Tag Archives: Portugal

Portugal: 5 Days By Bike From Porto To Coimbra

Posted on March 1, 2020 | Leave a comment

5 Days By Bike From Porto To Coimbra

Accompanied by a friend keen on cycling, I accepted the challenge of spending 5 days by bike – in fact 4 days actually pedaling – from the north of Portugal, Porto to the center, Coimbra. Or 180.7 km in 4 days! Hello! Far from being a great sportswoman, I had never done even more than 10-20 km in a day: the exceptional bike ride! In short I knew nothing about it and so much the better (lol)!

I was recommended for more comfort, an electric bike. My friend preferred a traditional bicycle. I’ll stop you right away: we also pedal on an electric bike! It’s not a moped, lol! Certainly less difficult than a real bike, but we pedal anyway! And I can say it remains physical, especially if you do it for 5 hours straight.

So that this challenge takes place in a pleasant way, without having to think about practical details, such as: what do we do with our luggage each morning (because we sleep each night in a different place)? Etc … The VOS Travel agency specializing in bicycle trips, organized our trp: starting with the route mainly on cycle paths in beautiful landscapes, our bikes with local assistance (we received a phone with an emergency number). And of course, our flights, hotels and restaurants. 

One of our bikes is equipped with a GPS with our route recorded day by day. No more unnecessary maps, a simplified navigation! Awesome! In the morning, our luggage is transferred by taxi to our next hotel (from one town or village to another). Our breakfasts and dinners are also planned in advance. And we discover for ourselves picturesque restaurants where to have lunch on the way. What happiness! And a lot of sweat (lololol!) …

Pictures of the best times and locations of our bike trip below.

Day 1: The Arrival In Porto

Day 2: From Porto To Ovar (46,7 km)

Day 3: From Ovar To Aveiro (40 km)

Day 4: From Aveiro To Praia de Mira (40 km)

Day 5: From Praia de Mira To Coimbra (54 km)

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés

Informations  

www.vostravel.be

Related articles : Destinations & Hotel Review

Many thanks to VOS Travel for this amaing invitation. As always these are my opinions.

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5 jours à vélo de Porto à Coimbra

Posted on March 1, 2020 | Leave a comment

5 jours à vélo de Porto à Coimbra

Accompagnée d’un ami féru de vélo, j’ai accepté le challenge de passer 5 jours en vélo – en fait 4 jours à réellement pédaler – du nord du Portugal, Porto jusqu’au centre, Coimbra. Soit 180,7 km en 4 jours! Hello! Loin d’être une grande sportive, je n’avais jamais fait ne serait-ce que plus de 10-20 km : la promenade à vélo exceptionnelle! Bref je n’y connaissais rien et tant mieux (lol)!

On m’a recommandé pour plus de confort, un vélo électrique. Mon ami a préféré une bicyclette traditionnelle. Je vous arrête tout de suite : on pédale aussi sur un vélo électrique! Ce n’est pas une mobylette, lol! Certes moins difficile qu’un vrai vélo, mais on pédale quand même! Et je peux vous assurer que ça reste physique, surtout si vous en faites pendant 5h d’affilée.

Pour que ce challenge se déroule de manière agréable, sans avoir à penser aux détails purement pratiques, comme : que fait-on de nos bagages chaque matin, puisque nous dormons chaque soir dans un endroit différent? Etc… L’agence VOS Travel, spécialisée dans les voyages à bicyclette, a organisé notre séjour : à commencer par le parcours essentiellement sur pistes cyclables dans de magnifiques paysages, nos vélos avec une assistance locale (nous avons reçu un téléphone avec un numéro d’urgence). Sans oublier les vols, les hôtels et les restaurants.  

Un de nos vélo est équipé d’un GPS, avec notre route enregistrée jour par jour. Plus de carte inutile, une navigation simplifiée, fantastique! Le matin, nos bagages sont transférés par taxi jusqu’à notre prochain hôtel (d’une ville ou village, à l’autre). Nos petits déjeuners et dîners sont aussi planifiés à l’avance. A nous de découvrir de pittoresques restaurants où déjeuner en chemin. Que du bonheur! Et beaucoup de sueur (lololol!)…

Notre parcours en images ci-dessous.

Jour 1: l’arrivée à Porto

Jour 2: de Porto à Ovar (46,7 km)

Jour 3: d’Ovar à Aveiro (40 km)

Jour 4: d’Aveiro à Praia de Mira (40 km)

Jour 5: de Praia de Mira à Coimbra (54 km)

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés

Informations  

www.vostravel.be

Autres articles : Destinations & Hotel Review

Un grand merci à VOS Travel pour cette superbe invitation. Comme toujours, ce sont mes opinions.

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Guimarães Home Fashion Week

Posted on November 20, 2017 | Leave a comment

A Portuguese Textile Fair

I was invited at the Guimarães Home Fashion Week 2017 last summer. A great opportunity for me to discover some Portuguese textile manufacturers and brands. You know my great interest for textiles, interior design and architecture. 

The trade show was held in the beautiful Pousada Mosteiro de Guimaraes. This heritage monument gave something particular to the event. The brands presented their collection in bedrooms, or in spaces decorated with Ajuleros (stunning ancient tiles).

Check out the pictures of my selection of trends and products I liked. Photomontage above: here are my favorite, the Colma Co smart textiles with ethnic inspiration. Photomontage below: 1, a set of shits and towels with a very fresh palm design by Renaitex. 2, cushions in satin fabrics by Cristina Teixeira.

Faded grey bathrobes (above) and towel set and beautiful colorful bath towels (pictures below) by Domingos de Sousa.

Photomontage above : 1, very nice colorful cushion with owl by JPS Home & Textil. 2 and 3, two beautiful fountains of the Pousada Mosteiro de Guimaraes. 4, In each bedroom, a brand exhibited its latest collection.

The MoreTextile group has the most beautiful exhibition space (photos above and below) with greenery, columns, fountain and azulejos! Amazing!

  

Exciting Visit of The Mundotextil Factory

Discovery of a Modern Production

I really enjoyed my private visit, with a Polish designer friend, at MundoTextil, the manufacturer specialized in towels.

Fascinant de découvrir les différents mode de fabrication du textile! Mes deux précédentes expériences étaient à Kyoto, avec le maître tisseur des étoffes de l’empereur Japon et un atelier de tissage en Thaïlande. 

I was completely fascinated by the different steps of textile manufacture in a modern factory! My previous two experiences were in Kyoto, with the weaver master of outstanding fabrics for the Emperor of Japan and a silk workshop in Thailand.

The Magic Starts With a Thread,

then many (photomontage above). Once woven, the fabrics are washed, “ironed” and cut into towels (photomontage below).

We followed all the different steps, from the showroom (presentation and sale of the collections) to the exciting production spaces and creative studio.

  

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations  

Guimarães Home Fashion Week

Related articles : DESTINATIONS, LIFESTYLE & HOTEL REVIEWS

Many thanks to the Guimarães Home Fashion Week for this invitation and to Mundotextil for the exciting visit of their factory. And many thanks you to Salome too. As always, these are my opinions.

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