We’re back from Portugal and I’ve even made it through the laundry, which was much more labor-intensive than usual because a bottle of red wine broke inside my husband’s checked bag and most of his clothes were doused. The good news is that I got it all out (peroxide + laundry detergent for the win!).
For those of you who keep track, I should have written this yesterday, but I was sidelined with a 24-hour stomach bug. All I have to say about that is thank goodness it was only 24 hours! If you know the line from The Devil Wears Prada, “I’m just one stomach flu away from my goal weight,” well, that about sums it up.
So, Portugal is my new favorite European country, right up there with Poland. I knew I would love it, but I had no idea just how much. The Portuguese people are so friendly and hospitable, and the country is beautiful. And just like Poland, your money goes a lot further here than in other parts of Europe.
If you ever head to Lisbon, feel free to reach out for the AirBnB where we stayed (it was in the perfect downtown location) or our tour and restaurant itinerary. I planned this trip out in more detail than I usually do, and we were really happy with all of our choices.
Side note: while we had no issues with our lodging, I did book several “experiences” (tours, meals, and a cooking class) with AirBnB and we have had terrible problems getting reimbursed for one of our experiences where the host cancelled on us several days ahead of time. I’m still waiting for a refund at this point. Bottom line, I would book directly with the tour company and if you email me for our itinerary I’ll share the direct links with you so you don’t have to use AirBnB as an intermediary).
Every country has beverages that they’re known for, and in Portugal those are port wine, Ginjinha (a delicious cherry liqueur), and pisco. We were already family with pisco since my husband brings that back when he travels to South America, and of course everyone knows port wine, but Ginjinha was a new experience. They serve it in chocolate cups on every street corner and it takes like a liquid cherry cordial.
As for the food, well, it’s a good thing we walked so much, because we ate very, very well and never said no to dessert!
In case you’re one of those strange people whose lives don’t revolve around food (ha!), I also wanted to share a few photos from our trip to Sintra and the Quinta da Regaleira. A day trip to Sintra should definitely be on your list if you go to Lisbon.
If the gentleman who built this castle wasn’t a freemason, then I’ll eat my Louis Vuitton purse, because there’s occult symbology everywhere. That being said, it’s still a lovely building and grounds.
I’m already trying to figure out if we can schedule a return trip to Portugal over the summer. It’s hard to justify a return trip when there are so many places we haven’t seen, but we all loved our visit and are looking forward to the next time.
Thanks for letting me share our trip with you, and thanks for stopping by.
Breathtaking pictures. My type of place. Awesome! Thank you for sharing everything when you go to different places. I have been following you for a few years. So interesting & informative. You really know how to enjoy life, which is the way it should be. Such fun and oh the stories!
That’s a lovely compliment, Nancy–thank you so much! It’s my pleasure to share all of the photos and experiences with you. Thank you for being a long time reader–we appreciate you!