Tatiana & Campion Platt
posted by Blogger @ 3:44 PM
Portugal 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
Tatiana & Campion
invite you to
ANOTHER EXOTIC ADVENTURE
"The Third Time Around"
Last year, it was an 18th century fortress at the foot of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco...
This year... a 19th century palace in the heart of the Sintra mountain range on the coastline of Portugal!
This unique setting in Portugal includes the fantastical Pena Palace and Moorish Castle, with sprawling views of the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and beaches as far as the eye can see.
5:16:11:14:5:27:2:15:10:23:11:24:08:12
---------------------------------------
You are cordially invited to
A PALACE DINNER
Saturday, August 12th, 2006
9:00pm
Palacio de Seteais
Sintra, Portugal
Festive Attire
---------------------------------------
Please also join us for
THE NIGHT BEFORE
Friday, August 11th, 2006
9:00pm
Estalagem do Farol
Cascais, Portugal
Dancing afterwards at Coconuts!
---------------------------------------
This year's adventure will take you to the triumvirate of Portugal's brilliant cities, Lisbon, Cascais and Sintra. We begin in LISBON. Remember the opening scene of the movie, Russia House, the John Le Carré espionage thriller with Sean Connery? Views of the ocean from an apartment in the Alfama section of Lisbon, overlooking the seven hills of the city, flanked by the Old St. George Castle... It truly is spectacular!
Portugal is becoming newly fashionable as a getaway for fine dining, specialist shopping and exquisite ‘hip hotel’ accommodation. The rapid growth of stylish new venues has made the city a staple of travel features in the style press. Lisbon’s hip quotient show no signs of flagging. In fact, such is the continued celeb and A-list pull of this tiny little market town on the edge of Europe that it now even has its first members’ club, occupying a historic old palatial residence in the heart of the city. Portugal is the land of the Templars, the well known secret society chronicled in Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum.
From Lisbon, it is a short 30 minute car ride to CASCAIS, a small picturesque fishing village, which has exploded into one of the most bustling, sophisticated resorts on the Portuguese Riviera. Cascais (pronounced 'Kesh-kaysh') retains its laid-back atmosphere, however, and the local fishermen still ply their trade and auction their catch on the main square. The town now hosts a plethora of elegant shops, bars and eateries set around colourful cobblestoned walkways, to cater for the holidaymakers, and besides the lovely local beaches there are some sightseeing opportunities. About two miles (3km) out of town is a strange rock formation known as the Boca do Inferno, which is worth a look en route to the lovely beach of Guincho, which is a favorite with surfers... The beaches are amazing in Portugal, I repeat, the beaches are AMAZING! Come discover it all!
---------------------------------------
You are also invited to come and spend the whole week in Portugal! Tatiana & Campion will be travelling up north for the week prior, soaking up the culture, but also allowing for plenty of beach time!
TENTATIVE WEEK ACTIVITIES
Sunday, August 6th, 2006 to Saturday, August 12th, 2006
Sunday, August 6th:
Arrive in Lisbon! Welcome reception
Monday, August 7th:
Drive north to the pretty wall-enclosed medieval town of Obidos for a walking tour. Visit the monasteries of Alcobaca and Batalha, and stop at the shrine of Fatima. Overnight in the famous pousada of Ourem.
Tuesday, August 8th:
Morning visit to the Roman ruins of Conimbriga. Continue to the old university town of Coimbra, and then to Averio, the Portuguese Venice city of canals. Then, on to the enchanting forest of Bucaco and its magnificient Palace overnight.
Wednesday, August 9th:
Head back south towards Cascais, driving along the coastline.
Overnight in the seaside town of Nazare.
Thursday, August 10th:
Morning visit of Sintra. Beach in afternoon and dinner at the Alcantara Cafe in Lisbon. Staying overnight, for the rest of the week, in Cascais.
Friday, August 11th:
The Night Before Dinner at Estalagem do Farol in Cascais
Saturday, August 12th:
Palacio de Seteais in Sintra
And much, much more TBD!
