The Point
students in Point Loma Nazarene University’s Fermanian School of Business embarked on a trip to Portugal to learn about international and small business practices within the country
he and Hess got in contact with a California-based non-profit organization called “Friends of Portugal” to host and plan their trip
Marshall said that there were multiple goals they hoped to accomplish for the trip
including understanding Portugal’s culture
completing a service project and learning more about business entrepreneurship within the country
five of them being global concentration graduate students and the rest undergraduate business majors.
One conflict that they faced early on was weather issues at the San Diego International Airport
The flights were split into two groups: the first one with Hess and the graduate students
and the second with Marshall and the undergraduate students
While Hess’ group was able to fly straight from San Diego to the Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon
Marshall’s group had to wait out a four-hour delay for their flight to London
This led to them missing their connecting flight to Lisbon
resulting in an impromptu night in London.
This inconvenience turned into a fun memory for a group of girls who decided to make the most of the moment and Uber to different landmarks in London
a second-year business marketing major.
“We needed to go out after that 10-hour flight plus four-hour delay,” Liao said
We only slept like two hours that night because the next morning
The intense weather followed the group on their arrival to Portugal
that had been the most rain that Portugal had experienced in almost 20 years
“Friends of Portugal” adjusted the itinerary
but the group was still able to visit places like Tomar
ruins and the castle that was the headquarters for the Knights Templar during the time of the crusades.
“We [ate] at mostly family-owned restaurants,” Marshall said
“Giving back to the local communities [was important]
getting a feel for what people in Tomar – or all the places we went to – what is it like to live
to experience their food and their restaurants and different things.”
Some of the students in the group are in BUS 4080: International Business together
they had to research what the economy is like in Portugal and what the top industries are
The students talked to the owners of different businesses to complete this project and understand more about entrepreneurship in another country.
students needed to apply through the study abroad office
During the fall semester study abroad fair
Marshall and Liao talked to people on Caf Lane about going on the trip in the spring
One person they talked to was Angelina Gomes
a first-year business management and entrepreneurship major
said she was able to get in touch with students at a high school they visited on the trip.
“I talked about the importance of being grateful for where you are
and how it’s easy to compare,” Gomes said
“But that they’re from a really beautiful town in Portugal … but it’s easy to think that other people have it a lot better than you
the trip’s planned and unplanned moments allowed the students to get to know each other better
This has prompted different get-togethers and hangouts on campus to continue the memories they made on their trip to Portugal.
“We definitely knew each other before because it’s a small school,” Liao said
we had time to just connect with each other deeply
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Cascais
International Bat Night has been celebrated since the 1990s from 24th to 25th of August
Parques de Sintra will mark the occasion a day early
with a special event at 19.30 in the gardens of National Palace of Queluz
The aim is to debunk myths and raise awareness about the importance of preserving the species
participants will be challenged to search for the bats flying over the royal gardens from sunset onwards"
which will be guided by biologist Mário Carmo
Attendees will learn about how bats live and hunt
and why they are crucial for ecosystem balance
"It will also be an opportunity to hear the sounds that bats emit using ultrasound technology and to learn about echolocation"
Tickets for this approximately two-hour activity are available on the Parques de Sintra website
ranging from 10€ for youth (ages 6 to 17) to 12€ for adults
the Municipality of Cascais is also organising a bat night
from 20.30 to 22.30 at Quinta do Pisão
and registration must be made in advance via email (atividadesnatureza@cascaisambiente.pt)
10€-12€ | Quinta do Pisão (Cascais)
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Tim Richardson takes a look at a slice of Portugal place famed for its English lead sculptures
was established as a seat for the younger sons of the kings of Portugal in 1654
the Infante Pedro—who became Pedro III 30 years later—began work on a new summer palace here
it was conceived as a personal expression of contemporary taste
was called back to Lisbon to work on the city’s reconstruction after the great earthquake of 1755
so his erstwhile assistant Jean-Baptiste Robillion took on more responsibility for both palace and garden
