June is Festival Season in Portugal. Some of the biggest festivals celebrate the three saints: Anthony, John, and Peter. The Feast of Saint Anthony takes place in Lisbon while the Festa de São João is in Porto, and St. Peter’s biggest celebration is in Evora. …

Galway might be a bit overrun with stag and bachelorette parties, but scratch under the surface and the “City of Tribes” is a great place for food, drink, and cool things to do. A Short History Galway holds a strategic location because of its port on the western shore of Ireland. Originally, in…

Artist Camilla Watson Alfama is one of the most charming and characteristic neighborhoods in Lisbon. Here, you’ll find some of the top tourist attractions like the Sao George Castle, the Lisbon Cathedral, and the National Pantheon. One of my favorite restaurants, Roda Viva, a place that serves Mozambique dishes, is up a narrow…

A cave in Setubal, Portugal has amazing views and an unlikely chapel. Santa Margarida Cave

Cork is a great city to enjoy a pint or two. When in Cork, you’re best advised to not to order a Guinness. Corkonians are an independent bunch (thus the nickname “Rebel City”) and tend to reject anything from Dublin, including their famous stout. Instead, enjoy a pint of Beamish…

You’ve heard of culture shock, the feeling of being upended and out of touch by the customs and traditions of an unfamiliar culture. Recently, I returned to the United States and felt major culture shock in reverse. We have made our new home in Portugal, but have only lived here…

A working-class antidote to high-tech Dublin, Cork is filled with interesting bars and a couple sensational veg. restaurants. A Short History

Some of the best food in Lisbon has its origin in former Portuguese colonies. Mozambique Mozambique is a country in southeast Africa with a population of mostly Bantu-speaking people who have lived there for centuries. In 1498, explorer Vasco de Gama arrived in Mozambique. Within a couple of years, Portuguese trading…

The slightly sweet, slightly acidic fruit has been cultivated in China for 1,000 years. But, it’s also widely grown in Portugal. We were walking with my friend Lucia in Lisbon when I excitedly pointed out a Nêspera tree full of ripe fruit. “Do you like Nêspera?” she asked. “I do!” …