Van Aert second and Corbin Strong third in Ourém The win was Groves’ first of the season and he was full value for his triumph here after parking himself on Van Aert’s wheel in the final kilometre and then sweeping past the Belgian within sight of the line “It’s a really nice way to win start this Vuelta because it’s been a hard year for myself “I’ve come in here super motivated to change that and I’ve got to thank my team for a really strong ride today.” who is himself chasing his first win since February had the consolation of divesting Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) of the maillot rojo thanks to the time bonus he collected for second place I wanted to win the stage,” Van Aert said “My team did a really good job to make it a bunch sprint It’s unfortunate to arrive second but also today I knew arriving in the first three meant the red jersey so after all it’s a good day.” Van Aert’s teammate Edoardo Affini led out the sprint with a mammoth effort in the final kilometre before his leader hit the front inside the last 200m Groves was primed and waiting on Van Aert’s wheel and the Australian timed his effort smartly to steal past and claim the spoils Corbin Strong (Israel Premier Tech) finished rapidly to claim third place ahead of Miquel Pau (Kern Pharma) and Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Dstny) Groves lost his regular lead-out men Xandro Meurisse and Edward Planckaert in a fraught finale and he was instead forced to lean on the Van Aert-Affini tandem to claim his first victory since he won the final stage of last year’s Vuelta in Madrid “It wasn’t actually originally the plan but my Edward and Meurisse had problems with the bike I think they hit holes in the road,” Groves said “Normally I think Wout would have followed me and my lead-out but we had to do the opposite today.” The opening road stage of the Vuelta was run off considerably behind the slowest estimated schedule but the finale was nonetheless an intense one and marred by a crash with a shade under 2km to go that saw Josh Tarling Jhonatan Narvaez (Ineos) and Max Poole (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) among the fallers They all remounted and completed the stage but it was a reminder of the occupational hazards in the tense opening phase of a Grand Tour The peloton assembled in the coastal resort of Cascais for the opening road stage of the Vuelta which brought the race as far as the Atlantic coast in the opening kilometres before swinging inland by way of the haunting hilltop town of Sintra The stage also took in one of the great landmarks of Portuguese cycling Portugal’s greatest-ever cyclist twice finished on the podium of the Tour de France and he is remembered with a museum that bears his name The route also passed by the hometown of the leading light of contemporary Portuguese cycling who was cheered from the rafters as the bunch made its way through Caldas da Rainha The crowds had to wait to see their hometown hero given the low speed in the opening phase of Sunday’s stage There was precious little competition for the early break as Luis Ángel Maté (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Ibon Ruiz (Kern Pharma) slipped clear in the opening kilometres and the race was a sedate one for much of the afternoon Maté led Ruiz over the category 4 Alto do Lagoa Azul and they established a maximum lead of three minutes over a peloton that was content to allow them a few hours beneath the scalding August sun there was unwelcome drama in the peloton when Dylan van Baarle (Visma-Lease a Bike) was a faller and the Dutchman – who had already missed the Tour de France through injury – was forced to abandon and Visma-Lease a Bike soon set about the endeavour of chasing down the escapees on behalf of Van Aert They didn’t quite succeed in shutting down Maté and Ruiz ahead of the intermediate sprint in Alcobaça with 53km to go and Van Aert also suffered the frustration being beaten to the last available bonuses by Groves Maté and Ruiz’s adventure petered out with 40km to go which was perhaps a little sooner than the sprinters’ teams would have liked particularly with such undulating terrain in the finale There was a definite rise in intensity on the long shallow category 4 ascent of Alto da Batalha where Mauri Vansevenant (Soudal-QuickStep) sprang onto the attack followed by Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) They were reeled in swiftly but the pace didn’t abate with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe taking up the reins for Primož Roglič A number of fast men were beginning to struggle at the back of the bunch and the stress was heightened still further when the peloton was split after Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) was brought down in a crash Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) led the bunch over the top to claim possession of the king of the mountains jersey having worn it on Sunday by dint of his fourth-place finish in the opening time trial Red Bull and the GC teams were able to drift from the front in the final 4km as the sprinters took centre stage He leads McNulty by three seconds in the overall standings and Vacek by five though his mind was already drifting to Monday’s finale in Castelo Branco “The legs are good,” Van Aert said “We are here to try it over and over again.” Results powered by FirstCycling Australian fastest of all in uphill sprint in Ourém Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was fastest in the uphill sprint to Ourém and won stage two of the 2024 Vuelta a España Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) led out the sprint with 200 metres to go but Groves had the power and strength to come round the Belgian in the closing metres Corbin Strong (Israel-Premier Tech) finished third Brandon McNulty took the lead in the opening 12km time-trial on Saturday but Van Aert's six bonus seconds on the line were enough for him to vault over the American into the overall lead of the race Groves' last professional victory came at last year's Vuelta who also moves in to the lead of the points competition was pleased to put a difficult season so far behind him with this win I had an injury in the spring and missed a lot of racing," he said of why he had not been at his best in 2024  "I returned to a really good