EuroSurf 2013: 13 to 22 September in Azores

Azores will host the 2013 European Surfing Championships scheduled to take place from the 13 to 22 September. 

Eurosurf 2013 will be staged at Ribeira Grande on São Miguel’s north shore, the largest of nine islands that compose the Azores archipelago.

São Miguel, also known as "the green island", is the largest and most populated island of the Azores. It has a surface area of approximately 293 square miles (759 km2) with a population of 150.000 inhabitants (aprox.)

The north shore of São Miguel it’s the most consistent all year round, with summer swells averaging 3/5 feet, reaching up to 15 feet during the winter season. Under the influence of the Gulf Stream, a warm water current that heads north east from the Gulf of Mexico, the Azores enjoy a mild temperate climate throughout the year. 

During the summer you can expect lovely warm sunny days with average outside temperatures between 15 and 26°C, and mild water temperatures from 20º to 24º C. Being so far out in the Atlantic, the islands are prone to  rainy days at any time of year, and without these showers of course, you could not enjoy the beautiful flora on the islands.

EuroSurf Press Press Release here

More information about this event at:
- http://www.visitazores.com/events
- http://www.eurosurfing.org

Source: Eurosurfing.org

Park and Palace of Monserrate winner of European Garden Award 2013

Park and Palace of Monserrate ©Parques de Sintra

The Park and Palace of Monserrate won the European garden Award 2013 in the category of "Best Development of a Historic park or Garden".

"The decision of the jury for the Park Monserrate as the winner of the European Garden Award in the category for "Historical parks" was made not least because of the magic and romantic atmosphere that is emanated by it still today. Meanwhile it should really say "again today" as the comprehensive redevelopment and reconstruction of the park was only completed in the past 20 years. In 1995 the park was thereupon recognised by the UNESCO as World Heritage Site as a part of the palaces and parks in Sintra.

For this outstanding result, to which the association of "Friends of Monserrate" had made a great contribution, the park and all people involved were honoured this year. Monserrate owes its establishment to an English tradesman, who had his residence in Portugal built there. He and a some more English owners as well as the architects and gardeners contracted by them have created a park in the course of many years, in which the various eras of its history - and also its intermittent oblivion - can to this day be traced and experienced in diverse layers and garden areas.
Light and shadow, exotic and rare plants, winding paths and breath-taking views, but even new garden sections, such as the rose garden that was opened in the year 2011 by the Prince of Wales, make a visit to Monserrate, in spite of the many other wonderful parks in Portugal, an unique, fascinating and therefore "prize worthy" event."

More information about Monserrate at:
- http://cmsen.eghn.org/
- http://www.parquesdesintra.pt/

Source: European Garden Heritage Network - EGHN

Douro Film Harvest: 14-21 September

From the14th to the 21st of September, come and see the Douro Film Harvest in the region where the world famous Port wine is produced.

This international film festival will be attended by internationally famous actors and directors and coincides with the time of the grape harvest, a period that brings great life and excitement to the Alto Douro Wine Region.

For five days, the festival will screen previously unseen films, independent films and others that have already been awarded prizes, which will be competing for the Turismo do Douro prize. The films are selected in accordance with very strict criteria and will be in perfect harmony with the romanticism of this wine region’s natural landscapes. 



More information at:
- http://www.dourofilmharvest.com
- https://www.facebook.com/DouroFilmHarvest
- https://twitter.com/dfharvest
- http://www.youtube.com/user/DouroFilmHarvest

Portugal won 9 World Travel Awards for Europe

In the World Travel Awards (WTA) for Europe ceremony that took place last Saturday, August 31, in Antalya, Turkey, Portugal won 9 out of 41 nominations and besides the repeated victories from last year, these were the 9 awards attributed to Portugal:

-Europe's Leading Beach Destination: The Algarve, Portugal
http://bit.ly/17yrUW4

-Europe's Leading City Break Destination: Lisbon, Portugal
http://bit.ly/18wOVHQ  

-Europe's Leading Golf Destination: Portugal
http://bit.ly/133RORJ  

-Europe's Leading Island Destination: Madeira Islands
http://bit.ly/17hyHRv  

-Europe's Leading Boutique Resort: Vila Joya, Portugal
http://bit.ly/19bG1lo  

-Europe's Leading Design Hotel: The Vine Hotel, Portugal
http://bit.ly/15lcDpz  

-Europe's Leading Golf Resort: Hotel Quinta do Lago, Portugal
http://bit.ly/18kxTxF  

-Europe's Leading Luxury Resort: Conrad Algarve, Portugal
http://bit.ly/17ysaEo   

-Europe's Leading Villa Resort: Martinhal Beach Resort & Hotel, Portugal
http://bit.ly/1ftMpWG

The WTA are considered the "Oscars" of the tourism industry and celebrate 20 years in 2013.
See the full list of winners here

Wines from Douro and Porto

Discover the oldest demarcated wine region in the world. The Douro awaits you. Let the Port Wine Route surprise you!

