Narrator (female voice): These ceramic tiles, called azulejos, are one of Portugal's most iconic traditional art forms.

The designs have changed continuously over the years, evolving into the familiar ornamental tiles in blue white.

In Lisbon, they appear at almost every turn.

For almost 20 years now, Leonel Ribeiro has overseen the preservation of the capital's ceramic heritage.

Leonel Ribeiro: That famous white light, the light of Lisbon, comes not only from the Tagus River and its very long estuary, but from the Portuguese sidewalks, which are light, and primarily the reflection from the tiles onto the streets That gives the city its special aura, that light it's known for.

Narrator: The tiles give Lisbo much of its specific character.

But asid from their decorative function, they help protect the buildings from the heat and salty air gusting in off the Atlantic.

Idea for this southern European city.

This factory, dating back to 1741, produce a very particular kind of tile.

It's the oldest tile manufacturer in Portuga and one of the oldest in Europe.

Francisco Tomás is the managing director.

The Azulejo are still made by hand, using techniques that have hardly changed in 300 years, when they were first developed to turn out tiles in large quantities.

Francisco Tomás: The earthquake in 1755 destroyed the city of Lisbon almost completely.

To rebuild the city, they had stone and tile.

At the time tile was much cheaper than stone, and due to the volume of buildings being being made at the time, they start to develop, developing some designs to cover all the facades of Lisbon.

So this was the turning point on the history of the ceramic tiles in Portugal.

Narrator: Every Azulejo starts with clay that's pounded into a mold.

A bit of advanced planning is needed as it takes the tiles about two months to dry.

Then they're baked for 18 hours at 1100 degrees Celsius.

Francisco: So after the first firing, you have no the first quality control check.

This is a very important phase because as the tile, it's handmade.

It is always possible with this natural clay that we use to leave air bubbles on the inside.

And the majorit of the times it's only possible to detect the using a sound test, because this metallic sound that tells that this is a good tile.

If we have a bad tile, the sound is completely different.

Narrator: Painting the tiles also requires a certain level of skill to keep the water based acrylic from bleeding into each other.

Stencils are used with a special underglaze.

Firing the tiles again often changes the colors appreciably.

One of the biggest markets for the tile outside the country is the U.S.

and of course, the many tourists.

But to satisfy the market for souvenirs, thieves often pr the little artworks off facades.

Leonel: A few decades ago, there was a huge wave of theft of azulejos.

They were sold on the antique market.

Nowadays, visitor are more aware of this problem.

They've been sensitized to it by information campaigns.

And the Portuguese are gaining more and more respect for their own heritage.

Narrator: Not only does Lisbon shine with a light of its own - Portugal's capital literally sparkles with its many colorful Azulejos I'm Hendrik Bellingham, and today I'm going to show you how to spen the perfect day on the Azores.

Hendrik: Its a Paradise that's been shaped by volcanoes.

The Azores are a Portuguese archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic - some 1500 kilometers from the mainland on the main island of Sao Miguel.

André Gouveia shows me the best way to experience the island's natural beauty on foot.

First, we make our way through what looks like an enchanted forest.

A few steps further on.

We are on the edge of a volcanic crater.

Ahead of us lies the caldera, Sete Cidades André Gouveia: Welcome, Hendrick, welcome!

Hendrik: Whoah!

André Gouveia: Enjoy the view!

Hendrik It's nice!

The huge caldera boasts two different-colored, shimmering lakes.

You get a great view of the on many of the island's dozens of hiking trails.

André: I really like the hikes whe they are challenging.

And here since there's a lot of mountains in one single hike you can do a bit of everything up the hill, flat, down the hill, slippery.

You can hike across a forest and a few minutes later, you're already outside on the fields like this.

So hikes are very, I would sa my opinions are very complete.

There's a bit of everything.

Hendrik: The Azores are also a whal and dolphin watchers paradise.

The various ocean currents around the islands make these waters a playground for them.

I have giant marine biologist Maria Inês Pavão on route.