level for the Giro but in the end was not fast enough to beat Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) or Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Deceuninck) That kept me really motivated and working hard to come to a race like this Groves knows that opportunities for the fast men are few and far between in this year's race which has been billed as one of the toughest Grand Tours in years "This year's parcours is really quite difficult. So we really only had today and tomorrow and a few opportunities in this first week so I felt really big pressure to perform today." After being battered by the elements in the opening time-trial the riders headed inland on stage two on rolling terrain over 194 kilometres from Cascais to Ourém two Spanish riders made a move off the front to form the day's breakaway They were Ibon Ruiz (Equipo Kern Pharma) and Luis Angel Maté (Euskaltel-Euskadi) - the former on Grand Tour debut and the latter riding his 18th and final three week race as he prepares for retirement the pair took on the first categorised climb of the race the veteran Maté crossing the line first Their lead stretched out to three-and-a-half minutes as the riders made their way north Kaden Groves and Wout van Aert were the big favourites for the stage and their teams took responsibility on the front of the peloton for much of the day Most of the difficulty in the parcours was packed into the final 70 kilometres which featured several unclassified hills as well as the intermediate sprint and fourth category Alto da Batalha Maté took the intermediate sprint in Alcobaça ahead of Ruiz Groves and Van Aert popped out of the peloton behind in the pursuit of points with the Australian edging out the Belgian The gap to the leading duo was reduced to almost nothing after the sprint and the peloton quickly swept them up with 52km left of the stage The following two-dozen kilometres stayed in a holding pattern with the big teams locked on the front anticipating the Alto de Batalha which held within it some challenging sections Mauri Vansevenant (Soudal - Quick-Step) and Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) accelerated Three more riders bridged across; Kevin Geniets Stefan Küng (both Groupama-FDJ) and Kobe Goosens (Intermarché-Wanty) The peloton were too keen to keep things together at this point and that move was quickly snuffed out with hundreds of Portguese fans lining the climb and getting close tot he riders White jersey Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) crashed mid-way through He was able to make his way back to the peloton before the finale Küng sprinted to take the points at the top of the Batalha meaning he would be level with Maté in the mountain classification at the end of the day The sprinters' teams controlled things on the road into Ourém Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe were also attentive as they looked to keep Primoz Roglič safe in the finale With 1.8km to go several riders crashed hard on a fast right-hand bend Jhonatan Narvaez and Josh Tarling (both Ineos Grenadiers) were among those involved As the peloton blasted under the one kilometre to go banner Edoardo Affini (Visma-Lease a Bike) led the peloton with Van Aert on his wheel and Groves just behind but Groves overcame him with power and speed It was Van Aert's second close miss in two stages but he takes the maillot rojo of overall leader into stage three Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 As well as writing for Cycling Weekly and CyclingNews Dan also writes a weekly newsletter called Global Peloton 2025: Fulfilling the Goa State Budget assurances for 2025-26 and maintenance of a Convention Centre/Five (5) Star Hotel Facility at Rua-de-Ourem Creekside has entrusted the project to M/s Golden Peace Hotel & Resorts Pvt undertaken under the Swadesh Darshan scheme – Coastal Circuit II positioning Goa as a preferred destination for national and international conferences creating new avenues for economic activity and employment opportunities The Convention Centre will comprise an exhibition hall It will also include an entrance plaza with an open-air theatre The Convention Centre will have the capacity to accommodate 1,300 people while the Exhibition Hall will be able to host up to 1,500 people boardrooms and other modern facilities have been thoughtfully considered to drive the development of MICE (Meetings The development work is expected to be completed by December 2026 and the state-of-the-art facilities will be operational and available from January 2027 and website in this browser for the next time I comment FiiRE Business Incubation Centre Don Bosco College of Engineering 403602 Archive REMODELING-RENOVATION "We have to take actions to solve it."Additional reporting by Guillermo Martinez Emma Farge in Geneva; Additional reporting by Patricia Rua Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Catarina is a UK-based breaking news correspondent. She previously worked as a multimedia journalist in Portugal and Spain, where she covered everything from elections to natural disasters. Catarina has previous experience in TV and local journalism, co-founded a project telling the stories of Portuguese-speakers living in London, edited a youth-led news site and worked for several NGOs. She recently produced a documentary about transatlantic slavery and its legacies in today's society. , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved A spate of wildfires is scorching parts of Europe with firefighters battling blazes across different pockets of Europe on Wednesday amid an unusual heat wave that authorities are linking to climate change Civil Protection commander André Fernandes said that multiple fires have caused the evacuation of more than 600 people with two people – one civilian and one firefighter – suffering serious injuries Water-dumping planes helped 1,300 firefighters combat the worst of the blazes in the nation’s central area while another 1,000 worked to bring other fires under control The European heat wave is also sparking flames in Spain and France – and in Turkey at the other end of the Mediterranean A pharmacy thermometer shows a temperature of 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 degrees Fahrenheit) More than 800 firefighters battled two wildfires in the region