The Póvoa Dam "Barragem de Póvoa", situated about 11 km Northeast of Castelo de Vide is a large lake and is a great place for a picnic, especially in Spring where you will most probably be alone. In the summer months the local Portuguese go for a swim to cool down from the hot Alentejo sun.
The dam was created in 1927 with the objective of providing energy for the region. Professional fishing and motorized boats are not allowed so it is a very tranquil and beautiful place to relax with plenty of water and large granite boulders to keep the children occupied.
Here you can observe a great variety of birds including lots of ducks and the Great Crested Grebe.
On the south side of the lake you can discover a Megalithic burial chamber or tomb (dolmen) " Anta do Curral das Galhordas", an ancient structure built more than 3000 years ago. (Latitude: 39.461200N  Longitude: 7.54425W)
If you are visiting the Alto Alentejo spend the day here and marvel at the stunning natural landscape of this unforgettable region.

www.cm-castelo-vide.pt/barragem.htm
Google map: bit.ly/h9KgPE

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In the Alto Alentejo region of Portugal you will see scattered over the beautiful countryside these very large megalithic stones. You can discover over 50 here including dolmens and menhirs. One that stands out is the Menhir a Meada near the village of Póvoa. It is over seven meters tall and 1.25 meters diameter, the tallest in the Iberian Peninsular. Nearby is the Coureleiros Megalithic Park, Castelo de Vide, a collection of various dolmens. Also near to the villages of Barretos and Beira there are more including the Anta da Granja.
These large stone structures are over 3,000 years old and it is still a mystery how these ancient civilizations managed to place them there.
Take a walk, go see and touch these magnificent stones and wonder how on earth did our ancestors cut and manage to move them.

Castelo de Vide and Marvão

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Pizara café in Oviedo, the best value tapas and wine we had in the Asturias. Try the montaditos - slices of freshly cooked pork on bread, delicious. Also the sausages are very good along with the glasses of dry white wine. Just ask the bartender for a recommendation and you wont be disappointed. Trendy modern tapas café/bar in the plaza de la Catedral.

Plaza de la Catedral, 3 - 33001, Oviedo
pizarracafe.com/web/index.php
Google map: tinyurl.com/3588gge

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A great walk from Covadonga to the valley of Orandi and back. Most tourists in the summer take the buses from the lower car parks to the lakes, We decided to take a different walk in the Vega de Orandi. Park your car in one of the car parks very near Covadonga, before 11 am as it gets very busy.
On the walk we never met a single soul except for some friendly local cows, beautiful scenery and fresh mountain streams. At the top we had a picnic and fantastic views of the Picos mountain range.
A great family day out in this beautiful region of Spain.

www.topwalks.net/en/picos_europa/vega_orandi.htm
Google map: tinyurl.com/34oybo3

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Barretos is a friendly small Portuguese village virtually untouched by time. A place of olive groves, cork oak trees, ancient pathways and unique medieval stone round houses called choças, where in the last century families still lived.
It is our home from home, where we can slow down, relax, listen to the birds sing, sheep bells clan and rise to the beautiful Alentejo morning light.
The wonderful views are to Marvão, an imposing castle and whitewashed town perched on a hill and Castelo de Vide with its Gothic doorways, famous Jewish quarter and castle. Reminders of the arduous battles and life of the past, now places of peace and beauty.
Barretos, a place where we always regret leaving and count the days until the next stay.

www.visitportugal.com/NR/exeres/821F233B-595C-459A-96E0-ADE3C20F1B51,frameless.htm
Google map: tinyurl.com/3279u8