She tells me more about the whales.

Scouts on land let the boats know when a whales been sighted.

Maria Inês Pavão: As they ar starting their migration north to feeding grounds where it's, a lot, a lot of food available.

And here the Azores, we are one of the first stops or the first places where they can find a bit of food.

Because they spend our winter having their babie and almost not feeding at all.

So here we are, a nice coffee break.

That's what it is.

Hendrik: But before w actually get to see any whales, we spot dolphins.

First one and then the whole school.

But then the moment arrives.

There!

It's a huge sperm whale, about 16m long.

The whale disappears in search of food.

And I continue my journey around São Miguel.

The Caldeira Velha Park stretches along a volcano.

It's hot springs give off the smell of sulfur.

Ouch, its hot!

The island's volcanic origin can be seen everywhere on São Miguel.

But it's especially evident in the village of Furnas.

Located inside a volcanic crater, it's famous for its 22 hot springs.

I test the waters at Ponta da Ferraria, where hot spring water mixes with the cool currents of the Atlantic.

Oh, it's really hot.

The bay is the perfect spot to wind down in a natural thermal bath.

That was just a fantastic day here on the Azores.

I never thought that I could experienc so much nature in only one day.

And the variety of the nature was just mind-blowing.

Narrator (male voice): Porto.

Portugal is known the world over for its port wine and its impressive vistas.

But that's not all it has to offer.

From historical architecture to modern art, it has a little something for everyone.

Of course, for the taste buds.

It has Portuguese specialties.

This is our travel “bucket list” for one day in Porto.

Tip one for the main things to do.

The best way to get a look at the city is a ride on the Teleférico de Gaia.

This cable car over the banks of the Douro provides a spectacular view.

Woman 1: You get a good overview.

You see the little boats that carry the port wine, and you get an idea of the city and its character.

Woman 2: It was probably the best view you're going to have.

Narrator Once at the top, the 'Ponte Dom Luis the First' bridge leads to Porto's old town and right to our second tip for what delicacies there are to try.

Of course, there's the Portuguese classic Pasteis de Nata.

You can even watch the process of making the crispy sweet pastries in the Manteigaria.

Isabel Mota: We dont have a big secret.

It's a pastry made with pure, natural ingredients: milk, flour, eggs, sugar, a little lemon, and a good helping of love.

Narrator: And it's all made by hand, from the creamy filling to the puff pastry dough mixed on site.

It's portioned out by simple finger width and pressed into the tins.

The edges have to be thick enough to hold the cream filling to come later.

Isabel: The dough has to cover the entire tin, because if the cream boils over while it's baking and seeps under the tin, it'll stick and get burned on and ruin everything Narrator: The crea has to be squeezed out quickly so it won't lose its consistency.

Then the pasteis go into th oven to bake for 7 to 10 minutes at 400°C.

Traditionally, when the pasteis are done, the entire neighborhood is informed.

So all you have to do is wait for the bell to indulge in Portugal's most famous pastry, crispy and hot from the oven.

Once this culinary delight has been devoured, it's time for tip three: the sights.

The Fundacao de Serralves gallery is regarded as Portugal's best known museum for contemporary art.

The building was designe by Àlvaro Siza Vieira, a native of Porto, one of Portugal's most renowned architects.

The temporary exhibitions are well worth taking in.

António Preto : The foundation and the museum own one of the most comprehensive collections of Portuguese and international art.

One of the museum's tasks is to set up a dialog between modern Portuguese works and international art, especially works from the 1960s and later.

This space is intended to merge art, environment and architecture.

Narrator: Started over 30 years ago, the Serralves Foundation maintains not only the Museum of Contemporary Art, but a park several hectares in size.

Here, too, extra-large scal works of modern art may be seen or the tranquility all around simply enjoyed.

Back in Porto's old town for a perfect end to the day, a cool drink and an equally cool view.

The Parque das Virtudes is the place to be.

