All tagged Portugal Holiday
No trip to Portugal is complete without visiting the Algarve region on the country’s southern coast and for us, this was the best part of our trip. Some of our favorite memories of visiting Portugal were from the times that we spent exploring the beautiful beaches and towns of the Algarve and to this day, Nina still has “saudade” whenever she reminisces of our time there. The people are so welcoming, the beaches are quite stunning (whether it be dramatic cliff structures, red and white rock beaches or deserted beaches that you find while hiking/canoeing) and best of all, the food is perfect (which is really the only way to describe the gastronomical delight that is the Algarve region). Traveling around the region actually feels like you’ve stumbled upon the most idyllic little paradise with each town more memorable than the last and to be honest, we selfishly didn’t even want to write this blog post, lest hordes of rude tourists start arriving and spoiling it. Nevertheless, the Algarve region is officially one of our favorite places in the world to visit and if anybody out there in the internet universe is reading this, we really hope that you consider experiencing this little slice of heaven at least once in your lifetime. You will not regret it.
Located just an hour train ride outside of Lisbon, Sintra’s picturesque palaces, parks and fairytale castles are a magnet for wanderlust. With its microclimate and magical scenery, the entire town has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and should be included on every traveler’s itinerary. We first encountered Sintra while on a tour with a private company, but we loved it so much that we decided to come back a second time for an entire day during our visit to Portugal. In actuality, Sintra is so big and has so many sites that you could realistically stay here for an entire two week vacation and still have a reason to come back. Between all of the parks, historical buildings, and beautiful beach towns of Cais Cais and Cabo de Roca, travelers will be rewarded with a uniquely Portuguese experience. Read below for some of Sintra’s top attractions.
Situated on the Atlantic coast of the Iberian peninsula, Lisbon is the second-oldest European capital and gateway to Europe for anyone who is traveling from the Americas. It now stands as a legacy of a vast and storied empire that once spanned from the Americas to Africa and Asia. Additionally, its position in the middle of the country and status as a global city combine to bring you a melting pot of culture, history and delicious cuisine. Walking around Lisbon and seeing all of the colorful buildings, statues and characteristic trolleys feels almost like you’ve been transported to the late 19th century. For us, Lisbon (and Portugal in general) is one of Europe’s best kept secrets and we encourage every traveler to visit this beautiful city.
