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Happy Thursday! I’m so excited for today’s post because I’m sharing our Portugal travel diary. I’ve always wanted to go to Portugal, but did not think the opportunity would come so soon! But I’m so glad we did, and though we didn’t get to stay as long as we wanted, we had so much fun. Keep reading to check out our travel diary, and don’t forget to reach out if you’re planning a trip to Portugal. There is no way I could fit all my tips and tricks in one post, but I’d love to share! All my contact info is in the sidebar!
PORTUGAL TRAVEL DIARY
Getting there was quite an adventure. We had to wake up at 5:30 on Saturday to get ready and get out the door to drive to LAX and get checked in for our 1 o’clock flight. So we were starting exhausted and we stayed that way because we had no time between our flights in rest. As soon as we got off the plane in Toronto, we had to rush only to be held up going through Canadian customs (-ish), get our passports stamped, then rush to our next gate and got there about ten minutes before boarding. We finally landed in Lisboa at 11:35 on Sunday.
We took the subway to our hotel, and fortunately we only packed carryons so it wasn’t too hard traveling. Then we got lost looking for our hotel because my phone sent us in totally the opposite direction and we missed our turn trying to avoid one of the many people who would literally rush us trying to sell us drugs. So that was fun. Actually, it wasn’t too bad – we made it to our hotel before check in. We decided to drop our bags off and get a yummy lunch nearby.
After resting in our hotel for a bit (we had been up for over 20 hours at that point!), we walked down to the arch on Rua Augusta and took in the gorgeous view – see the photo above! Then stopped at a bakery and picked up a variety of delicious pastries for dinner.
DAY ONE: MONDAY
The first full day we spent in Lisboa was a Monday. One of the most talked about spots in the part we stayed was the Castle – so we had to go there. Plus we knew that that would be one of our longest days.
It took us a while to walk up to the top, but it was so worth it. Walking around and exploring the heights of the castle and the archeological sites was truly amazing. We also had a lot of fun finding little shops along the way, we even found a place called Casa Lopes! We had to take a picture! On the way back to the hotel we stopped at the Cathedral which was absolutely amazing and too beautiful for words.
Late in the afternoon we made it back to the hotel and rested more, before venturing to another part of town for dinner. It was about a twenty minute walk, minus the time it took for us to get lost again!, but we found a fun little restaurant and had maybe the best dinner of our whole trip. I’ve been a pescatarian for years, but my dad told us the presunto and choriço in Portugal was better than anything in the United Sates, so I decided to try it. He was right!
DAY TWO: TUESDAY
By day two we had found our bearings and felt comfortable walking around the city. We didn’t get lost. But we did argue about what would be the fastest way to get where we were going. That’s how you know your comfortable some place, by the way, when you see and want to take alternate routes!
We walked to a few places, but the place we wanted to visit most was the National Pantheon and it was one of my favorite places. If you follow on Snapchat (my username is ashliha), you saw how
terrified Chris and I were to go to the very top. We thought it was hilarious, but neither of us would go near the edge unless we were low to the ground or holding on to each other.
Then we walked through a local market that was happening that day that was just so cool. I loved seeing all the hand made pieces and exploring the city. The market led us right to our next spot which was the church and monastery of S. Vincente which was absolutely stunning. And the gardens were gorgeous. We also had a super yummy lunch at a little restaurant across the street where Chris said he had the best burger of his entire life.
DAY THREE: WEDNESDAY
Day three was our first big adventure. We figured out how to catch a bus to Belém so we could visit the tower. We were actually thinking about walking. But then we thought about how much walking we’d be doing there and we decided to bus.
Once we got there it was amazing. The military monuments were right by the Tower of Belém, which was really really special for Chris and me. We took extra time walking around the memorials and visited the unidentified soldiers tomb. It was so beautiful and emotional. I get teary just thinking about it.
Next we climbed the 92 steps to the top of the tower and got an amazing view of the city. The stairway up was such a tiny little spiral corridor, it was pretty nerve-wracking, but totally worth it. After that we headed to the Maritime monument. Unfortunately, it was under reconstruction and totally covered in scaffolding, though it was quite beautiful still.
I was so excited to go to the Jerónimos Monastery. Tt was amazing, too. The murals and construction work are mind-blowingly beautiful. And the museum is attached so it was really easy to explore this gorgeous historical site, then go in and explore other aspects of the history of Portugal.
Finally, we stopped at Pasteis de Belém and waited in the long line to be seated for the best pasteis I have ever had. For real, so worth the wait. Chris ordered six more to take back to the hotel with us and keep eating all night because they were that good. I still dream of them.
DAY FOUR: THURSDAY
Day four was another adventure. We wanted one that wouldn’t involve too much walking, so we decided to go to the Oceanarium. We left the historic part of Lisboa on a subway, and walked out into the most modern city I’ve ever seen. It was night and day difference. Old tiled buildings were replaced by a giant, five(?) story mall with a million stores and a Target-like store, high rises, and tons of glass. And it was done absolutely beautifully.
The Oceanarium was amazing! It is the most beautiful aquarium that I’ve ever been to. The main tank is two floors tall and you walk all around it on both floors so you don’t miss any of the amazing animals. I keep saying amazing, but honestly that’s one of the one words that describes it. Amazing and beautiful.
We finished off the day by stopping at a couple of bookstores in town, and a little pop up shop, so I could find some of my favorite titles in Portuguese and practice the language. We also got a few gifts for our families.
DAY FIVE: FRIDAY
Our last day, we took it easy because we knew we would have to stay up all night. And for the next 48 hours! We woke up late and decided to work our way the two miles up to a little spot my dad recommended. It was quite a walk, but we stopped at a bunch of little stores on the way. We also found the rest of our gifts for friends and family.
When we finally made it to lunch, it was so good! Chris loved it and the bartender remembered by father being there just a few months before. It was hilarious, I was able to practice my Portuguese, and we had a great time. We took the metro back and explored the area around our hotel a little more. Unfortunately, our last meal made us both sick. We thought we could grab something fast and nearby. But we should have taken the time to walk to one of the local restaurants. Don’t eat at the tourist joints, just don’t do it.
Going Home…
Finally, we headed back to the hotel to rest up and clean up before our 2am wake up. Our flight left at 6am, so we decided to be at the airport by 3 to have time to find our gate and get through security. Unfortunately, we had picked up another bag for all the gifts and needed to check it, but the desk didn’t open until almost five. We could have gotten more sleep, but oh well! We finally got on our flight and headed to Munich, where we had a two hour layover. After Munich, we got an a 12.5 hour direct flight to LA. If you follow on social, you know we both got so sick with colds and we swear it was from that flight. In the end, we walked 43 miles and still didn’t see everything!
It was such an adventure from start to finish, and even the downs could never beat the beauty we saw. Portugal was Number #1 on my top countries to visit, and it still is. I think it forever will be because I just can’t get enough.
Happy Thursday ladies, I hope you have a great one!
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