If you don't fall in love with Lisbon, you will with Lagos.
"'Mom!' I yell excitedly into the phone, 'You got to see this place, it's like the European version of San Francisco, they got the bay, the bridge, the cable car and the hills!' 'I know Luke, I've been. Go enjoy it.' Not wanting to let Mom down I throw myself into the task. Lisbon is a perfect balance of busy and calm. Bustle when you want but peace when you need. I end up in the Bairro Alto, a favorite of Lisbon's Bohemian set. Conversations in broken English Portuguese are fun, it's a little chilly at night despite being summer, like SF there's a breeze off the Bay. Due to the cold I think I'll just stay for one beer. The evening rolls on, as do the laughs and the music. I finally push away from the bar. The evening has turned into morning, there's pockets of warmth in the rising sun." -
--Luke's Journal
CITIES VISITED:
MUST DO:
FAVORITE MEMORY:
Lisbon,
Sintra
Lagos
Sagres
Sines
In Lisbon, have a drink in the Bairro Alto. See the Bélem Tower and surrounding neighborhood. Hike up the hill to the Alfama neighborhood. Sneak off to Lisbon's version of the Jersey Shore at Praia de Caxias.
Pena Palace in Sintra.
In Lagos, see the Ponta de Piedade cliffs and the old city center.
In Sagres, see the HUGE waves and fortress.
Check out the fishing boats in Sines.
Portuguese wine is criminally underrated, the light white varietals were made to enjoy on a beach. Learning about them was divine.
TAP, the national airline, is fantastic. Easy to rent a car to drive to Lagos. Lisbon and surrounding areas accessible on foot, rail or bus and ride share.
My favorite country in Europe, there's a reason why so many ex-pats have resettled in Southern Portugal or chased romantic dreams in Lisbon. It's a place that just "gets it."