---------------------------------------
ACCOMMODATIONS:
There are many funky hotels in Lisbon. One that we recommend is the BAIRRO ALTO HOTEL: A chic boutique hotel in the booming student quarter of Lisbon, not far from the docks and Alcantara.
www.bairroaltohotel.com
Money no object? Then stay at the newly renovated PALACIO BELMONTE, next to St. George’s Castle in Lisbon. Book the tower room with a 360-degree panorama, and you may never leave.
www.palaciobelmonte.com
In Cascais, there is ESTALAGEM DO FAROL. The hotel, a daring architectural project, is within the historical district of Cascais, adjacent to the marina and just 500 meters from the center. The 19th century façade conceals a completely modern design hotel on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean with sea- or land-views guestrooms. The mansion housing the hotel was formerly owned by Count of Cabral and features a restaurant, bar, outdoor pool and on-site luxury hammam.
www.farol.com.pt
Also in Cascais, the HOTEL BAIA has a privileged location opposite the Cascais Bay. It is in the heart of the old fishing village and very reasonably priced.
www.hotelbaia.com
Guincho: Facing Cabo da Roca, mainland Europe's most westerly point, the FORTALEZA DO GUINCHO boasts one of the most spectacular clifftop locations of any hotel in Portugal. It was converted from a 17th-century fortress and overlooks the famed Guincho beach that windsurfers travel to from around the world over. A Relais & Châteaux hotel.
www.guinchotel.pt
Sintra: If you are looking for luxury and old world charm, stay at the PALACIO DE SETEAIS, where the celebration dinner on Saturday night will take place.
www.tivolipalacioseteais.com
Currency Converter: Euros to Dollars
OTHER HOTELS:
HOTEL ALBATROZ: On a rocky outcrop above the crashing waves, this gorgeous hotel was once the summer residence of the dukes of Loulé. Although expanded and modernized, its character has been retained, particularly in the fabric-lined corridors and the cozy terrace bar. The guest rooms combine elegance with comfort; it's worth paying extra for a sea view. The small pool and the terrace overlook the ocean.
Rua Frederico Arouca 100, Cascais
www.albatrozhotels.com
HOTEL CASCAIS MIRAGEM: Perfectly integrated into the landscape, this newer hotel is built in steps up the side of a hill above the sea. View the sailboats on the sea from one of the many panoramic windows or from your balcony overlooking the bay.
Avenida Marginal 8554, Cascais
www.cascaismiragem.com
HOTEL PALACIO: Exiled European courts waited out World War II in this 1930s hotel. Several of the well-appointed, Regency-style guest rooms have balconies, and public areas are adorned with monumental columns and chandeliers. A comfortable bar has views over the outdoor pool to the town's central park. Golfers who stay here can tee up at the Clube de Golfe do Estoril at reduced rates.
Rua do Parque, Parque do Estoril, Estoril
www.hotel-estoril-palacio.pt
More hotel information available at the Official Portugal Tourism web site:
www.visitportugal.com
---------------------------------------
SUGGESTED TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS:
Air Portugal flies to Lisbon direct from New York.
United Airlines has flights through London, and then direct into Lisbon. Delta Airlines has flights through Madrid or Paris.
Car rental is recommended!
---------------------------------------
Recommended Guide Book:
LONELY PLANET PORTUGAL
Savouring life slowly is a Portuguese passion, and much of the best is humble - traditional folk festivals; simple, honest food drowning in olive oil; music that pulls at the heart strings, recalling past love and glories; and markets overflowing with fish, fruit and flowers. The greatest of all Portuguese influences, however, is the sea. The Portuguese are very conscious of themselves as a seafaring race; mariners like Vasco da Gama led the way in the exploration of Africa and the Americas, and until less than thirty years ago Portugal remained a colonial power. The colonies brought African and South American strands to the country's culture: in the distinctive music of fado, sentimental songs heard in Lisbon and Coimbra, for example, or in the Moorish-influenced and Manueline architecture that abounds in coastal towns like Belém and Viana do Castelo.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/portugal/
Purchase here on Amazon
---------------------------------------
Weather Info!
Portugal Weather - Lisbon Average Conditions
---------------------------------------
Suggested Reading
The Man Who Stole Portugal, by Murray Teigh Bloom
Fascinating book about the perfect counterfeiting scheme...
The Crime of Father Amaro, by Eca de Queiros
A telling book of old traditions and illusions of romance, which much troubled the renowned Portuguese author. Made into a major motion picture in 2003.
