A Look at Portugal's Charming Southern Countryside

Portugal is a country of classic beauty, and its countryside is colorful and spectacular. This post will touch on some of the regions along the south of Portugal, with scenery and wildlife you won’t want to miss.

Algarve

Located in the southernmost region of Portugal, Algarve is one of the most popular tourist areas and hosts thousands every year. The region was populated as far back as the Neolithic era, and ancient towns such as Lagos still show the ancient architecture and Roman ruins. The hills and valleys of this coastal region fascinate travelers, and the Ria Formosa lagoon features limestone caves and an excellent point for bird watching.

 

Courtesy of vilavitaparc.com

The region is famous for its pristine beaches, golf courses, men’s and women’s football, and high-end spas. The climate is mild, and the people are welcoming. Accommodations range from luxury resorts to village guesthouses, often owned by former British and German citizens who have relocated to Portugal. 

The Algarve is noted for its pottery and ceramics, and opportunities abound to browse working pottery shops.

Vicentina Coast

Courtesy of Jovoboro

For lush fields of flowers, steep cliffs, and peaceful beaches that take your breath away, journey to the Vicentina Coast. Hike a steep hill to visit a 10^th Century Moorish castle and enjoy the panoramic view of the town of Aljezur. Cape St. Vincent boasts one of the most powerful and oldest lighthouses in Europe. In Sagres, you’ll see where Prince Henry the Navigator began his sea adventures and marvel at the 40-yard-wide wind compass.

Located along the southwestern coast, Vicentina Coast Natural Park features Phoenician, Roman, and Arabic ruins nestled among sand dunes, small islands, and magnificent rock structures. The coastline here is a major bird migration corridor, especially for birds of prey. Those who visit the park see vibrantly colored sunsets, and the water is a pure sky blue.

Alentejo

This south-central region of Portugal lies along the Tagus River, and its name translates to “Across the Tagus.” Its countryside varies, from vast plains to rolling hills. A sparsely populated area, Alentejo features rural livestock areas in the north, with farming communities in the south. This area is peaceful and charming, with medieval villages and friendly people. This is your place to get away from it all.

Courtesy of vilavitaparc.com 

Herdade dos Grous is an estate of vineyards and cork oak forests in Alentejo. Its winery creates high-class, award-winning red wines, and a visit to the estate will enthrall you with its vast expanse. Fine restaurants, wine tours, and hot air balloons await you at Herdade dos Grous. For the adventurous, a high-ropes course sits above an artificial lake, beckoning you to explore your own limits.

A trip to the south of Portugal is the perfect getaway for anyone who loves nature. The views, the sea air, and the sounds of nature will charm you—and you might not want to come home.

Virtuoso Travel Mart 2010 Event in Las Vegas: Part II

As I mentioned in Part I of this post, I recently returned from a trip to Las Vegas where I had the pleasure of meeting some of the most influential and interesting individuals in the travel industry. This 2010 Virtuoso Travel Mart event, which began on August 14, brought in more than 3,200 attendees traveling to the U.S. from almost 100 countries—making this year the largest gathering for Virtuoso Travel Mart to date. In fact, this event was so large and successful that by the end of the 6-day event, there were a total of 312,000 one-on-one appointments, and 1.25 millions minutes of networking that occurred (which converts to 2 and a half years of networking!).

The 6-day event took place at the gorgeous Bellagio hotel to celebrate the companies that have operated under the Virtuoso status to make a difference in the lives of their clients. The event also served to bring relationships between travel agents to fruition, as well as facilitate the power of connection and communication between agents to help reinforce the Virtuoso difference.

Each year, the Virtuoso Travel Mart has a different theme and this year, it was “Defining Moments,” which “refers to the power of the travel advisor to transform a travel purchase into a defining moment for their client.”

Below is a breakdown of each day:

Monday, August 16 

Today began with a delightful breakfast followed by a handful of exciting meetings with some of the most influential hotel managers around the world.

