Portugal is a constant surprise.
There’s no doubt about it! When I tell my friends from abroad that in October they can be skiing in the Estrela Mountains (yes, there is snow in Portugal!) and a couple of hours later have dinner on an outdoor terrace by the beach, they don’t believe it! Portugal is the country in Europe with the most hours of sunshine per year, and has a fabulous diversity.
What brought you to this side of the Atlantic?
I started working in the tourism industry in Brazil and in 2004 I came to Lisbon to get a master’s degree. I never left. In 2008 I launched a luxury transportation service, which became TempoVip, and today we lead travel design in Portugal in a very, very sophisticated way. At the time it was already obvious that the country had everything to be one of the most special destinations in the world.
And now THE DISPATCHER is spreading the word.
In a very unique way, as a digital magazine and with the monthly newsletter. “Experiences curatorship for exceptional travelers” is our moto. The newsletter focusses on anticipation: we highlight programs and destinations to plan months ahead, quite surprising, and exclusive. The magazine shows all this and much more. No publication in Portugal is at this level.
Do you have plans for a few days of vacation in the Fall?
The North of Portugal fascinates me. In the Trás-os-Montes region, for instance, there’s a place called Romeu, an almost invisible village with one of the best restaurants in the country, the Maria Rita. They also produce amazing wines and olive oil. And they have an unexpected Museum of Curiosities which is an awesome journey through 19th and 20th century objects! It’s an hour away from the Six Senses Douro Valley hotel. At least once in your life you must spend a few days at Six Senses. The view over the Douro River is unparalleled and the superior quality of everything, the service, the rooms, the villas, is remarkable.
Eco-conscious tourism is increasingly important.
Portugal is brilliant at it. The Azores archipelago is a unique Nature destination. These are volcanic islands (don’t worry! they are long extinct!) that you just can’t stop unveiling. The lakes inside the many volcanoes’ craters are surrounded by luxuriant forests, and you can swim in all of them. There are caves, waterfalls, and paths to explore that beat any Instagram top 10, all very close to great hotels and inns. And the Azores have a mild climate all year round, sometimes subtropical, right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. I love the Azores. And I love the island of Pico wines, from vines that grow between basalt rocks!
Why is everyone so excited about Porto, the capital of northern Portugal?
It’s so different from Lisbon! It’s granitic, historic, at the mouth of the Douro River, full of medieval nooks and crannies mixed with 19th century architecture, with an intense cultural and nightlife – and, of course, it’s the city after which Port wine is named! It has amazing hotels, like The Yeatman, classic and full of elegance, or the modernity and boldness of Vinha Boutique, which are located on the slopes of Gaia, near the Port wine cellars and overlooking Porto. Right in front of the beach is the Vila Foz, an old mansion with a super-contemporary design. And if you want to feel the city from the inside, you must stay at Maison Albar Le Monumental, in the heart of downtown, an impressive hotel, very belle époque.
Tell us a Portuguese secret.
I’ll tell you two. In the town of Serpa, in the Alentejo region, south of Lisbon, lies the Ficalho Palace, which has been in the same family from nobility, literally, for over 600 years. You can book it for a stay or a private party. It’s much more than heritage tourism, it’s total exclusivity. Another secret is the restaurant of the Fishermen’s Association of Vila Real de Santo António, which is the last city in Portugal to the south, overlooking Spain on the banks of the beautiful Guadiana River. The restaurant is a very simple place, but I give you my word of honor that you can’t eat fresher and more delicious seafood and fish than at this off-the-map spot.