Selected Sonnets, by Luís de Camões
The most important writer in Portuguese history and one of the preeminent European poets of the early modern era, Luís de Camões (1524–80) was renowned for his intensely personal sonnets and equally intense adventurous life. He was banished for dueling and brawling at court, lost an eye fighting the Moors in North Africa, was shipwrecked off the coast of India, jailed in Goa, and exiled in Mozambique. Throughout these personal trials, he advanced poetry beyond the Petrarchin model of love won and lost to write of personal despair, history, politics, war, religion, and the natural beauty of Portugal.
If you have any questions, please email tatiana@campionplatt.com!
---------------------------------------
SINTRA
30 km (18 mi) northwest of Lisbon, 13 km (8 mi) north of Estoril.
Lord Byron famously referred to Sintra as a "glorious Eden" and even before the famous poet wrote these lines, Sintra was admired. The ancient Iberians called it the Mountain of the Moon and practiced all sorts of cult worship here and the Moors were so taken by the setting that they built a castle on one of the hills above the town which, to this day, provides spectacular views over the landscape below.
The palaces, gardens, wooded paths, and viewpoints of Sintra are as enchanting as its horse-drawn carriages and old hotels. There has probably been a palace here since Moorish times, although the current structure, also known as the Paço Real, dates from the late 14th century. The property was the summer residence of the House of Avis, Portugal's royal line, and it displays a fetching combination of Moorish, Gothic, and Manueline architectural styles. The chapel has Mozarabic (Moorish-influenced) azulejos from the 15th and 16th centuries.
The steep, wooded slopes that rise from Sintra are home to many grand houses, including the intriguing Quinta da Regaleira. The estate was built in the early 20th century for a Brazilian mining magnate with a vivid imagination and a keen interest in freemasonry and the Knights Templars (who made their 11th-century headquarters on this very site). A visit must include the gardens, where almost everything -- statues, water features, grottoes, lookout towers -- is linked to freemasonry or the Knights Templars. By the time you reach the spooky, 100-foot-deep Poço do Iniciáto (Initiation Well) -- an inverted underground "tower" -- you may be wondering what strange events might have gone on here (none did).
Come join us there...
---------------------------------------
Tatiana & Campion
invite you to
ANOTHER EXOTIC ADVENTURE
"The Third Time Around"
Last year, it was an 18th century fortress at the foot of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco...
This year... a 19th century palace in the heart of the Sintra mountain range on the coastline of Portugal!
This unique setting in Portugal includes the fantastical Pena Palace and Moorish Castle, with sprawling views of the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and beaches as far as the eye can see.
5:16:11:14:5:27:2:15:10:23:11:24:08:12
---------------------------------------
You are cordially invited to
A PALACE DINNER
Saturday, August 12th, 2006
9:00pm
Palacio de Seteais
Sintra, Portugal
Festive Attire
---------------------------------------
Please also join us for
THE NIGHT BEFORE
Friday, August 11th, 2006
9:00pm
Estalagem do Farol
Cascais, Portugal
Dancing afterwards at Coconuts!
---------------------------------------
This year's adventure will take you to the triumvirate of Portugal's brilliant cities, Lisbon, Cascais and Sintra. We begin in LISBON. Remember the opening scene of the movie, Russia House, the John Le Carré espionage thriller with Sean Connery? Views of the ocean from an apartment in the Alfama section of Lisbon, overlooking the seven hills of the city, flanked by the Old St. George Castle... It truly is spectacular!
Portugal is becoming newly fashionable as a getaway for fine dining, specialist shopping and exquisite ‘hip hotel’ accommodation. The rapid growth of stylish new venues has made the city a staple of travel features in the style press. Lisbon’s hip quotient show no signs of flagging. In fact, such is the continued celeb and A-list pull of this tiny little market town on the edge of Europe that it now even has its first members’ club, occupying a historic old palatial residence in the heart of the city. Portugal is the land of the Templars, the well known secret society chronicled in Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum.
From Lisbon, it is a short 30 minute car ride to CASCAIS, a small picturesque fishing village, which has exploded into one of the most bustling, sophisticated resorts on the Portuguese Riviera. Cascais (pronounced 'Kesh-kaysh') retains its laid-back atmosphere, however, and the local fishermen still ply their trade and auction their catch on the main square. The town now hosts a plethora of elegant shops, bars and eateries set around colourful cobblestoned walkways, to cater for the holidaymakers, and besides the lovely local beaches there are some sightseeing opportunities. About two miles (3km) out of town is a strange rock formation known as the Boca do Inferno, which is worth a look en route to the lovely beach of Guincho, which is a favorite with surfers... The beaches are amazing in Portugal, I repeat, the beaches are AMAZING! Come discover it all!
