PACING THROUGH PORTUGAL

Portugal - August 2021

By Gal Houbara Bergman

Portugal is one of my favorite places: It is mellow, simple, not pretentious.

Traveling after a long time at home brings up emotional precipitation.
We got used to our nest and comfortable zone. Portugal gave us a soft landing.

Besides her two main cities - Lisbon and Porto - Portugal managed to remain pretty much an agriculture-based society, a virgin land. This time I decided to go south, to Algrave district, up north to Douro valley, and a short visit to Porto and Lisbon. 

In the Algarve, we strolled around the walls of the ancient city of Aljezur, sun tanned at Odeceixe beach, then rested by the pool at our hotel. It was a much needed battery charge after an intense year of work. 

The Douro Valley is filled with vine terraces, a view that is so non-typical for Europe. Before we headed to Porto, we tasted the wines of Quinta da pacheca, one of the oldest vineyards around.

Like most of Portugal, Porto and Lisbon are endowed with an inexplicable charm. One of Porto's most special places is Parque de Serralves, an enormous compound that includes an Art Deco villa, contemporary art museum, a park and a farmhouse. The works of artists Ai-Wei Wei and Olafur Eliasson were a sight to our eyes while we explored the park. Before we headed back home, we spent a few more days in colorful Lisbon, where it seems there's pure harmony between the music and colors. 

Before going back home to a hectic reality, in a world that nothing is certain anymore, the future that Portugal offered me was to listen to my heart, to breathe in nature, and to smile.

ALGARVE

DUORO VALLEY

LISBON

MONSARAZ

SERRALVES