I love Portugal, and you should too. Seriously, it’s the best place I have ever been. My boyfriend is Portuguese, his mother was born there. For our graduation, his parents were extremely generous and gave us a trip to Portugal for our graduation gift. Since I’ve been dating Jake for a while, this is something we had been talking about doing for a long time. His parents came for the trip too, and it couldn’t have been better. I felt like I really bonded with his family (who I already felt close too!) and I got to experience where they were from. And trust me, if Portugal wasn’t on your bucket list, it should be! I’m already planning on trying to get back in the next couple years. Based on where I went, here’s the best places to hit on your journey! (Also, eat Pastéis de Nata’s every day you’re there…note Jake and I eating them below.)
Nazaré Nazaré is a beautiful beach town, with clear water and adorable european streets. Jake spent a lot of summer’s here in his cousins apartment, where we stayed. We were lucky enough to have a balcony view where we could eat our breakfast and look out on the water. The weather was perfect in early June. We were so busy traveling that we only spent one day lounging on the beach, but it was absolutely perfect. There are so many restaurants to choose from, all with authentic Portuguese cuisines.
Alcobaça Alcobaça is a lovely city with great shopping, great food, and a beautiful thousand year old monastery that you have to tour. We did an audio tour, which was perfect for me. I got to take my time, while learning the entirety of the city, and church’s, history. It was built by the first king of Portugal, and it holds the tombs of the great Pedro and his murdered lover, Inez. If you don’t know the true story of Pedro and Inez
, check it out before you go, it’s a tragic romance that’s worth learning about. It makes the tombs that much more fascinating! Plus, the architecture is literally stunning. There are several lovely restaurants outside of the monastery where you can enjoy your dinner and watch how gorgeous it looks lit up behind you.
Óbidos Óbidos is a town that feels like it’s right out of Beauty and the Beast. Having only ever been to one other country outside of the U.S. (Ireland!), I had never experienced anything like this before. They had so much pottery, and beautiful hand made market baskets (which I bought a few of for myself, definitely get
one if you go to Portugal, it’s a necessity.). The town was originally an early roman settlement, which you can still note in the architecture of the castle. Honestly, I loved the medieval feel of all the castles in Portugal, because it totally made me feel like I was living in Game of Thrones. But, the best part about Óbidos, is the wall that surrounds the town. You can walk the entire perimeter of the town, seeing the white painted houses along with the red terra-cotta tiled roofs up close. It took us a little over an hour to walk the whole thing, but don’t do it if you’re afraid of heights, there are no railings and a few hazards along the way. It’s totally doable. I did it in jack rogers and a dress – I had no idea we weren’t just shopping that day…so just make sure you’re prepared for it!
Pena Palace Located in the great city of Sintra, the Pena Palace was one of my favorites of the trip. It’s exterior is colorful and unique, and it includes original pieces within the rooms of the palace. We were lucky enough to have hired a private tour guide for the day, who showed us several significant places within Sintra, but this was by far my favorite. We also had the opportunity to walk through the palace gardens, which I recommend. I got to see black swans, and bridges made of cork, and I felt like I was walking through Snow White’s personal forest. It was without a doubt enchanting, and something you should make sure you see! The picture of Jake and I in front of the palace has remained my wallpaper since we got back in June, just because I seriously can never forget how perfect that day was.
Lisbon (Lisboa) Of course, how can I not recommend Portugal’s most famous city, Lisbon. I spent the majority of my trip staying in Jake’s cousins apartment in Nazaré, however we were lucky enough to visit Lisbon our last two days during the Feast of St. Anthony, or ‘The Sardine Festival.’ Sardines are a big thing in Portugal, and the crowds for the festival were enormous and fun. Seriously, go in early June, guys! Schools not out yet, so the crowds are minimal. In Lisbon, make sure you walk the São Jorge Castle. You get incredible views of the city, and you’ll even see wild colorful peacocks flying around! Also, make sure you head over to Pastéis de Belém to have the most warm and delicious pastéis natas you’ll ever have. And if you’ve never had one, please understand it’s pretty much a requirement to have a coffee and pastéis nata DAILY in Portugal. Oh, and make sure you take a look at Belém Tower (seen in the photo below with the cloudy sky.) It’s wicked cool, and worth it to see in person.
I have so many more picture of the places I saw that I could share with you! If anyone has anymore questions, feel free to comment! It was the best vacation of my life, and I couldn’t be more grateful to Jake’s parents for letting me experience it with them!