---------------------------------------
You are also invited to come and spend the whole week in Portugal! Tatiana & Campion will be travelling up north for the week prior, soaking up the culture, but also allowing for plenty of beach time!
TENTATIVE WEEK ACTIVITIES
Sunday, August 6th, 2006 to Saturday, August 12th, 2006
Sunday, August 6th:
Arrive in Lisbon! Welcome reception
Monday, August 7th:
Drive north to the pretty wall-enclosed medieval town of Obidos for a walking tour. Visit the monasteries of Alcobaca and Batalha, and stop at the shrine of Fatima. Overnight in the famous pousada of Ourem.
Tuesday, August 8th:
Morning visit to the Roman ruins of Conimbriga. Continue to the old university town of Coimbra, and then to Averio, the Portuguese Venice city of canals. Then, on to the enchanting forest of Bucaco and its magnificient Palace overnight.
Wednesday, August 9th:
Head back south towards Cascais, driving along the coastline.
Overnight in the seaside town of Nazare.
Thursday, August 10th:
Morning visit of Sintra. Beach in afternoon and dinner at the Alcantara Cafe in Lisbon. Staying overnight, for the rest of the week, in Cascais.
Friday, August 11th:
The Night Before Dinner at Estalagem do Farol in Cascais
Saturday, August 12th:
Palacio de Seteais in Sintra
And much, much more TBD!
---------------------------------------
ACCOMMODATIONS:
There are many funky hotels in Lisbon. One that we recommend is the BAIRRO ALTO HOTEL: A chic boutique hotel in the booming student quarter of Lisbon, not far from the docks and Alcantara.
www.bairroaltohotel.com
Money no object? Then stay at the newly renovated PALACIO BELMONTE, next to St. George’s Castle in Lisbon. Book the tower room with a 360-degree panorama, and you may never leave.
www.palaciobelmonte.com
In Cascais, there is ESTALAGEM DO FAROL. The hotel, a daring architectural project, is within the historical district of Cascais, adjacent to the marina and just 500 meters from the center. The 19th century façade conceals a completely modern design hotel on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean with sea- or land-views guestrooms. The mansion housing the hotel was formerly owned by Count of Cabral and features a restaurant, bar, outdoor pool and on-site luxury hammam.
www.farol.com.pt
Also in Cascais, the HOTEL BAIA has a privileged location opposite the Cascais Bay. It is in the heart of the old fishing village and very reasonably priced.
www.hotelbaia.com
Guincho: Facing Cabo da Roca, mainland Europe's most westerly point, the FORTALEZA DO GUINCHO boasts one of the most spectacular clifftop locations of any hotel in Portugal. It was converted from a 17th-century fortress and overlooks the famed Guincho beach that windsurfers travel to from around the world over. A Relais & Châteaux hotel.
www.guinchotel.pt
Sintra: If you are looking for luxury and old world charm, stay at the PALACIO DE SETEAIS, where the celebration dinner on Saturday night will take place.
www.tivolipalacioseteais.com
Currency Converter: Euros to Dollars
OTHER HOTELS:
HOTEL ALBATROZ: On a rocky outcrop above the crashing waves, this gorgeous hotel was once the summer residence of the dukes of Loulé. Although expanded and modernized, its character has been retained, particularly in the fabric-lined corridors and the cozy terrace bar. The guest rooms combine elegance with comfort; it's worth paying extra for a sea view. The small pool and the terrace overlook the ocean.
Rua Frederico Arouca 100, Cascais
www.albatrozhotels.com
HOTEL CASCAIS MIRAGEM: Perfectly integrated into the landscape, this newer hotel is built in steps up the side of a hill above the sea. View the sailboats on the sea from one of the many panoramic windows or from your balcony overlooking the bay.
Avenida Marginal 8554, Cascais
www.cascaismiragem.com
HOTEL PALACIO: Exiled European courts waited out World War II in this 1930s hotel. Several of the well-appointed, Regency-style guest rooms have balconies, and public areas are adorned with monumental columns and chandeliers. A comfortable bar has views over the outdoor pool to the town's central park. Golfers who stay here can tee up at the Clube de Golfe do Estoril at reduced rates.
