Portugal
Lisbon:
Lisbon is a beautiful, vibrant city full of beautiful architecture, tiled walls, cobblestone streets, cathedrals, castles, monuments, shopping, cafes, rolling hills and the iconic yellow trams. Lisbon is a perfect combination of old and new city, offering historic landmarks and trendy cafes. We stayed in the lovely Alfama district, which is one of the oldest districts in Lisbon. We visited during winter, so it was a little chilly during the day and pretty cold at night. I would recommend visiting Portugal during the summer months! It is a city for walking, so plan accordingly (unlike me). I think the best way to see Lisbon is by getting lost on foot, wandering up and down the narrow streets. This a destination that doesn’t require a detailed agenda to follow, as every street you stumble upon is simply beautiful.
A few things to see in Lisbon:
Pink Street - a street that is painted pink, just as it sounds, good for photo opps.
Time Out Market - amazing food hall with tons of amazing options and communal seating.
Belem Tower - beautiful medieval tower landmark.
Ponte 25 Bridge - can be seen from Belem Tower or anywhere riverside.
Comercio Plaza - beautiful for sunset on the river with Ponte 25 in the background.
Basilica da Estrela - gorgeous cathedral, buy a ticket to walk up to the roof, incredible view of Lisbon!
Sintra:
We made a quick stop in Sintra, which is just a 30 minute drive from Lisbon and is nestled in the hills of Portugal’s Sintra Mountains. The drive itself is breathtaking with pastel colored homes and forested terrains. We could’ve easily spent a full day or two in Sintra with endless castles to see, but unfortunately time didn’t allow.
Must see:
Quinta da Regaleria - romantic palace, chapel and park that features wells, grottoes, fountains and more!
Pena Palace - we didn’t have enough time, but looks incredible, please go for me!
Nazare:
To break up our 3 hour drive to Porto, we thought we’d stop by Nazare, a small town off the Silver Coast in Portugal. Nazare is said to have some of the worlds largest waves. After reading that, you can imagine our excitement and expectations for some huge waves. Well, I hate to disappoint, but there were no waves. Not like baby waves, no waves at all. We’re convinced it was the 1 day of the year that was calm, I have no other explanation for what happened. In any event, we found a great lookout spot called Miradouro do Suberco for a pretty killer sunset that was definitely worth it!
Miradouro do Suberco for sunset!
Porto:
Porto is well known for their port wine production and its impressive 6 bridges. Porto gave me a more cultured vibe compared to Lisbon, offering traditional Portuguese restaurants, local vendors and port wine experiences. We stayed right near Douro River and Ponte Luis Bridge, which was walking distance to everything. Again, getting lost by foot is the best way to explore this city!
A few things to see in Porto:
Ponte Luis Bridge - walk across or buy tickets to walk up the top.
Mercado Beira-Rio - small food and drink hall, wine and port tastings available!
Livraria Lello - one of the most stunning bookstores in the world!
Lastly, for my foodies, here are a few places you must try:
Zenith Brunch & Cocktails - Porto
Nicolau Cafe - Lisbon
My Mothers Daughters - Lisbon
Cafe Saudade - Sintra
Portugal was so gorgeous, I highly recommend visiting during the summer!! Thank you for reading, please let me know if you have any Portugal questions!
Sending you all the love,
Anayat ❤