Tag Archives: Hiking

Centre of Portugal: Beautiful Hiking in Serra da Estrela

Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-4-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Central Plateau of Serra da Estrela

Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

The road is pretty long,

two-hour drive from Casa da Cisterna to the natural park of Serra da Estrela, the largest protected area of Portugal: 101 000 hectares including a chain of mountains with a rare flora and fauna. And the highest top of Portugal that culminates at 1993 meters.

Today program: 19km (about 6 hours) of an easy mountain walk from the central plateau of the Estrela (classified as a biogenetic reserve) to Casa das Penhas Douras Hotel e Spa. 

Arriving at the car park, the set looks like a military base straight out of a movie about the Cold War (photo montage above). Very quickly we find ourselves on a trail and there I finally realize how much the view is absolutely stunning (photo below)! Let the adventure begin ; ))

Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-1A-Photo ©Joao Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-7-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Lagoons!

Even in the mountains, I need to see water, lol! Depending on the altitude, the landscape changes. At the beginning very steep, the landscape offers an impressive panorama on the glacial valleys (dating from 20,000 years), lagoons and granite rock formations. And further down, the scenery turns into green pastures. But water is everywhere, sometimes you can walk on a kind of waterlogged foam.

Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-14-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-8-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-10-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Carnivorous plants?

Photo above: a butterfly is trapped. I wouldn’t have seen, if an emeritus hiker had not showed us the “creatures” … Actually I expected larger plants. I am really not a naturalistic (lol), I love the space, silence and beauty of the landscape in the “big picture” …

A spectacular setting, by far my most beautiful and inspiring hiking of this short trip in the Center of Portugal, although I liked the natural reserve of Faia Brava too. Enjoy!  

Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-11-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-12-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-13-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-15-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-16-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-17-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-20-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-22-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Center-of-Portugal-Serra-da-Estrela-Mountain-Walk-in-the-Central-Plateau-23-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés – Thanks Joao for the picture 3.

Informations   

Visit PortugalTCP/ARPT Centro de Portugal, TAPA2Z AdventuresHistorical Villages

Related posts: DESTINATIONS & HOW TO PREPARE YOUR TRAVEL  

Many thanks for this beautiful invitation to Visit Portugal, TCP/ARPT Centro de Portugal et TAP. Thanks to our guide, Manuel Franco too. As always these are my opinions.

Madeira: Nature, Road Trip and Dinner At The Vine

Madeira-Portugal-Pico do Areeiro-Mountain-Jeep Tour-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Pico do Areeiro

Madeira-Portugal-Pico do Areeiro-Mountain-Jeep Tour-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

9 a.m. Departure From Funchal In Jeep

to Pico do Areeiro (1818 m), the third highest peak of the Madeira island (above photo). Different landscapes on the road (photo 1). And the view is stunning when we come to Pico do Areeiro! I think to serenely enjoy (-to avoid tourists-), you need to be there really early in the morning.

We get into the Jeep to go to Ribeiro Frio, for an easy 45 minute walk that follows the Levada de Serra do Faial. The Levadas are canals built between 1461 and 1966, to carry water to irrigate cropland. We get into the Laurissilva Forest unchanged since Prehistoric times (photo montage below). Lovely panorama of the valley from the Ribeira da Metade point of vue (on the photo montage below: the penultimate picture)!

Madeira-Portugal-Pico do Areeiro-Ribeiro Frio-Laurisilva Forest-Jeep Tour-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Driving To Santana

Madeira-Portugal-Road To Santana-Jeep Tour-4-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Heading To The North Coast of Madeira

to visit SantanaThe road runs along the ocean! And I love Ocean! Steep coast, hills that plunge in water: bright green on the ultramarine blue with emerald hues. Happiness! We cross Faial, one of the first places to have been populated in the North coast.

Madeira-Portugal-Road To Santana-Jeep Tour-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Madeira-Portugal-Road To Santana-Jeep Tour-3-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Returning to Funchal

Madeira-Portugal-Ponta de Sao Lourenço-Natural Reserve-Jeep Tour-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

My Favorite Scenery!

I also love this part of the road leading to the most Eastern point of the island of Madeira. Where you can find the nature reserve Ponta de São Lourenço. Desert scenery and vegetation tormented by strong winds! I feel like in Sergio Leone movies… a palm tree here and there and this incredible light!