a great external staircase and many garden features between 1760 and 1787
notable as the repository of the best surviving collection of English 18th century lead garden statuary
Most of it was imported from the workshop or ‘statuary’ of John Cheere of Hyde Park Corner in the years 1756 and 1757
Twenty Cheere statues and groups can still be enjoyed in the gardens of Queluz today
a number of them restored (2003–08) by Rupert Harris in London thanks to a grant from the World Monuments Fund
Lead statuary was historically regarded as a low-status artform (in contrast to stone or marble sculpture) and is notoriously vulnerable to theft
Relatively few pieces survive in British gardens
but that is not the only reason that this collection is remarkable
Cheere’s accounts show that most British clients bought lead pieces in ones and twos; the biggest single commission for a British garden
was 19 lead statues (including a ‘Highland Lassie’) for Blair Castle
This makes Queluz—with nine statue groups
57 figures and 72 urns— seem prodigious indeed
Conveyed from London to Lisbon in two consignments
the order was authorised by the Portuguese ambassador in London
who had earlier sent Cheere’s catalogue back to Portugal
A detailed inventory made at Queluz in 1763 reveals that many of the lead statues were painted in different colours for a lifelike appearance—for example
a shepherdess is recorded as having a white hat and dress
with a redand- green bodice—but it appears they were last repainted in the 1830s
The sheer range of themes—from the Seasons to animals to goddesses to Commedia dell’Arte figures—would seem to preclude any notion of a symbolic rationale
The generally accepted view of the sculpture at Queluz is that it was always intended to be used en masse as an integral element of an overall formal design
drama and a sense of human scale to the garden as it unfolded episodically to the enrapt visitor
Such usage would have seemed old-fashioned to British observers
redolent as it was of the way sculpture was used in earlier Baroque gardens such as Versailles
This reading of the sculpture as almost randomly arranged is reinforced by the fact that the sculptures were quite often moved around the garden
But perhaps an iconographical reading ought not to be discounted altogether
Many of the surviving lead statues at Queluz are congregated on the parterres south of the palace
tended these formal gardens and there is a record of 1,450 cherry laurel bushes being imported from Amsterdam in 1758
as well as hundreds of box and yew topiaries in the years before
As box blight has been a particular problem recently
a decision has been made gradually to replace all the box with myrtle
overlooks a parterre known as the Neptune Garden or as the Hanging Garden
as it forms the roof of a great hidden cistern created by Robillion
is surrounded by Cheere statues of the seasons and two groups: Vertumnus with Pomona and Meleager with Atalanta
A pair of small fountains centred on monkey statues flanks the parterre and the Fountain of the Nereid (probably installed after Robillion’s period of influence) contains one of Cheere’s most ambitious ensembles
Beside this is a smaller parterre based on a cruciform pattern
It is laid out in proportion with the east wing of the palace (which incorporates the Throne Room) and is enclosed by an elegantly formed platform of five steps
Among its sculptural ornaments are six delightful putti ensembles of stone acquired in Genoa between 1757 and 1765 and a central fountain with an exquisite scallop-shell base
This detail may be drawn from contemporary silverware design; there is evidence that Robillion
The fountain is adorned by a pair of putti ensembles and surrounded by statues representing the Arts
The central axis of the Neptune Garden leads out into the lower park through the Gate of Fame
an open gateway with twin statues on pedestals of a trumpet-blowing Fame mounted on Pegasus
made in 1771 by Manuel Alves and Filipe da Costa
Beyond is a typical Baroque arrangement of carriage rides and intersections
with the remains of woodland bosquets (mainly limes and elms originally) set within palisades in the areas between
These features are among the current restoration priorities at Queluz: the palisades are being replanted to a consistent 5m (about 16ft) height
the new gravel is grey-yellow granite sand and the gutters are of basalt
The main axis terminates at a great free-standing cascade of 1770
which was restored to working order in 2007
although an unfortunate side effect was that the water turned the stonework black
The cascade is today a difficult feature to read
lacking its balustrade with statuary and also its intended grove-like setting
which incorporated 18 busts on plinths forming an exedra to complete the circle
The discovery of flanking foundations suggests the original intention may have been for a more substantial feature
which would have been more in the spirit of Italian originals
Tucked away in the north-west corner of the estate is the Botanic Garden
which was created between 1769 and 1776 and has recently been the subject of a restoration project
