Wishful thinking: A day in Lisbon

Two years ago, I published two posts about a couple of days we spent in Lisbon. There were so many photos left from that trip, that I planned to make at least one more post about it, but I never found the time. This spring, my parents are traveling to Lisbon, which made me daydream about flickering azulejos, colorful trams, houses, souvenirs, warm days, pasteis de nata, jacaranda trees, the river Tejo, broad avenues, crumbling side alleys, giant 25 de Abril bridge, and the sun, the sun, the sun...all that Lisbon is. 

This spring and summer, we have some exciting travels ahead (hints: France, Italy- not a surprise!), but if I'd find myself teleported to Lisbon for just one day, I would spend it something like this:

First I would head to see and smell the jacaranda trees in the Museo Gulbelkian neighborhood. It was there I first encountered those beautiful plants, and the scent they filled the streets with after the rain is one of my first associations to Lisbon now. Then I would have a hearty breakfast at Pastelaria Versailles, conveniently located just a short walk away. On my way, I would admire the azulejos flickering on the sun in all the different colors and patterns (and I'm positive it would be a sunny day). In Pastelaria Versailles, I would not only have typical Portuguese sweet Pasteis de nata, but also croissants with cheese and ham, sweet croissants and a fresh pressed orange juice (because it's a long day ahead!).

I would take a walk down the Avenida de Liberdade with its lush greenery and fancy stores (I would just take a glimpse at those, as I wouldn't want to waste my precious time), to the Praca dos Restauradores all the way to beautiful, open space of Praca do Comercio. I would take in the sun, yellow facades and the buzz of the people attracted to this vivid square just as I am. Then I would be lured by the waters and the fresh breeze of river Tejo. My eyes would squint of all the sun coming from the broad, bright skies and reflecting from the gentle river waves. 

The boardwalk would take me further to the neighborhood of Chiado, and from there I would take the steep cobbled streets of Bairro Alto. I would get lost in those streets, following the colorful trams up an down, exploring little local shops, taking in the atmosphere of crumbling facades, azulejos everywhere and fresh laundry hanging above it all.

It would be almost too late for lunch when I'd realize how hungry and thirsty I am, but I would make it last minute to the restaurant A'Parte. I would sit in their labyrinth-like terrace with a glass of wine and the savory prawn, caramelized hazelnuts, mango and lettuce salad- a dish that for me is the taste of Lisbon: sunny from the mango, fresh from the lettuce, almost too sweet from the hazelnuts and uncompromisingly delicious from the prawns. All that Lisbon is, again.

I was thinking of skipping Belem today, but I won't. There is still some energy left to take the squeaky tram ride down the Tejo waterfront. I would sit by the window surrounded by tourists from all over the world: a loud Spanish family, elderly German couple and giggly American students, all with the same goal of going up the Padrao dos Descobrimentos, looking down on the vast river and little moving dots of hundreds of other visitors. I would listen to all the different languages while the town would pass by my window: I wouldn't want to miss the view of the grand bridge 25 de Abril. 

Once in Belem, I would again enjoy vast Lisbon open spaces (I love that about Lisbon!). It would be windy on the top of Padrao dos Descobrimentos, but I would take some photos anyway and marvel at the grandness of it all from above. I would walk to Torre de Belem and take in the afternoon sun with a fresh drink in my hand. And then I would head back because I would want to freshen up a bit before dinner and a stroll up and down the Alfama neighborhood. It would be a crisp evening (it's still spring after all) and I would be very tired and a little bit cold; the sound of fado would lure me in this time (because last time, we heard fado from our apartment window and on the streets of Alfama, but we didn't go into one of the restaurants where you can enjoy it with a glass of wine). This time I wouldn't miss it, and if I could choose, she would perform, the lights would be dim but warm, and there would be wine, cheese and olives on my table.

What would you do if you had a day in Lisbon? I'm curious to know. :)

Along the seashore of Algarve

Another post about Portugal? Well, yes, and this time it's the beautiful seashore of Algarve that we took so many photos of. The list of Algarve beaches is reaaally long, and in 3 days we've spent there we've seen some of them, but we got the general impression- long, sandy beaches beaten by foamy waves, surrounded by steep cliffs, sea painted with a palette which ranges from turquoise to dark blue, and many flowers along the paths. The strong wind is omnipresent, and when I say strong I mean -making it hard to keep your balance strong-, which we experienced for the first time on the Cabo Sao Vicente (the southwesternmost point of Portugal). The view of the giant lighthouse nested on the steep cliffs is impressive, but the wind was so strong that we stayed in the car, drinking portuguese beer and eating snacks. Watching the sun set over that horizon felt like a drive in cinema (whit special 4D effects as our car was literally shaking on the wind).

