Travel Report: Fashion Around Europe, Literally – Week 5
Bom dia, Portugal! Ahh, one of the countries that we all loved and we were very curious to discover was Portugal. We have the “sangre caliente” running through our veins and we related with everything that this Latin country has to offer.
Check out also: Travel Report: Fashion Around Europe, Literally – Week 4
Porto
We spent in Portugal one week and our first stop there was Porto, which is a city on the NorthWest part of the country. It is known for its tasty Porto wine, for the bridges over Douro River, for its colourful little houses in the harbour, restaurants, coffees and vibrant people.
It’s a charming city and it’s a pleasure to get lost on its streets, but just so you know, Porto is located on the hill so walking around the city seems like a soft workout at the gym and it can easily become a tough one. During our staying was raining everyday, but still we could enjoy a lot the city. In Porto we had two meetings for our upcoming book and documentary.
scar-id store
We met Andre Ramos from Scar-Id Store, which is an independent avant-garde design store and gallery with local designers. Andre is an architect and one day he felt like he needs a change in his professional life and together with his partner, Silvia Pinto Costa, they opened the store six years ago. Talking with them, we found out how is the market in Porto, how is their relationship with the designers and how they see fashion in a few years.
Hugo Veiga
Hugo Veiga is a Portuguese designer who is collaborating with scar-id store and with him we had the most funny and emotional talk since we have started this adventure. He is a very talented and joyful person and beside working for his collections, Hugo is also trying to help other designers to produce their lines. As the production is an expensive and difficult part of having a brand, many designers are struggling to find a way to produce their clothes without having unrealistic costs and still be able to sell. Seeing that him and others have the same problem, now Hugo is trying constantly to find a way in order to deliver quality and help the others. Good luck, Hugo!
Nazare
After spending the weekend in Porto, we headed to Lisbon, the capital of the country. To get there by car, you need a few hours of driving, but we also wanted to stop at Nazare, which is the point that marks the half way of our journey. This place is very famous among the surfers because if you are here at the right moment of the year, you can catch waves that have around 3o m and that is insane.
Lisbon
Lisbon is just amazing. We have enjoyed it so much and for sure we will be back here because there is so much more to do. It’s a vibrant city, full of life and energy, colourful houses, trams and warm people. During our stay, we got lost on the streets of Alfama area, one of the oldest in the city. We went to visit Sintra and the Pena Castle, which is one of the most beautiful that I have seen. Its Neo-Manueline architectural style is impressive and it’s quite unique as it is specific for Portugal and Brazil. We also went sailing on the Tagus River and enjoyed a spectacular sunset from the boat.
We stayed at Evolution Hotel, which has a unique concept in Portugal because of its High Tech features and style. This hotel is build to make your life easier and beautiful. Everything in the room is controlled by a remote or by the app that you install on your phone. So if you want to turn on the heating while you are around the city and prepare your room for when you get back, 3 clicks are just enough. The bathroom and the room have a futuristic design, but everything is still very cosy and comfortable. Some of the touches make you feel like you are on a spaceship and I have loved that.
Travel Report: Fashion Around Europe, Literally – Week 5
The hotel also captures the Portuguese vibe and energy. At the lounge and restaurant you can have drinks and food 24/7, because they are never closed and every evening you can join the parties organised there, as a DJ is taking care of the atmosphere. If this isn’t enough, you can also go the gym and sauna or enjoy a swim in the pool, again all day and night long because they are never closed. Ahh, how could I forget… you also have to try the Evolution beer as it is the hotel’s signature beer and you can find it only there.
Lisbon Fashion Week
Getting back to work, in Lisbon we had two very interesting meetings. The first one was with the organisers of Lisbon Fashion Week. We loved talking with them as they gave us details about the history of it, the relationship with the designers, the Portuguese market and how they see the future of fashion.
Constanca Entrudo
Constanca Entrudo is a young designer from Lisbon, who started her business not so long ago. She is a new, fresh and bold appearance on the Portuguese fashion scenery. With an amazing background, she studied fashion at Central Saint Martins in London, she did internships for big brand names and she also worked with Oliver Rousteing for Balmain in Paris. She could have followed this path, but she wanted to get back home, produce her own line and support fashion by creating her own fabrics from scratch. Constanca and her team are doing a great job and we can’t wait to see her new collections.
Lagos & Alvor
Before heading back to the South of Spain, we had one more place to visit in Portugal: Lagos, which is a beautiful city by the Atlantic Ocean with breathtaking views and waters. Here we stayed only for one night as our schedule is a bit tight, but we spent the most relaxing 24 hours as we had the accommodation at Longevity Health & Wellness Hotel, which is located in Alvor, a city very close to Lagos.
Travel Report: Fashion Around Europe, Literally – Week 5
Longevity Alvor Hotel is recently opened and you can still feel the smell of freshness, which combines perfectly with the fragrances of the aromatherapy oils that are strategically placed in all the hotel. The towels, the sheets, the bathrobes and the care products, all smelled so good and gave you this peaceful state of mind. Everything in the hotel is created to make you comfortable and relaxed and the view from the outdoor pool will give you literally goosebumps, especially at sunset.
Longevity Alvor is a 5 star hotel with a special concept, which is based on different programs that help you improve your lifestyle and health. It is embracing modern integrative and regenerative medicine with the most advanced wellness and preventative diagnostics, therapies and programmes. You can discover them all here and you should definitely consider spending your holidays at Longevity Alvor as you will enjoy a luxurious experience in the most healthy way.
Check out also: Travel Report: Fashion Around Europe, Literally – Week 3
This being said, we are going now to the South of Spain, in Andalusia region and basically we are now on our way back home, as we passed the half of the tour. OMV is still taking care of us and supplies us with the energy for the road and much more. Have I told you that until now, thanks to OMV we did already 5000 km, we stop in 42 cities and we passes through 9 countries?