Opinion

Once again, we have called on our very popular contributor, COLIN BAINBRIDGE, this month to give his special twist on a London Christmas. Medieval Festive MerryMaking! Christmas was one of

If you are intolerant of reindeer with red noses and bells that jingle instead of pealing, try listening in the morning to the soaring majesty of Marcos Portugal’s Matinas do

The traditions of Christmastide are largely confined to the period from the Eve of December 24 to the Epiphany on January 6. Between these dates – known as the 12

Nowadays, there are Christmas lights decorating everything, with people in some countries competing for the best displays, but the lights used to be just on the Christmas trees which have

I do not know how it works these days, but during my time, no student liked being handed the annual report card at school. That official-looking document, you know, which

My first winter in the Algarve five years ago, everyone thought I must be Canadian. My head turned at the rare American accent. I was thrilled. I came to Portugal

This will be the year that not only sees the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, it will be a national election year following recent seismic political goings-on, and one

In 1955, the musicologist Laura Boulton presented at the Estrela Church in Lisbon a programme of Portuguese folk music which she had recorded on tape during a tour of towns

Very recently I became a full-fledged Portuguese citizen and swore complete and total allegiance to my brand-new adopted country. However, I went to pick up my red passport with mixed