Three whole weeks in Portugal with no responsibilities. Perks of being a college kid again. Needless to say, I took full advantage of it, and polished off 5 (!!) books (as in, novelas- not textbooks) and countless bottles glasses of wine.
While this was country number 32 for me, it was our FIRST international mother-daughter trip! We met up in Munich with big plans to spend the day exploring, but we ended up just drinking coffee and beer in the airport, because #vacation. After a quick sleep in Lisbon, we jumped on a train and headed right for Porto the next day.
Porto came highly recommended by... well, everybody, and it did not disappoint. The weather was fantastic, the views were wonderful, and the was sangria delicious. Win. We did a food tour as well, also win.
Highlights included: sangria, confusing swirly sticks with straws, the weather, a small restaurant called Casa Marlindo, and a random bar in the middle of the highway that had couches and cocktails and twinkle lights.
One of the days in Porto, we signed up for a tour of the Douro Valley, which is where they make all of the famous port wine (hence, Porto- get it?). Turns out we are both kind of meh on port wine, but very enthusiastic about boats and sunshine, so the day was great. Mom even made some new friends (pics included below).
If you're going to head to Douro Valley, be careful. If you've ever been to Ha Long Bay (or even just read our post on it), it's a lot like that. They sell you tickets to a tour, but you end up on a bus with many groups, and being herded around like cattle. We spent a little bit more, but had an AMAZING time. Also, pro tip: if you get car sick, bring meds/ginger/water/barf bag.
Next, we rented a car and drove 6 hours south to Sagres, which is the southern tip of Portugal. The south of Portugal (AKA the Algarve) is known for its beaches, so we were excited to check them out. We chose Sagres just by basically throwing a dart at a map, but we ended up with lots of luck. It's a sleepy little surfer town, with many beautiful beaches easily accessible. We were not disappointed.
Mom's last full day in Portugal was her 38th birthday! We celebrated by swinging by Amado Beach. Again, just a wild guess. It was an awesome place packed to the brim with camper vans housing hardcore surfers. We got there early (by 10am) which was a good idea because parking was a nightmare when we left.
We wrapped up her birthday (and trip) with a night out in the Alfama in Lisbon, walking through the old alleyways, drinking wine, and eating delicious cheese plates. I'm pretty sure she had a fun on her birthday, but, if not, I had enough fun for the both of us.
While this was country number 32 for me, it was our FIRST international mother-daughter trip! We met up in Munich with big plans to spend the day exploring, but we ended up just drinking coffee and beer in the airport, because #vacation. After a quick sleep in Lisbon, we jumped on a train and headed right for Porto the next day.
Porto came highly recommended by... well, everybody, and it did not disappoint. The weather was fantastic, the views were wonderful, and the was sangria delicious. Win. We did a food tour as well, also win.
Highlights included: sangria, confusing swirly sticks with straws, the weather, a small restaurant called Casa Marlindo, and a random bar in the middle of the highway that had couches and cocktails and twinkle lights.
One of the days in Porto, we signed up for a tour of the Douro Valley, which is where they make all of the famous port wine (hence, Porto- get it?). Turns out we are both kind of meh on port wine, but very enthusiastic about boats and sunshine, so the day was great. Mom even made some new friends (pics included below).
If you're going to head to Douro Valley, be careful. If you've ever been to Ha Long Bay (or even just read our post on it), it's a lot like that. They sell you tickets to a tour, but you end up on a bus with many groups, and being herded around like cattle. We spent a little bit more, but had an AMAZING time. Also, pro tip: if you get car sick, bring meds/ginger/water/barf bag.
Next, we rented a car and drove 6 hours south to Sagres, which is the southern tip of Portugal. The south of Portugal (AKA the Algarve) is known for its beaches, so we were excited to check them out. We chose Sagres just by basically throwing a dart at a map, but we ended up with lots of luck. It's a sleepy little surfer town, with many beautiful beaches easily accessible. We were not disappointed.
Mom's last full day in Portugal was her 38th birthday! We celebrated by swinging by Amado Beach. Again, just a wild guess. It was an awesome place packed to the brim with camper vans housing hardcore surfers. We got there early (by 10am) which was a good idea because parking was a nightmare when we left.
We wrapped up her birthday (and trip) with a night out in the Alfama in Lisbon, walking through the old alleyways, drinking wine, and eating delicious cheese plates. I'm pretty sure she had a fun on her birthday, but, if not, I had enough fun for the both of us.
wow, awesome, great pics, great story, i am sure there are more stories, hugs you two
ReplyDeleteWhat a young mama you have :) What a beautiful place to add to your list!
ReplyDelete