When we arrive in Lamego, it is the lush green vegetation of Monte de Santo Estevão that holds our attention. From the crown of the elevation, two towers stand out and a monumental set of balustrade levels seems to tear the grove in a straight line to Lamego's main avenue. In this place where the Santuario da Senhora dos Remédios church is currently located, there was previously another place of devotion: since 1361 the people used to run to the chapel dedicated to Santo Estevão, wandering along the 600m difference until reaching the top of the hill. In the middle of the 16th century, the small temple threatened ruin, which led the city's bishop, D. Manuel de Noronha, to have a new church built, to which he added a new devotion: an image of the virgin with the boy in her arms, whom she had brought of Rome for being considered in the “holy city” as a great remedy for the evils of which the believers complained.

No centro do imenso planalto de solo granítico protegido pelas serras da Estrela, Montemuro e Caramulo, a cidade de Viseu é reconhecidamente a capital de uma das mais singulares regiões vitivinícolas de Portugal. A cidade de Viriato é mais do que os monumentos que respiram a nossa história. É também o legado arquitetónico e a memória. A atribuição do epíteto de Cidade-Jardim a Viseu não é de agora. Entre os anos 20 e 30 do século XX, diversos executivos municipais promoveram melhoramentos a nível dos espaços públicos da cidade.

Urban nucleus district headquarters. City located on a hillside and valley. Medieval city, structured in the 13th and 14th centuries, having consolidated itself in the 15th and 16th centuries. The historic center acquired its current limits only at the end of the 19th century and during the 20th century. Like most Portuguese cities, the defensive function is at the origin of the city and the place of settlement chosen is close to a river course. D. Afonso Henriques decided to build the Castle of Leiria to mark a strategic defensive position at the time of the reconquest.

Viana do Castelo, born from the will of D. Afonso III, bringing together the necessary conditions of security and legislation so that the inhabitants of this region who used to live in rustic and scattered villas could develop their maritime activities in an organized urban environment. In this video I show that nucleus that developed within the walls that have since disappeared, showing some of the most important places and monuments of that early era. We continue the visit through Viana do Castelo, now through streets with urban manor houses, some from the 17th century, others from the 17th century, and some old monasteries. The Viana of the century. XVII is related to the cycle of Brazilian sugar that extends until 1660. Period of intense activity on the docks: establishment of foreign trade (families of Dutch, Flemish, French traders, are based in Viana). From Brazilian ports (Rio de Janeiro, Ilhéus, Pernambuco, Olinda and Recife) an appreciable volume of Brazilian sugar production comes, increasing the movement with ports in northern Europe (Rouen, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Hamburg, etc.). Between 1566-1660 about 25% of Brazilian production is transported by ships from Viana. Rua da Bandeira is one of the largest and oldest streets in Viana, it would be the old entrance to the city for anyone coming through Ponte de Lima. This street has several important old houses and manor houses. Espergueira Mendes is another important street in the west, full of history, which takes us to the Church of the old S. Domingos Monastery. There we can enjoy the excellent gilded carving from two periods: Main altarpiece from the first cycle of the century. XVIII, with an unusual imagery, and the altarpiece of Nª Srª do Rosário, a famous example of the gilt carving of the second half of the century. XVIII of André Soares' Bracarense school ". Forte da Barra was an important defensive system for controlling Barra do Lima, of privateers and enemies, we will observe its growth over the centuries. The Church of Nossa Senhora da Agonia is one of ex-Libris of the city since it joins a pilgrimage every year on August 20. And finally we went to Praia Norte, the Atlantic limit of Viana, its Fortim da Areosa and the start of the ecovia that takes us almost to Vila Praia de Âncora.

Stereoscopic 3D panoramas taken in June 2017

Aveiro will start between the 10th and 12th centuries at the mouth of the Vouga River as a small fishing village. The estuary already existed as a result of the formation of the dunes that were closing the exit of the waters of the river to the sea. The estuary is the main geographical feature that defined the type of activity of the population that grew here; a small inland sea, abundant fish that created an underwater flora, the moliço, an inexhaustible source of fertilizer for the farming of the nearby agricultural land. In addition it had the richness of salt. The salt flats in Aveiro were already cooled in the 10th century in the will of Countess Mumadona Dias. In the 16th century, vessels came from northern European ports to seek salt which was later used to salt the herring they exported to northern Europe. In the 13th century, Aveiro was elevated to the category of a village, developing the settlement around the main church, dedicated to S. Miguel and located where today is Praça da República, with this temple being demolished in 1835. Later, D. João I, on the advice of his son, Infante D. Pedro, who, at the time, was a grantee of Aveiro, had it surrounded by walls that, in the 19th century, were demolished, part of the stones being used in the construction of the new bar piers. In 1434, D. Duarte granted the village the privilege of holding an annual free fair that has reached our days and is known as the March Fair. At the end of the 16th century, beginning of the 17th century, the instability of vital communication between the Ria and the sea led to the closure of the canal, preventing the use of the port (see Porto de Aveiro) and creating unsanitary conditions, caused by the stagnation of the waters of the lagoon, causes that caused a great decrease in the number of inhabitants - many of whom emigrated, creating fishing villages along the Portuguese coast - and, consequently, were the basis of a great economic and social crisis. It was, however, and interestingly, in this phase of recession that, in full Philippine domination, one of the most notable temples in Aveiro was built: the Misericórdia Church. In 1759, D. José I elevated Aveiro to the city, a few months after having condemned his last duke for treason on the scaffold, a title created in 1547 by D. João III. For this reason, and at the request of some notable people in the city, the new city was given the name Nova Bragança instead of Aveiro, by Alvará Real of April 11, 1759. With the fall of the power of the Marquis of Pombal, after D. Maria I became queen in 1777, so she sent the city back to its previous designation.

