When my friend asked if I wanted to go to Portugal, I had the misguided idea that we would spend most of the trip exploring historical buildings and that there would not be much variation in activities. To my surprise, that was not the case, and I will be sharing my experiences from my recent trip to Portugal.
Our journey started in Lisbon, the beautiful capital of Portugal. Many buildings with orange roofs span the city, best seen at overlooks called miradouros. Not only are the views of the city gorgeous, but the miradouros themselves are as well, making them the perfect background for pictures. Many miradouros have arbors with vibrant flowers and colorful tiles around the structure of the overlook. Portugal is known for its colorful tile making, and there is a museum dedicated to this in Lisbon.
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| miradouro in Lisbon |
Our first day in Lisbon, we took a tour of the city by TukTuk, which is a three-wheeled vehicle. The driver took us to many miradouros and provided history of the city. On our second day in Portugal, we went to Time Out Market. I would compare this to an elevated food court. There were many options of local cuisine from cod croquettes to gelato. A unique pastry of Portugal is the pastel de nata which tasted like a small piece of heaven. This pastry is comparable to a custard —rich, but with just the perfect amount of sweetness that pairs well with coffee. We walked around the city more and ate delectable food at a restaurant overlooking the bay. We found transportation convenient because rideshare services are inexpensive. The location of our hotel was close to the water, DUO Hotel Lisbon, Curio Collection by Hilton, and offered a modern take on the tile designs seen throughout the city.
For the next part of our journey, we went to the southern part of Portugal, the Algarve region. One scenic way to get from Lisbon to this area is by taking a three-hour train ride, which was affordable and relaxing. The highlight of the trip for me was enjoying the breathtaking views from the Tivoli Carvoeiro Algarve Resort. The resort faced the ocean and a gentle breeze was blowing. We found the weather to be pleasant in mid-September. It was a short walk from the resort to the local beach. The beaches are beautiful, and the setup is unique, with cliffs surrounding the beach in a semi-circle.
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| Lagos, Algarve region |
Our adventure continued with an exhilarating kayaking excursion to the famous Benagil cave. This cave is not fully enclosed, but it is amazing and a great spot for pictures. If I get the chance to visit again, I would spend a few more days relaxing in the Algarve region.
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| Benagil Cave |
On the last day of our trip, we returned to Lisbon but stayed in a different district which was modern and lively. We went to a roof top restaurant and bar which was vibrant even on a weeknight. The fifth and final night of the trip ended perfectly at the quaint hotel H10 Duque de LoulĂ©. There were other historic buildings and castles which we did not have time to see but I would definitely visit this beautiful country again. Until next time—as they say in Portuguese, "Tchau," or goodbye.
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