It was my last day in Lisbon and my last day in Portugal on my journey through Southern…
Times visited: 1 (3 days in 2019)
Cities visited: Lisbon and Évora
Villages visited: Sintra
UNESCO sites visited: Cultural Landscape of Sintra, Historic Centre of Évora and Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon
In the summer of 2019, I travelled around southern Europe for a month, with the main focus being Spain. I regrettably only found time for three days in Portugal, a country I came to adore much more than expected.
I based myself in Lisbon, Portugal’s bustling capital, which is the second-oldest capital in Europe (after Athens) – believe it or not, Lisbon is said to be four centuries older than Rome!
Lisbon is home to not just one, but two UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well as ornate architecture around every street corner and gorgeous hilltop views. I spent a full day scratching Lisbon’s surface, and while that can never be enough for a city so beautiful, I prioritized seeing two other magnificent places the other days.
I spent a very long and exhausting day climbing hills and traversing forests to reach the fairytale cultural landscapes of Sintra. I came to castle upon castle dotted throughout the hilly landscape in a Disney-like setting. I honestly felt like I was in the middle of a painting.
I spent my next and last day wandering through the medieval streets of Évora, where the highlights were seeing the Chapel of Bones and exploring the beautiful old university, established as early as 1559.
Despite being in Portugal in the high season, which meant incredibly hot weather and crowds upon crowds (both of which I usually do everything I can to avoid… It’s still a mystery to me how I chose to travel the south during the summer 😂), I really enjoyed my brief visit and it certainly gave me a taste for more!