Serra da Malcata Nature Reserve is a natural reserve in Portugal. It is one of the 30 areas which are officially under protection in the country. The reserve was established to in 1981 to protect the Iberian lynx, the area holds one of the last individuals of this endangered species in Portugal.

The Aveiro lagoon (Ria de Aveiro) is a lagoon in Portugal. It is located on the Atlantic coast of Portugal, south of the municipality of Espinho and north of Mira (to the north of the Cape Mondego). Its average area covers approximately 75 square kilometres (29 sq mi). It is named after the city of Aveiro, which is the chief urban centre located near to the lagoon. Other urban centres near the Ria de Aveiro are Ílhavo, Gafanha da Nazaré, Estarreja, Ovar and Esmoriz. Some beaches nearby include those of Barra, Costa Nova, Torreira, Vagueira, Furadouro, Cortegaça and Praia de Mira. There are also beaches in the São Jacinto Peninsula. The Aveiro Lagoon is beyond a mere geographical feature of Portugal. This 45 kilometres (28 mi) long lagoon stands as one of Europe's last remaining untouched coastal marshland. It is also a haven for numerous bird species. The locals call this rich lagoon Ria de Aveiro. Tourism and aquaculture are the mainstay of the Aveiro Lagoon region. It is also renowned for its artisan fishing and as a center for the collection of Flor de sal, an expensive salt variety

Australian waterfalls

The Serra da Estrela Natural Park (PNSE) is located in the interior of Portugal essentially in the district of Guarda (85%) and also in the district of Castelo Branco (15%). Marked by granite, shale and schist rock massifs and vestiges of ancient glaciers, the high altitude and location of the natural park make it one of the places in mainland Portugal with the highest occurrence of rain, snow, hail and dew. Unlike the other Serras de Portugal, such as Penêda-Gerês, where the effects of glaciation have generated controversy for decades, the Serra da Estrela glacier shows a clear glacial geo-heritage, of high pedagogical and scientific significance. For example, the notable U-shaped Zêzere valley (GF32) has often been cited in national and international scientific publications and is an example of a glacial valley. The glaciation style of Estrela is the result of its geographical location on the west bank of the Iberian Peninsula, being the first mountain to affect the interior movement of the moist Atlantic air masses, but also the plateau altitude between 1400 and 2000 m, range altitude, just above the altitude of the 1650 m paleoequilibrium (ELA) line

The Abbey of Santa Maria de Alcobaça, is the finest example of Cistercian architecture in Christian Europe. In the course of time, to meet the needs for seclusion, wings were added, but these, for aesthetic reasons, in the then modern architectural style. The façade of this great monument measures no less than 221 meters and consists of three distinct bodies : North wing, Church and South Wing. As a result of the alterations during the 17th and 18th Centuries, the north wing comprised de quarters of the Royal family and illustrious guests, the Hall of Conclusion and other dependencies. In the south wing, built after the 1755 earthquake, was the apartments of the Triennial Abbots and the College of Nossa Senhora da Conceição.

Castro Laboreiro was one of the most important strongholds of megalithic culture in Portugal, maintaining one of the largest concentrations of megalithic monuments in the country, 62 Mamoas (dated 4000-5000 years ago) mostly Dolmens, although many of them have been destroyed over the years. times. With strong community traditions, this town maintains, until today, unique characteristics. The local history and ethnography is portrayed in the collection of the Núcleo Museológico. The parish of Castro Laboreiro has more than 40 places, distributed by "Brandas" and "Inverneiras" - which are the highest or lowest places, where the people are protected from the intense cold of the harsh winters or the heat brought by the summer homeless. The "brandas", in the highest places, are more pleasant and productive in the heat season, serving the animals also better opportunities for food - it is thus a kind of common summer house for the population and cattle of the parish and visitors from outside . Here the main places are: Vila, Várzea Travessa, Picotim, Vido, Portelinha, Coriscadas, Falagueiras, Queima-delo, Outeiro, Adofreire, Antões, Rodeiro, Portela, Formarigo, Teso, Campelo, Curral do Gonçalo, Eiras, Padresouro, Seara and Ports. The "Inverneiras", in the lower areas, serve as a refuge from the cold and are located in the valleys of the parish. Your places: Beak, Cailheira, Curveira, Bago de Cima and Bago de Baixo, Clams, Laceiras, Ramisqueira, João Alvo, Barreiro, Assureira, Rotten, Alagoa, Dorna, Entalada, Bridges, Mareco, Ribeiro de Cima and Ribeiro de Baixo .

Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, Andorra

Panoramas from our trip to the Flint, MI and Flushing, MI area in 2015

O Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês ou conjunto serrano da Peneda-Gerês , situa-se no extremo nordeste do Minho, estendendo-se até Trás-os-Montes, desde as terras da Serra da Peneda até a Serra do Gerês - daí a sua designação -, sendo recortado por dois grandes rios, o Rio Lima e Cávado. Fazendo fronteira com a Galiza, abrangendo os distritos de Braga (concelho de Terras de Bouro), Viana do Castelo (concelho de Melgaço, Arcos de Valdevez e Ponte da Barca) e Vila Real (concelho de Montalegre) numa área total de cerca de 70 290 hectares. O Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês abrange território de 22 freguesias distribuídas pelos concelhos de Arcos de Valdevez, Melgaço, Montalegre, Ponte da Barca e Terras de Bouro. Esta Área Protegida forma um conjunto com o parque natural espanhol da Baixa Limia - serra do Xurés, constituindo com este, desde 1997, o Parque Transfronteiriço Gerês-Xurés e a Reserva da Biosfera com o mesmo nome.