Porto: Portuguese gem

July 21, 2019March 9, 2025 / mikeosbornphoto / 15 Comments

Portugal’s capital Lisbon is a hugely popular destination for tourists. But not content with this, the Portuguese also have a second city to discover and enjoy.

Porto sits on the Douro estuary in the north of the country. It’s packed with charming old tiled houses, grand buildings which indicate its rich history, not to mention delicious food and drink.

For the photographer, there’s something on every corner and vantage points galore. And if you take a bus ride to Foz do Douro, there’s also an Atlantic beach experience close by.

This was a typical city break experience for my friend and I, with budget flights from the UK, a very pleasant apartment hotel, and walking galore. If you have a spare long weekend, get yourself to Porto.

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Azores: Terceira

September 15, 2018November 21, 2022 / mikeosbornphoto / 14 Comments

Welcome to Terceira, one of the islands in Portugal’s beautiful and beguiling Azores archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

It’s steeped in history with the oldest Azorean city, Angra do Heroismo, sitting colourfully on the island.

Memorable moments of Terceira: Walking deep into a volcanic cone (Algar do Carvão), sweeping views over the agricultural plains and visiting grand buildings from Portugal’s imperial past.

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Azores: Faial

August 19, 2018November 21, 2022 / mikeosbornphoto / 3 Comments

Faial was one of the four islands of the Azores archipelago I visited recently.

This piece of Portugal sits in the mid-Atlantic, more than 1,500km from the country’s mainland.

Memorable moments of Faial: The captivating volcanic landscape and lighthouse of Capelinhos. The volcano last erupted in 1958. The delightful port of Horta, which sits in the shadow of Mount Pico.