Four rectangular hothouses for pineapples (Ananas comosus Cayenne) bookend a geometric arrangement of botanical ‘order beds’ and a central pool with dog statues at the corners
Each hothouse contains fruits at a different stage of maturation
A ‘Chinese house’ is mentioned in several accounts
but no archaeological evidence has been forthcoming
so a decision has been taken not to rebuild it according to a conjectural design
The area to the north-west of the palace was a festive zone that was used chiefly for fêtes champêtres
Dom Pedro had a passion for fireworks while lantern shows were another amusement
sometimes designed in conjunction with fountains and cascades
There were many diversions in this part of the garden
including a menagerie— its lions and tigers caged beside the (newly restored) Shell Cascade are recorded as late as 1833—a miniature wooden palace known as the Barraca Rica
Robillion also built an expansive external stair here that offered an appropriately regal descent from the palace to a grand canal
a spur of the River Jamor— is confined to a small rill
this spectacular tiled trench was filled on special occasions to form a ‘lake’ for pleasure boats
Musicians were placed in a ‘Chinese building’
with operas and concerts performed in the palace’s own opera house (later replaced by the Doña Maria Pavilion (1789) at the southern end of the palace complex)
an avenue of sycamore trees directly north of the palace shades the most dramatic and dynamic of the surviving Cheere statue groups
including Cain and Abel and The Rape of Proserpine
scallop-edged pool that is perhaps the most attractive of all Robillion’s pools at Queluz
A pair of Cheere statues—Diana and Apollo—lends the scene even more elegance
Further along this axis is another fountain dedicated to Neptune (1677)
the stables of the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art
It is possible to tease out underlying symbolic themes in the garden
The emphasis in the Malta Garden on the Arts and on innocent children safely playing among wild animals could be understood as a kind of paradise around the motif of the cross
The Neptune Garden might symbolise the harnessing of Earth and the Elements for the benefit of humankind—the maritime theme being the most apposite for Portugal in this regard—as well as fallen humanity
represented by the mischievous monkeys dressed in human clothes
Certain figures on the balustrade dividing this enclosed garden from the park dramatically presage the ‘chaos’ of the wilderness beyond
Another layer of symbolism might be expressed in the park and farther reaches of the estate
whose glades and allées are replete with animal statuary as well as—historically— many real animals in aviaries and menageries; dark or violent figures such as satyrs; capricious and cruel pagan deities or those associated with woodland
such as Pan and Diana; and physical intimations of wilderness including the cascade and the canal
This realm can be understood as a celebration of the raw power of God’s creation and its incipient danger
but also the unlimited potential of its bounty
there was formerly a large working estate that extended many miles in each direction
The garden might be seen to move from the chaos of untamed nature
through its divinely sanctioned exploitation by humans
which might be equated with Paradise or Heaven
Such a cosmic hierarchy would have been familiar from the Italian Renaissance garden tradition— a very similar narrative can be discerned at Villa Lante
the modern visitor can once more begin to imagine
Country LifeCountry Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by HRH The King not once
It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year
Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens
written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online
Francine Frazier
Erik Avanier
JACKSONVILLE
– A jury found Johnathan Quiles guilty Thursday of first-degree murder in the death of his pregnant 16-year-old niece
Quiles was also found guilty of sexual battery and the first-degree murder of her unborn child
The verdict came on the sixth day of the trial that included emotional testimony and an avalanche of evidence against Quiles
who was accused of murdering his niece by marriage who was five months pregnant when she disappeared in December 2018
The prosecution alleged the child Sawyer was carrying was Quiles’
and he was also charged with having sex with a minor because Sawyer was only a teenager at the time
The state is seeking the death penalty and the jury will reconvene on Monday to begin the penalty phase
who is representing the Sawyer family in the wrongful death lawsuit against Quiles
a nearly 5-year nightmare ends with another measure of justice
as well as all of our friends and family who reached out when we needed it most
Johnathan Quiles has now been found guilty of murder and will go back before a jury to determine his fate on earth
He was a predator and the jury saw that with ease
Thank you from the family of Iyana Sawyer,” Phillips said
Closing arguments in the trial started Thursday with the state attorney using the defendant’s own words: “She just went into a bag
I’m hoping the holiday and the rain will help at the landfill.”
