Portugal is one of those countries that makes you feel at home, especially after being away for a long time. My first impression was that it's the perfect mix between Europe and Latin America. With beautiful countries, colours everywhere, history, music, art and very friendly people.
Located in the southwest of Europe and bordered by the Atlantic sea and incredible beaches, Portugal has become a very unique country and admired by all who have had the opportunity to visit it. Many other Europeans go back and forth to work or do a seasonal exchange while enjoying the good weather and its people.
"It's the perfect mix between Europe and Latin America"
Also, every year, thousands of tourists come from all over the world to visit this beautiful country, just like I did. Here, I'll tell you about what to see and why, for me, it was love at first sight!
"...bookstore, inaugurated in 1906 and internationally recognized as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.
The first stop was Porto, located in northern Portugal. I was there for a few days, but, believe me, it is perfect for walking and getting the most out of it on foot. You will be marvelled from the beginning if you arrive at the Sao Bento train station, which has walls beautifully covered in tiles that portray the history of Portugal. I recommend staying in the historic centre of the city, from there you can move around very well.
One of the most famous places to visit, and a "must" if you like to read, is the "Llelo" bookstore, inaugurated in 1906 and internationally recognized as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.
It is said to serve as inspiration to the author behind the Harry Potter saga, J.K. Rowling. Personally, I was struck by the architecture of the stairs and its special edition section with all the classics in a miniature book version. You have to buy a ticket –which costs 5 euros– but if you buy a book at the end of your visit, it will be discounted from it. For us book nerds, get ready! You'll come out with more than one book!
Then you can go for a walk along the "Ribeira" on the banks of the Douro River, sit on the shore and enjoy good live music among houses with colourful facades and craft stalls. Also, here you can find many restaurants so, if you are hungry, I challenge you to try the Francisenha. It is a huge and caloric but delicious typical sandwich in Porto; add a glass of wine to it, and you'll be good to go!
To end your day, you can go for a walk to enjoy a beautiful sunset from the Don Luis Bridge, an icon of the city. It has 2 levels and, if you want, you can cross all its 400 meters on foot, which will secure you some pretty spectacular views of the city.
300 km to the south, located at the mouth of the Tagus River, is the beloved capital, Lisbon. Undoubtedly, one of those places that surprise you with infinite possibilities and the diversity of its beauty, it truly has something for every taste. There is so much to see and enjoy in this city filled with life!
"From there, you'll get a complete view of the city with its particular reddish roofs"
For an active morning, I recommend climbing the hill and reaching the Castle of San Jorge. From there, you'll get a complete view of the city with its particular reddish roofs; it's a rewarding trip worth the exercise. If you are interested in history, you can easily choose to take guided tours with a lot of extra information or visit it at your own pace.
From the castle, you can go down through "Alfama", a famous neighbourhood surrounded by houses with colourful balconies with clothes hanging everywhere from them.
On the way, you'll get enchanted by the beautiful murals full of mosaics, a very unique feature of Portugal. There, you can also find lovely corners to enjoy a good afternoon of "Fado", typical Portuguese music.
The nightlife in Lisbon is very famous and for a good reason. Pink Street is the main street for it, where you'll find plenty of clubs and restaurants to choose from and have a pretty fun night out for sure. As if that wasn't enough, you may also go up to the well-known Barrio Alto, where you'll find dozens of small bars to enjoy a beer at an excellent price and dance all night long.
Of course, you cannot miss a good coffee during your trip to Portugal. On my last visit, I was pleasantly surprised by La Fábrica cafe, a quiet place in the centre where you can spend a great time reading a book while drinking delicious filtered coffee.
In the afternoon, going to explore Belém is an excellent panorama. You can take tram number 15, and in 30 minutes you will be there. On the banks of the River Tagus, you will see the Torre de Belém, a tower originally built to protect the entrance to the port of Lisbon and was later declared a world heritage site.
Belém sells the best Portuguese Cream Cakes and is very famous for keeping the original recipe of this typical local sweet as a very well kept secret. How good they're, though, it's not a secret at all!
One of the places that I liked the most was the Lxfactory, an old restored factory with art shops, bookstores, painted murals and restaurants with the best vibe. I loved it because it is a very creative and alternative space. My best recommendation here is to check out: Ler Devagar bookstore.
If you have a bit of extra time on your trip, try to spend a whole day in Sintra. It is a Portuguese village located 45 minutes by train from Lisbon. The Palacio da Pena is one of the most striking ones I've ever seen. It's famous for its colourful architecture, a botanical garden around it and its location, showing off from the highest peak in Sintra. Right there, you have many other very exciting tourist spots that make it a magical place.
I could not choose just one place in Lisbon, but if I had to mention one of the most memorable ones, It'd have to be Cascais. I always like to go out for a walk and sit next to nature, and there, I found plenty of hidden places for it.
One of them is Boca del Infierno, a rocky cliff shaped as a maritime arch due to the force of the sea. There, you'll find a viewpoint to see much of the coast and enjoy a beautiful sunset. It's named after the loud noises generated when strong waves hit.
And yeah, I could continue speaking wonders of this country for a while, but I think you get the picture now. Just try and have a week at least, or you will end up like me, feeling like your visit had been way too short.
What did I do? I came back for a few days, I had to. Just so I could continue enjoying its beautiful culture, filled with happy and welcoming people, dreamy landscapes, and places full of history that will always leave you wanting more.