Iva Viana: Its something very special to work with this material because it's always such a great inspiration.

Every step in the process is important to me.

From the really big ones to the smaller ones, I enjoy every step along the way.

My name is Iva Viana and Im a sculptor.

I work exclusively with plaster, which has always been my passion.

Narrator (male voice): Viana do Castelo, about 75km north of Porto.

Iva Viana lives and works here.

In her studio, she creates stucco artwork in all shapes and sizes.

Her creations are a departure from traditional, ornate stucco decorations.

They grace private houses, restaurants and hotels the world over.

Iva Viana Everything from the past serves as great inspiration to me.

There's a long tradition that I try to draw on.

I want to maintain respect for what's gone before, but employ the techniqu in a more contemporary fashion.

Narrator: Every project starts out with a sketch like this one for a private client in the United States.

Iva Viana: For this panel, it was important to me to add the element of water, for example.

the client for this work is not from here.

An ocean lies between his country and Portugal.

But the stories that I' telling through the work are my own reinterpretations.

Narrator: The artist pours the liquid plaster into a silicone mold fashioned especially for this relief.

To make the stucco more durable, she mixes sisal hemp fibers into it.

Spreadin the paste evenly is hard work.

It sets for about 15 minutes before the mold can be lifted off the dried stucco.

In the end, there will be 17 separate stucco panels, each one a work of art in itself, measuring about three by five meters.

About five months of work go into large scale reliefs like this.

Iva Viana prefers not to reveal what it will sell for or who will buy it.

Iva Viana: The people who commissioned something like this have a taste for the unusual and a love for detail.

These are one of a kin pieces, and the price reflects that.

The design is mad especially for a single client, and it's not repeated.

So the kind of person who commissions this wants to invest in a work of art.

Narrator: The artist was born in Viana do Castello.

She wouldn' even think of leaving the area - she's far too intimately connected to i and its many stucco treasures, such as the stairwell of this designer hotel.

Iva Viana: Its impossible to be indifferent to what's gone before.

Building like this one have been restored so well that it makes me happy.

Just to see the care that was put into it.

They're an important inspiration for my own work.

Narrator Some of her clients live right close by.

Narrator The entrance wall of the house belonging to the entrepreneurs Isabel and José Peixoto is decorated by a stucco floor to ceiling relief of two white deer.

Isabel Peixoto remembers her first meeting with the artist Isabel Peixoto: Iva discovered a bit of the tenderness we feel as a family, something quite deep.

Very much our own.

These two little deer and the vines around them stand for the tenderness we have between us and our three children.

And the mountain environment shows something of what we have all around us.

Narrator: The tradition of a craft dating back centuries reinterpreted for the present.

It's this blend that makes Iva Viana's stucco work so captivating.

Hi everybody.

I am Theodora Mavropoulos.

And today I show you five things you can do on Madeira.

Theodora Madeira is a Portuguese island in the Atlantic Ocean.

Because of its breathtaking nature, it's also called the Hawaii of Europe.

The island has stunning cliffs, beautiful forests lots of flowers and waterfalls.

And here comes my first tip.

Visit the cliff called Cabo Girau.

From here you have a stunning view all over the south coast of Madeira and over its capital, Funchal.

I am standing 580m high.

Getting a bit dizzy here.

This is the highest sea cliff in Europe.

It takes about 20 minutes by car to go from the platform to Funchal, but there are also bus services.

Madeira is actually a big rock, so when you're driving here, don't expect too many straight lines.

In the morning before the shops open, Funchals old town is an open air art gallery.

I'm actually not so much of a morning person, but this is definitely worth it.

So here comes my second tip: visit Rua de Santa Maria in the old town of Funchal before the restaurants open.

It was a normal old street in an area that was not considered one of Funchals best.

The Painted Door Projec wanted to bring it back to life.

You can now find about 200 painted doors in the Rua and the surrounding streets.

Many new restaurants have opened since and art galleries have made this area their base.

Beside the painted doors, there are also fantastic murals around the city.