The defense attorney told the jury to question everything
saying there were conflicts and things didn’t make sense
The defense attorney also questioned Snapchat messages the prosecution presented between Quiles and Sawyer and whether Quiles actually wrote them
the defense called three witnesses Thursday
Quiles’ defense asked twice for an acquittal
saying prosecutors didn’t have enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Quiles murdered his niece
or that she is dead at all -- because her body has never been found and there is no blood or crime scene
The judge denied the motions for acquittal
The defense said that DNA evidence presented by prosecutors did not prove Quiles was the killer and that the state couldn’t prove that Quiles was the father of Sawyer’s unborn child
Quiles’ attorneys tried to establish three things through their witnesses:
saying the witness who said she saw Sawyer got the dates wrong
the man who ran the Bible study couldn’t remember his own felony charges and that travel records show Humphrey was not in Jacksonville when Sawyer disappeared
prosecutors called two of their star witnesses to the stand: a jail informant and Quiles’ brother
On the stand, Joseph Quiles detailed conversations he had with his brother in which he said Johnathan described how he murdered his niece and disposed of her body
RELATED: Johnathan Quiles’ brother testifies he told him he shot Iyana Sawyer, put her body in dumpster, ditched her car
and Joseph Quiles said that his brother contacted him four times the next day
because he’d told her they were going to run away together
Joseph said he was told Sawyer was sitting in a car in the back of Ace Pick-A-Part
and that’s where Johnathan said he killed her because he would lose his entire family if Sawyer had the baby
“He said he took the young lady and had her sitting in a vehicle
So he shot her in the chest and he put the body..
in a dumpster (and then destroyed) the vehicle,” Joseph testified
Joseph said Johnathan told him he used a carpet to wrap the body and put it in a dumpster
knowing the dumpster would be emptied that day because it was full
Joseph said Johnathan had planned Sawyer’s murder for months
who was previously at the Duval County Jail with Quiles
saying that Quiles told him he’d gotten his niece pregnant and met her at his work because he wanted to get rid of the baby
The inmate said Quiles told him that he started choking Sawyer and then pulled out his gun and shot her
Quiles told him he called his brother right after he did it
Joseph said when Johnathan first told him what happened
he wasn’t sure if Johnathan was telling the truth
but he called the police in January when he learned Sawyer was missing
A message from Joseph to Johnathan read in court on Tuesday said: “I can’t talk to you right now
What you told me isn’t a joke or something
So yeah I told the police because they need to know
I’m sorry I have to do the right thing for that girl and her family
Not the right thing for you and your selfishness
but I’d rather that girl’s family have some peace
then you don’t have anything to worry about
another witness took the stand Wednesday afternoon and testified about a conversation he and his cousin had with Johnathan Quiles in jail
Prosecutors played a nearly two-hour recording of their conversation in court and provided the jury with transcripts
the three can be heard talking about the landfill where trucks from Quiles’ work would dump their containers
about Quiles’ brother calling the police and about the sexual relationship Quiles had with Sawyer
one he said he shot at a gun range the same day Sawyer disappeared
When they asked about the timeline from when Sawyer was dumped until her family and police started to look for her
Quiles indicated there would be a lot of garbage to go through in the landfill and they probably wouldn’t find her
Quiles also indicated he dumped Sawyer and her backpack separately and then described knowing about human decomposition because his mom used to work in a morgue
the defense questioned one of the informants
indicating that Quiles might have been threatened before the recording started
The defense attorney also questioned him about whether the informant started and stopped the recording at any time
The informant said he wouldn’t know how to do that
the state called Johnathan Quiles’ ex-wife
she asked her nieces if anything inappropriate happened between them and Quiles and they told her no
She said she never suspected anything was going on
She also testified she found out she was pregnant in June 2018
and then found out about her niece’s pregnancy on Dec
Mobley said her sister alleged that Quiles was the father of Sawyer’s baby
She said she didn’t believe it until Quiles was arrested and said to her
but the people listening will take it the wrong way.” Mobley said after that point
During his testimony this week, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detective Billy Abbott read disturbing text messages and Snapchat messages between Quiles and Sawyer
Abbott said it was the info in their text messages that led him to believe Sawyer and Quiles were in a relationship
RELATED: Detective in Johnathan Quiles case reads defendant’s texts from brother, Snapchat messages with victim
Abbott said that on Snapchat Quiles wrote about how they were to be together when she turned 18
but also how he was heartbroken and angry with her
Abbott also read text messages between Quiles and his brother, Joe.