We spent those 3 days mostly walking, soaking up the salty ocean air, admiring the landscape and taking photos. The towns along the shore are pretty touristy oriented, but we didn't came for towns, we came for nature, and it didn't disappoint. As the pictures speak for themselves, I'm cutting this post short and leaving you to admire these wonderful landscapes.

Peculiar rock formations on Praia da Marinha near Lagoa

Seaview near Benagil

Praia de Benagil, starting point of beautiful seashore trail

Beaches along the walking trail near Benagil

Cliff arches near Praia do Amado

Lighthouse near Cabo Sao Vicente

Hiking trail over Praia do Amado

Praia do Amado, a popular surfing spot

Windsurfing on Praia da Bordeira

Our favorite- Praia de Odeceixe

Searching for medieval traces and proper local food in Alentejo

Since the last two weeks have been pretty hectic, I failed to keep my one-post-a-week idea going. Today is Wednesday, the middle of another busy week and a perfect day to get inspired by browsing through my photos and sorting out my thoughts about our few days spent in the Alentejo region of Portugal.

The castle of Montemor-o-Novo in Alentejo

As I wanted to see a bit of everything- the big city, the countryside and the seaside, our next stop after Lisbon was the town of Evora in the interior of the country. Driving through the Alentejo region would be something I'd put on every itinerary when visiting central/southern Portugal. 

The landscape resembles a painting with its wavy green meadows dotted with cows and sheep, shaded by puffy clouds and cork oak trees (this region is one of the biggest producers of wine bottle corks in the world), while the storks are nesting on almost every anchor tower. 

When the landscape is beautiful, I really enjoy the drive, especially if there is a low traffic and the roads of Alentejo are literally empty- we would drive for half an hour without seeing another vehicle! We liked the landscape so much, that we decided to get off the highway and take a laid back drive through the picturesque countryside.

The ruins of the Montemor-o-Novo castle

On the way from Lisbon to Evora, there is a town of Montemor-o-Novo with medieval ruins on top of the hill which dominate the whole scene. Since we weren't in a hurry, we decided to visit the city and its ruins, and it turned out to be a lovely day trip! The town below feels as if the time has stopped- steep cobbled streets are lined with white washed houses with colorful window frames, elderly residents accompanied by few lazy cats are sitting and chatting in front of their houses and the whole atmosphere is a bit sleepy (but in a good way)!

Poisonous green tile facade in Montemor-o-Novo

The medieval ruins on top of the hill are dating back to 13th century and some parts like the entrance gate, defensive walls and some of the towers are still standing today. The view of the land is amazing, the entrance is free of charge, and you can basically roam around and climb the ruins as it suits you.

It was evening already when we reached Evora so we didn't have much time (or energy!) to explore the city. Followed by good reviews on Tripadvisor we roamed out of the city center to find a family restaurant called Vinho e Noz, specialized in great local meat- we had grilled black pork and steak made on a hot stone for dinner and it was delicious!

While planning our trip I was looking forward to indulge in great seafood everyone talked so much about, but we ended up eating meat and cheeses (and drinking wine) most of the time, as the local products of Alentejo are of such high quality!

Our morning in Evora started in a charming pastry shop called Pastelaria Conventual, where we had the best pasteis de nata in whole Portugal (including the ones we've tried in Belem, their place of origin). Except pasteis de nata, they have all sorts of local sweets, and they're all delicious! If you're visiting Evora, do not miss this place!

The main square of Evora

The temple of Diana near the cathedral

Evora is a city listed on Unesco world heritage list, thanks to the density of monuments packed inside of the old city walls. We visited the medieval cathedral which resembles a fortress and has a beautiful, peaceful cloister, the ruins of Roman temple of Diana next to the cathedral and the peculiar Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos).

The cloister of the cathedral in Evora

View of the cloister from the cathedral walls

Capela dos Ossos it is a chapel whose interior is completely covered (adorned) with human bones. I've heard about it before, but have never seen one in person and I was amazed by how the human bones served as a decoration to this chapel- the skulls are lining the arches of the nave, the pelvises are put as keystones and the side walls are covered in bones from bottom to top! The inscription above the entrance says something like: " We bones that here are, for yours await", as a reminder of transience of life.

After the unusual experience in Capela dos Ossos we headed south, to our next destination. On our way to the southwestern most point of Portugal (Cape Sao Vicente), we made a stop on one of the numerous Alentejo beaches. It was the beach of Carvalhal near Odemira, first in a row of beautiful beaches we've seen in Portugal. The wind was so strong that I barely dared to peak my nose out of the car, but in the end I couldn't resist the beauty of steep cliffs, clean sand and big, ocean waves, so we took a short walk, breathed the salty ocean air and left for Algarve.

Lisbon- the city of colors and light

What can a person say about Lisbon that hasn’t been said before? I guess it’s hard for every blogger to think about thousands of posts and photographs on the same subject, and to try to write original content, something that will intrigue the reader.

