A glitch fare took me to Portugal pt 1
•so much to see•
I've always made Paris a priority when visiting Western Europe, however the most unlikely event happened that led me to Lisbon.
I was checking out various destinations one night on RBC’s travel site, very randomly picked Lisbon and a glitch happened. Every time I refreshed the RBC travel page, the price for flight and hotel would drop, also known as a glitch. Needless to say, I booked the package faster than Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce sprinting 100 meters (yes, there will be Jamaican references every so often in this blog lol!).
That unicorn event, which was really the universe conspiring (hello Paulo Coelho), resulted in a surprisingly amazing trip at just the right time in my life. Heads up: I’ve broken up my post into 5 fairly long parts, because it’s more like a memoir of sorts and I feel like I did a lot in my week there. Hopefully you’ll be encouraged to visit Lisbon and discover all of its charms for yourself.
The culture
I've known Portuguese people pretty much all of my life, but there is something about going to the country and getting immersed (as best possible in a week's time). I could be wrong but food, sun, family and football seem fitting when describing the culture. People take the time to talk to each other, eat some really good meals and relax. As a lifelong football fan, I greatly appreciated the projectile screens that came up in the evenings by kiosks showing matches!
The people
Everyone is so nice. I don't mean in the generic 'please buy everything in my souvenir shop' nice but genuinely nice. Strangers were so helpful and kind, I started to wonder if there was something in the water of the City of the Seven Hills. Seriously. I never felt unsafe, uncomfortable or out of place.
Leading up to my trip, I kept hearing how Portuguese people will treat you like family...and it's not an exaggeration. So amazing in this day and age, when everyone is more concerned about what's on their phone versus the person in front of them. By the end of my trip, I was roaming around like I lived there...who knows, I might just end up there if my Portuguese improves (and I can convince the Mr.)!
The tours
After wandering around on my own a bit the day I landed, I did the Chill Out Free Walking Tour the following day. I've never done a free walking tour before but the reviews on tripadvisor were stellar, so I figured why not. Plus, I was traveling solo and needed to be oriented a bit.
My tour started at 10am after a beast of a climb up Calçada da Glória, had a fairly diverse makeup of 15-20 people and started off with some great history from Rafa, our guide for the morning.
We covered so much ground in 3.5 hours, yet it didn't feel long at all because we stopped several times for things to be pointed out or discussed in detail (ie way of life in Alfama).
The Chill Out Free Walking Tour is a must and I'm happy to say that the tripadvisor reviews were spot on. Check them out and don't miss this great and intimate introduction to the city.
Mid way through my trip I took a 20 minute train ride out to Belém, which is the most southwestern district of the Lisbon municipality. I didn’t think guided tours were necessary for this mini day trip and I’m happy to report that they aren’t!
The area has a lot to see and do, which is great because there is really something for everyone. I enjoyed checking out the Padrão dos Descobrimentos monument, Torre de Belém, Jerónimos Monastery and its impeccably landscaped gardens. There are museums but, to be honest, they looked pretty underwhelming and the reviews didn’t help so I skipped them. If you really want to check out museums, you can find them listed easily on any Lisbon Metro map. In short, Belém is gorgeous, laid back and very easy to navigate.
For my last tour, I decided to check out Sintra and Cascais. I highly recommend not listening to naysayers who say they can't be done on the same day.
I booked a tour with We Hate Tourism Tours (WHTT) for their Sintra/Cascais Day Trip (75€ pp as of 7/2022). I was part of a small group of 6, which was great because we had ample opportunity to ask our energetic guide Marcos every question imaginable about Portugal. The day started off with a game of 'who could raise their blood sugar the most'. Just kidding. We dug into some yummy baked goods from a little bakery on the way out of Lisbon. The sweet tooth Portugal has is unreal but appreciated.
We had time to explore the coastal town of Sintra (a UNESCO heritage site) a bit, which is the spot for finding souvenirs at great prices. Then, we passed all the crowds and busier landmarks to end up at the Palace of Monserrate. I absolutely loved it. Very few tourists end up there because coach buses can't fit through the narrow passageways, which allows you plenty of time to quietly take in all of the beautiful architecture and gardens.
We continued on to Cabo da Roca, which is about halfway between Sintra and Cascais. It is the most western point of continental Europe, with views of the Atlantic Ocean and end of the Serra Sintra (Sintra Mountains). Naturally, a spot like this is quite popular with tourists however WHTT has the timing just right and you will most likely be the only ones there on arrival. Be prepared for a very windy experience,so make sure personal items are properly secured before venturing out. The visitor centre has a gift shop, small cafe and restroom facilities if needed.
The second half of the day was spent in Cascais, the locale of the original Casino Royale which is a big deal if you're a James Bond fan. This is where the affluent come to play and it shows. It also has a very rich history, that may or may not involve real spies, but I'll leave that to Marco to share with you. The beaches are beautiful, restaurants are buzzing but somehow Cascais maintains a very relaxed and warm vibe. I'll definitely spend a few days here when I return.
Overall, the tour was great and well worth the price. Sintra and Cascais can be done independently but seeing as it was my first time in Portugal and solo, I opted not to and was very happy with my decision.
The ONE tour I wish I could have done was the African Lisbon Tour. I can’t remember why I missed it when I was there, but I recommended it to my friend and she loved it. Next time for sure.
Now it’s time to eat!