outside Bordeaux in southwest France according to the regional emergency service Firefighters extinguish a house on fire during a wildfire that broke out in Arles in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region of southern France About 6,500 people have been evacuated from campgrounds and villages in the forested area The two fires have destroyed more than 1,800 hectares (4,400 acres) of terrain Images from firefighters showed flames racing through thickets of trees and grassland A worker drinks water on a road site in Aigrefeuille-sur-Maine near Nantes The regional administration banned activity in forested areas at risk Several regions in southern France are on fire alert because of hot Wildfires swept through the Gard region in southeast France last week works in his field in Remouille near Nantes Neighboring Spain hit highs of 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in several southern cities on Tuesday A tourist uses a hat to cover her head from the sun during the second heat wave of the year Over 400 people were evacuated on Tuesday because of a wildfire that has consumed 3,500 hectares (8,600 acres) in western Spain Tourists cool off inside of a historical building at Plaza de Espana (Spain Square) during the second heat wave of the year European Union officials issued a warning last week that climate change is behind the extremely dry and hot summer so far on the continent urging local authorities to brace for wildfires An Indian rhino is sprayed with water during the second heat wave of the year at the Zoo Aquarium in Madrid spokesperson for Spain’s national weather forecaster said that the “unusual” heat wave and lack of rainfall in recent months have created ideal circumstances for fires Spain’s second heat wave in less than a month and the year’s first for neighboring Portugal is expected to last at least until the weekend A gray seal eats a fish popsicle during the second heat wave of the year at the Zoo Aquarium in Madrid Meteorologists said an overheated mass of air and warm African winds are driving temperatures in the Iberian Peninsula beyond their usual highs A panda bear eats a watermelon ice cream on a bamboo stick during the second heat wave of the year at the Zoo Aquarium in Madrid headed for the beach or sipped iced drinks to tackle stifling temperatures A man holds a mobile phone which displays an overheating warning due to the high temperature during the second heat wave of the year a Syrian health executive who lives in Abu Dhabi the heat wave was an unwelcome surprise on holiday "It's not as enjoyable as we would like it to be on a holiday but it is what it is But compared to the desert it is not that bad," she told Reuters Tourists cool off in a fountain at the Plaza de Espana (Spain Square) during the second heat wave of the year stayed in the shade in Madrid's Casa de Campo Park to escape the heat "It is hot but at least with a breeze you feel better," he said Tourists use hats to cover their heads from the sun as they walk in front of the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) during the second heat wave of the year General view of cracked earth in a section of the Ver chalk stream without flowing water as the hot weather continues in Redbourn Britain’s Met Office has issued an extreme heat warning as temperatures continue to increase in much of England and Wales General view of Lindley Wood reservoir during the heat wave causing water levels to decline in Otley a World Meteorological Organisation spokesperson told a United Nations briefing on Tuesday that although the heat wave With human-caused climate change triggering droughts the number of extreme wildfires is expected to increase 30% within the next 28 years a blaze erupted in an area close to the village of Mesudiye and was moving in the direction of some homes in the area according to the provincial governor’s office It said at least nine water-dropping helicopters and five planes were deployed to battle the fire Smoke rises from a wildfire in Datça in Muğla province Where does the 79th Vuelta a España 2024 lead and how difficult are the individual stages One thing in advance: The roadbook of the 2024 Spanish tour includes two individual time trials the last Grand Tour of the year covers 3,301.4 kilometers from Lisbon to Madrid The 2024 Vuelta a España kicks off with an individual time trial in Portugal The riders will tackle a flat 12-kilometre route from the capital The second longest stage of the Vuelta spans 194 kilometres and might favour the sprinters at the finish in Ourém The main challenge for the fast riders and their teams is a fourth-category climb about 20 kilometres from the finish This could provide an opportunity for the puncheurs to launch an attack The final of the three stages in Portugal spans 191 kilometres from Lousã to Castello Branco The first three-quarters of the route are hilly and mountainous including a second-category and a fourth-category climb with the last 40 kilometres being mostly flat The first mountain stage of the Vuelta a España concludes at an altitude of 1,549 metres in the Extremadura mountains The finish line is at Pico de Villuercas (category one) the peloton will tackle the Puerto del Cabezabellosa (category two) and the Alto de Piornal (category one) offer a prime opportunity for strong climbers to break away and create tactical options for the GC contenders in the finale The final three kilometres of the ascent to Pico de Villuercas feature concrete ramps with gradients between 15 and 16 percent there are no climbs listed on the fifth stage but over two-thirds of the route is undulating This offers a good chance for a breakaway group to go “full gas” from the start and distance themselves from the peloton the general classification should be clearer so the breakaway riders will mainly need to watch out for the sprinter teams This brings up questions about team strategies and true interests In the second mountain stage of this edition the riders in Andalusia will face the main challenge after just 70 kilometres the riders will need to conquer four category three climbs before the finish The stage concludes at the summit of the Alto de las Abejas in Yunquera The 185.5-kilometre journey through southern Spain could also favour breakaway riders The seventh stage takes the riders