Summer in Portugal
From the Algarve Coast to the North of Portugal, from Lagos to Lisbon. Here's a selection of travel pictures to show you the very best of Portugal.
No, I did not take a "mandatory" selfie with the Tram 28 in Lisbon like a million people before me. But I swam into the Benagil Sea Cave at sunset. I did not stand in the 200 meter queue with Asian tourists so that I can buy a nata at the famous Pastéis de Belém. But I had a great 4-euro dinner in the suburbs of Porto where the waiter only spoke Portuguese. I got lost in the hiking trails of the Algarve Coast. Drank way too much Port wine. And fell in love with Portugal.
Happy and drunk on Port wine. Due to their richer, sweeter, and heavier character, these wines usually contain 19% to 20% alcohol. Therefore, going on a winery tour at 15PM (like I did), is not a good idea. Unless you want to be wasted by 17PM (like I was).
Although Lisbon averages 4.5 million tourists per year, meaning that for every resident there are typically 9 tourists, somehow it still manages to keep its authentic, Portuguese charm.
One morning I took a wrong turn on my way to the city, and eventually got lost on the hills around Lagos. That is how I ended up here, on the cliffs of Praia do Camilo.
Azulejos date as far back as the 13th century, when the Moors invaded the land that now belongs to Spain and Portugal. Even the word azulejo stems from Arabic roots, meaning 'small polished stone'. Nowadays, azulejos are a form of Spanish and Portuguese painted ceramic tilework, which are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, or even ordinary houses. They are everywhere.
Less then 2 hours drive from Faro International Airport, Lagos is a small beach resort at the Algarve Coast in the South of Portugal.
Morning glory on the streets of Lagos.
Visiting the westernmost point of the European continent, Cabo da Roca (combined with the palaces of Sintra) is a perfect day trip from Lisbon. Bus 403 runs regularly between Sintra and Cascais and stops at Cabo da Roca. The whole journey takes approx. 6 euros and 35 minutes from Sintra.
Whenever we go on a trip to visit foreign lands or distant places, it is nice to remember that they are all someone's home and backyard. Just like these dreamy houses in Porto, covered with tiles (that is the most Portuguese thing, after all).
Sunset at the Benagil Beach. 'The universe is an ocean upon which we are the waves. While some decide to surf, others venture to dive.'
Mesmerizing sunset from the top of the double-decker Dom Luis I bridge that spans the River Douro, linking the wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia with downtown Porto.
Opposite to Porto on the River Douro, it’s always wine o’clock. Villa Nova de Gaia is the hub of the Port wine industry, with centuries-old wineries and chic restaurants.
View from Miradouro das Portas do Sol, which literally translates to “Viewpoint of the Doors of the Sun”. One of the many wonderful standpoints in Lisbon.