A week discovering Portugal

I started the trip with my father, taking a flight to Lisbon via Madrid; we had just enough time for our connection and everything was perfectly planned, until there was a slight setback and we took off around thirty minutes later. This caused us to lose our connecting flight and we had to run around the airport for a while looking for a flight. Once we managed to, it was worth all the stress once we landed in Lisbon.

Lisbon is a gorgeous city, with nice places to walk and visit, amazing food, really nice hotels and a lot of things to do nearby the city itself. Feeling so near the sea in a beautiful city like that is one of the most magical experiences. On the city, we stayed at the Epic Sana Lisboa Hotel, a very pretty hotel with a gorgeous terrace that looks over the city. Even though it was late September the weather was still pretty warm and it was great for walking around the city and all the way to the Torre de Belém, enjoy a pastel de bacalao with wine while enjoying the sunset, or find a place to eat in the Bairro Alto. Since some of the time my dad was busy with business meeting, I took the time to enjoy the beaches and when he had time, we took a couple of trips outside the city.

To me, Lisbon seemed like a nice city for relaxing, there’s enough for you to visit inside the city in a couple of days but I feel there’s more to do outside the city, which leaves you with the chance to rest up and enjoy the sea or pool inside the city.

The first outing was to Sintra, a beautiful town that is home to various castles that make you feel like you’re in a fantasy. This town is about half an hour away from Lisbon by car, and since it’s fairly easy to rent a car there, this was our choice; this way we’d be able to go at our own rhythm rather than follow a tour bus schedule. Some of the best places to visit in Sintra are the Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle and La Quinta de Regaleira; this last one was my favorite because of all the small nooks and surprising spots it had, like the Well of Initiation.

The Pena Palace and Park is an incredible and colorful castle, known for its tall red and yellow towers. While I walked through the squares and rooms inside the castle, I felt like I was in a theme park, it’s unreal. On the other hand, the Moorish Castle has the look of a more traditional medieval castle, made of stone and huge walls to walk along. This is a magical place specially because of its surroundings, the way the light shines off the stone will make you feel like you’re in a movie. Finally, La Quinta da Regaleira is a beautiful mansion more than a castle itself, but its real attraction lies on the gardens that surround it. As you walk through the gardens you are bound to feel like you’re in an enchanted wood.

The second daytrip we took was to Fatima, one of the most important catholic sites. Fatima is famous due to the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. This place has a wonderful energy and is very beautiful, it’s a great place to take a day and visit. It’s about an hour and a half away from Lisbon by bus, and there are buses leaving every day. This holy site is absolutely beautiful, not only in its structures and architecture, but in the story and meaning it hold for people. I found it beautiful to see people all around the world come to celebrate the same thing. Being religious or not, I think everyone will appreciate the feeling of peace and happiness in this place.