through the province of Córdoba on a rather unconventional route The finish town of Córdoba is reached after 139 kilometres of undulating The route includes a loop around the provincial capital with a category two climb known as the “Alto del 14%” in the roadbook This climb is designed to thin out the main field before the finish at 179 kilometres The mountain ranges of Jaén province will define this stage which is expected to end in a mountain sprint in Cazorla will be the day’s toughest challenge The climb to the third of the nine mountain finishes in this Vuelta is five kilometres long with moderate gradients and is unlikely to significantly affect the overall standings The first “week” of the Vuelta a España concludes with a challenging mountain stage through the Sierra Nevada the riders will first tackle the 1,498-metre-high El Purche This is followed by the double ascent of Alto de Hazallanas (also a first-category climb) before a descent of approximately 50 kilometres from 1,675 metres down to Granada the 10th stage takes the riders through the mountains of Galicia These mountains are not particularly high – well below 1,000 metres but the climbs almost always start at sea level the riders will test themselves on the Alto de Fonfria (category one) to see who has recovered well or poorly from the rest day The route then flattens out before a trio of climbs towards the end likely initiates an elimination race a significantly reduced peloton is expected to contest the victory takes place around the Galician town of Padrón and spans 166.4 kilometres The terrain is perfect for breakaways or a tactical masterclass by a team with a GC leader similar to the 2022 Giro stage around Turin Three second-category climbs make it hard to control the race in the first two-thirds before the route tackles the Puerto Cruxeiras (category three) just eight kilometres from the finish The shortest road stage of this Vuelta a España spans just 137.4 kilometres and concludes with a challenging mountain finish at the Estación de Montaña de Manzaneda generally climbing until reaching 740 metres at kilometre 117 where the 16-kilometre ascent to the finish at Montana de Manzaneda begins This stage in the second week of racing is expected to be crucial for the overall standings In the second week of the 2024 Vuelta a España mountain finishes seem to come one after another Before the riders tackle the steep slopes of the Ancares mountain pass in the finale they must first climb the Alto Campo de Arbre (category three) and Puerto de Lumeras (both category two climbs) The final climb is 7.7 kilometres long with an average gradient of 9 percent and ramps of 15 percent The ascent becomes particularly brutal in the last five kilometres won the 20th stage of the 2014 Vuelta ahead of Chris Froome The longest stage of the 2024 Vuelta spans 200.4 kilometres from Villafranca del Bierzo to Villablino The main challenge in the finale will be the 23-kilometre climb to Puerto de Leitariegos there will still be 16 kilometres left to make up any lost ground before the finish It’s likely that the GC leaders and their teams will allow the breakaway riders to go free today to conserve energy only controlling the field on the final climb of the day the peloton will face another high-altitude challenge in Asturias The stage concludes with a mountain finish at Cuitu Negru in the Pajares ski resort the riders must tackle the Colladiella (category one) twice and Santo Emiliano (category three) once the ascent to the “Asturian Colossus” begins The road winds upwards for 19 kilometres in an irregular rhythm with ramps of up to 23 percent gradient to overcome this is only the second time the Vuelta has visited this formidable climb a stage of the Vuelta a España will finish at Lagos de Covadonga This is one of the race’s most iconic and famous finales the riders must climb two first-category ascents It’s quite possible that a strong group of GC contenders will break away on the Llomena and battle for the stage win on the final climb the mountain finish at Lagos de Covadonga is the only Especiale climb of this Vuelta – equivalent to the Hors Categorie at the Tour de France If they can manage the two second-category climbs in the middle of the stage and their teams can catch the breakaway on the remaining flat sections we could see a royal sprint finish in Santander after 141.5 kilometres This hilly mid-mountain stage takes the riders from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Maeztu through the Basque Country It’s perfect for an early breakaway group A second-category climb and the Puerto Herrera will make it tough for the sprinters and their teams to keep the peloton together and to control and catch the breakaway The penultimate mountain finish of this Vuelta a España will conclude after 173.2 kilometres at Alto de Moncalvillo The Puerto de Pradilla at kilometre 89.2 serves as a warm-up for the mountain finale which begins about eight kilometres from the summit The climb to Alto de Moncalvillo starts gently but becomes much more demanding in the final kilometres Will the Vuelta a España 2024 be decided on the penultimate day as this 172-kilometre mountain stage includes seven passes and is almost never flat the riders will enter Cantabrian territory and tackle several climbs before returning to the province of Burgos via the Portillo de Lunada (category one) The Portillo de la Sia (category two) could set the stage for the finale and the riders will reach the final climb via the Puerto de Los Tornos (category one) The final ascent to Picón Blanco is a 7.5-kilometre climb to the finish at 1,518 metres The 79th edition of the Vuelta a España concludes as it began: with an individual time trial The final battle against the clock takes place in Madrid over 24.6 kilometres With no significant technical or topographical challenges this stage is likely to favour the time trial specialists The outcome of this stage is unlikely to significantly affect the top positions in the overall standings Mathieu van der Poel’s Canyon Aeroad CFR: The Bike Behind His Spring Classic Wins Mathieu van der Poels Cyclocross Calendar 2024/2025 Season Review 2024: Great Success of Team Alpecin-Deceuninck Groves, of the ­Alpecin-Deceuninck team, held off Van Aert (Visma‑Lease a Bike) in a hectic finish to what had