I never did anything to that girl and now you put me through this and you call me your brother
After this is over I’m all the way done with you
You’re a real piece of (expletive) for what you’ve done,’” Abbott read
who said the missing persons unit exhausted all leads and thought Sawyer might be dead or “fell off the face of the earth,” testified that he went to Quiles’ house the day he was assigned the case and talked with Quiles and his then-wife
Abbott said Quiles told him the 16-year-old missing girl only packed Victoria’s Secret underwear and bras
Abbott said that was a red flag and he asked for Quiles’ DNA
Abbott also testified that Quiles told him he was at work all day on Dec
Abbott said the case turned from a missing persons case to a homicide case after JSO got the call from Joseph Quiles
took the stand this week and quietly recounted inappropriate contact and sexual abuse by Quiles when she was 13 years old
testified she didn’t tell anyone because she was embarrassed and didn’t want to upset her sister or make Quiles mad
The defense questioned the timing of the allegations and reminded S.S
that she told police and her family that Quiles never did anything to her
admitted not telling anyone and said it was something she didn’t want to keep thinking about
She said her mother found out about the sexual abuse while her sister was missing
Earlier, Sawyer’s sister testified that Sawyer was in love with Quiles and that he was the father of Sawyer’s baby
RELATED: Sister of Iyana Sawyer says she knew about relationship between sister, accused killer but kept it a secret
kissing and sexual encounters she said she witnessed between Quiles and Sawyer and said she kept the secret about her sister and Quiles for at least two years to keep a good relationship with her sister
She said she wanted to protect her and got emotional talking about her last interactions with her sister
Sawyer’s sister also testified about Sawyer and her aunt both being pregnant by Quiles at the same time and said that Quiles wanted Sawyer to get an abortion
Ace Pick-A-Part General Manager Gary Lindros
His time card shows he did not leave the premises on those days
But the jury was shown surveillance video from the business and Lindros confirmed a red minivan left the lot around 11:17 a.m
Lindros said he did not give Quiles permission to leave
Sawyer was last seen leaving Terry Parker High School on Dec
Lindros also testified that Quiles had access to unrestricted areas of the company property and to a large commercial dumpster
RELATED: Prosecutors say Jacksonville man accused of impregnating, killing niece made incriminating statements to brother
prosecutors said Quiles made these statements related to the murder:
The general manager also testified that on Dec
even though there is no typical duty on the company property that would require duct tape
making the argument that Quiles’ actions on Dec
19 and 20 of 2018 were not anything out of the ordinary
several of Sawyer’s family members took the stand
Sawyer’s relationship with her uncle and her disappearance
Mobley said the unborn child was a girl and her name was going to be “Hazel Michelle Mobley.” She said she found out Sawyer was pregnant just 16 days before she was reported missing
the defense had witnesses admit Sawyer never told anyone Quiles was the father
But Mobley said her daughter told her someone named “Jose” was the father
and Sawyer’s sister testified that “Jose” was Quiles
Sawyer’s grandmother testified to what she described as an inappropriate hug she witnessed during Thanksgiving 2018
and one of Sawyer’s close friends said the day Sawyer went missing
she told them she’d be going to stay with Quiles for two weeks
It has been almost five years since Sawyer disappeared
Sawyer was seen on surveillance video at Terry Parker High School
RELATED: Jury selected in trial of man accused of impregnating, murdering teen niece
Police believe Sawyer, who was five months pregnant at the time, was shot and killed, then placed into a dumpster and taken to the Otis Road Landfill. Investigators looked through more than 5,000 tons of trash but never found her remains
A former CSI detective and former K-9 officer testified last week about the 16-day search at the Otis Road Landfill that turned up items related to the case, but no human remains.
Quiles now faces the death penalty and a new 2023 ruling now allows a death sentence with only an 8 to 4 recommendation by the jury.
Copyright 2023 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.
A Jacksonville native and proud University of North Florida alum, Francine Frazier has been with News4Jax since 2014 after spending nine years at The Florida Times-Union.
Award-winning broadcast and multimedia journalist with 20 years experience.
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China’s President Xi Jinping made a congratulatory call on Thursday (4 July) to incoming European Council President Antonio Costa
a few hours before European Commission curbs on Chinese electric cars are scheduled to take effect
News Service Produced externally by an organization we trust to adhere to journalistic standards
China's President Xi Jinping (L) and Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa attend a joint press conference after a meeting at Queluz Palace
Thanks for visiting
The EU-funded Jamor River Green and Blue Axis project revitalised the watercourse and integrated its ecosystem with the urban environment in the Lisbon metropolitan area
This created spaces for leisure and recreation
benefiting locals and making it more attractive to tourists
The intercity project connected a further three municipalities in the Lisbon metropolitan area (Sintra
The local communities benefited greatly from this beautification project
The project promoted both cultural and natural heritage by enhancing disused spaces and providing better infrastructure for cultural activities and sports events
This significantly improved the local population’s quality of life
and improved tourists’ access to the area.
