Our day trip started in Cais de Gaia, which sits across the Duoro river from Porto, a major Portuguese city. Our boat travelled down the Duoro river to the town of Regua then we returned to Porto by train. We…

A group of us spent a lazy afternoon at Costa Nova beach near Aveiro, a beautiful area with traditional striped houses in bold colors, a sparkling ocean and soft rolling sand dunes.

Aveiro, about two and a half hours drive north of Lisbon, is Xana’s home town. It is also home to Xana’s sister and parents. Aveiro is sometimes referred to as the ‘Vienna of Portugal’ because of it’s canals in the…

On our way north to the town of Aveiro, where Xana’s parents live, we stopped and took pictures at a monastery in Batalha. Monasterio Santa Maria de Vittoria was erected in 1385 and displays very ornate limestone. In true gothic…

We picked friends up at the Lisbon train station, a well kept building with a beautifully ornate facade. Then we walked around town, exploring the views and buildings. The cobblestone streets and tile buildings are characteristic architectural elements throughout Portugal.…

The Palace of Pena was built in the 19th century by Fernando of Saxe-Coburg, consort of Queen Maria II. It is described as an ‘exuberant creation’ and ‘the most striking example of Romantic architecture in Portugal,’ according to Parques de…

Sintra’s Moorish Castle is a military fort believed to date back to the 9th century and the period of Arab occupation in Portugal. The castle ruins sit above Sintra’s historic town center and can be seen from many vantage points…

The National Palace of Sintra sits in the heart of the historic town center. Wikipedia states ‘It is the best preserved mediaeval Royal Palace in Portugal, having been inhabited more or less continuously from the early 15th up to the…

Sintra, a quaint town about a half hour northwest of Lisbon, emanates storybook romance. Surprisingly, this diminutive township boasts two royal palaces and Moorish castle ruins. Shops and restaurants bear an authentic warmth, with nicely tended flowers flanking open doorways…

Lisbon is a labyrinth of narrow one-way streets, classic buildings and orange tile rooftops. It’s narrow passageways might lead you to a courtyard filled with cafe tables or the odd cubbyhole commandeered as a parking spot for motorbikes. It offers…