been a relatively sedate 194km ride inland to the north from the ­Portuguese coastal town of Cascais to Ourém. The New Zealander ­Corbin Strong (Israel Premier Tech) came home third. Read moreVan Aert was left frustrated at not winning a stage for the second successive day after coming third in the opening time trial on Saturday but the Belgian took the red jersey by virtue of six bonus seconds my team did a really good job to make it a bunch sprint so it’s ­unfortunate to arrive second but today I knew that finishing in the first three meant the red jersey so after all it’s a good day,” Van Aert said Wout van Aert is in the red jersey despite narrowly missing out of victory in the first two stages Photograph: Miguel Riopa/AFP/Getty ImagesSeveral riders were involved in a crash inside the last 4km with the British rider Josh Tarling of Ineos Grenadiers lucky to avoid serious injury as he crashed into a wall All of them managed to reach the finish line and did not lose time The race became animated on the descent of a late climb with ­riders topping 80km/h on the speed gun as they hurtled towards the finish Van Aert made the first move but Groves timed his effort superbly to take the win It was the Australian’s fifth career stage win at the Vuelta “It’s a really nice way to start this Vuelta,” Groves said but I came here super-motivated to change that and I’ve got to thank my team for a really strong ride today.” Stage three on Monday is the last to take place in Portugal with the course ­taking the riders from Lousã to Castelo Branco won the Tour of Poland in a triumphant return to the race where it all started for the two-time Tour de France champion The Danish rider decided against racing in the Vuelta a España after an ­exhausting Tour de France where he finished second ­having spent three months out of action following a crash at the Tour of the Basque Country in April the scene of his first UCI World Tour win in 2019 he went one better with the overall race win “Everything went according to plan,” Vingegaard said I felt that I had 100% recovered from the injury This season I have learned to enjoy the moments and not to make long-term plans Now I need a rest and then I will think about the future.” You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Three new Enduro Champions were crowned on the second day of the Enduro European Championship finals in Ourem / Portugal The track was made even more difficult by the nightly rains so same passages has to been bypassed again that the distance of four had been shortened to the laps at least In the Juniors-E2/E3-class the local hero Diego Ventura won the championship title with a second place behind the Swedish rider Tommy Sjoström After Ventura already destroyed a radiator on the stage his team slowed him down and let him drive safely Not so safely continued the Italian Gianluca Martini: nevertheles the Beta-Pilot finished the day in second place behind his countryman Mirko Gritti This was not only the result in the E3-class Both riders had led the field through the day The third title went to veteran Werner Müller from Austria: with a victory in his class he saved his seventh (!) European title because in the stones he received a crack in the clutch-cover and he lost oil At the service he was able to fix it with glue even in the “Overall”: leading Maurizio Micheluz from Italy won his E1-class where Tom Sagar took third place behind the Frenchman Romain Dumontier and Sagas English compatriot Jamie Lewis But still he was ahed of his rival Andrea Beconi and still on the way to the title: “I was not fast enough in the motocross-test today – my own fault.” All results, standings and photos also on the Championship website: http://www.european-enduro-championship.com/ (FIM Europe Press Release 157/2013) | Copyright 2025 FIM Europe | Terms of use - Privacy statement | 20221:09 PM UTCScorching heatwave sparks wildfires in EuropeOver 20 wildfires raged across Portugal and several burned in western Spain menacing villages and disrupting tourists' holidays amid a heatwave that meteorologists expect to push temperatures into the high 40s Celsius [1/34]Sheep graze as a wildfire rages on during the second heatwave of the year in the vicinity of Guadapero [2/34]A helicopter works on containing a wildfire during the second heatwave of the year in the vicinity of Guadapero [3/34]Smoke from a wildfire billows during the second heatwave of the year behind Ciudad Rodrigo [5/34]A helicopter works on containing a wildfire during the second heatwave of the year in the vicinity of Guadapero [6/34]Sheep graze as a wildfire rages on during the second heatwave of the year in the vicinity of Guadapero [8/34]Firefighters watch a wildfire in Ourem [9/34]A fire fighting aircraft works to contain a forest fire in Leiria [10/34]Local women help firefighters after they controlled the fire near their homes [11/34]A fire fighting helicopter works to contain a wildfire during the second heatwave of the year in the vicinity of Riomalo de Arriba [12/34]Firefighters from Extremadura work to contain a wildfire in the second heatwave of the year in the vicinity of Riomalo de Arriba [13/34]A plane flies over a wildfire in Ourem [14/34]People carry their dogs while they evacuate after a wildfire [15/34]A view shows smoke rising from the Gironde forest fires as seen from Landiras [16/34]A person stands as a wildfire continues [18/34]A firefighter walks on burned ground after a wildfire in Ourem [19/34]A fire fighting helicopter works to contain a wildfire in Leiria [20/34]A helicopter works on containing a wildfire during the second heatwave of the year in the vicinity of Guadapero More in this CollectionSee all picturesItem 21 of 34 A general view shows smoke rising from the Gironde forest fires as seen from Dune de Pilat Quentin/via REUTERS[21/34]A general view shows smoke rising from the Gironde forest fires as seen from Dune de Pilat © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. The family home looking over the Castle of Ourem in central Portugal is inspired by the simplistic nature of children's drawings I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Portuguese architect has designed a family home inspired by children’s drawings of houses, on a piece of land overlooking the Castle of Ourem. Filipe Saraiva, of Filipe Saraiva