The abolition of tolls on the old Scut (roads free of charge for motorists), such as the A23 and A25, are a “fait accompli”, said the Minister of Infrastructure.

TAP has announced two new direct routes to the USA, between Lisbon and Los Angeles and between Porto and Boston, starting in May next year.

Use fragrant clippings from your garden and other imaginative additions.

Public Administration workers will once again go on a general strike on Friday and health and education are expected to be the services most affected, according to the Deputy Secretary General of Fesinap.

Instead of the Treasure Hunt we met at the ‘Lost World Adventure Golf’ in Alvor on the 17 October for a fun round of crazy golf followed by lunch.

Welcome to this stunning new villa located in Lagos, boasting incredible ocean, countryside, and mountain views.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) places Portugal in fifth place among countries where inflation in housing costs remains high.

Gaming can be a powerful way to unwind and destress after a long day. When you play video games, your brain releases dopamine, which helps you feel good and reduces stress.

The recent victory of Donald Trump in the U.S. elections has intensified the interest of many Americans in relocating abroad, with Portugal rising to the top of their preferences. 

The president of the Government of the Azores has stated that the expansion of the runway at Pico Airport will depend on the study, rejecting making “hasty and stupid decisions.”

Like last year, Sporting Lisbon has officially unveiled their third kit for 2024–2025, which honours Cristiano Ronaldo. 

The mayor of Lagos has clarified today that the electric shock that stunned a five-year-old child on Saturday was due to a problem with a wire in the Christmas lighting installed in Jardim da Constitution.

Thermometers are to drop after the weekend

As plans for new hotels in the Algarve continue to move ahead, it has been suggested that Lagos will be the latest location for a new luxury hotel.

More than 80% of users of Lime company’s bicycles and electric scooters have started to park their equipment correctly in Lisbon since regulations were reinforced in March.

The Retail Mind Group is developing four new retail parks in Portugal – in Felgueiras, Ponta Delgada, Póvoa de Varzim and Cantanhede -, representing an investment of €150 million.

Sunday 8th December: MTB ride starting in Paderne.

The Quinta do Lago group has announced the purchase of the five-star hotel unit Conrad Algarve, in Almancil, in the municipality of Loulé, from the fund managed by ECS, an asset management company owned by Davidson Kempner Capital Management.

CP – Comboios de Portugal predicts “severe disruptions” in circulation following the general strike scheduled for Friday, warning of the impact on the days before and after the strike.

As Bitcoin approaches the $100,000 mark, other cryptocurrencies are also soaring. As the core mechanism for digital currency network security and transaction verification, cloud mining has attracted more and more attention from investors. 

The World’s Largest Santa Claus, measuring around 20 metres high, is illuminated with over 250,000 LEDs, and is recognised by Guinness World Records, while the smallest needs to be viewed with a microscope – and both are in Portugal.

Children work together to record a Christmas single as part of a collaborative endeavour to raise money for the Mud@ki Charity. 

Until October this year, 62,000 babies were born in Portugal. 

The Florida city offers an impressive range of modern art museums as well as ballet, opera and concert halls, says Ben Mitchell.

Prices of houses for rent in Portugal increased by 4.9% in November compared to the same month of the previous year.

The Algarveans broke barriers with their latest musical extravaganza.

The tax agenda for the month of December has already been released by the Tax and Customs Authority (AT). This way, taxpayers can plan the month ahead, without forgetting the deadlines.

The amount of water stored in river basins was higher than average at the end of November, except in the Lima, Ave, Mira, Ribeiras do Algarve and Arade basins, according to the National Resource Information System Water (SNIRH).

The six municipalities on the island of São Miguel, in the Azores, will start charging, from January 1, 2025, a municipal tourist tax of two euros per day, according to the president of the Association of Municipalities of the Azores (AMRAA).

The PS party has presented a bill to amend the Traffic Code with a view to greater safety for motorcyclists and proposed a change in the Single Circulation Tax (IUC) for motorcycles to create “proportional taxation”.

The Vilamoura Christmas Market in partnership with Artists & Fleas will take place on the 7 December.

The Metro do Porto has invested more than 1.6 million euros in promoting local commerce around the Rosa Line construction sites, of which around €840,000 relates to compensation for traders.

Due to the online work environment and freelance work development, coworking spaces are rapidly growing in Portugal. With meetings and office rooms, these spaces are relevant for freelancers or small groups looking for options other than home or corporate offices.

Electricity consumption decreased by 1.8% in November, compared to the same month in 2023, and renewable production fell by 24.7%, due to the 53.9% drop in hydro, according to the Adene Energy Agency.

