Most Inspirational Moment
Difficult to say. Every day was most enjoyable, and gorgeous vista succeeded gorgeous vista. We walked through several villages, and it was so interesting to see village life - some clearly losing population and young people, and others where there was new building going on, and we could see the village expanding. Perhaps the most inspirational was the visit to Quinta das Escomoeiras, a small new organic winery producing delicious vinho verde. According to the owner, some 15 years ago, he decided he want to build an organic winery, and so he did! The quinta is in the beautiful position amongst the hills overlooking the river valley.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader, Lina, was outstanding. Nothing was too much trouble, and she was aware of and pre-empted an special needs. I couldn't carry my suitcase, as I had broken my elbow, and Lina was most solicitous and made every effort to ensure that she was on hand to help. She was a delightful guide, knowing in depth the walks, country, flora and fauna, and taking care to explain what we were seeing or walking through. Her husband Antonio was also very helpful, and took many, often humourous, photos of our adventures. Showing the day's photos at our evening briefings was a great start to the evening.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't expect rigourous or long walks. The walks are graded 1 for a reason, and were perfect for me.