It's Like A Portuguese Magic Kingdom Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that was once the summer residence of the Moorish lords of Lisbon and the kings of Portugal. A number of wealthy aristocrats were attracted to the area who built huge mansions and villas. Sintra is dominated by steep mountains and lush forests that create its own micro climate. For being such a short distance away from Lisbon, the temperature difference was remarkable. It is much cooler, especially at night. … [Read more...]
Seaside Town Of Cascais
A Bus Ride Reminiscent Of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride At Disneyland! From Sintra we took a bus to a city called Cascais on the coast. We were told it is a very scenic route. It would have been a nice ride if the driver wasn't driving like we were on Mr. Toads wild ride at Disneyland. He was going around the curves at such a pace we were sliding out of our seats. Jack was very nauseous. I usually never get travel sickness but was not doing too well by the end of the trip either. This was the worst bus ride we have had on the entire trip. The driving was worse than what we experienced in Africa … [Read more...]
Lagos
A Little Information About Lagos Lagos was our place to relax and settle in one spot for a while. It has a population of about 25,000. There is something for everyone, you'll find backpackers, surfers and families. You can't get many places with more sunshine than here. The temperature stays very comfortable throughout the winter. The day we left at the end of October it was 30C. Along with the rest of Portugal, Lagos has a rich history that dates back as far as 2000 BC. Originally it was used as a seafaring port by the Phonecians. This was also the base for the voyages of discovery. … [Read more...]
A Day Trip To Tavira
Quaint Little Tavira The Algarve is so easy to get around that you could stay in any one place and do day trips to almost everywhere else. We took a short 18 mile train trip a town called Tavira. The is called the Venice of the Algarve. A large canal called Rio Gilao runs through the center of the town reflecting elegant houses on each side. Having just come from Venice it definitely didn't compare, but it was quite charming. It is an old historic town that is very cute and quiet. It is packed full of buildings dating from the 16th to 18th century. For such a small place it has an … [Read more...]
A Brief Stop In Albufeira And Then On To Faro
We took a train from Porto to a town called Albufeira. It is amazing how you can get from northern to southern Portugal in a matter of hours. This ride was about 6 hours in total, including changing trains in Lisbon. The Perpetual Bus Ride We left the train station in Albufeira and had to take a short bus ride to a central bus station, and then another bus to the old town center of Albufeira. We would look for a room for the night. We got on the bus and missed the stop for the old town, the driver said not to worry, we could stay on the bus and and take the route again. We still didn't know … [Read more...]
Porto
Arriving In Porto And Finding A Hotel We took our second flight with Ryan Air, this one was 2 hours 20 min from Frankfurt to Porto. We flew over the Swiss Alps, it was beautiful as we flew over Spain and Portugal. Both countries were very lush and green. The Porto airport is brand new as well as the metro system that takes you into the town center. Porto is a very picturesque and charming city that is situated along the Douro river. The old town is on one side and the newer section on the other. As you cross any one of the six bridges from one side to the other you will get a … [Read more...]