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A walk that takes you to Cabo da Roca, Sintra, the westernmost point of mainland Europe. The 16th-century Portuguese poet Luís de Camões described the place "Where the land ends and the sea begins" (Onde a terra acaba e o mar começa). My dog Chance and I set off from our home in the village of Azóia to find a path that crosses the headland to Cabo da Roca. We made our way to the run down local football field near the Bar Moinho Dom Quixote, a restored windmill, and followed the dirt road at the back until we met a smaller path on the hillside. We looked up to see a couple of peregrine falcons circling high up in the sky. We continued on this path, traversing the hill and down to a copse and we crossed a small stream. It was a steep climb the other side to reach Cabo da Roca and its lighthouse where the cliffs stand 140m above the crashing waves of the Atlantic. You can now understand the meaning of those famous words by Luís Camões. It was busy with day trippers so we didn't linger and set off on the main road to turn left onto a track and head towards "Praia da Ursa" (bears beach). Two enormous sea stacks stand in the wild Atlantic Ocean, one of them at a certain angle looks like a bear posing with pride. There is a legend that, a few thousand years ago, when the Earth was still covered in ice, a mother bear and her young lived here. When the ice started melting the Gods told all the animals to leave the sea shore but the stubborn bear refused to do so, because she was born there and she would stay. The angry Gods transformed the bear into rock and her young into smaller rocks dispersed around the mother and there they stood, giving the name to this beach. We then returned to the main tarmac road for a short distance to then turn left onto a dirt track that eventually took us to the small quaint village of Ulgeira, past the old church and onto the tarmac road back to the village of Azóia and home, just in time for afternoon tea.
A great day out in this beautiful region of Portugal.

ramblersramble.blogspot.com/
www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=872948
Google map: tinyurl.com/34cuh95

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We now have dog called Chance and on our walks across the headland we often see a beautiful sight in the skies above, the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus brookei).
We never get tired of watching these amazing birds of prey, they can reach speeds of more than 320km/h in a stoop, making it the fastest animal on the planet. Adults have blue-gray wings, dark brown backs, a buff colored underside with brown spots, and white faces with a black tear stripe on their cheeks. It has long, broad, pointed wingspan and a relatively short tail and they have hooked beaks and strong talons. Their name comes from the Latin word peregrinus, which means "to wander".
Sometimes we see one close up perched on a telegraph pole at the side of the road.
They were on the endangered species in many areas in the 1970s and now thankfully the populations have recovered.
One of the many species of wildlife you can see on the walks in Sintra.

www.ramblersramble.blogspot.com

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Genuine Flamenco at Casa de la Memoria, well worth a visit, great guitar playing, dancing and singing all without the touristy food and drink.
As a family we thoroughly enjoyed the experience and it's a must if you visit this fantastic city.

Calle Ximenez de Enciso, 28, Santa Cruz district.
www.casadelamemoria.es/
+34 954 560 670

Google map: tinyurl.com/y8kqt6k

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Avoid the touristy tapas bars near Giralda. Poor service and greasy food and ice cold red wine.
Try the tapas where you see lots of the local people and you are sure of finding excellent food and wine.
Two we found were fantastic, one the other side of the Cathedral on Calle Santo Tomas near the Archivo de Indias. And the other called Cinco Jotas, Calle Castelar in the Arenal district.
Both serving delicious tapas, look and see what the locals are eating and drinking and point to the waiter, you can't go wrong.

Cinco Jotas, Calle Castelar 1, 41001, Sevilla
+34 954 210 763
www.mesoncincojotas.com/index_english.htm

Google map: tinyurl.com/y8zpl23

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Go to Horno de San Buenaventura for breakfast.
We stayed in a hotel nearby where the breakfast was 20 euros each. As a family of four we decided to explore an alternative and found this great place. Great food, great value and the best coffee we have had in Spain.
The cost for the four of us was only about 16 euros.

Avenida la Constitución 16. Sevilla, 41002
Teléfono.: 95.422.18.19

Google map: tinyurl.com/ycumrpp

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If you don't want to queue for hours book your Colosseum ticket before you go, on line.
We arrived at the Colosseum and found a long snake of a queue. For ticket holders you can head for a different ticket office with no queue.
This is highly recommended especially if you have children.

www.tickitaly.com/tickets/colosseum-tickets.php

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A day trip to fantastic Siena and an excellent lunch at this osteria. It made our day.
Great Italian food, great Italian wine and great atmosphere.
Arrive early or book as this is a popular restaurant.
We had to wait a half hour for a table, but it was definitely worth it.

Via del Porrione 33, Siena, Italy
0577/48-013

Google map: tinyurl.com/y8dhz2j

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What great Italian food and service at this Trattoria situated in a small back street.
Just ask the owner Carlo what is the special today, relax and take your time sampling the excellent food and wine.
This is a must for anybody who likes fresh genuine Italian food.

