A Tale of Two Cities - Lisbon & Porto
- jaime de sousa
- Oct 14, 2015
- 3 min read
It's usually really easy to get stuck on facebook. No matter what you need to do, facebook somehow offers the "best" tool for procrastination. In between your "friends'" stupidly hastagged selfies, photos of their alien looking children, and uninspiring reposted videos, someone will post something that will make you feel like the extra thirty minutes you spent on facebook instead of sleeping was worth it. And that's exactly what happened to me as I was trying to plan my trip to Portugal.
The post that made one of my many procrastinating sessions on facebook worth while, was a link to a buzzfeed article. The article summarized the "world's history" in a few short memes crafted by witty reddit users. I read each one, laughing at how true each one is. "America, Freedom* (*terms and conditions may apply.)" "Switzerland, Sure, we will take your money!" I scrolled down a little more. Then I came across Portugal, "we had a large empire, now everyone think's were [part of] Spain." The sad part is how many times I have heard people mistake the geographic location of Portugal. Anecdotally, it seems that Portugal is one of Europe's forgotten countries. Most Americans journeying on their Euro-trip or visiting Europe for a short one to two week vacation often pass right over Portugal, despite it technically being the closest. But there is so much in Portugal that's worth the stop.
This unassuming country is humbly tucked away in the most western continental part of Europe. A relaxed rich culture, friendly people and seafood & wine rich diet make for an enjoyable vacation. Although, Portugal wasn't always so humble. Back in the 15th and 16th centuries Portugal ruled the seas. Because of their expertise in seafaring this country saw lots of wealth in its golden age which lead to beautiful old architectural treasures in beautiful cities and towns.
Lisbon and Porto are Portugal's largest cities and often the highlight of visitors' trips to Portugal.
Porto is in the romantic north. A city hugged by the Douro River. Famous for the sweet Port Wine and boat trips down the river, sipping in all of the beauty of the riverside and handsome bridges you pass underneath. This place was once home to "Harry Potter" author, J.K. Rowling, said to be the place where she derived chapters of inspiration from. Bursting with beautiful hostels, Porto will surely be a significant stop on your trip. To enjoy the wine, the art and the beauty you will need a few days. Gallery Hostel is a beautiful and extremely well put together hostel in the area. With dinners of traditional Portuguese meals, and in the heart of the "bohemian" district, it's a great place to stay.
Lisbon, Portugal's capital, is also a must see in this beautiful country. There's always something to do, some place to sit and relax and somewhere to walk to. This city is a surprising favorite for travelers who do end up making it to Portugal. There's so much to see and do that you will probably want to stay at least of 4 nights, if not more. Between a nightlife that almost never ends, fado in the Alfama, sweet treats in Belem, and quirky houses and palaces in Sintra, your days will be full of emotion. Lisbon, like Porto has a number of great hostels, each one offering a different experience for your type of traveling. Some of my recommendations are the Destination Hostels, Stay Inn Hostel and Good Morning Hostel.
If you're looking for quick day trips from these two cities, popular college cities Coimbra and Evora are often on people's lists. Both cities have universities housing thousands of students from Portugal and abroad. There are some decent hostels in both cities, Dream On Coimbra Hostel, in Coimbra and Hostel Namaste and Old Evora Hostel in Evora. The cities are rather quite when school is not in session, giving a rather muted feel of the cities. Almost like eating a lollipop without any color, it's still sweet but not as interesting. Some highlights in Coimbra are listening to Coimbra Fado at "Fado ao Centro" and visiting the university grounds. In Evora, the bone chapel church is oddly intriguing, the city wall gardens are beautiful, and the megaliths are very mystical. But, note that the megaliths Evora is known for, lie 15km outside the city walls, so plan accordingly. Sintra and Cascais, may be better day, even one night trips from Lisbon though. Offering beaches and beauty, you might find them more interesting than Coimbra and Evora.
Either way, enjoy everything this small country has to offer. I'm sure you'll be surprised.
Commentaires