It's June! It's time for party in Lisbon! It's time for St. Anthony festivities! It's time for grilled sardines!!!

We had the great pleasure to do the guided tours of Lisbon, for 247 people, arriving on a cruise ship to the Portuguese capital.

Thank you Luca Renzini, for trusting us.

Choose Portugal

It's Portuguese, it's good!

Walking Tour in Romantic Lisbon

To begin well this year, I was invited, as usual, by Clube ANA to do a guided tour of Lisbon.

This time we chose the former Lisbon's 18 century industrial quarters with its neighbor 18th c. aqueduct. Then, we walked through the Romantic Lisbon to discover more about its origins and charming small palaces. 

These west neighborhoods of the Portuguese capital are, currently, among the most atractive ones, where we may find alternative and creative shops, toghether with great restaurants, pastry stores and tea rooms.

Enjoy the video. Enjoy Lisbon.

Isabel

Walking Tour with Clube ANA

Visit to Portugal in November

Mr. and Mrs. Swink visited our country last November. The weather was perfect and I was able to show them, not only Lisbon, but Sintra and Fátima shrine as well.

Here are some photos and some words sent by this couple from USA to me. Thank you so much.

"...with you these past three days. You are one of the best in your profession and we've met lots of tour professionals. Just want you to know how much I appreciate the terrific time you provided my wife with time to interact with people... she loves people.

(...) Thanks again for a wonderful time.

Isabel 



Grupo de estudiantes españoles visitan Lisboa

Hace unos días tuve el placer de ser la guía de un grupo de estudiantes y profesores procedentes de un colegio español. Me gustaría decir lo maravilloso que eran, siempre interesados en lo que les explicava sobre Lisboa.
Me siento muy honrada con las palabras que me escribieron: "(...) Rosa  me parecio una persona increible, con mucha cultura, muy agradable, la verdad recomiendaria a todo el mundo que necesitase guia turistico en lisboa que contacte con vosotros."
Venir a visitarnos lo más pronto posible!
Gracias por la foto.

Saludos,
Rosa

The Jewish Community of Lisbon and Belmonte

This winter, the Jewish Community of Lisbon, conducted in their synagogue a course, ministered by Professor Esther Mucznik, whose theme was "The Influence of Judaism in European Culture" .
It was with great interest that we participate in this course, which has enriched our knowledge about the history of Judaism in Europe, and helped us to understand better the origins of Judaism in Portugal.
Following this event, Professor Julio, organized a visit to Belmonte, the last place in Portugal where were living the Portuguese crypto-Jews, since the late 15th century.
It was a very interesting and instructive tour, to the birthplace of the great Portuguese navigator Pedro Alvares Cabral, who discovered Brazil in 1500.
Here we share some photos of the visit to Belmonte.

                                                           Sinagoga Eliahu- 1996

               Professor Julio and the President of the Jewish Community of Belmonte- António Bentes

                                              

                                                           Cristina, Isabel and Graça

                                                            Professor Esther Mucznik

                                                              Museum of Judaism

                                                      Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral

                                           The group visiting the museum of Discoverys

                                                                        Handicrafts

Textiles: a Portuguese love

I found this interesting information about SENNES, portuguese textiles, on an American blog named TEXTILE ARTS CENTER. It's good to know that the quality an design of our textiles go beyond the Portuguese borders.
Take a look!
Graça

These are cultural products that come from the soul of a people imbedded in nature, and these are some of their works...  


http://textileartscenter.wordpress.com/2011/01/13/made-in-portugal-with-Love/

FATIMA- The 31st Meeting of Portuguese Tourist Guides- 16-17 February, 2012

This year, the theme of the meeting was about the Franciscan Order - Franciscanism in Portugal.

The opening was made ​​by the rector of the Fatima Shrine, Father Carlos Cabecinhas, who introduced the theme of this Pastoral Year: "Are you willing to offer yourselves to God?"
The franciscan Friar Daniel, spoke about the history of the Franciscans and the presence of this order in Portugal.
The second day was dedicated to the city of Coimbra, more specifically to the visit of the two monasteries of Santa Clara: Monastery of Santa Clara a Velha (13/14 cent.) and Monastery of Santa Clara a Nova (17 cent.).
The old monastery was abandoned in the 17 century, when the nuns, unable to continue living in good conditions in the building, successively flooded by the river Mondego, moved to the new monastery, built on top of the hill, by order of King John IV.
The activities of the Meeting ended with a Mass celebrated by the bishop of Coimbra, D. Virgílio.
See you next year!
Cristina and Isabel

                                      The rector of Fátima- father Carlos Cabecinhas

                                          The franciscan Friar Daniel.

The Rector of Fáfima  and the Stations of the Cross

                                        
                                          Basilica

                                     
 Monastery of Santa Clara a Velha partially covered by the waters of the river Mondego.

                                     
     Monastery of Santa Clara a Velha after the archaeological works.

                                      
                            A second cloister remains to be excavated and studied.

the apse of the church

                                         A second level was built to avoid the floods

                                     
                                          The kitchen garden of the nuns.

                                     
                               Typical Portuguese cabbage, used to make a delicious soup.

                                         
                                              Scarecrow in the kitchen garden

                            Monastery of Santa Clara a Nova- 17th century

                                     Queen Saint Isabel, patron saint of Coimbra

                          Bishop of Coimbra and some of the organizers of this meeting.

IATM Golden Convention, Lisbon, 13-16 February, 2012

In February, Portugal was visited by IATM (International Association of Tour Managers Ltd.).
Thanks to Vinitur, I was one of the their tour guides, doing the visit of Lisbon and Sintra .
It was an honor, as a Portugese Official Tourism Guide, to show my country to these Tour Managers, coming from various parts of the world; from U.S. to Italy.
Hope to see you again.
Isabel.

                                          Pena Palace

                                         Pena Palace

Tritan- alegorical creation f the world. Half man half fish.

                                          View from Pena Palace

                                         The 16th c. cloister with azulejos

                             The queen's bedroom inspired on the arab palaces

                                         Arab room

                                         Gate to the palace

                                          Pena Palace and I

                                         A delicious fish kebab for lunch

                                          Fun!

                                          IATM members