Vicolo del Popolo, 9, 05018 Orvieto, Italy
0763343916

Google map: tinyurl.com/y9vaxed

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From the shore of the large Lake Bolsena at Capodimonte hire a small motor boat and venture out onto the lake and to the scenic island of Bisentina. Dive overboard and swim in the crystal clear water and sun bathe on the deck. My kids (14 & 12) loved having a go at driving the boat.

www.lagodibolsena.org/

Google map: tinyurl.com/yf35sn3

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What a great day out we had as a family rafting near Norcia on the river Corno. It was great fun and thrilling. The guides were excellent, we even had water splashing fights with the other groups. The scenery is fantastic.
It certainly made our holiday a holiday to remember.
Best to book before on line.

www.raftingumbria.it/

Google map: tinyurl.com/yb68aqg

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Locanda palazone near Orvieto is a great place to stay.
The owners have done a great job at restoring the place and are excellent hosts. You must stay for dinner as they serve excellent Italian cuisine served by the charming owners. A pre dinner drink of wine produced by them before dinner to meet the other guests is a must.
We had a great time there and would recommend it for anyone staying in the area.

www.locandapalazzone.com/
Rocca Ripesena - Orvieto (TR) Italy - Tel.: +39 (0) 763 344921

Google map: tinyurl.com/y8kydy2

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A small medieval hill town in the North Alentejo region of Portugal, a delightful place for a holiday with its 14th century castle, Gothic doorways, small white houses and cobbled streets. A place where you can step back in time from the era of the Romans and Visigoths to the Moors and Christian crusaders.
Don't forget to visit the 13th Century synagogue and covered fountain in the famous Jewish quarter.
One of our favourite places in Portugal.
The surrounding countryside with the mountain range of the "Serra de São Mamede" with its abundance of flora and fauna is a great excuse to get out the walking boots.

ramblersramble.blogspot.com/

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A short 2.7 km family walk in beautiful Alto Alentejo countryside along ancient pathways with olive groves and cork oak trees.
Starting at the typical Alentejo village of Barretos, along cobbled roads which merge into ancient pathways only wide enough for donkeys and carts. As you look up you will see the dramatic, imposing town and castle of Marvão on the mountain rage of the "Serra de São Mamede". Continue and you will pass through the little sleepy hamlets of Vale do Milho and Fonte Salgueiro de Cima and finally returning to the village of Barretos.

This is a short walk recommended for families where there is an abundance of flora and fauna, from farm animals, including sheep and pigs to the wonderful Alentejo countryside of wild flowers and trees. Plenty to keep the kids occupied.

ramblersramble.blogspot.com

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A great walk in Marvão, Alto Alentejo, Portugal with fantastic panoramic views, wonderful countryside and interesting historical sites.
This walk is 7.38 km and is easy to moderate. The map/guide we bought earlier from the tourist office in Marvão, and the start is from Portagem near the public swimming pool.
The four of us, two adults and two children aged 12 and 14, set off from the 16th century bridge and tower in Portagem. The guide informs you to follow the trail by posts with green markers and we realised after a few kilometres there are none. Instead follow the normal markers of a red and yellow rectangles.
This walk took us about two and a half hours with regular stops to see the sights such as:
The 16 century bridge and tower next to the river Sever.
The mediaeval cobbled road, possibly of Roman origin.
Views of the imposing town and castle of Marvão, the mountain range of Serra de São Mamede and the granite plains of the Alentejo countryside.
The Convent and Church of the Lady of the Star (Igreja do Convento de Nossa Senhora da Estrela).
Typical small Alentejo hamlets.
The 16 century derelict chapel and mediaeval tombs cut into the rock at Fonte Souto.
Oak, Walnut, Olive,Chestnut and Horse-Chestnut trees.
Plenty of farm animals and the wonderful fauna and flora of this region.
At the end of the walk why not have lunch at O Sever restaurant at Portagem for a hearty typical Alentejo lunch washed down with a bottle of Conventual Red wine.
This is a perfect day out in this great region of Portugal.

ramblersramble.blogspot.com/

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A picturesque medieval walled town of white houses and narrow cobbled streets where the famous chestnut festival is held at the begining of November.
The streets are lined with stalls selling genuine Portuguese handcrafts, artists demonstrating their traditional skills, various street artists and folk music.
Join in the fun with a glass of local wine and of course chestnuts and delicious chestnut cakes.

marvaoholidayhome.blogspot.com/2008/11/medieval-town-of-marvo.html

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