Part of the project was focused on the Sintra municipality
stretching across to the neighbouring municipalities of Amadora and Oeiras was created
The green space by the waterfront is now as large as the local natural Monsanto forest park
The project improved transport and mobility by using the water systems to connect urban centres
Cycling routes and the walking trails created under the project have become popular
The public’s increased use of the Jamor River’s banks prevents illegal garbage disposal
They are now better connected with the historical Queluz Palace
greenhouses and former royal hunting grounds
Due to less traffic and better rail connections
the area’s recreational value has been enhanced
The regeneration of underutilised urban areas has long been a priority in the region
given the benefits for the environment and residents
Improved water quality and biodiversity in the river and its tributaries are another of the project’s benefits
Total investment for the project “Eixo Verde e Azul do Rio Jamor” is EUR 1 739 628
with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 869 814 through the “Programa Operacional Regional de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period
The investment falls under the priority “Sustainable urban development”
Estrutura de missão criada pelo Decreto-Lei 137/2014 que funciona junto da CCDR LVT
China will always stick to “mutual respect” in its efforts to deal with global challenges
President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday (5 December) in Lisbon
where he signed agreements to link Portugal to Beijing’s One Belt – One Road initiative
China's President Xi Jinping and Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa attend a joint press conference after a meeting at Queluz Palace
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Portugal Tuesday (4 December) for a two-day visit to strengthen ties
amid concern in some EU capitals over China's growing influence on the continent
currently engaged in a trade war with the United States
is seeking to strengthen its ties with Spain and Portugal as other European Union members are trying to restrict Chinese investments
China is set to make further inroads into European infrastructure
as a state-owned company attempts to gain full control of Portugal’s power grid
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Sintra City Council has approved a set of investments exceeding 10 million euros to reinforce the housing supply in the municipality.
The decision was taken at the last executive meeting of 2024 and is part of the Local Housing Strategy
the city hall's commitment to creating a more inclusive and socially balanced territory
the award for the construction of the Temporary Accommodation Center and Transition Apartments
in the Union of Parishes of Queluz and Belas
of which 16 will be used for urgent accommodation and 18 will function as transitional apartments
These units will be part of the National Urgent and Temporary Housing Grant
reinforcing social responses in the municipality
the city hall gave the green light to open international public tenders for the construction of two collective housing buildings at controlled costs
with an estimated value of 2.65 million euros
will be built in the Union of Parishes of Cacém and São Marcos and will have 12 housing units
The municipal executive meeting also approved the carrying out of the Municipal Energy Rehabilitation Contract for 16 housing units
which will be carried out in the Union of Parishes of Queluz and Belas
ensuring a reduction of at least 10% in the heating or cooling needs of homes
highlighted that “this investment is another step in the implementation of the Local Housing Strategy” and reaffirmed the municipality's commitment to promoting a developed and inclusive municipality
prioritising the well-being of communities
The projects are funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) and are part of a broader strategy that aims to guarantee access to decent housing for families facing financial difficulties
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Reaching over 400,000 people a week with news about Portugal
Spain's Princess Letizia accompanied her husband
where she wowed fashionistas with her glam quotient
showcasing some of the best outfits in her wardrobe
The Princess received much praise for sporting a flexible fashion statement - combining formal and glamour wear effortlessly
Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia's visit to Portugal began on 30 May
The first leg of their trip was in the capital of Lisbon
where they visited the country's Parliament at Sao Bento Palace
The Princess wore a sky blue half-sleeve top and a pair of white trousers
with a thin brown belt that lent her a very chic appearance
The ensemble was completed with a pair of nude stilettos and a broad clutch
The Spanish royal couple also visited the Belem presidential palace in Lisbon
for which she wore a beige skirt paired with a blazer of the same colour
She let her hair loose and it fell gracefully around her shoulders
painting a very attractive photograph as she walked inside the palace
with a never-ending wardrobe of both formal and chic
The Spanish couple visited the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) in Brag
where she went completely formal in a navy blue suit and white shirt
Princess Letizia attended a state dinner held in honour of the visiting dignitaries
The Princess stunned everyone with a completely glamorous avatar - a chic
During their third and last day in Portugal
Princess Letizia wore a bold red skirt and a blazer dress while visiting the Sao Bento Palace
Her evening attire - for the European Heritage Awards - was once again all about glam
with a glittery blazer draped over slim-fit black trousers and a white top
Scroll down to see what Princess Letizia wore in Portugal..