I kicked off the event with the Grand Hotel Excelsior manager to learn about the amazing features this exclusive hotel offers. Located on the Amalfi Coast of Italy, the Grand Hotel Excelsior was renovated in the past few years to reflect the hotel’s captivating natural surroundings. With a private beach lift, guests can access the beach easily from the hotel without the hassle of walking or waiting for ground transportation.

Some of the memorable properties had the pleasure of meeting were the managers of the Grand Hotel Timeo, Hotel Santa Caterina, and last, but not least, the manager of Palazzo Sasso.

A side note: The Palazzo Sasso, located in the charming Italian town of Marmorata, is a quaint property that offers 43 luxury rooms, complimentary beach shuttle, lavish spa services, large swimming pool, and much more.

All of the hotel managers I met with today offered detailed insights into the luxury hotels that they represented.

Tuesday, August 17 

Today began with informative meetings with accommodation managers from Australia and New Zealand, Turkey, Germany, Switzerland, and Netherlands, before moving on to meetings with African suppliers, which took up most of the afternoon. Some of today's most memorable visits included Eichardt's Private Hotel, Huka Lodge, Longitude 131, The Lodge in Verbier, Lupita Island, The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel & Spa, Zambezi Queen, and Azura—just to name a very few.

We also saw a total of 106 suppliers! It was great to see some suppliers who I had just recently seen at a Leading Small Hotels of the World event at the Mansion on Turtle Creek. I also got to meet some vendors who I have never met face to face before but have a social media relationship with.

Most all of the suppliers shared what was new and unique about their offerings and the suppliers that stood out the most included: the special promotion we offer VIP clients shopping in Paris at Lafayette,  ground operators that can offer clients a VIP meet and greet service at airplane doors, property outside London- Coworth Park and Chewton Glen, a supplier who has amazing connections at every ski resort in the world, and a supplier that can get tickets to any sporting event.

Wednesday, August 18 

Today began with meetings with accommodation managers and suppliers from India, U.S. hotels and resorts, and Asia. Some of the most memorable appointments today were with Meadowood Napa Valley, Amangiri, Plaza Athenee, The Datai Langkawi, and Nam Hai.

At the end of the evening, we had a wonderful Hotel and Resort Dinner, hosted by TAJ, where the Best of the Best Awards were given out. At the dinner, suppliers had tables decorated in their destination theme, which added an interesting and unique dynamic to the night. For entertainment, a group from Australia that performs in Las Vegas called Human Nature sang Motown. I strongly suggest catching their act if you happen to visit Las Vegas.

Thursday, August 19 

Today began with several meetings with U.S. suppliers, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Some of the most memorable meetings today included Inkaterra, explora, Las Alamandas Resort, St Regis Bahia Beach, and Necker Island.

The Gala Dinner was hosted at the Aria where the tourist board of Hong Kong kicked off the evening with a spectacular dragon parade. The final Best of the Best Awards were also given out tonight.

The entertainment tonight was absolutely spectacular with an amazing male and female duo performing what seemed like a mini Cirque du Soleil act. It is fascinating what the human body can do, and I highly recommend catching a Cirque du Soleil act if you’ve never seen one before.

Conclusion for the week: This event was one of the most highly rewarding experiences for me as a Virtuoso travel advisor as I was able to meet with a powerful concentration of suppliers and accommodation managers around the world and further build those valuable relationships.

Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Mandarin Orient, Rosewood, and Park Hyatt were also in attendance and were represented wonderfully each day of the event.

For those interested in who received the Best of the Best Awards, here is a breakdown of each award given out:

Best achievement in design – Aria Resort & Casino, Las Vegas
Best Culinary Experience – Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, London
Best Bar – Sir Elly’s The Peninsula, Shanghi
Best Family Program –Rocco Forte Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily
Best Spa – The Spa & Grand Velas All-Suites & SPA Resort, Riviera Maya
Best Design – Armani Hotel, Dubai
Most Innovative Guest Experience – Amanfayun, Hangzhou
Most Socially Responsible – Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica, Peninsula Papagayo
Best One to Watch – Alan Fuerstman, Montage Hotels & Resorts
Best Hotelier of The Year – Claudio Ceccherelli, Park Hyatt Milan
Hotel of the Year – The Goring, London

Voted on by Virtuosos, the final awards for best suppliers in the following categories were:

Best Escorted Tour Operator - Micato Safaris
Best Large Ship Cruise Line  - Regent Seven Seas
Best Small Ship Cruise Line - Silversea
Best Specialty Supplier - Travelex Insurance
Best Airline - Lufthansa

Did you find this post helpful? 

