Another exodus ... "To the people who work in this area the only solution is to emigrate, without ignoring the importance and urgency of the protection of the built patrimony, either in simple activities such as conservation, or in others with a larger scale that go from regeneration to rehabilitation. These actions are not a cost, but a sustainable investment. For that to happen, it's necessary the willpower to change the legislation on leasehold and rehabilita...

Porto or Oporto ...whichever you choose After our first Ryanair flight to Portugal and another user-friendly experience of the Porto Metro, we arrived at our little B&B in the middle of Porto....a traditional terrace house ...and our little room is right under the roof with a window overlooking the square below. It is just the way I imagined it ...quaint, small, authentic and with the added benefit of a small garden up a few flights of steps. Great ! Got a ...

The royal palace Nowhere is it more obvious than at the Palace, that Spain had its Golden Age during the years of colonisation, when wealth and riches streamed into the country. The royal palace although officially the residence of the present monarch, is only used by him and his family for official functions. It takes opulence, craftmanship, ornateness and decor to a whole new level. The chandeliers, tapestries, time pieces, tiles and marble flooring are incred...

Toledo.... The medieval city of Toledo, once the capital of Spain and 65kms from Madrid, is like an open-air museum. The city is a living dedication to Cervantes, who wrote Don Quijote - which in 2002 was names the best fictional novel ever written. Don Quijote and Pedro Sanchez the main protagonists of the novel are to be found around every corner - in all different guises. The labyrinth of small alleys and narrow streets lined with original small dwellings and...

Hola ! Madrilenos we are ... And off we are on the next leg of our Gap Year. The flight on Emirates to Madrid was great. Even the food was really good. Movied out we arrived in Madrid. Seemed so much shorter - well, after our epic journey to Melbourne every other journey seems "short" ! Metro in Madrid is super clean and works really well from the airport. Settled into our little loft apartment on Gran Via near Plaza de Espana, we feel like real Madrilenos alrea...