Brussels

Grand Place

The Grand Place is Brussels’ vibrant and beautiful central square. For almost a thousand years the square has been buzzing with activity and is still one of Belgium’s most visited tourist destinations. Lined with amazing shops, cafés and architecture, the square offers visitors plenty of choice to make it a truly great day out.

Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium by ChrisO

Ghent

St Michael’s Bridge

St Michael’s Bridge is one of the most famous tourist spots in Belgium. Renowned for its chocolate box beauty, the bridge and surrounding area is perfect for that romantic stroll or spot of watercolour painting. Many thousands of tourists who pass through Ghent make the small trip to visit St Michael’s Bridge and have their picture taken in the tranquil surroundings as a memento of their time visiting one of the most beautiful sites in Belgium- something you will never want to forget.

St Michael’s Bridge, Ghent, Belgium by Alexandra Lee

Bruges

Boudewijn Theme Park

If you’re looking for something with a little bit more adrenalin then Boudewijn Theme Park in Bruges is a must. There are plenty of attractions and rides to keep both the kids and adults entertained- though some may prove a little daunting. Plus there’s the unique opportunity to get up-close and personal with the park’s resident dolphins. With dolphin shows throughout the day the Theme Park is sure to put a smile on the face of any animal lover.

Photo by admin

Ostend

Kursaal Casino

One of the jewels in Belgium’s casino crown is the Kursaal Casino situated in the beautiful coastal town of Ostend. The casino itself is more than one hundred and fifty years old but was rebuilt after the Second World War. It’s a popular gambling destination for locals and visitors alike with thousands pouring through its doors every year. Like most of the casinos in Belgium it offers a wide variety of games at a range of stakes all set in amazing surroundings. Unlike most casinos in Belgium it has strong ties with Britain being that in the 1920’s many British gamblers visited the casino on holiday whilst gambling was prohibited in the UK. Of course, if you don’t make it to Ostend to visit this fabulous casino you could always visit Golden Palace Poker Texas Hold’em and try your luck there, if the gambling bug bites!

Casino Kursaal, Ostend, Belgium by Wasily

Antwerp

Rubens’ House

Rubens is one of the most famous artists that Belgium has ever produced. His awe-inspiring paintings can be seen in many of the top galleries around the world and the house that he built in Antwerp is almost as breath-taking. In it, visitors can find a large collection of Rubens’ work amongst the works of many other prominent artists and Rubens’ own collection of statues. This house is a must-see for any art lover visiting Belgium.

Rubens’ House, Antwerp, Belgium by Velvet

The post 5 Top Places to Visit in Belgium appeared first on Europe Explored.

But the word I am looking at here is spiced. Portugal features some of the richest, most delicious and most interesting recipes on the planet and as a food connoisseur I can’t resist a single delicious mouthful.

Portuguese food is similar to Spanish food with Mediterranean and Indian influences. The cuisine is unique to the world which is probably one of the reasons why I love it so much. Traditional ingredients include meat, fish, olive oil, tomatoes, cheeses, breads and shellfish sauces (ingredients are actually similar to both Mediterranean and Spanish dishes). However, the main distinction of Portuguese food is that they spice their food with herbs and spices commonly associated with the Middle East.

Breakfast starts out with a simplicity that I love. A bread roll with homemade cheese, jam or even plain butter, European in style, it resembles nothing quite as much as a typical Dutch breakfast.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by michael clarke stuff

From a simple breakfast, you move on to soup. If you know anything about Portuguese food, you know soup is important. It is served with lunch, dinner and if it’s cold enough, with breakfast as well. You can’t get enough of soups and Portuguese soups are rich in flavour and texture. Lunch is a light version of dinner and dinner can be anything from roasted lamb, grilled suckling pig to any Portugal’s famous fish and especially cod. All seasoned with an incredible array of spices of course.

And now the point, each day hundreds if not thousands of tourists flock to Portugal to enjoy the sunny weather, beaches and the music. A good 60% of them don’t even try the food.

It completely puzzles me (being a person who will go to a restaurant and order anything that I can’t pronounce) to see anyone going to explore a culture and completely missing out on the food. Sure McDonalds is cheap and sure it’s easier to stop by the grocery store or a restaurant chain you know to buy familiar foods, but you are literally missing out on the best part of Portugal.

Portuguese food is possibly the most unique cuisine in the world. It’s delicious, laden with flavour, mostly healthy and can be quite affordable if you go to the right places. Or if you’re on a budget you can take my cue and find recipes and make it yourself! Portuguese food is relatively simple to make so long as you have basic cooking skill and patience (it takes lots of patience).

If you ask me, traveling to a sunny location such as Vale Do Lobo should involve trying the food. If you’ve been to Portugal and stayed at a villa, you shouldn’t leave without knowing what Codieau a Portugesa (chunky stew), Enchidos (a type of sausage) or francesinha (A rather interesting dish of tripe, lungs and liver, not for the weak of stomach).

Traveling to anywhere should be an experience that takes in all aspects of the culture, food, architecture and… white sandy beaches.

But you don’t have to travel to enjoy food which is one of the reasons why I love it. Trying a culture is as easy as trying the food. It expresses the history, the influences and the location of an area and can teach you a lot about a country before you ever travel there.

If you’re planning to go to Portugal, staying at Vale do Lobo Villas is a great way to enjoy the luxury side of the island. All you have to do is show up, visit the beach and remember to try the food!

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