Her beef soup still comforts like a warm hug and now even more people get to experience it.
Tucked within the medieval town walls of Óbidos, we stumbled upon Ja!mon Ja!mon, a cosy spot that celebrates the flavours of Spain and Portugal with a cheeky name and a hearty spirit.
We arrived in Lisbon just as the sky began its soft descent into dusk - pastel pinks melting into deepening blues over Praça do Comércio.
Casa Cimeira reveals its quiet beauty the moment you look out with rolling terraces lined with vines, the Douro River snaking below, and a stillness broken only by birds or the occasional village cat lounging by the stone steps.
It was not just a drive but a journey through landscapes that felt timeless, a moving portrait of the Douro Valley that we would carry with us forever.
It was an afternoon of food, wine, and friendship I’ll carry with me, a memory as rich and layered as the valley itself.
Veladouro gave us just what we needed: rustic, casual Portuguese comfort on a cold rainy day.
The guesthouse was the perfect base for exploring Douro’s rolling vineyards, but what made it truly special was returning each evening to share good food and wine with newfound friends.
One full day lost to a massive power outage across Southern France, Spain and Portugal but we made up for it with an early start the next morning in Porto.
After soaking in the tiled beauty of São Bento station under the blazing midday sun, we made a strategic detour, straight to Time Out Market next door.
Porto Cathedral took our breath away - quite literally, after the climb!