abandoned, run-down buildings and dirty corners. The lovely thing is that the whole neighborhood echoes the song of many singing birds that the residents keep on their balconies! I loved the colors of the city- colorful tiles, painted façades, red and yellow trams, adorned traffic signs and intensively blue skies!

Tile adorned houses and red trams- Lisbon is such a photogenic city!

We followed the red tram line to the neighborhood of Baixa, but I'll have to write another post about the rest of our stay in Lisbon, as I have too much to say and to show to fit in just one post! In the meantime, I would love to hear your Lisbon experiences and maybe some recommendations for the next visit! 

12 delicious Sicilian foods (that are just the tip of the iceberg)

Sicily is all about food. We went to Sicily this summer for our honeymoon, and spent a high percentage of the time eating! Local cuisine picked the best from every conqueror that governed this island, and now is a delicious mixture of Italian cuisine and Arabic influences. Sicilian sweets are considered to be the best in Italy, but there are also fresh seafood, pasta, and all sorts of fruit and vegetables that thrive on the islands fertile soil under the hot Mediterranean sun.

I made a list of 12 foods I tried and liked the most, but in reality, the list is quite longer, and the comment block below is just waiting to be filled with your ideas and picks on this topic!

Here they go:

1.      LEMONS&ORANGES- Warm climate with loads of sun during the entire year is the reason for such abundance of citruses. Sicilian blood orange ( Arancia Rossa di Sicilia ) is a an indigenous sort, which has a protected geographical status. Lemon and orange trees grow literally on every corner of Sicily. We saw abundant orange trees with ripe oranges falling on the ground on bus stations and no one even picked them up! We had a big lemon tree in the garden of our apartment in Modica, and brought a bunch of lemons back home in a suitcase. One of the most popular lemon products is limoncello- a sweet and sour liquer made of lemon zests!

Freshly pressed lemon juice on our lovely terrace in Modica

2.      CAPONATA- traditional Sicilan dish made of aubergines and tomatoes (melanzane e pomodoro). As any kind of stew, the longer it cooks, the better it gets! One of the best I’ve had was in the Sicilian restaurant in Berlin! Who would have guessed, right?

3.      GELATO- Italy is a land of gelato, but Sicilian gelato is something special indeed. Introduced by Arabs, first Sicilian gelato was made with snow brought from the slopes of Mount Etna to the nearby towns. Secret to its quality? It has a less percentage of cream comparing to those of other countries. There are numerous sorts of Sicilian gelato, but the pistacchio sort was the tastiest I’ve tried. Gelato with brioche is a typical Palermitan dish, and the locals say that you can’t leave Palermo without trying it- one more reason to go back to Sicily! 

Enjoying the best gelato on the main square of Zafferana Etnea

4.      CANNOLI- crispy tubes filled with fresh ricotta and often dipped in candied fruit, pistacchio or chocolate. The tastiest ones are filled minutes before serving, and could be eaten for breakfast, as a dessert after lunch or dinner- practically any time is a good time for cannoli!

Cannoli for breakfast from Dolceria Bonajuto in Modica!

5.      GAMBERO ROSSO- as big as scampi and as delicious! It is a typical Mediterranean species of prawns with a specific taste. Served with pasta, as a main dish or antipasti, seafood lovers (like me) could not get enough of it. On our first evening in Cefalú (and on Sicily) we found a great restaurant which served this pasta with gambero rosso- it was sooo delicious!

Pasta con gambero rosso in the La Brace restaurant

6.      PASTA CON LE SARDE- traditional Sicilian pasta dish, (usually) made of spaghetti with sardines, fennel, raisins, pine nuts and saffron. Arabic influences can be tasted in its aromatic mixture of sweet and salty, and since it’s one of the signature dishes of Sicilian cuisine, you shouldn’t leave Sicily without giving it a try!

I enjoyed this flavoury meal on every ocasion I could and this photo was taken in a restaurant in Taormina

7.      ARANCINE- fried rice balls with all sorts of fillings, such as meat ragu, mozarrela and prosciutto or tomato sauce. They are crisp on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside, and a great street food option for a quick meal! The name comes from its shape and color that resembles the orange.

8.      SALAMI&CHEESE- In every restaurant where we ordered a cold starter we got excellent sorts of local cheeses and salami. Sicilians are very proud of their own products, and most likely are going to informe you about the region of origin of the served food. I particulary liked the pecorino with peppercorns and the salami with pistacchios!

Breakfast on our terrace in Modica- this place was truly divine!

9.      PESTO DI PISTACCHIO- Italy is known for its great pestos which can be used in pasta dishes or bruschettas, and Sicily is known for pistacchios. Logical combination? – Sicilian pesto di pistacchio. I’ve tried it in deferent pasta combinations and it’s delicious! This one was made especially for us, on a farm below the town of Petralia Soprana- we sat on the terrace and watched the cook picking the mint leaves and then blending them with pistacchios- it really couldn't get any fresher than that!

10.   CHOCOLATE- for chocolate enthusiasts, the town of Modica is the place to be! There are many chocolate shops in the town, but the most famous is the one runned by Bonajuto family since the year 1880. The quality of their chocolate relies on the ancient Aztec recipes, brought to Sicily by Spaniards. Chocolate is made of cacao beans with granulated sugar which gives this chocolate its peculiar taste, and you can choose from all sorts of flavors such as white pepper, salt, orange, nutmeg, chilli pepper...

Chocolate tasting in Dolceria Bonajuto- most of our souvenirs were bought here! :)

11.   PASTA NORMA- another typical Sicilian pasta dish made with aubergine, tomato, basil and salted ricotta. Like Pasta con le Sarde, can be found on every restaurant’s menu and there is really nothing not to like regarding this dish! The one below was served with gnocchi instead of pasta- both versions are delicious!

Pasta Norma in the lovely resturant called Osteria dei Sapori Perduti in Modica

12.   BISCOTTI DI PASTA DI MANDORLE- I’ve tried this soft almond cookies in Sicilian Restaurant in Berlin (again!), but if you’re going to Sicily, do not miss them out! Forget about dry crispy cookies- these have almost creamy texture and you will not get enough of them!

I am aware that this is the worst photo I published so far, but what was I supposed to do when the cook came out of the kitchen with a freshly baked platter of this deliciousness? I took one quick photo with my mobile phone before they disappeared back in the kitchen. :)