Rua do Parque, Parque do Estoril, Estoril
www.hotel-estoril-palacio.pt
More hotel information available at the Official Portugal Tourism web site:
www.visitportugal.com
---------------------------------------
SUGGESTED TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS:
Air Portugal flies to Lisbon direct from New York.
United Airlines has flights through London, and then direct into Lisbon. Delta Airlines has flights through Madrid or Paris.
Car rental is recommended!
---------------------------------------
Recommended Guide Book:
LONELY PLANET PORTUGAL
Savouring life slowly is a Portuguese passion, and much of the best is humble - traditional folk festivals; simple, honest food drowning in olive oil; music that pulls at the heart strings, recalling past love and glories; and markets overflowing with fish, fruit and flowers. The greatest of all Portuguese influences, however, is the sea. The Portuguese are very conscious of themselves as a seafaring race; mariners like Vasco da Gama led the way in the exploration of Africa and the Americas, and until less than thirty years ago Portugal remained a colonial power. The colonies brought African and South American strands to the country's culture: in the distinctive music of fado, sentimental songs heard in Lisbon and Coimbra, for example, or in the Moorish-influenced and Manueline architecture that abounds in coastal towns like Belém and Viana do Castelo.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/portugal/
Purchase here on Amazon
---------------------------------------
Weather Info!
Portugal Weather - Lisbon Average Conditions
---------------------------------------
Suggested Reading
The Man Who Stole Portugal, by Murray Teigh Bloom
Fascinating book about the perfect counterfeiting scheme...
The Crime of Father Amaro, by Eca de Queiros
A telling book of old traditions and illusions of romance, which much troubled the renowned Portuguese author. Made into a major motion picture in 2003.
Selected Sonnets, by Luís de Camões
The most important writer in Portuguese history and one of the preeminent European poets of the early modern era, Luís de Camões (1524–80) was renowned for his intensely personal sonnets and equally intense adventurous life. He was banished for dueling and brawling at court, lost an eye fighting the Moors in North Africa, was shipwrecked off the coast of India, jailed in Goa, and exiled in Mozambique. Throughout these personal trials, he advanced poetry beyond the Petrarchin model of love won and lost to write of personal despair, history, politics, war, religion, and the natural beauty of Portugal.
If you have any questions, please email tatiana@campionplatt.com!
---------------------------------------
SINTRA
30 km (18 mi) northwest of Lisbon, 13 km (8 mi) north of Estoril.
Lord Byron famously referred to Sintra as a "glorious Eden" and even before the famous poet wrote these lines, Sintra was admired. The ancient Iberians called it the Mountain of the Moon and practiced all sorts of cult worship here and the Moors were so taken by the setting that they built a castle on one of the hills above the town which, to this day, provides spectacular views over the landscape below.
The palaces, gardens, wooded paths, and viewpoints of Sintra are as enchanting as its horse-drawn carriages and old hotels. There has probably been a palace here since Moorish times, although the current structure, also known as the Paço Real, dates from the late 14th century. The property was the summer residence of the House of Avis, Portugal's royal line, and it displays a fetching combination of Moorish, Gothic, and Manueline architectural styles. The chapel has Mozarabic (Moorish-influenced) azulejos from the 15th and 16th centuries.
The steep, wooded slopes that rise from Sintra are home to many grand houses, including the intriguing Quinta da Regaleira. The estate was built in the early 20th century for a Brazilian mining magnate with a vivid imagination and a keen interest in freemasonry and the Knights Templars (who made their 11th-century headquarters on this very site). A visit must include the gardens, where almost everything -- statues, water features, grottoes, lookout towers -- is linked to freemasonry or the Knights Templars. By the time you reach the spooky, 100-foot-deep Poço do Iniciáto (Initiation Well) -- an inverted underground "tower" -- you may be wondering what strange events might have gone on here (none did).
Come join us there...
---------------------------------------
Palacio de Seteais
Alcantara Cafe
Portugal Guide
Excellent Web Site on Portugal
T&C Exotic Adventure #2 (Morocco Photos 2005)
T&C Exotic Adventure #1 (Wedding Video 2004)
Alcantara Cafe
Portugal Guide
Excellent Web Site on Portugal
T&C Exotic Adventure #2 (Morocco Photos 2005)
T&C Exotic Adventure #1 (Wedding Video 2004)
posted by Blogger @ 3:32 PM
