About

When you subscribe to explorexchange, you’ll become part of the first publication, and its community, in Portugal that focuses on lesser-known parts of this small but unlimited in adventure country.

I often hear people asking for destinations or tips on how to do things here. There are many guides and internet resources written by the robots, and most are recycling the same destinations in Lisbon or Porto, forgetting there is so much more to explore.

Here I write, with my Eastern European accent, about places worth seeing that I researched and checked well.

Hi, my name is Piotr.

I was born in Eastern Europe. Having dream for years about the mountains and southern European nature, in 2020, I moved to central Portugal. My path, however, to this part of Europe was curved. I spend almost 20 years moving around. All over Europe, and spending time in New York - on the Upper East Side and Coney Island. Then, over a decade, I lived in London, and with time, I craved gradually more to be closer to nature. I was longing for freedom to enjoy nature without fences and walls; the UK's most famous Hadrian wall sets the tone for life and a highly regulated way of exploring beautiful English nature; the walls are everywhere, some are invisible, but very tall - the British class system for example.

Having settled in central Portugal, I explore, with a childish curiosity, the breathtaking nature in this creased like an old paper sheet bumpy landscape. Occasionally, I'll visit a city to remind myself about my origins and the convenience and that the visitors mostly stay there, rarely peaking outside of the buzzing places. Visitors may not see the value of getting out of the city, but it is, for me, a whole different world. It took me a few years, however, to adjust to this new way of, far from the convenience, life. The Covid accelerated that.
While city dwellers were stuck in their flats, I luckily could wander in my little forest. I began to treasure this option. The forest attached to my house is rarely visited by people, only when forest management needs to do a job or an occasional trial runner zooming through. For my introverted self, that is paradise; now I have a choice: go to the city to overstimulate myself or go the opposite side, towards the mountains - to gain energy, and to calm down, and to connect with nature.

I care about a contemplative way of life. I'm learning to intently live my days. Walking with my dog, the teacher of the present, far from the crowds, we like to spend time in the forests and in the mountains. I like to be vulnerable to nature, swimming long distances in wild places. I used to do many things in life; I wear many hats, as they say, but one is in common: a search to experience life more.

Writing here, I hope to take you on an adventure with me and show you that the best things in life are almost free.