Jul 16

Jul 16 Portugal

Day 1 - Lisbon

Tour of São Jorge Castle
- This is a Moorish castle that is located in the center of Lisbon. Because it is situated on the highest point in Lisbon, the castle provides spectacular views of the city and surrounding areas.

World Cup Semi-Final Viewing Party
- On our walk to dinner, we stumbled upon a large World Cup viewing party in Commerce Square. The event was free to the public and we were excited to be able to cheer on France alongside thousands of our closest friends :)

Dinner at Portugaliza Cervejarai Cais Sobre
- In 2016, my cousins Claire and Brooke travelled to Japan. On their trip, they met two boys from Lisbon who they have kept in contact with over the years. In preparation for our Portugal trip, Claire reached out to the two boys and arranged for us to meet up with them while we were in Lisbon. At their suggestion, we met them for dinner at Portugaliza Cervejarai Cais Sobre. Overlooking the Tagus river, this restaurant offers traditional Portuguese food. We all had a local favorite - steak with Portugalia sauce (basically melted butter) and a fried egg on top. It was DELICIOUS - as you might expect anything to be with a lot of butter. And of course a side of fries to dip in the sauce.
Park Bar
- To get to this rooftop bar, you must walk through a parking deck. While figuring out how to get to the bar is confusing, the drinks and views are worth it.

Berlengas Tour
- While Claire took a day trip to Belem, I decided to go on a guided tour of the Berlengas. Located 10 km off the coast of Peniche, Portugal, the Berlengas is a group of small islands, only one of which (Berlenga Grand Island) is inhabitable. The Berlenga Grand Island is known for its vast number of caves and the Fort of São João Baptista which was originally a monastery that was later turned into a fortress in the early 1500s. It is important to note that the island has no fresh water. As a result, the only animals that are found on the island are lizards and a lot of birds. And the birds are aggressive (I got attacked by one and it was terrifying).

Dinner at Taberna da Run das Flores
- This small tapas restaurant was recommended to me by some friends that had visited Lisbon a year earlier. While the wait was 1.5 hours long and they did not take reservations, it was worth it.

Day Trip to Sintra
- I would like to start by saying that Sintra was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. While the weather could have been sunnier and warmer (it was cold and cloudy), the natural beauty of the town and surrounding area was stunning and I would go back in a heartbeat. Because it is just a short train ride from Lisbon, I would recommended anyone visiting Lisbon to go to Sintra.
Quinta da Regaleira
- This is an impressive estate that was bought in 1892 by Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro and transformed into a bewildering palace with the help of Italian architect, Luigi Manini. The grounds of the estate include a beautiful gothic-inspired palace, a Roman Catholic chapel, a park, tunnel system, and two "Initiation Wells".
Lunch at Incomum
- For 11 euros, we had an amazing 3 course meal that included split pea soup, snapper and clam pasta, and a mouth-watering chocolate coconut cake.

Pena Palace
- Once the home of the King and Queen of Portugal, Pena Palace is truly an architectural wonder. In 1838, King Ferdinand II purchased a monastery that had been severely damaged by the infamous earthquake that hit Portugal in 1755. Inspired by the Romantic movement, King Ferdinand renovated the monastery and added on to the original structure with the intention of creating a royal palace that would be used as a summer residence for the Portuguese royal family. Several different style influences can be seen throughout the Palace including medieval and islamic influences. In addition to the impressive structure, the Palace grounds are located on Pena Park, which includes nearly 500 acres of forest, gardens, and lakes.

Hiking the Vila Sassetti
- We took the Vila Sassetti hiking path from Pena Palace to the center of Sintra. The views were breathtaking and the path was well maintained.

Dinner at Chez Juoa
- For dinner we had a wonderful home-cooked meal by our Portuguese friend, Joao. Dessert: A portuguese traditional Pastal de Nata. The meal was great and the company was even better.

Late Lunch at Taberna Sal Grosso
- This restaurant was tapas styles and was some of the best food I have eaten in Europe. We had braised oxtail, roasted chicken, codfish cakes, and a tomato and fig salad. Unfortunately, I forgot to take photos because I was too busy eating the food.