History

Charles Ralph Boxer led two lives, each in its own way quite remarkable. First, before WW2 in Hong Kong, he was an intelligence officer who was fluent in Japanese; second, without any academic [...]

Considered to be Portugal’s greatest 19th century author, Eça de Queiros spent 15 years in England where he created some of his greatest works. The London Observer newspaper ranked his realist [...]

Considered to be Portugal’s greatest 19th century novelist, Eça de Queirós spent 15 years in England where he created some of his greatest works whilst living as Portuguese Consul in [...]

“Thank you, Peter, for changing my mind about Fado. The only Fado I had heard before was of the dirge kind and, like you, I was frustrated because I couldn’t make out a word.” This was one [...]

SS Roumania, a British steam ship that sank near Foz de Arelho (Caldas da Rainha) after hitting a sandbank over 126 years ago, reappeared from its sandy grave in January. The discovery was made [...]

I recently went on the first heritage walk, one of five organised by Lagoa council. During the walk around the town of Estombar, we were treated to a re-enactment by Faro’s Te-Atrito Theatre [...]

Portrait of Sir Edmund Keynton Williams Santa Ana Chapel Interior of Santa Ana Chapel, Tavira The river in Tavira is strange in that below the Roman Bridge it is known as the Gilão and, above the [...]

Forte de Nossa Senhora da Rocha Forte da Ponta da Bandeira, Lagos Fortaleza da Arrifana After the Restoration of 1640, and in the face of Spanish attempts to reconquer Portugal, the medieval [...]

The stunning Algarve scenery of tree-covered rolling hills, golden shimmering sands and a deep blue ocean has attracted many foreigners to trade, to settle or to spend their short summer [...]

José Saramago, in his usual disparaging way, wrote a measly four lines about Castro Marim. He stopped here only to look at the beautiful archangel Gabriel in the town church, and walked up to the [...]