Mystic Paths

Hosted by Berry Brothers & Rudd at their historic St. James’s Street offices in London, on Wednesday March 30th four members of the Symington family, together with their friends at Berrys, launched Graham’s 90 Very Old Tawny Port, a limited edition of 500 bottles to mark Her Majesty the Queen’s forthcoming 90 th  birthday. Paul, Johnny, Rupert and Charlotte Symington presented the special commemorative Port to a group of UK wine writers and journalists, as well as two of Portugal’s leading wine writers. The Portuguese Ambassador to the United Kingdom, João de Vallera, was also present. Paul introduced the three venerable cask-matured wines of which the Graham’s 90 is composed. He took with him from Portugal the original vintage records for those years, one of which written by his great grandfather Andrew James Symington. He read the entry dated 14th October 1935, the year in which one of the component wines for the Graham’s 90 was made. Andrew James Symington describes th

The Fairy-Tale like Pena Palace I came to the furthest most Western region of Europe to be dazzled by Moorish castles, 17th-century mansions, vast open spaces for hiking and exploration, dreamy gardens, and to see why so many of my writing traveler colleagues were sold on Sintra, each giving it a thumbs up, and a must visit while in Portugal’s capital of Lisbon. Even my native Portuguese friends suggested that no trip to Portugal would be complete without a visit to stunning Sintra. Who among us has not dreamed of exploring historical sites from a bygone world in a fairy tale setting? Who wants to experience where heroic exploits transpired? How many times has fantasy led us to imagine that life has us fated for epic destinies? When do legends awaken our senses, and our imaginations? The Spellbinding and Wicked – Quinta da Regaleira I came to see the magic land for myself. Impressive palaces, majestic castles, iconic churches, medieval fortresses, renaissance art,

Everyone seems to be going to Portugal right now. Indeed, this week the country reported gleefully on another record year for overseas arrivals. Just over 12.7 million foreigners visited the country in 2017 – up 12 per cent year-on-year. Here’s why it is proving so popular. 1. Lisbon’s timeworn charm “Set against the ever-present backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean, this dainty sun-kissed city lives in a Latin fairytale of timeworn manners and traditions,” says Telegraph Travel’s Lisbon expert, Guyan Mitra. “Check out the century-old wooden trams and iron funiculars that still lurch and rumble their way through the city. Or witness the best of this bygone heritage by wandering through the Baixa district, where age-old herbalists, haberdashers and tailors rub shoulders in the baroque streets of the ornate city centre.” 2. Pretty Porto “With its medieval heart, contemporary buzz, magnificent gold-leaf-laced churches – oh, and a rather nice signature tipple – Portugal’s second ci