Arquitectos, built his home on a southwards-stretching slope next to a public road, using wood and black concrete to fit in with the surrounding natural landscape. The odd shape is inspired by children’s drawings, with the standard five lines for walls and the roof and squares for windows and a rectangle for the door. Saraiva wanted to emulate the sheltered feeling of this familiar shape and create a home that would be “a safe haven and our own world”. The house features three bedrooms, an enormous garage and a number of large open-plan living spaces. We spoke to Saraiva about designing a home that is both artistic and functional. We are a young and dynamic team with professional experience, resulting from our attentive and critical daily experience that allows us to face the most diverse challenges with a sense of responsibility, rigour and determination; but always keeping in mind our main goal: Quality. The architectural design is based on the synergies of multiple specialties and their coordination, keeping attention on small details in terms of both legal and technical requirements and the level of the claims of the developer. Therefore, it is extremely important that the team shows a multidisciplinary and very open and permanent relationship with the client. How would you sum up the project in five words? Simplicity, functionality, light, view, monolithic. This project consists of a rectangular and uniform shape, with a monolithic volume that contains in its interior all the functional needs of the house distributed between two floors. On the south side we have the social area of the house, and on the north side the technical and service areas. The social area was designed as an open space in order to improve the relation between different parts of the house. What did you hope to solve as you designed this home? To create a house that meets my needs and is adapted to the daily life of my family. The extension of the living room to the outside. This connection and the flow between different spaces, in this case interior and exterior spaces, allows us to experience different sensations, even if we are only in one space, since there is a clear communication between them. What was your inspiration for this project? The design of the house. The architect started to inspire himself to the simplicity of a child’s view, without artifices. In other words, when we ask a child to draw a house, invariably they present us with a simplistic representation of five lines, a rectangle and two squares. So, the design of the house is similar to a pentagon, which is composed by five lines, representing the door and the roof. What was the toughest issue you encountered when this building was being designed and built? For sure, the conception of the constructive system. This system consists of prefabricated pigmented concrete elements with built-in insulation, supported on a metal structure. The difficulty was the idealisation of the system and the connection between the various materials: Iron, concrete and wood. Otherwise, combining the dimensions of the house with the 3m module that is at the base of the whole project. If you could, what would you like to change? At the moment, either for the family or for the site, we would do the same project. What sort of experience do you hope people using this space have? A constant relation with the outside and the landscape and enjoy the space in a fluid and uncompromised way. Please add anything else you feel is important It is an eco-friendly house with low energy costs. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies  My NewsSign Out Sign InCreate your free profileSections news Alerts This has been one of the worst summers in many years for forest fires in Portugal and the nation's civil defense says they have deployed more than 1,700 firefighters to combat fires in the center and north of the country Firefighters combat a forest fire in Quinta da Sobreira Smoke from a forest fire fills the air in Alvaiazere Firefighters combat a forest fire in Alvaiazere Related content: Fire crews battle Angeles National Forest blaze Follow @NBCNewsPictures •Sign up for the NBCNews.com Photos Newsletter Several wildfires swept across Portugal's central region on Tuesday forcing the evacuation of hundreds of locals as firefighters struggled to put out flames at a time the country is battling a sweltering heatwave With temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in many parts a major wildfire that started last week in the Ourém municipality was reignited on Tuesday due to strong winds The Civil Protection authority said 300 people were evacuated from several villages with the blazes causing the closure of three main highways a 75-year-old retiree who has lived in a tiny village in Ourém for five decades said he was afraid the wildfire could reach his home but was willing to do everything in his power to help fight it "I don't remember anything like what is happening today," he said near the village's bar where locals were gathered Many locals have complained there were not enough firefighters and resources to combat the fires "We are talking about complex situations a lot of resources to manage and a very large affected area," said Civil Protection commander Andre Fernandes warning the situation would only get worse over the next few days Around 1,700 firefighters backed by 501 vehicles were tackling 14 active blazes across the country More than half of the country is on "red alert" at least 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) have been destroyed by a fire in Las Hurdes in Extremadura forcing the evacuation of about 400 residents There was a high risk of wildfires in the central region of Castille and Leon The northwestern province of Ourense was on red alert as temperatures were expected to reach 42 C "It is indeed a season with more heat than other years .. people were trying to keep cool by drinking water eating ice cream or heading to the riverside or nearby beaches a British couple and their toddler enjoyed the morning sunshine before it got too hot to be out "We kept an eye on the weather before we came it's quite similar back in the UK but we don't have air con there," 28-year-old Megan Slancey said Britain's Met Office has issued an extreme heat warning as temperatures continue to increase