The Blue Week

One week in, the cease-fire in Lebanon seems to be holding, but everything is connected: only three days later, the civil war in Syria started up again after a de facto four-year truce.

The movement of trains on the Lisbon Metro resumed to normality at around 10:30, after a partial strike by workers, which began at 05:00, a company source told Lusa.

The National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), the PSP and the GNR have begun the “Travel Without Hurry” road campaign, in a bid to alert drivers to the dangers of excesses on the roads, especially of speed.

Kings of Leon takes the NOS stage on the last day of the festival, on July 12.

by Roberto Cavaleiro                             

Vila do Bispo City Council has acquired, through the exercise of the right of preference, the Boca do Rio estate, for 990 thousand euros.

Lagoa is preparing to welcome Christmas from December 6th, with a program that includes several shows, an ice rink, a train, a mini wheel, a magic carousel and, of course, Santa Claus’s House.

With everyone gearing up for the holiday season and festive window displays being unveiled, ’tis the time when style choices are in the balance.

The Food Bank’s campaign against Hunger this weekend collected more than 2,213 tons of food in more than two thousand commercial areas across the country.

The Rotary Club of Estoi Palace International (RCEPI) organised its 11th fundraising bike ride with Activity Algarve Bike Rides on Sunday 17th November.  

Property prices in Portugal have increased by 10% in November compared to the same month of the previous year and 2.3% in terms of quarterly variation. 

The candidacy of Portugal, Spain and Morocco for the 2030 football World Cup has “clearly demonstrated the ability to successfully host” the tournament, according to the evaluation report released by FIFA.

The license for Pinker, a new TVDE platform exclusively for women, has been suspended by the Mobility and Transport Institute (IMT) until the clarifications requested by the entity have been provided, the founder told Lusa.

The Food and Economic Security Authority (ASAE) have brought down a fraudulent scheme involving cooking oil in the districts of Aveiro and Bragança, seizing material worth 82,500 euros.

More than three tons of salt and around 700 figures, with dozens of religious scenes and traditional crafts, make up the Castro Marim Salt Nativity Scene.

Portugal, with one of the largest exclusive economic zones in the world and an extensive coastline, is reinforcing its strategic position in the development of the Blue Economy through the creation of INESCTEC.OCEAN, a Center of Excellence dedicated to the sea. 

On 3 and 5 December, 2024, Amigos de Música invite the Ukrainian pianist Artem Yasynskyy, who was sent to us by well-known pianist and Amigo Piers Lane as one of the winners in his Australian Piano Competition, Sidney.  

A Portuguese man and a girl, who live in Boston in the USA, have been taken to the hospital with burns, after trying to roast a chouriço.

For this Monday, meteorologists predict rain showers for Braga, Bragança and Porto, as well as Évora, Sines and Beja. In the rest of the country, the sky will be partly cloudy.

Lisbon Metro will start operating at 10:30 on 3 and 10 December, days on which a workers’ strike is scheduled between 05:00 and 10:00.

Four in five (79%) people aged 85 or over have already been vaccinated against the flu this year, according to estimates from monitoring the vaccination campaign.

The ability which has been given to municipalities to allocate more rustic land for construction, aims to increase the number of homes “at prices which are compatible with the income of the middle class”, according to the government.

Wine Castle Distribution will be hosting their annual Xmas Wine Fair 2024 on 7 December, and are inviting friends and customers to join them in this fantastic festive fair.

By 2026, three Portuguese satellites will be assembled at a new factory in Coimbra.

400 farms will benefit from a dam construction in Valpaços.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Get ready to experience the magic of Christmas in the capital with a packed schedule of events for every member of the family. 

Houseplants, flowers and foliage can all be used to dress the tree. 

Fancy a trip to Japan without the jetlag? Look no further than central Lisbon, where you can explore a culinary visit to an authentic Japanese bar and restaurant without even packing your suitcase.

Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel.

Voters in Iceland joined a global trend of punishing incumbents in a parliamentary election, with a centre-left party winning the largest share of votes.

Syria’s military rushed in reinforcements on Sunday to push back insurgents from advancing farther into the northern Hama countryside after they seized Aleppo.

Next year, Moscow’s spending on the military and security forces will exceed spending on health care, education and social policy combined

Kaja Kallas and two other senior EU officials made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Sunday for talks with President Zelenskyy on how to scale up the bloc’s support.

Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel.

Historians estimate hundreds of West African soldiers who fought for France were killed in 1944 by the French army after they demanded unpaid wages.