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CITIRAMA (sightseeing by bus) - Hop on hop off
Tickets: 15 EUR/adult/1 day, 7,5 EUR/child/1 day, 22 EUR/adult/2 days
Hop on Hop off + cruise on Tagus river: 32 EUR/adult
40 EUR/child/2 daysHop on Hop off + fullday Sintra
Stops: Marques de Pombal - Avenida da Liberdade - Restauradores - Rossio - Terreiro do Paco/Praca do Comercio - Alcantara/Docas - National Museum of Coaches - Jeronimos Monastery - Centro Cultural de Belem - Tower of Belem - Monument of the Discoveries - Basilica da Estrela - El Corte Ingles - Eduardo VII Park
CITYTOUR BY NOSTALGIC TRAM (Nr
TRANSTEJO (sightseeing by boat)
Starting: Terminal Fluvial do Terreiro do Paco
CITYTOUR BY WALK
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MONASTEIRO DOS JERÓNIMOS
Opening hours: May-September 10:00-18:00
(last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos + Torre de Belém: 8 EUR/person
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos + Torre de Belém + Palácio da Ajuda: 10 EUR/person
Getting there: Train "Cascais" to Belém station
The Hieronymites Monastery is located in the Belém district of Lisbon
This magnificent monastery can be considered one of the most prominent monuments in Lisbon and is certainly one of the most successful achievements of the Manueline style (Portuguese late-Gothic)
TORRE DE BELÉM
Built in 1515 as a fortress to guard the entrance to Lisbon's harbor
the Belem Tower was the starting point for many of the voyages of discovery
and for the sailors it was the last sight of their homeland
It is a monument to Portugal's Age of Discovery
and UNESCO has listed it as a World Heritage monument
MUSEU NACIONAL DOS COCHES
Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00
Free admission Sunday and public holidays until 14:00
the Coaches Museum (Museu Nacional dos Coches) has the largest and most valuable collection of its type in the world
It is housed in a richly decorated 18th century royal riding school that is part of Belem Palace
illustrating the ostentation and staggering wealth of the old Portuguese elite
Each coach is more magnificent than the other
showing how coach-makers went to extraordinary lengths to make their vehicles stand out
One of the most outstanding has gilded figures on the tailgate showing Lisbon crowned by Fame and Abundance and a dragon trampling the Muslim crescent
PALÁCIO NACIONAL DA AJUDA
Although this palace was never completed as planned due to the exile of the royal family in Brazil caused by the Napoleonic invasion
it is still one of Europe's most perfect romantic buildings
Its interior is richly filled with furniture
the result of unprecedented wealth in the 18th when diamonds were discovered in the then Portuguese colony of Brazil
MUSEU NACIONAL DE ARTE ANTIGA
The Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga that is located in Lisbon is the most important art museum in Portugal as well as being among the most important in Europe
It is the best museum in which to understand the development of Portuguese art prior to the early nineteenth century
MUSEU NACIONAL DO AZULEJO
presenting five centuries of decorative ceramic tiles or azulejos
tracing the history and production of the art form
Its collection is the only of its kind in the world
and contains a splendid array of tiles from as early as the 15th century along with displays on how they're made
The highlight of the museum is a blue and white composition of 1300 tiles
and reputedly the country's longest tile piece
OCEANÁRIO
the Oceanário was the centerpiece of the XXth Century's last World Fair
chimaeras and vertebrate fish include various tuna
and one of the main attractions – a large Sunfish
The Lisbon Oceanarium is one of the few aquariums in the world to house a sunfish due to their unique and demanding requirements for care
MUSEO DO FADO
Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00
The Fado Museum is a tribute to Fado and its promoters
promoting Fado since nineteenth century Lisbon
visitors are invited to discover the history of Fado
from its origins in the nineteenth century up to present
the main means that urban song used to get media coverage: theatre
cinema and television – the technical and historical evolution of the Portuguese guitar
as well as the biographic and artistic portrait of hundreds of Fado personalities
ADEGA MACHADO
Fado est + dinner: 30-35 EUR/person (depending on menu)
A SEVERA
Fado est + dinner: 30-40 EUR/person (depending on menu)
CLUBE DE FADO
Fado est + dinner: 35-45 EUR/person (depending on menu)
Getting there: Train "Sintra Line" from Estacao do Rossio to Sintra - 40 minutes - 3,4 EUR/adult return
PALÁCIO NACIONAL DE SINTRA
Opening hours: Thursday-Tuesday 10:00-17:30
Combined ticket (Royal Palaces Circuit - National Palaces of Ajuda