this week and early next week in much of England and Wales briefing on Tuesday that although the heatwave "It is affecting large parts of Europe and it will intensify," Nullis said "You definitely see that the weather has changed over the last few years," said 51-year-old Paul de Almeida "We have to take actions to solve it." Your comment will be reviewed before being posted Firefighters in Portugal on Monday contained two forest fires that ravaged the center of the country which is under a state of emergency due to an ongoing heatwave The blazes left 27 people with minor injuries while seven houses and two agricultural structures were damaged in recent days "There is no significant fire active at this moment (but) the situation is serious," he added at a media briefing The most serious fire started on Thursday in the town of Ourem It tore through around 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) of vegetation and some 600 firefighters remained in the area after it was contained to prevent it restarting A fire that started Friday in the neighboring commune of Pombal and destroyed 560 hectares was also contained Monday morning with 300 firefighters remaining on standby Another blaze devastated a swathe of forest near Carrazeda de Ansiaes in an isolated region of the northeastern district of Braganza Since Thursday Portugal has been hit by high temperatures that are forecast to exceed 45 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some regions this week "In the coming days we will experience conditions of maximum risk," Prime Minister Antonio Costa said "The slightest lapse in vigilance could result in a fire of significant proportions." The Portuguese government issued a national "state of contingency" to reinforce the emergency services and beef up emergency powers Lisbon has also asked the European Union to activate its civil protection mechanism and two fire-fighting planes have already been sent to Portugal from Spain "Today the country is better prepared" than in 2017 when forest fires left over 100 people dead who cancelled a visit to Mozambique in response to the crisis PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and some items may be gifted to us. Additionally, PureWow may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here Sitting pretty on the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula is Portugal—a European vacation destination that draws throngs of tourists every year, thanks to its Mediterranean climate, warm beaches and vibrant capital city (among other things) So does a trip to Portugal really belong on your bucket list Check out our roundup of the best Airbnbs in Portugal and we’re pretty sure you’ll be tempted to book a ticket to Iberian paradise imediatamente (that’s immediately in Portuguese Douro Valley: 10 Reasons This Is the Magical Portugal Trip You Need to Take, Stat 1. Beach House in Braga, Portugal This stunning beach house on the Apulia dunes has humble roots as an old fishermen's shelter but has since been transformed into a truly breathtaking abode—featuring wood-paneled ceilings and sun-drenched rooms as well as a balcony and a generously-sized terrace from which guests can enjoy panoramic ocean views 2. Casa Chão de Ourém in Montargil, Portalegre, Portugal Located just outside the rural village of Montargil and a stone’s throw from the namesake lake this gorgeous property boasts a modern aesthetic and whole host of amenities there are floor to ceiling windows that provide views of both the lake and the surrounding countryside; there’s also a pool well-appointed kitchen and a TV in every room this is a pretty comfortable place to return after a day of water activities on Lake Montargil 3. Milfontes Patio Houses in Vila Nova de Milfontes, Beja, Portugal The Milfontes patio houses are located in close proximity (i.e. walking distance) to a number of pristine beaches as well as Milfontes’s bustling downtown area The apartments themselves are on the smaller side clean and charmingly decorated with a generously-sized shared patio and barbeque area for guests to enjoy Bottom line: If you’re looking for a quaint and cozy village stay that doesn’t break the bank 4. Delightful Forest Windmill in Nazaré, Portugal this whimsical and enchanting windmill home is like something out of a fairytale The interior boasts organic design elements including a stone-flanked fireplace in the small and a floating wooden spiral staircase that leads to a cozy second floor bedroom and a truly awesome third floor bedroom with a seriously cool As for the surroundings—it’s a nature lover’s paradise featuring winding forest trails to explore and a location that’s just minutes away from some of the most beautiful beaches on the Silver Coast 5. Penthouse Atlantico in Carvoeiro, Faro, Portugal This sleek and modern one-bedroom penthouse condo is a swoon-worthy couples retreat featuring a fully-equipped kitchen and a private balcony terrace with unmatched ocean views the views are truly remarkable—but the location just 50 steps away from a beautiful beach and just as close to the bars shops and restaurants of Carvoeiro is pretty hard to beat 6. Quinta Milhão in Abação (São Tomé), Braga, Portugal modern home sits on a sprawling family farm in the historic and oh-so scenic city of Guimarães Guests have views of and access to the entire property a gorgeous sprawling garden and a swimming pool tastefully-decorated and surrounded by nature—this is definitely one to write home about 7. Meu Pé de Cacau in Paúl do Mar, Madeira, Portugal consisting of four sleek and sustainably-built condos on an island that’s prized for its pristine beaches and stunning natural landscape there are enough water activities and hiking trails to keep you busy—but that’s only if you can tear yourself away from the property itself numerous social areas and lush tropical gardens with herbs 8. The Mill in Marinhas, Braga, Portugal another hilltop windmill with gorgeous natural surroundings and numerous accommodations A municipal heritage building built in 1798 the Marinhas windmill’s elevated position provides incredible views of both the ocean and the rolling hills surrounding it this rental provides easy access to several of the region’s prehistoric monuments and is within walking distance to numerous hiking trails and the beach it’s