I’m so grateful I decided to go to Portugal from Italy. That sentence makes me want to pinch myself, this whole experience has been a dream of mine for a LONG time. I didn’t have the money when I was in my 20s-30s (freelance makes vacations hard) and in my 40s I had a job that kept me very busy and required me to travel. Don’t get me wrong, I was so grateful for the work travel, felt so fortunate to travel and get paid for it. I knew I wanted to eventually do it on my own time, choosing places I want to see.
So here I am in Lisbon. I really love it.
Is it because I know it’s my last stop on this Europe trip? It makes it more poignant for sure! I couldn’t have chosen a better way to wrap up what’s been a truly remarkable experience than to come to Portugal.
The food is incredible, the people are innovative and creative. The views are astounding, I love my Airbnb at the top of a building overlooking the city. It’s lovely and bright, lots of windows, clean and simple just like I like a space to be.
I love that every walk around the city is mostly an uphill climb, it’s urban hiking at its finest. I love the pastéis de nata pastries, I’ve eaten so many I’ve lost count. I love the Time Out Market, all the amazing food and wine from some of the best chefs in the city. The Alfama is so interesting, the winding, narrow streets and tiled buildings. The river is beautiful to see from the hillsides, the whole city is vibrant and colorful - that there’s water sparkling in the distance is such a nice bonus. So gorgeous and so incredibly different, though in so many ways, there’s a lot of similarities with Los Angeles and San Francisco. It’s gritty and graffiti-filled, like LA, hilly like SF. There’s even a bridge, Ponte 25 de Abril that is a twin to the Golden Gate Bridge. The weather is very much like Southern California right now, and I have to admit, I’ve really missed that. The plants are very similar too - I always marveled over California plants and trees.
I went to Sintra today, a 40 minute train ride away. It’s so incredibly beautiful- a wonderland. Forests, castles, a pretty village. Went to Quinta da Regaleira, Castelo dos Mouros, and Pena Palace. Walked down the winding staircase of the Initiation Well, such a cool experience. Most of all, I loved hiking through the forests and gardens. I spent the entire day there and didn’t really want to leave!
I bought a Lisbon pass, which is a cool thing. I can use trains, buses, and trams for free for 72 hours. It also gives me discounts to monuments and museums - some of them are free. It’s pretty great.
Portugal has a. feeling to it I can’t seem to capture in photos. It makes me want to explore more of this country. It’s got passion and isn’t pretentious, though it has so many reasons to be.
Quinta de Regaleira
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