434 from the train station - 10:20-17:15, every 40 minutes - 7 EUR/day
The Sintra National Palace is the only surviving Royal Palace from the Middle Ages
it was built on the residence of the former Muslim wallis and since the beginning of the Monarchy the Palace was a royal residence
The main building programmes carried out by King John I
QUINTA DA REGALEIRA
Opening hours: February-March and October 10:00-18:30
November-January 10:00-17:30 (last admission 30 minutes before closing)
A Quinta da Regaleira is one of the most surprising of all Sintra’s monuments
in the last days of the Portuguese monarchy
This romantic property formerly belonging to the Viscondessa da Regaleira
was acquired and enlarged by António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro as his favourite country estate
He commissioned this unique project of house and landscape from the Italian set-designer and architect Luigi Manini whose genius
along with the mastery of sculptors and stonemasons
PALÁCIO DA PENA
Pena Palace + Moorish Castle: 11 EUR/person
Pena Palace and Park + Monserrate Palace: 11 EUR/person
Pena Palace and Park + Capuchos Convent: 11 EUR/person
The Pena National Palace is the oldest palace inspired by European Romanticism
The Pena Park and Palace combine the search for exoticism with the fascination for nature
discover an unmissable series of monuments including the unrivalled Pena Palace
The palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal
Getting there: Train "Sintra Line" from Estacao do Rossio to Queluz/Belas - 15 minutes -
PALÁCIO NACIONAL DE QUELUZ
Garden: May-September Wednesday-Monday 10:00-18:00
Tuesday closed (last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Getting there: 15 minutes walking from train station
The Palace and its Gardens constitute a remarkable Monument which presents us a perception of the Royal Family daily life during the second half of the 18th century
It also represents moments of extraordinary historical importance in Portuguese History and Art
1,7 EUR/child return and there change train from Sintra station to Obidos - 80 km
13 EUR/return or Rede Expresso Bus from Arco do Cego station to Caldas das Rainha- 1 hour 15 minutes - 13 EUR/return and there change bus to Óbidos - 10 minutes - 3 EUR/return
Mary's Church - Almshouse Church -
Peter's Church - Main Street - Castle - Jogo da Bola
Getting there: Rede Expresso Bus from Sete Rios station to Fátima - 1,5 hours - 18 EUR/return
SANTUÁRIO DE FÁTIMA
NOSSA SENHORA DO ROSÁRIO DA FÁTIMA
Getting there: Train from Estacao Oriente to Tomar - 140 km
CONVENTO DE CRISTO
Opening hours: monastery and fortress 9:00-17:30
dining room and kitchen 10:30-11:30 and
13:30-17:30 (last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Getting there: taxi from the train station
Including the Templar castle and the Convent of the Order of Christ -construction of which occurred between the 12th and the 17th centuries -
the monument inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List has one of the most expressive testimonies to the history of Portuguese architecture
These are the church’s Romanesque “charola”
and the famous Manueline window at the Chapter House
Getting there: Rede Expresso Bus from Sete Rios station to Batalha - 2 hours - 20 EUR return
MOSTEIRO BATALHA (Santa Maria da Vitória, best and original examples of Late Gothic architecture in Portugal)
Opening hours: April-September 9:00-18:30
Free admission Sunday and public holidays until 14:00
The Dominican Monastery of Batalha is the most significant testimony to the Portuguese Gothic style
It was built at the end of the 14th century with patronage from King João I
is an excellent example of the evolution of medieval architecture up to the 16th century
from the innovative experience of the late Gothic to the Manueline decorative exuberance
Located in the historic centre of Batalha
the Monastery is inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List
Getting there: Train from Estacao Oriente to Évora - 110 km
Opening hours: 9:00-13:00 and 14:30-18:00
Saint Francis Church was built between the end of the 15th and the early 16th centuries in mixed Gothic-Manueline styles
The wide nave is a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture
The church contains many chapels decorated in Baroque style
including the Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos)
Cathedral of Évora was built between 1280 and 1340
it is one of the most important gothic monuments of Portugal
The cathedral has a notable main portal with statues of the Apostles (around 1335) and a beautiful nave and cloister
One transept chapel is Manueline and the outstanding main chapel is Baroque
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