Portugal’s Islands in Search of the Meteor Shower - L2424 Balmoral departing 7 Aug 2024

Rosyth is a town on the Firth of Forth, three miles south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to the census of 2011, the town has a population of 13,440. The town was founded as a garden city in 1909, and was built to form the coastal port of Dunfermline.

Pretty Praia da Vitoria, the former capital of the Azores, is a town steeped in history. Originally heavily fortified, Praia has a fascinating historic quarter, and a stunning natural harbour that’s overlooked by the impressive 16th century Fort of Santa Catarina.

Translated as the Beach of the Victory, Praia da Vitoria is a popular destination thanks to a bustling, modern harbour, vibrant town centre and gorgeous sandy beaches.The pick of which is the uncrowded Praia Grande, which is a safe, dark sand beach with barely any waves.[ReadMoreMob]

Praia’s centre has a pleasant pedestrian zone with many attractive shops and some notable historic buildings that deserve a glance. The most notable monuments include the imposing bell towers of 15th century Igreja Matriz de Santa Cruz and the stunning Town Hall in the main square.

The little port of Horta has long played host to transatlantic yachtsmen. It stands on pretty Faial Island, one of the nine emerald-green Azores – discovered by the Portuguese in the 15th century, and whose volcanic origins have created a beautiful and unspoilt environment of craters, lakes, sheer cliffs and lush valleys, to which man has seemingly added only picturesque whitewashed houses and stately little Baroque churches!

Since their discovery in the early 15th century, the Portuguese Azores have played an important part in oceanic navigation. They were a logistical point for the discovery of new worlds; a port of call for ships engaged in trade between Europe, America and India; and a place to lay anchor for the galleons bringing the wealth of the Americas back to the old world.

It was from historic Lisbon, built on seven low hills beside the wide Tagus estuary, that some of Europe’s greatest explorers set sail in pursuit of the riches that built Portugal’s former global empire in the New World, Africa and the Indies. Memories of that glorious past linger amid the grand avenues and elegant squares of the attractive capital’s 18th century lower town – a vivid contrast with the colourful honeycomb of cobbled streets in the old Moorish Alfama quarter and the bohemian mood of the hilly Bairro Alto.

The Port of Leixões (Portuguese: Porto de Leixões, pronounced ) is one of Portugal’s major seaports, located 4 km north of the mouth of the Douro River, in Matosinhos municipality, near the city of Porto.

Rosyth is in good proximity to the heartlands of Scotland, and many historic attractions are within an hours drive of Rosyth. Also within easy reach of Rosyth is the city of Edinburgh. You can explore this historic city, experiencing the famous Military tattoo, the museum of Scotland, as well as Edinburgh castle itself.