For most travelers to Portugal’s UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto, the region means port, the eponymous fortified wine for which the town is famed.
For Jim Kane, whose life work is fostering connections between travelers and local communities in other cultures, urban adventure means seeking out hidden gems that reveal a destination in fresh and unexpected ways.
"You don't have to travel to the ends of the earth to have an incredible adventure" says Kane, founder of Culture Xplorers (http://www.culturexplorers.com/). “You just have to explore with new eyes.”“Porto,” says Kane, “is a story of vibrant urban renewal. That’s why we take our guests far beyond port, into re-imagined townhouses, cafés and galleries to meet and interact with the change-makers breathing new life and energy into this millennial seaport town.”
Three eight-day departures of an adventure called “Active, Uncorked & Around the Table” are planned in 2014 to northern Portugal: May 17, June 14 and Aug. 30.The per person, double, rate is $2,995 inclusive of accommodations selected to represent regional culture, meals, ground transfers and more. See:http://www.culturexplorers.com/destinations/northern-portugal
Kane and his team provide guests with insider’s knowledge from local experts and hosts. Here are a few secrets from Kane's black book when traveling to Porto.
Porto behind the Tiles: Many of Porto's historic and formerly forlorn 19th century townhouses have been completely restored and re-imagined as boutique B&B's, small art galleries, hip cafés and eclectic retail shops specializing in local artisan goods. An insider’s walking tour introduces guests to some of the entrepreneurs and innovators fueling the city's newfound energy.Hosted Dinner with Local Flavor:Miss'OPO is a wonderful example of the fresh energy being injected into Porto's urban core. A 19th century townhouse tucked away on a quiet side street in the heart of the city became Miss'OPO after being completely gutted and re-invented as a tapas bar, café, newsstand, art gallery and small guesthouse. Now it acts as a magnet for community gatherings, including weekend family-style dinners where the owners emerge from the kitchen with endless platters of tasty home-cooked fare. Regional wines and energetic chatter of Porteños re-connecting at their favorite gathering spot flow in equal measure.
Kayak the Douro: Only 90 minutes away in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Upper Douro Valley, plentiful outdoor adventures await, including the option of a half day of kayaking along the Douro River with breathtaking views of ancient terraced vineyards.
Heavenly Hike: The Douro's vineyards should also be discovered walking along some of the ancient stone pathways that wend amongst them."One of my top recommendations for an invigorating 90-minute adventure is a five-kilometer trek (3.1 miles) starting and ending at a gloriously restored manor house B&B, Casa do Visconde de Chanceleiros,” says Kane who recommends booking a night or two here as an extension to any Porto adventure.
Legacy Lunch: Imagine a home that has been in the same family for 32 generations, whose history dates to the founding of Portugal and whose estate vines produce some of the region's finest white wines. Now imagine yourself as the guests of a multi-lingual family descendant who now manages the property. This is the adventure that beckons at Casa Sezim, barely an hour from Porto by private vehicle.
About Culture XplorersCulture Xplorers (http://www.culturexplorers.com/), a leader in sustainable travel, offers handcrafted journeys that deepen understanding and foster connection between travelers and local communities around the world.
Culture Xplorers trips are created from the ground up, built on three founding pillars: people, traditions and impact. Their travelers meet the people of the places they visit, engaging in the living traditions that make each destination unique, and in doing so, create a lasting, positive impact through tourism. Genuine connections with people and place are formed farm-to-fork and around the table, via participation in local celebrations and through authentic exchange with community leaders and members.
Countries where cultural exchanges are fostered are Peru, Guatemala, Argentina, Mexico, Spain, Portugal and Cuba (in 2014). The Culture Xplorers Foundation was founded in 2007 to help foster the sustainability of local culture in at risk communities worldwide. Its positive impact partnerships focus on sustaining endangered traditions, strengthening education, fostering community-based travel and breaking the cycle of poverty through the support of comprehensive micro-loan and education programs. See: http://www.cxfoundation.org/
For 2014 season information, tours, availability and reservations contact Culture Xplorers at (215) 870-3585 or email: info@culturexplorers.com.