The view of the city from Castelo Sao Jorge

As there are many great posts and ultimate guides to this astonishing yet quirky city, I am going to write just my personal experience, accompanied with bunch of photos!

It was a long winter and after a hard battle between Iceland and Portugal, we decided to flee to the south, with the first signs of spring. By the time the first buds appeared we longed for the sun, longer days, warm climate and light food.

Soaking up the sun and the views of Alfama

We landed in Lisbon by night, greeted by strong wind and a heavy shower. The broad avenues were magnificent even by night, our neighborhood was scented by beautiful jacaranda trees and on our first dinner in Portugal I ate (without knowing what I’m ordering) a delicious, heartwarming soup which turned out to be made of tripes! And that's what's traveling is about- it makes you step out of your routine and comfort zone and provides you with new experiences, something that you normally wouldn't experience at home.

Jacaranda trees in March (I would love to see them in full bloom in the early summer when they color the city purple!)

Due to time difference, we woke up early in the morning which gave us enough time to explore the city a bit, before heading to Ėvora and Algarve for a few days.

Followed by a recommendation on the lovely Eating the World blog we went to Pastelaria Versailles, which was fortunately located about 5 minutes from our apartment- this old style cafe imitates the grandeur of the palace of the Sun King in a very charming manner- the waiters are extremely polite, the place is filled with locals having their breakfast, and the selection of sweets is so wide that if it weren’t for Lisbon's signature sweet Pasteis de nata, one would have difficulties choosing!

Breakfast at Cafe Versailles

After breakfast we browsed a little around the Avenida da Repùblica and the thing that amazed us the most was the light- everything was so bright, the sun shined intensively, the air was- airy, and the ocean wind was omnipresent.

Another great coincidence was that the Museu Gulbenkian was also in our neighborhood, and we had just enough time to visit it. We expected a nice collection, but we didn’t expect amazing gallery space with large glass walls that open up to the greenery of the garden and almost look like a picture on its own, admirable collection which contained art pieces from Egyptian figurines and medieval manuscripts to impressionists and wonderful secessionist jewelry by René Lalique and a nice museum shop. One more thing- there are no crowds and waiting in lines for the masterpieces in this museum, one can really take some time to sit, enjoy, contemplate, relax in this amazing space!

Museu Gulbenkian was one of great surprises of this trip!

Before heading to Ėvora we had a quick lunch in the restaurant called A parte, also in the neighbourhood- apart from having unusual and charming interior, this restaurant also makes the best salad I’ve ever tasted- out of green salad, grilled prawns, fresh mango and caramelized nuts! Yum!

Lunch at A parte restaurant

The view from our apartment in Alfama

We returned to Lisbon after a few days spent on the wild coast of Algarve, and the first impression of the city was so good that I could not wait to come back. We found an apartment in the old quartier of Alfama, in a steep narrow street adorned with many plants- for some reason, every tourist group and tuk tuk stopped to take a photo of that exact street, we never found out why!

Colorful streets and lovely details of Alfama

A minute walk from our apartment was a wine bar called The Corkscrew where we had dinner on all the three nights we spent in Lisbon. So in a street renowned for its fado restaurants, we listened to jazz music, eating punchy Portuguese cheeses and drinking wine. This restaurant makes few dishes, but they are prepared from scratch, in front of you, and their bartender style steak and flambeed pancakes are to die for!

One of the lovely evenings spent in the Corkscrew wine bar

Since we had only two days left in Lisbon we decided to make the best of it and take at least a peak of every of the old neighborhoods. We started in Alfama, climbing up to Castelo São Jorge for some incredible views of the sunbathed city- there were lots of tourists wandering around its ancient walls, but the funny thing was that we kept bumping into the same people on different parts of the city, as if we were in a small one :D

Castelo Sao Jorge- spectacular views and medieval architecture

The Ponte 25 de Abril red bridge which dominates the scene reminded me of the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, and although I’ve never been to SF, I got the impression that these cities are alike- from the bridge, to the hilly neighborhoods, old school trams and the jacaranda trees.

Passing the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge on our way to the Alentejo region

We did visit the cathedral (Sé) in Alfama, but otherwise, we just strolled up and down the hilly neighborhood, both amazed by the lovely alleys and tile adorned houses and surprised by many abandoned, run-down buildings and dirty corners. The lovely thing is that the whole neighborhood echoes the song of many singing birds that the residents keep on their balconies! I loved the colors of the city- colorful tiles, painted façades, red and yellow trams, adorned traffic signs and intensively blue skies!

Tile adorned houses and red trams- Lisbon is such a photogenic city!

We followed the red tram line to the neighborhood of Baixa, but I'll have to write another post about the rest of our stay in Lisbon, as I have too much to say and to show to fit in just one post! In the meantime, I would love to hear your Lisbon experiences and maybe some recommendations for the next visit!