The Douro Region is the oldest demarcated wine region, having had the 'title' since 1756. Stretching along the River Douro valley, a UNESCO world heritage site, the excellent wines produced here include the famous port wine.

The Port Wine Route offers the particular advantage that it can be done by car, train or boat, the river is navigable from Porto to Barca D'Alva, on the border with Spain.

Let yourself be enchanted by the Douro landscape, the valleys, the winding river, the terraced vines, the pure air... And take the opportunity to visit some of the estates that produce the Douro and port wine, such as Quinta do Noval, Quinta do Seixo, Quinta do Vale Meão and Quinta do Crasto.

For a trip up the river, take a barco rabelo (flat-bottomed, square-sailed boat) from the quay at Gaia and go as far as Régua, where you can make a historic journey on the old steam train. At Pinhão, visit the famous azulejo panels in the station, cross over the bridge and follow the winding roads that run alongside the river.

Combining quality with sophistication, stay the night at the Solar da Rede, in Mesão Frio, or at the Vintage House hotel, in Pinhão. An atmosphere that you will not want to leave!

More information at:
- http://www.ivdp.pt/
- https://www.facebook.com/VinhosdoDouroedoPorto
- https://twitter.com/ivdp_ip

On the Santiago Route

The Routes of Santiago, crossing towns and countryside, link important places of worship all over Portugal and have been walked by pilgrims for centuries. Walk the Routes of Santiago and embark on a journey to discover Portugal and yourself!

The final destination of these routes is the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, where the remains of the apostle James are buried. Before his death Saint James evangelized the Iberian Peninsula which at that time was a Roman province. The Saint has been venerated since the IX century and his worship spread during the Middle Ages, giving rise to numerous pilgrimages of devotees from all over Europe.

In Portugal there are several routes according to the pilgrims’ point of departure; however it’s possible to single out three major routes. Along the various routes there were pilgrim's hostels providing accommodation and hospitality in general, built by order of the Portuguese kings who where themselves devotees of Santiago.

The North Way path, the most ancient, starts in Porto or in Braga and is very fascinating since it passes through the places where Santiago was, like Rates (where he ordained Peter as the first bishop of Braga, who then gave his name to the Romanesque church), Guimarães and Braga, this last a contender with Compostela for the title of the Center of Christianity in the peninsula. This route split into two, one along the coast, the original path which cut through the region in a straight line, the other in the east: the Route of Geira Romana (the ancient Roman road), which crosses Gerês up to Portela do Homem.
The Inland route links Viseu to Chaves, and is increasingly taken on account of the new signs marking the way and the opening of pilgrim’s hostels. Passing through Lamego and Vila Real, it converges on Via da Prata, the ancient Roman commercial road which crosses the west of Spain from North to South and was used by pilgrims coming to reach Santiago from Seville.
Further south, the Tejo Way was also known as the Central Portuguese Route. It starts in Lisbon and there are two traditional routes from here, one along the coast which passes through Sintra, Alcobaça and Batalha, and the other one along the banks of the river Tejo with a stop in Tomar, the Knights Templars’ headquarters.
Nowadays this route which crosses Coimbra, is also the crossroads with pilgrimages to Fatima, and is one of the most frequently-used pilgrim paths.
Whether inspired by the faith of the Pilgrim or simply out of love of adventure and contact with nature, all lovers of hiking and trekking will respond to the Routes of Santiago.

Find more at: http://www.visitportugal.com/On the Santiago Route

Until September 8, don't miss the SATA Airlines Azores Islands Pro

Come and see the exhibitions of the world’s best surfers during the SATA Airlines Azores Islands Pro, which takes place in São Miguel. This event is part of the World Qualifying Series of the Professional Surfers’ Association and has been classified as a Prime Event, which is the highest grade awarded in this sport. The setting that has been chosen for this tournament is the beach of Santa Bárbara, close to Ribeira Grande on the northern coast of São Miguel island, whose waves are greatly appreciated by the many aficionados of this sport.  More information at: - http://www.azoresislandspro.com - http://aspeurope.com/azores/ - http://www.aspworldtour.com/