worth noting that the unique location of this rental makes it better suited to more of the rugged 9. Papaia Tipi in Ponta do Sol, Madeira, Portugal Hidden in a banana forest on the cliffs of Madeira you’ll find this luxury tipi—an “ecoglamping” site in a truly magical setting with a waterfall in the backyard the sound of waves crashing 100 meters below and hammocks hung in lush gardens this tropical paradise has all the amenities you could possibly need—including WiFi swimming pool and easy access to the beach 10. Apartment Algarve in Quarteira, Faro, Portugal This bright and sunny apartment in Algarve is a fully-renovated and well-appointed space featuring a balcony with ocean views and a convenient location just steps away from the popular Quarteira beach sun-drenched interior is nicely decorated and just downright cheerful 11. Casa “Vida Mar” in Lagoa, Portugal Another rental in the fishing village of Algarve this seaside stunner is located near the famous Benagil Caves and within close proximity to the beach and the bars restaurants and shops of the vibrant town center The location is quiet—perfect for relaxation—and the ocean views are stellar there’s a pool and a mile-long amenity list that includes every kitchen item under the sun and all the supplies you could possibly need to babyproof the place 12. Luxury Villa with Heated Rooftop Pool in Albufeira, Faro, Portugal This luxury three-bedroom villa—part of a small condominium in Albufeira—boasts a private heated rooftop pool and a classic modern aesthetic that deserves a spread in an interior design magazine the quiet property is conveniently located just 10 minutes away (by foot) from the beach and Albufeira’s charming Old Town strip this place has all the features necessary to woo a small crowd or medium-sized family (Hint: “Babysitter recommendations” caught our attention.) 13. Casa do Caesar in Albufeira, Faro, Portugal This classic Albufeira fishing house has a cheerful a seriously snazzy (and oversized) jacuzzi and multiple well-appointed terraces with stunning ocean views including one that’s big enough for outdoor entertaining the property’s most appealing feature is perhaps its location which is a mere minute’s walk from both the beach and the town’s historic center (Casa do Caesar has also earned an impeccable five-star rating 14. Casa Verde in Lagoa, Faro, Portugal located a stone’s throw away from the namesake caves and a one minute walk from the beach Water activities abound in this sunny coastal spot and the town is quite lively plus a terrace with (you guessed it) breathtaking ocean views and a pool the hosts are extremely friendly and helpful 15. Dazzling Lisbon Loft in Lisboa, Portugal sun-soaked loft in the heart of Lisbon boasts a sparkling white and oh-so airy interior with an impressive amount of floor space and a modern feel There’s also a charming patio overlooking the cobbled streets and historic buildings of the neighborhood which happens to be one of the trendiest and culturally-vibrant areas in Portugal’s capital city File this one under ‘urban couples retreat.’ 20 Truly Exceptional Airbnbs to Book in Upstate New York Powered by ATC Online LLP Goemkarponn desk\nCANACONA: The day was supposed to be Love-in-the-Air with many couples out in the open for Valentine's Day at the world-acclaimed Palolem beach visited for its scenic and romance was to a rude shock and disbelief two dead bodies of two youngsters were found on the beach since early Tuesday morning.\nSupriya Dubey Supriya\u2019s body was found lying on the Ourem side of Palolem beach at about 7 am on Tuesday the body of Vibhu was found floating in Seawater also at the Ourem side of Palolem beach at approximately 13.45 hrs.\nAccording to Canacona Police Supriya Dubey and her friend Vibhu Dubey had come to Canacona on Sunday Morning and boarding in a Hotel Room on the Ourem side of Palolem beach.\nAccording to sources the couple was reportedly last seen together late Monday evening strolling and enjoying the beach at Palolem.\nWhen asked all will be clear after the PM examination\u2019.\nCanaocna PI Chandrakant Gawas informed both the dead bodies were shifted to District Hospital Margao for preservation and post-mortem examination The deceased's families have been notified and they (families) are reaching Goa on Wednesday Further stating preliminary investigation has revealed that both came to Canaocna on Sunday and were staying together in a room at a hotel in Ourem The post-mortem will throw more light on the cause of unnatural death.\nIt is learnt through police sources that Supriya Dubey working in an IT company in Bangluru and Vibhu Sharma reportedly working in the film industry respectively have arrived at Palolem on Sunday and both check-in at a beach hotel the couple checked out from their hotel at 11 am on Monday and were staying-put /check-in into another hotel on the same day Sources also revealed that both were far related and the families of both were reportedly unaware of the couple's Goa trip People reportedly suspect the girl descended into the seawater in the late evening (when night had already dawned) her friend Vibhu Sharma who was also on the shore ventured into the sea and got soaked.\nWhen the body of Supriya was found it was a blind case for police until a mobile was located very close to her body and it (lock) was opened after using her fingerprints on her mobile....based on the calling pattern; police reportedly tried to call her friend\u2019s (Vibhu) mobile When police were still trying to locate her friend as per her calls a foreign national swimming in the sea noticed the body of Vibhu Sharma floating in the ocean.\nThe information was immediately passed on to the police after which the lifeguards retrieved the body from the shore.\nBased on the pictures on the girl's mobile Vibhu was identified as her accompanying person and the families were contacted.\nPolice dispatched both bodies to District Hospital Margao for preservation and contacted the families of both the deceased\u2019s The family was reportedly arriving today morning (Wednesday) in Goa.\nPolice sources further informed that Police are taking the investigation seriously Canacona PI Chandrakant Gawas handles the case conducting a further enquiry under the guidance of Dy Support Goemkarponn’s mission for fearless journalism