ok so i went to portugal last year and honestly i still think about it like every single day. it was supposed to be a “budget trip” lol yeah right i spent like $400 something idk exact on just food alone don’t ask. but omg it was worth every cent even the fuckups.
landed in lisbon first and holy shit the city is just… i cant even. like the streets are all these tiny cobblestone alleyways that go up and down hills forever and ur feet will DIE but its fine bc every corner has some old guy yelling or a tram trying to murder u. trams r so cute tho ngl. there’s this famous one tram 28 right? i waited 45min in the sun to get on it and then it was PACKED like sardines and i almost fell off standing but the view was insane so whatever. i think it was built in like 1930 or smth idk the history i just know it squeaks.
oh and the pastel de nata situation. ok hear me out. THESE are not just custard tarts. i had one at pasteis de belem where they invented them i think 500 years or smth? line was wrapped around the block wtf but honestly lifechanging. they gave it to me warm with cinnamon on top and i literally saw god. after that i ate like 3 a day every day and no regrets. my arteries hate me but my soul is happy.
sintra is a day trip from lisbon and bro if u go wear good shoes because wtf. its all these castles on top of a mountain like pina palace which is the most extra building ive ever seen looks like someone ate some mushrooms and designed a castle. bright yellow and red and random towers like a disney movie. i tried to walk up to the moorish castle but got lost for like an hour in the forest and almost gave up but found a stray cat who led me there i swear im not making this up. or maybe i am idk it was hot af.
also lisbon has this thing called fado music which is like super sad soulful singing in tiny dark restaurants. my freind told me about it and i went to this place in alfama and i wont lie i almost cried. this old lady closed her eyes and sang about the sea and suffering and i was like damn i dont even understand portuguese but i FELT it. they bring u wine and bread and olives while she sings and honestly its the most romantic thing ever. or depressing. both. sorry rant over.
wait i forgot about porto. so porto is up north and its COMPLETELY different from lisbon. lisbon is loud and chaotic and porto is like… chill but also crumbling in the prettiest way possible. the buildings are all these old tiles called azulejos everywhere blue and white patterns covering entire churches and train stations. i took like 200 photos and they all look the same honestly lmao.
porto is where port wine comes from obvi. duh. i did a tasting at one of the cellars across the river in gaia and the guy poured me like 5 glasses before noon and i was drunk by 2pm. theyre like “this one has notes of chocolate” and im like bro i taste… grapes and alcohol. but it was good. port wine is sweet but dangerous bc it goes down easy and then u try to stand up and ur legs say no. i bought a bottle to bring home and it broke in my suitcase. i still think about that. rip.
domestic violence pause nope wrong thing. i mean the dom luis bridge which is this big double decker bridge in porto and u can walk on the top level and the view is insane. also theres a cable car but i walked bc i spent all my money on wine already.
ok the food. bacalhau!! its salt cod and they say theres like 1000 ways to cook it or some shit. i had bacalhau a bras which is eggs and potatoes and cod all scrambled together and i was like this is just breakfast but okay? but it was good. also francesinha which is the most insane sandwich ive ever seen in my life. its bread and ham and steak and sausage and covered in melted cheese and a tomato beer sauce and a fried egg on top. i had a heart attack looking at it. would eat again. 10/10.
the beaches in portugal are wtf levels of gorgeous. we went to the algarve region which is the southern part and its like cliffs and caves and bright blue water. benagil cave is this sea cave with a hole in the ceiling and u can kayak into it. we rented a kayak and i immediately capsized and lost my sunglasses. rip again. but the water was so clear i could see fish swimming under me so worth it. lagos is this cute town with like 500 beaches all around and u can walk between them through tunnels in the cliffs. i took a picture for insta that got like 12 likes but it looked good ok.
oh one random story. we were in lisbon and wanted to go to a rooftop bar and the elevator broke so we walked up 7 flights of stairs and when we got there the bar was closed for a private party. the bouncer felt bad for us and gave us free shots anyway. portuguese people are the NICEST like genuinely. this old lady on the bus helped me figure out where to get off and she didnt speak english and i didnt speak portuguese but we communicated through hand gestures and she patted my arm and smiled. i think about her sometimes.
cost fuckups. so i showed up thinking portugal was gonna be super cheap like southeast asia or smth. nope. lisbon especially is getting expensive af now. i paid like 5 euros for a beer at a bar near the water and almost cried. but if u eat where locals eat its way cheaper. the little tascas (tiny family restaurants) will feed u for like 8-10 euros and the food is better than the fancy places anyway. also ubers are cheap af compared to back home. like cross town for 4 euros cheap.
oh one more thing. the language. i tried to learn a few words and just said obrigado everywhere even when buying train tickets. i think i thanked a vending machine once. oops. they like it when u try even if ur accent is garbage so do it anyway.
recommendation time i guess. do lisbon for like 4 days. one of those days do sintra. take the train its cheap and easy. do porto for 3 days. take the wine tour obviously. do algarve for as long as u can bc the beaches r insane. bring GOOD walking shoes like for real. bring an empty suitcase for port wine lol. learn how to say “um pastel de nata por favor” and u will be fine. also bring cash for small places they dont always take card.
ngl portugal ruined other countries for me. i went there and everything was beautiful and cheap (mostly) and the food was incredible and the people were warm and the light was golden and i stood on a cliff in cabo da roca which is the westernmost point of europe and just watched the waves and felt like i finally understood what being alive is supposed to feel like.
idk that sounds cheesy as hell lol but its true.
go there. seriously. just go.
real travel thoughts. no polish. no filter.