Hortense Travel

Is there anything better to do when it is warm and sunny outside than to head to the beach? Even though you will not find beaches in Lisbon itself, its proximity to the seaside allows its visitors to easily access beautiful sandy beaches! These are five examples of the best beaches near Lisbon for you to try during your visit to Portugal. Praia de Carcavelos, Cascais Praia de Carcavelos is … [Read more...] about Summer in Lisbon – Best Beaches Near Lisbon

Seeing all the beautiful pictures from the cherry blossom in Japan got me thinking of the delicious cherries from Fundão and whether it would be possible to see their flowers blooming. This spring turned out to be colder and rainier than usual and the blossom seemed to be late everywhere. But having into an account that Fundão is just an hour away from Penha Garcia, the village of my husband where … [Read more...] about The Serenity of the Cherry Blossom in Rural Portugal

It’s hard to believe that a place like this even exists in Portugal. Bright colorful houses spread along a beautiful lane parallel from one side to a lagoon and from the other to the Atlantic ocean. But it does, Costa Nova is very well known to the Portuguese for its cute fisherman huts, that once were used to store fishing material. Costa Nova has this cool beach town vibe that is hard to … [Read more...] about Costa Nova – A Gorgeous Mix of Colors, Fisherman Huts and Sea

Our trip to Tomar and the Convent of Christ began in the early morning of what was the only rainy day during the whole Summer - which also happened to be my birthday - August the 29th. I must admit I wasn’t thrilled, but in Bulgaria in that case we believe, that the next year of one’s life will run smoothly like a river. So far, so good. Our first stop was the Castle of Almourol. It’s a very … [Read more...] about Tomar and the Convent of Christ- The Underrated Beauty of Central Portugal