# # #
Follow Culture Xplorers:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/culturexplorers
Vimeo: www.vimeo.com/culturexplorers
Blog: www.culturexplorers.com/cx-stories/blog
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cxjim
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/culturexplorers/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/culturexplorers
Vimeo: www.vimeo.com/culturexplorers
Blog: www.culturexplorers.com/cx-stories/blog
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cxjim
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/culturexplorers/
January Festival (Fiestas de Enero), Chiapa de Corzo, Mexico. From 
Easter Pilgrimage, Tilcara, Argentina.Wednesday of Easter Week. Tilcara, tucked into Argentina's northwestern-most province close to the border with Bolivia, is known as an artists’ enclave. But on this day it turns into the site of one of South America's great pilgrimages. Thousands ofsikuris (pan flute wielding devotees of the Virgen of Copacabana) return from the Virgen's mountain sanctuary, carrying banners and playing their pan flutes.
Virgen del Carmen Celebration, Paucartambo, Peru. This Andean hamlet (population 5,000) July 15-17 becomes the staging ground for an atmospheric, energetic and heart-felt homage to the town's beloved Mamacha Carmen (the Virgen of Carmen). More than 15comparsas (dance troupes) decked out in fantastical masks and elaborate costumes portray the region's ethnic groups, professions and history, in turns majestic and humorous. Dazzling fireworks and daredevil dancers ignite the town's square on the festival's opening night, while the story of the Mamacha Carmen's victory over the demons and other forces of evil is re-enacted on the 16th. On the final day, a moving procession to visit dearly departed members of the various comparsas concludes the breathtaking annual event.
Day of the Dead Kite Festival, Sumpango, Guatemala. Annually on Nov. 1 residents here fly colorful kites inscribed with messages to their dearly departed. The focal point of the festivities is the town's cemetery where families gather to commune and celebrate with relatives past and present a giant kite competition adds an exclamation point to the annual fest, with dozens of super-sized, technicolor entrants -- some measuring more than 30 feet across -- competing for prizes and the cameras' eye.
Visconde de Chanceleiros (Douro Valley, Portugal): Ursula and Kurt Bocking fell in love with the Douro Valley in the 1980s where they bought a manor house sorely in need of repairs but with great bones. Casa do Visconde de Chanceleiros looks over terraced vineyards down to the Douro River. Twenty-five years of love and labor later, Chanceleiros is what Kane calls “a dream B&B for the handful of travelers fortunate enough to stay in one of its 10 rooms.” Gardens, a pool and miles of walking trails leading through vineyards add to the allure, as do home-cooked dinners paired with Douro wines. Experienced on Northern Portugal trips:
Iriarte Jauregia (Bidania, N. Spain): This is a 17th century country palace in the heart of Basque Country completely restored in 2009 to 19 elegant rooms with antique furniture, art and such dramatic elements as original wooden beams, stone, glass and iron. Experienced on Culture Xplorers' Basque Country Bonds and Family Basque Adventures -
Hacienda Molinos (Salta, Argentina): Set in the quaint Andean town of Molinos in the magical Valles Calchaquíes in NW Argentina, Nicolas Cossio runs this storied 18-room hacienda dating to the 18th century when it was home to the last Spanish appointed Governor of Salta. Nicholas often accompanies riders out on horseback into the countryside and upon request his wife prepares simple, delicious home-style dinners accompanied by regional wines. This lodging can be experienced on Argentina True North trips -
Hotel B (Lima, Peru): Lima’s Barranco district is a bohemian neighborhood with galleries, cafés and eclectic restaurants spilling onto tree-lined streets. In the early 1900's it was a favorite summer residence for Lima's wealthy elite, many of whom built summer homes here to be close to the beach. Formerly a private mansion that had fallen into a shocking state of disrepair, the Arts Boutique Hotel B was rescued by its current owners and re-imagined as Lima's first true boutique residence. Guests of this 17-suite registered historic landmark feel they have landed an invitation to the home of a wealthy art collector and socialite. Enjoy the history and amenities on Peru Up-Close trips -