Our weather  on the mainland was chilly and, in Lisbon and Porto, raining some of the time.  Nonetheless, our program included indoor as well as outdoor activities and we never needed more than a coat and umbrella to participate in everything!

As our guests marvelled at the baroque palaces, medieval castles and monasteries on the mainland, so they gained a new appreciation of the history of Portugal, thanks in good part to our wonderful private Guide, Valter Portugal and excellent planning input from our amazing Virtuoso on-site partner in Portugal, Tours for You.   Furthermore, our visit to a private wine estate,  in The Douro and our delicious local-cuisine meal in  Evora, also known as the Gastronomy capital of Portugal, were magnificent.

Our time in Madeira was more relaxed, still somewhat scheduled but not heavily.  In addition to staying at two very different hotels (The Vine – an award-winning Design Hotel and Quinta da Bela Vista, a Virtuoso, country manor house property owned and managed by a well-respected Madeiran family) our group sat in comfortable seats for two hours to watch the perfectly choreographed Flower Festival Parade – the final event of the world-famous Madeira Flower Festival.  It was a truly beautiful time in Madeira, with fresh flower carpets, flower shows, flower and anything else floral that the mind could imagine.  This week, the town of Funchal is quieter, although the cruise ships continue to stop for a day allowing their travellers to explore the narrow streets with their boutiques and kerbside cafes.  We also took a guided day trip to the North of the island where the grapes for the well known Madeira wines are grown and where the terrain is more rugged and the air somewhat cooler.  We had lunch in a small fishing village known for its excellent seafood and took photographs galore.  We took the cable-car to Monte, peering down at the houses below, some seemingly perched on the edge of the cliffs, and visited the Tropical Gardens at the top.  I would like to thank Cristina Gouveia at Travel My Way for her help with some of the Madeira details.

It takes a lot of time and attention from many people to make a tour like this successful, so I would like to pass along to all who participated in planning and running our tour, the words of one of the guests, echoed by others:  This trip truly exceeded my expectations.

I am happy.

Lisbon's trams - traditional city transportation

In just one week, I will fly from Madeira to Lisbon to meet our small group of Americans and Canadians for our two week private guided tour of Portugal.

In case you missed it, here is a whistle-stop outline of our trip.  First, we will spend time in and around Lisbon, taking in the baroque Palaces of Sintra and the Estoril Coastal town of Cascais.  We will visit a Fado Dinner Club and will take a full day to visit Evora and a private Wine Estate in the famous Alentejo region.  We will then make our way to Fatima, visiting the magnificent medieval town of Obidos and the incredible Monastery of Batalha, built between the 14th and 16th.

The Douro Valley is famous for its wine production

We will continue North to Porto, the second most important city of Portugal, where we will  take a full day to visit the wine-producing Douro Valley, stopping at a famous Wine Estate for education, tasting,  and lunch.

Bird of Paradise

Our second week will take us to Madeira Island, Portugal’s “pearl in the Atlantic” where we will take front row seats at the world-famous Flower Festival Parade, visit the ruggedly beautiful former-whaling town of Porto Moniz in the northern part of the island, visit farmers’ markets, enjoy foods grown locally, take an Art Walk, enjoy the traditional Afternoon Tea at Reid’s Palace Hotel, where Sir Winston Churchill used to spend his winter months, take the cable-car to the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens, and for those wanting to explore the wonderful outdoor hiking opportunities of Madeira, an optional morning levada walk.

I’m looking forward to introducing my clients to Portugal – from the inside.

I am very honored to accompany you on this journey to Paris, which remains for me one of the cities I love most in the world for its culture, beauty and above all its food culture.

I love living in Vancouver, my home for the past twelve years, and if there is one thing I miss about my home country it is the pace of life with its focus on food.

My idea for this tour is to share with you that experience as we take in the special atmosphere of Parisian bistros.  Through plentiful wine and delicious food, you will experience five very intense days focused on life in Paris.

I look forward to seeing you in Paris and hope that you return home with special memories of a very unique experience.

Warm wishes,

Alain Raye, Chef and Co-owner

Download the program flyer : Bistronomy Tour de Paris_flyer_Final (3)

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

• A VALID Canadian passport is required.   Passports (and  if required most Visas) should be valid for at least six months beyond date of scheduled return.
• Ensure that there are two blank pages in your passport so that any required visas or permits can be attached.
• Travel outside of Canada requires infants and children to have their own passport (and if required, Visas)
• A VALID Canadian passport OR Canadian Resident Card will be required for re-entry into Canada.

VISAS

• Travelers are responsible for securing and fulfilling visa and passport requirements to enter/exit a country. For details on each countries specific requirements please visit CIBT’s web site at www.ca.cibt.com
• IF YOU ARE TRAVELLING UNDER A NON-CANADIAN PASSPORT PLEASE ADVISE YOUR TRAVEL ADVISOR AS YOU MAY HAVE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS. For  Non-Canadian passports, please visit CIBT’s web site at www.ca.cibt.com.

Note -  Entry to another country may be refused even if the require information and travel documents are complete.

We’re still finalizing the last few details, but if you love real French food, you won’t want to miss this very special “bistronomy” tour of Paris to be led by renowned French chef, Alain Raye of award-winning La Regalade Bistro in West Vancouver, and Cafe Regalade, in Vancouver British Columbia.

I will post more details shortly, but in the meantime, here is what we know:

• Tour begins and ends in Paris
• September 10 – 15 2012, 5 days, 6 nights
• Tour host:  Chef Alain Raye
• Accommodation and breakfast in upscale, chic boutique hotel on the Left Bank, close to upscale shopping dining, museums and sightseeing
• Lunches and leisurely dinners, with wine, per the itinerary
• Tastings galore
• Traditional and street markets
• Hands-on cooking class with a Parisian master-chef

Participation is limited to just 12 people, so don’t delay!  If you would like to be notified when arrangements are complete, please contact me so that I can ensure you are kept informed.

If you are not sure what to buy your loved one for Christmas or Valentine’s Day, isn’t this something you would like to look forward to together?