After my culture tour, it's time for a small break.

Madeira has a lot of choices, especially for those who love sweets.

One of the oldest recipes of the island is the famous cake Boco de Mel.

Initially it was made during Christmas time, but it's too good to eat it only once a year.

So here comes my tip number three: try the boco de mel.

You can find it in almost every bakery shop around Madeira.

So actually you break it in the middle.

So let's try it.

Tastes very Christmasy.

A bit like gingerbread.

It's really good.

Madeiras geographical position, closer to Africa than to Portugal, gives it a very mild climate.

The result is a variety of landscapes.

The island is also called th “The Green Pearl of the Atlantic and it's a hiker's Paradise.

There are beautiful hiking trails all over the islands.

Do you want to fee like walking into a fairytale?

Here comes tip number four: take a walk into the Laurisilva forest.

It's just magical.

The ground is totally soft here and the air is super fresh.

But it's quite cold as you can see.

So please don't forge to take a warm jacket with you.

It is the largest survivin Laurel tree forest in the world.

It dates back to prehistoric times.

It is so historically important that it has been declare an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You want another taste of paradise?

Madeira has many waterfalls that you can visit.

Want to see the most fun one?

So here is tip number five: Check out the Cascata dos Anjos close to Ponta do Sol.

Peopl even use it for a free car wash.

So let's try that!

Madeira is rare gem in the Atlantic Ocean.

It combines paradise like scenery with activities, flavors, and culture.

The sprawling ”Sintra-Cascais“ natural park near Portugal' capital, Lisbon, is a much loved tourist attraction and a popular longboarding venue.

It's also ideal for longboard dancing, an art form that combines freestyle skating, surfing and dance.

Giu Alfeo: Hi, Im Giu and my pronouns are they them.

And I'm a longboard dancer who creates poetry in motion.

27 year old Giu Alfeo has a background in figure skating and contemporary dance.

Both influence their longboard dancing style.

What fascinates me about longboard dancing is that Giu: I can feel freedom and also I can express myself, and that's something I want to share: that people can share their personalities and show with dance who they really are.

Narrator Longboard dancing was inspired by surfing, as surfers perform a series of well timed fluid movements to ride waves, not unlike a choreography.

Giu has created their ow unique longboard dancing style, and it's won the Longboard Dancer numerous championships and international sponsorship deals.

Giu: If you want to start longboard dancing, actually you have to start with longboarding, which is very accessible in my opinion.

Everyone can just stand on the board and try to cruise on it.

And once you're feeling a bit comfortable with cruising, carving, pushing then you can.

Everyone can actually learn longboard dancing.

Narrator Giu is keen to get more people interested in this crossover sport, and offers longboar dancing lessons all over Europe.

Giu: The very first thing that you can do if you want to start with longboard dancing is a very simple step for the beginning.

So what you basically do with your feet is taking the front foot to the right edge, left foot to the left edge, and then you just lift one heel and then you switch to the other one.

So basically you do a weight shift between both feet.

Now I'm going to show the same step while riding.

What we do again stepping into the right position.

As explained, lift the heel and do it maybe to a beat.

And maybe you even want to groove a bit and give it your own spice while you're riding.

Narrator: The lessons focus more on the dancing than on longboarding tricks.

Andréa Luz is from Lisburn and one of jus pupils.

Andréa fell in love with longboard dancing.

Ever since she first saw a video of it online.

Andréa Luz: Oh man, it feels like flying.

I love longboard dancing because it feels like flying.

It gives me, a lot of confidence.

And I don't know, it makes me enjoy myself and love myself more, you know?

Narrator: Giu is originally from Oberhausen in western Germany.

They are a longboard dancing pro, but take their skill lightly.

Giu: I'm trying to communicate to other people that they can also learn how to longboard dance or not only longboard dance, but actually dance on a boar and have fun basically with it.

Narrator: Giu Alfeo is raising the bar: fusing enviabl longboarding skills with smooth dance moves.