#portugal – Bri Right Back

I knew only seeing Lisbon would not be nearly enough Portugal for me, so I headed to Porto. I didn’t know it at the time but there was a big football game during my stay. It made for a loud couple of nights near the hostel. Luckily the fans weren’t getting as crazy as the ones I encountered in Madrid.

One of my first stops was Manteigaria for pasteis de nata since I’d exhausted my supply on the three hour journey over. They were just as delicious as in Lisbon.

I set out kind of aimlessly to check out the sights in Porto and was fortunate to stumble upon the Miradouro da Vitória. This was a nice viewpoint that overlooks the Dom Luís I Bridge. It was a little hidden but there’s a small sign. The best part: it’s free unlike other viewpoints in the city!

You’ll find beautiful blue and white tile work on the Igreja de Carmo and lots of other buildings you’ll encounter in Porto.

I’d recommend checking out the baroque architecture of Clérigos Church and really paying attention to the amazing amount of detail that went into this structure.

Visiting the Jardins do Palacio de Cristal was easily one of my favorite parts of my trip. The reason for that is almost entirely peacock-related. While the gardens were very nice, I really just followed peacocks around for a couple hours (which will now be made very obvious since they’re basically in all the following photos). No regrets.

Seeing the gardens was well worth the very long walk from the center of town.

One place I didn’t get the chance to see was the Livraria Lello, a bookstore that was inspiration for J.K. Rowling. So if you’re a Potter fan, definitely reserve a spot early if that’s on your list!

I really enjoyed seeing what Porto had to offer, and feeling ten pounds heavier from the delicious desserts, I continued on and caught my flight to Paris!

I made it to Lisbon, Portugal very early on a Spring morning after taking an overnight bus from Madrid. Portugal has become a super popular destination in recent years and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to see it for myself. I checked into Goodnight Lisbon but couldn’t get into my room yet as it was 8 am. Exhausted but also ready to explore, I decided to take a tour around the city offered by the hostel. I’m glad I did as it helped me acclimate and get used to the hilly terrain (as much as one can get used to it). I was also lucky enough to meet a few awesome fellow solo travelers that I spent the majority of my time with whilst in Lisbon. I highly recommend this hostel and its staff, and I’ve heard great things about Good Morning Lisbon too. Both offered free breakfast every morning which is such a great perk when you’re trying to stick to a budget.

Once I laid eyes on the Praça do Comércio I was in love with the beauty of this city. All the climbing during the tour was worth the inevitable soreness- a small price to pay for these gorgeous views.

During my first tour, I learned that the Portuguese weren’t fond of dancing but they loved sad music. These must be my people. If I were to visit again, I would make sure to see a traditional Fado show. Fado shows are unique to Portugal and are characterized by their mournful, sad lyrics.

The Pink Street area of Lisbon is the hipstery part of the city, with lots of trendy bars. The street itself is a great photo opportunity for travelers.

Spend the day with yourself. Let nothing distract you. A poem emerges so young and so old. You can’t know how long it has lived in you.

I can’t offer a lot of recommendations for food in Portugal because of my seafood aversion. If you’re a seafood lover, you will have so many options in Lisbon. I had some great falafel at a vegetarian place in town called Juicy. Their smoothies were tasty as well.

My favorite thing to eat in Lisbon was undoubtedly the pasteis de nata. These custard tarts were delicious and addictive. The local tour guide swore by the ones at Manteigaria and they did not disappoint. You can also find gelato in the flavor of these treats.

Pasteis de Nata (aka the only dessert you could ever need)

Pasteis de nata gelato: worthy of portrait-mode status

I took a tram to Belem and spent the afternoon there. I checked out Belem Tower and the nearby Discoveries Monument. It was nice to walk along the water there, hearing live music being played from musicians on the grass. I was too lazy to brave the lines, but if you want to compare the Lisbon pasteis de nata to those in Belem, definitely head to Fábrica Pastéis de Belém. A day trip to Belem would be the ideal amount of time to appreciate this area.

Sintra is absolutely beautiful. My first tip is don’t do what I did. I didn’t commit enough time to explore this town. Wake up early and make your way over there to get the most of its beauty, or better yet, book accommodation there. I arrived kind of late and felt like I had to rush around to see just a fraction of the sights Sintra has to offer. The easiest way around seemed to be the buses that went to each popular location. There are several so figure out which one fits your needs and time constraints. Strapped for time, I chose the one that brought me to the Castle of the Moors and the Palacio de Pena.

Be prepared for lots of walking in Sintra- sneakers are a must. I got lost on the trails and never actually made it to the Palace (just one of several reasons I should’ve planned a longer day here) but managed to get some pictures from a distance. The grounds were also really nice to explore in general so I didn’t feel like I was missing out on too much. Also, one thing to note if you’re solo traveling: the tuk tuk drivers wouldn’t take me anywhere since I was by myself. I was told by friends that these were a cool way to get around but I guess it’s not worth it for the drivers to just bring one person to the sights. Slightly disappointing but the bus was convenient and not too pricey.