Ciao Bella Tours, LLC

A little lighthearted advice from Grandma!

Today was a tough day for Italy. But she is strong. A country of grandmothers & grandfathers, parents, bambini, artists, doctors, nurses, teachers, chefs, sommeliers, historians, guides, drivers, waiters, farmers, friends & colleagues. With her grand history, architecture, culture, with her food fit for the Gods and enough romance to fill a thousand novels, Italy has been, and will forever be, a place to come back to again and again. So if your travels have been postponed, let’s not forget the locals living day to day, adapting to this very temporary setback, who are ever eager to welcome us once the dust has settled. This is an amazing country we all love and dream of visiting. So Italy, please know we support you and we will see you very soon!

As I wrap up a week in Viana do Castelo, I realize my day trips to Caminha, Barcelos, Ponte de Lima, Vila Nova de Cerveira, Arcos de Valdevez and Peneda-Gerês National Park barely scratched the surface. There’s still so much more to discover and I can’t wait to come back! View of Minho River Valley looking towards Spain

Joana’s grandmother ran the family winery for years before passing it on to her son and granddaughter as a project to bring them closer together. Now award winning Quinta de Santiago in Monçao boasts some truly elegant & complex Alvarinho wines. It has also become one of my favorites! A big Obrigada! to Joana for a wonderful tasting and opening her home to us.

The first time I saw these little houses on stilts, I thought to myself, someone is taking this micro-studio thing a bit too far! But I found out they are actually stone Granaries built above ground called "Espigueiros", dating back to 1782 and are still in use today!

While scallops are the official symbol of the Camino, you’ll want to keep your eye out for a favorite of mine called Zamburiñas- a smaller, sweeter, tastier little sister to the Scallop! Found in both Northern Portugal and Galicia, Zamburiñas are best during the summer months, paired with a crisp white Vinho Verde or a more complex Alvarinho. Oven baked Zamburiñas with crushed garden tomato, pancetta & fresh herbs....

Portuguese Way For those hiking the Portuguese Camino, you will find the Scallop symbol which points pilgrims towards the direction of the trail's end in Santiago. But you’ll also find some more creative markers that lead the way and inspire those hiking to keep going like the one I found here. Has anyone here done any part of the Camino?? Bom Caminho!

It’s been said that the Romans constructed Ponte de Lima back in 1AD. Today, I took a long, soul-searching walk across the bridge, thinking about all those who have crossed before me. There really is something magical about Northern Portugal!

Castle on the Hill I’m back in the town of Viana do Castelo in the Minho region of Northern Portugal. You can see the substantial Celtic influences and similarities with neighboring Galicia in Spain. View from the top of Santuário de Santa Luzia overlooking the sea, mountains, rivers, beaches and woods of Minho. This area has truly captured my heart! @lovefromportugal

Ciao Bella Tours is celebrating 15 years in business-I can hardly believe it! Thank you to EVERYONE who has made this dream possible...Here's to many more years traveling together! And for something fun and a little embarrassing, here's a #ThrowbackThursday #TBT photo of my very first few weeks living in Paris- As you can see, I had my priorities straight even back then

Baba de Camelo aka "CAMEL DROOL" A tasty mousse of condensed milk and eggs- Literally translated it is called camel drool! One of my favorite Portuguese treats and very easy to make!

The Algarve certainly has much more to offer than just incredible beaches. The wines in this area are really starting to make a splash and I've been very pleasantly surprised at the variety I'm finding here. While not new to the wine making scene, award winning wineries like João Clara and Quinta dos Vales are a must try when visiting the region. For more information about tours & tastings you can find some great info on the Rota dos Vinhos do Algarve website: http://rotadosvinhosdeportugal.pt/en/routes/algarve-1/ credit: Quinta dos Vales

Seven Natural Wonders of Portugal you say? Tell me more!! Ria Formosa National Park is a nature lover's haven and not to be missed. Great for a relaxing walk, bike ride, boat trip or kayak to get acquainted with this Algarvian Paradise. credit: Maximilian Xavier