• fantastic journeys,  Uncategorized

    A ROADTRIP THROUGH CHIANTI CLASSICO

    Follow La Strada del Chianti and stop along the way to your heart’s desire. Etruscans were first here, then Romans drove their carts on these roads. A land of tremendous beauty and forever radiating serenity, the wine road witnessed the obsessive conflicts between Florence and Siena, undisturbed by battles and time. Looking at the map, the villages, vineyards and castles of Chianti Classico can be found around the SR222. One itinerary we love is this. We started from our beloved Monteriggioni and went up through Castellina in Chianti to Panzano and Greve in Chianti. Another one is right from Castellina towards Radda and Volpaia, then round direction Gaiole towards San…

  • everydaymagic,  fantastic journeys,  THE TREASURE MAP

    Beautiful is absolute, and so is PENICHE

    “One more stop” he said. We were chasing daring lighthouses, pure beaches and wild coastline, as usual. It had been a very hot day in August, the kind of day that makes everything quiet and brings out the light in everything, white houses and white sands surrounded by a shimmering halo, people scarce and wrinkled by sun and dry winds. Coming down from Nazare along the coast, we had taken a scourging trip inland to see Fatima and Batalha, and were heading to Obidos for the night. Tired with heat and long drive, I was looking forward to the cool walls, green ivy and refreshing chatter of the Obidos fortress at night.…

  • THE TREASURE MAP

    POSTCARDS FROM RONDA, MY FAVE ANDALUSIAN TOWN

    Andalusia is one of thehappyfew’ s favorite realms, a true kingdom of Moorish adventures, of wonderful and often dramatic findings and hot temper. It is a country and a culture in itself, and its thrills are downright endless. And still, if I was to pick one place on the map, for a one-time escape, I would pick Ronda. Crossing the Puente Nuevo bridge over the El Tajo gorge and the Guadalevin river, you cannot but marvel at the 100m chasm below. Then take a breath in Plaza Espagna, walk pass the Parador towards the Miradouro for immense views over the Serranía de Ronda mountains. Without a sense of time, stroll endlessly through…

  • fantastic journeys,  THE TREASURE MAP

    From beautiful and secluded to wild and hard-to-get: Portugal’s best beaches

    This is the treasure map for thehappyfew discovering the coastline. Save your pins! Costa de Prata (between Porto and Lisbon) Infinite white beaches for surfers and lovers of the immense blue, and secret coves that are hard to find and even harder to leave. Direction from Porto / Vila Nova de Gaia – Dunas Sao Jacinto – Nazare – Obidos – Baleal – Peniche, Praia da Mexilhoeira – Foz do Sizandro – Sao Juliao – Magoito,  to Aguda, Adraga and down to Guincho. . ALGARVE: the Lagos – Sagres  – Cabo Sao Vicente area.   Probably the most beautiful beaches in the world, an incredible scenery created by the famous red…

  • fantastic journeys,  THE TREASURE MAP

    NAZARE, The Monster Waves and the Beautiful Free beaches

    If you’re one of those addicts of the extraordinary, this one is for you. Far enough up the coast from Lisbon, Nazare is only transited by tourist packs during the day. If you avoid the classical summer rage, you find a blue and white village that has not sold its soul to the devil of “leisure” just yet. It is an old fishing village, very old indeed. In the year 700 they were fighting pirates when a legendary couple came into the story: a monk and a king. The king was carrying a sword of bravery and the monk was carrying a statue of redemption. The legends Roderic, the last…

  • everydaymagic,  fantastic journeys

    Vacanta in Portugalia sau Mai e timp pentru revelatii

    Soare. Vant. Plaje  salbatice, nesfarsite. Oceanul cel mai albastru, rocile nepamantene, hipnotice. Un inegalabil sentiment al libertatii. O revelatie categorica si iremediabila a lucrurilor esentiale. Portugalia devine repede o istorie personala. Nu va fi un concediu, va fi o vacanta. Nu va fi all inclusive cu trei mese, pat si plaja cu sezlong, ci va include tot ce nici macar nu iti dadeai seama ca iti lipseste.  Nu va fi doar o calatorie intr-un loc frumos, ci un voiaj uluitor de firesc inspre tine insuti. Si nu va fi descifrabil pentru amatorii de cinci stele la resort, pentru ca aici oceanul, soarele, stancile si vantul au darul sa te dezbrace…