Countries with stronger democracies and lower levels of corruption tend to have a stronger physician workforce, the study found.

Step away from the crowds into a mélange of Mediterranean coastal walks, perfect for autumn, winter and spring.

The United Nations’ top court will open hearings on Monday into what countries worldwide are legally required to do to combat climate change.

The airstrike killed five people in Khan Younis, including at least two WCK workers. In April, a strike on a WCK aid convoy in Deir-al-Balah killed seven of its workers.

The jury said that Guimarães demonstrated a vision that brings together citizens, academia and the private sector.

EU house prices increased by 48% between 2010 and 2023, while housing costs, including paying for utilities skyrocketed in some member states, according to the latest report about housing in Europe by Eurostat.

Vienna’s iconic Würstelstand, a humble sausage stand that brings together people from all walks of life, has been officially recognised as part of Austria’s cultural heritage.

Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel.

The vote comes just one week after a highly controversial first round of the presidential race, which saw relatively unknown populist candidate Călin Georgescu win 23% of the vote.

Ballot boxes were opened at 10:00CET on Saturday at centres across the country, kicking off a marathon vote-counting exercise to tally the results.

Tens of thousands of Spaniards have taken to the streets of Valencia a month after floods devastated the city. They’re demanding regional officials step down after fumbling the emergency response that led to the deaths of more than 230 people.

A third night of protests in against the government’s decision to suspend negotiations to join the EU left 44 people in hospital, officials said Sunday.

In an interview with Euronews, Salome Zourabichvili talks about the current wave of unrest happening across Georgia and what could happen next.

Where does Lisbon rank in regards to the best Metro systems in Europe?

Get in the festive spirit of the holiday season approaching and visit the traditional Quinta Shopping Christmas fair, in Quinta do Lago, on Saturday 7 December, 2024, between 10am and 5pm.  

Whenever I’m in Sagres, I tend to feel a bit sorry for all those poor vegans living in vans.

To keep historic buildings and the activity that they are holding from closing down, Lisbon City Council plans to change the “Lojas com História” programme’s rules, the councillor in charge of the Economy and Innovation portfolios promised. 

A group of 26 organisations from nine different nations intends to create a sustainable resource management project in the Algarve by utilising the circular economy’s principles to address the region’s water scarcity. 

As it is already the case on the island of São Miguel, the regional secretary for Tourism, Mobility, and Infrastructure of the Azores, Berta Cabral, defended the need for “specialised transport initiatives adapted to the needs of tourist visits” throughout the archipelago. 

The author, Dr. Robert Perryment (ex-special forces- Parachute Regiment) is giving a talk on his last book ‘It Could Just Happen’ at São Bras Museum at 5pm Wednesday 4th December.

Portugal is at a critical juncture in addressing its housing crisis. With only 20,000 housing units being produced annually, the current pace falls drastically short of the 70,000 units needed each year to meet national demand. 

Launched earlier this year, the Cante Digital Archive seeks to preserve the memories of those associated with the “Cante Alentejano”, a patrimony of UNESCO.  

November 2024 goes down in the history of Volvo in Portugal, as the Swedish brand surpassed the barrier of 6,000 cars sold, something that had never happened before in Portugal.

British Airways has unveiled its next-generation First-class seat, setting a new benchmark for luxury air travel. 

Saint Narcissus became the bishop of Jerusalem when he was already advanced in years. 

Awareness signs in the three areas on the islands of Culatra and Deserta are being used to highlight the vital importance of the dunes, one of the most fragile and essential ecosystems on the coast.

A new hangar, for aircraft maintenance and dismantling, will be built, by May 2025, at the Castelo Branco Municipal Aerodrome, according to the company that owns it, TRMK Aeronautics.

Hotels in Porto and the North are at around 70% occupancy rate for Christmas and New Year’s Eve and reservations are expected to increase during the festive season.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced new measures to reduce affordability pressures, with a two-month GST holiday on selected goods and a $250 rebate for 18.7 million working Canadians. 

The Portuguese market appears to be resilient, but the residential segment continues to need “close monitoring”.

Every winter, GP surgeries and hospitals see an increase in visits from people with respiratory conditions.

The cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner has dropped for the second year in a row, due to a 6 percent decrease in turkey prices amid reduced demand. 

The Annual Christmas Craft Fair will take place on the 7th of December from 11am until 4pm at Restaurant Fortaleza da Luz, opposite Luz Church. 

João Kopke is a modern Renaissance man: a former junior champion surfer, a musician with a degree in political science who has become a presenter, a producer and a nature explorer – a sort of Portuguese David Attenborough for our time