Virtuoso Travel Mart 2010 Event in Las Vegas: Part I

I recently returned from my trip to Las Vegas where I had the pleasure of meeting some of the most influential and interesting individuals in the travel industry. This 2010 Virtuoso Travel Mart event, which began on August 14, brought in more than 3,200 attendees traveling to the U.S. from almost 100 countries—making this year the largest gathering for Virtuoso Travel Mart to date. In fact, this event was so large and successful that by the end of the 6-day event, there were a total of 312,000 one-on-one appointments, and 1.25 millions minutes of networking that occurred (which converts to 2 and a half years of networking!).

The 6-day event took place at the gorgeous Bellagio hotel to celebrate the companies that have operated under the Virtuoso status to make a difference in the lives of their clients. The event also served to bring relationships between travel agents to fruition, as well as facilitate the power of connection and communication between agents to help reinforce the Virtuoso difference.

Each year, the Virtuoso Travel Mart has a different theme and this year, it was “Defining Moments,” which “refers to the power of the travel advisor to transform a travel purchase into a defining moment for their client.”

Below is a breakdown of each day:

Saturday, August 14

Today’s big activity was VAST Virtuoso Active & Specialty Travel, which was a fast-pace networking session with 36 different suppliers presenting their services for six minutes each. Once the six minutes were up, we were moved to the next booth. These four hours of non-stop meet and greet was a great intro for Monday's schedule.

During this networking session, my first stop—and the most powerful in my opinion—was Micato Safaris. This year, Micato Safaris focused on the benefits of sending clients on one of their exclusive safaris.

Each safari Micato Safaris sells allows them to send one child to school, which they call their one-for-one program. This exceptional program gives back to a community of over 100,000 children who aren’t attending school. Everything Micato Safaris does supports and embodies the belief that in order to change the future, we must start with the children.

Some of my other favorite suppliers included AuthentEscapes, Epic Private Journeys, Horizon & Co, Cox & Kings, and Greaves. I enjoyed hearing about these companies’ level of services and their unique offerings.

During the night, Travel Experts celebrated their 21^st birthday Las Vegas style with a Cher entertainer and some Las Vegas-inspired decorations.  This exciting event, sponsored by Silversea Cruises, brought together over 200 independent contractors from all across the U.S. to meet and mingle for the first time and be able to match a name and personality with a face.

Sunday, August 15

Today, there were some heavy and highly informative professional development sessions from morning until early afternoon. My favorite speakers were Helen Nodland and Anne Scully who provided excellent and helpful tips on the direction of business practices.

But the highlight of the entire day was the General Opening Session where people shared stories of their biggest defining moments. The keynote speaker of this session was Simon Sinek, a highly charismatic speaker, who shared his thoughts from his latest book, “Start with Why,” which focuses on attracting likeminded people to your business. He told a great story that focused on the brand, Apple. Specifically he walked through the steps of “what” Apple does, “how” they do it, and ended with “why” they do what they do. He then illustrated that when you think in terms of “why” you do what you do as the core belief behind your business, then the "how" and the "what" naturally follow. And in the end, the why is the main driving force behind your company’s success.

I have not read Simon’s book yet but I plan on purchasing it, and based on his presentation of the book, I strongly urge anyone who owns a business to purchase it as well.

After the session, I had the pleasure of meeting with some wonderful Twitter friends at a pre-cocktail tweet up: @elitetravelgal  @paulomeara  @epsteintravels  @bethlovestravel  @jillsetgo  @fullersloane  @customtravel  and @luxetiffany.

Several parties followed that evening.

Check back for part II of this blog post.