Madeira-Portugal-Ponta de Sao Lourenço-Natural Reserve-Jeep Tour-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Miradouro Ponta de São Lourenço

Madeira-Portugal-Ponta de Sao Lourenço-Natural Reserve-Jeep Tour-3-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K               Madeira-Portugal-Ponta de Sao Lourenço-Natural Reserve-Jeep Tour-4-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Madeira-Portugal-Ponta de Sao Lourenço-Natural Reserve-Jeep Tour-5-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KMadeira-Portugal-View From Ponta de Sao Lourenço-Natural Reserve-Jeep Tour-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Dinner @ The Vine

Madeira-Portugal-Funchal-The-Vine-Hotel-Rooftop-Terrace-Bar-Swimming-Pool-Dinner-@-UVA-Restaurant-And-Festival-do-Atlantico-Fireworks-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Back To Funchal In Late Afternoon

A quick stop at the Pestana Casino Park and now I’m ready to go dinner to UVA, the restaurant of The Vine hotel. I’m very excited to discover the decoration of the hotel designed by Nini Andrade Silva.

I could spend hours on the lovely terrace deck, bathed in a golden light and views over the rooftops of Funchal (photo below). At night it’s even more beautiful! Excellent fish and vegetables at the UVA restaurant (on the last photo montage. The restaurant pictured in the penultimate photo montage is not the UVA).

Then we enjoy the Festival do Atlantico‘s fireworks from the lazy terrace of The Vine (photo montage below). Followed by a glass (no poncha for me!) to the Venda Velha. Followed by a music vintage disco … LOL!

Madeira-Portugal-Funchal-The-Vine-Hotel-Rooftop-Terrace-Bar-Swimming-Pool-Dinner-@-UVA-Restaurant-And-Festival-do-Atlantico-Fireworks-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KMadeira-Portugal-Funchal-The-Vine-Hotel-Dinner-@-UVA-Restaurant-And-Festival-do-Atlantico-Fireworks-3-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Madeira-Portugal-Funchal-The-Vine-Hotel-Dinner-@-UVA-Restaurant-Food-Meals-4-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations   

Visit Madeira, Visit Portugal & TAP 

Jeep safari tours : Mountain Expedition

Related posts : DESTINATIONS &  HOTEL REVIEWS  

Many thanks for this beautiful invitation to Visit Madeira, Visit Portugal and TAP. As always all my opinions are mine.

Nazaré, Portugal: The Biggest Wave in The World

Nazaré-Praia do Norte-1-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2013

Onda da Nazaré, the biggest wave in the world ! 

And extreme surf ! Yes, Nazaré ! Do you remember in 2011 the feat of the Hawaiian Garrett McNamara who surfed a wave of 23.77 meters high ? The biggest wave ever surfed … Until he established a new world record in January 2013 and this time with a wave of more than 30 meters! Welcome to Nazaré, Portugal … 1h30 drive north of Lisbon.

Stunning panorama of Praia do Norte (North Beach) from the old lighthouse. The wind is cold, mild euphoria, I do not feel the cold, warmed up by this amazing winter sun. Azure sky, incredible brightness ! Surf waves break a few meters below. No wall of water today, from time to time some powerful waves, Atlantic Ocean. Whenever I discover a legendary surf spot is flat LOL! Two three surfers in the water, a photographer with his assistant and a tripod …

I can spend hours and hours looking at the ocean, endless beach. And we head to the beach. No real path, the descent is steep, very steep . Large sandbar that stretches out of sight . I’m deafened by the noise of the wind and waves. Also surprised that despite a strong wind, the sand doesn’t fly unlike Guincho, another famous surf spot in Portugal. Time flies, we must go back, I feel boosted. A last glance towards the beach (photo 9). To be continued …

Nazaré-Praia do Norte-2-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2013Nazaré-Praia do Norte-5A-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2013Portugal-Farol da Nazaré-1-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2013Portugal-Farol da Nazaré-3-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2013Portugal-Farol da Nazaré-2-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2013Nazaré-Praia do Norte-3-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2013Portugal-Farol da Nazaré-5-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2013Nazaré-Praia do Norte-4-Photo Mademoiselle Le K-copyright 2013

Photos : Mademoiselle Le K – copyright 2014, tous droits réservés.

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