Portugal: The Algarve

For the second half of our trip to Portugal, we took the Lisbon metro to the airport, where we picked up our rented car and drove about two hours south to the region known as the Algarve. It's known for beautiful beaches and sea caves, and the tourism there is robust. We even found a British radio station for the number of British tourists the area serves. It's no surprise -- especially in the wintertime, you can't beat the beautiful weather and scenery to escape the British doldrums!

We stayed at a 5-star resort called Vale d'Olivieras near the town of Carvoeiro. Because it was the off-season, we got fantastic prices and stayed in a one bedroom suite with a pull-out sofa bed for Charlotte for less than the cost of a typical basic hotel room. It was located on a beautiful compound which had pools, a playground, a spa, and a large restaurant where they served meals including a complimentary breakfast. The most notable part of staying there was how quiet it was -- we felt like we were practically the only people staying there. We really only saw 3 or 4 other couples there, even at mealtimes. 

The drive to the Algarve was uneventful once we got onto the highway -- I was the primary driver because the manual transmission car was MUCH cheaper to rent, and I'm the manual driver in our family. I first couldn't figure out how to get the car into reverse (push down on the shifter... that's new), then had trouble at the large roundabout as we left the airport due to the weird placement of traffic lights. I think we went around the roundabout 3 times before I finally was able to get off at the appropriate exit! An unfortunate start, but as I said -- the rest of the trip was very easy and there were hardly any other cars on the highway down to the Algarve. 

Charlotte in the echo-ey breezeway to our suite at Vale D'Olivieras

On our way to the hotel, we stopped and picked up some groceries and a few makeshift sand toys for Charlotte (think wooden spoons and tupperware!). After we got checked in and settled, we stopped at the front desk to ask where the best beach to visit for an hour or so was. She directed us to Praia dos Caneiros, where we sat for a good hour and a half before the sun started setting and making long, chilly shadows. The views of the deep blue ocean and the sun on our shoulders were very relaxing! Paul took Charlotte down to the water's edge and she fell in, soaking her clothes, so before we left, we peeled off her soggy, sandy clothes and carried her in her undies back to the car. 

Praia dos Caneiros

Charlotte would play in the sand all day long if we let her!

Post fall in the water!

That evening, after showering off the sand (which was the texture of brown sugar and almost as sticky), we walked over to the restaurant. We had made a reservation (we're so British now!) so it was hilarious when we walked in and we were the second occupied table out of approximately 75 tables. The waitstaff was so kind and sweet to Charlotte, and even made her "butter noodles" which she devoured, then made her more! She was so proud to have her own place setting at the table (no we didn't actually give her wine). 

The next morning, we met a van at the main entrance to the hotel to go on a boat excursion to see the sea caves, including the famous Benagil Cave. The trip was about an hour, and the road trip to the beach was pretty twisty and turny. By the end of the trip, Charlotte and Paul were both feeling a bit motion sick. However -- the views were beautiful and I was glad we went! I don't get too motion-sick so I was fine -- but I was worried about Charlotte. Paul can handle himself ;) Luckily there was no puking!

On the sea cave tour

View of the water levels on the rocks. 

The water color was dreamy!

Looking out from one of the sea caves back toward the open ocean

One of the caves had these two openings -- called the "Devil's Eyes" (yikes)

The wave action erodes the rocks in impressive features!

Inside Benagil Cave

After the boat trip and returning to the hotel, we had lunch in the room and rested. Later in the afternoon, we returned to Praia dos Caneiros for another afternoon of beach play for Charlotte! This time we let her wear her bathing suit and she had so much fun. We spent awhile trying to get her to stop throwing sand, then decided to pick our battles and let her learn for herself when she got sand in her eyes or mouth. She was elated when she got to toss it in the air, and we got some great pictures depicting pure joy!

After we returned to the hotel, we decided to order room service from the restaurant. The waitress who had served us the night before took the phone call and knew us by name, and even asked if Charlotte wanted butter noodles again (of course she did!). Paul thoroughly enjoyed his pasta carbonara and I think I had a club sandwich. It wasn't exactly traditional Portuguese food, but perfectly delicious for a quieter evening in.

The next day, we took a little walk around the resort and relaxed before heading to the airport in Faro. We returned the rental car easily and had an easy flight back to England. Visiting Portugal definitely ended up being one of my favorite trips we took!

Portugal: Lisbon & Belem

On our second full day in Lisbon, we tackled parts of the city itself. We ate breakfast at a cafe named after Queen Amelia (which our Charlotte Amelia was excited about!) and tried the famous Pasteis de Belem, a custard pastry that originated in Lisbon. Charlotte preferred the chocolate croissant.

We then caught the trolley to Belem, a neighborhood of the city where the Monastery of Jeronimos, Belem Tower, and the Monument to the Discoveries are located. This was one of the more difficult forms of public transit we encountered in Europe -- it was unclear how to purchase tickets and we didn't realize when we boarded the back of the very crowded trolley that the ticket purchase/validating machine was at a different set of trolley doors. We couldn't get to the machine due to the number of people on the trolley! We ended up riding without paying (ugh, I was sick and nervous about it!!) for the first and only time in Europe.

A large square in Lisbon as seen from the trolley to Belem

The Monastery is an impressive place to visit! It is a very long building and very ornately decorated on the outside. We paid to enter the church itself, but decided not to visit the cloisters (although we heard they were beautiful). The church is the resting place of lots of kings and queens, and most notable to us, Vasco da Gama.

Outside the Monastery of Jeronimos

Interior of the church at the Monastery

Resting place of Vasco da Gama

After leaving the monastery, we crossed the street and walked through a lovely park (including a huge fountain that caught beautiful rainbows in its mist... and sprayed us a little when the wind blew).  On the far side of the park, alongside the waterfront is the Monument to the Discoveries. It's a large tower that commemorates the Age of Discovery (15th and 16th centuries), which was heavily influenced by Portuguese explorers (including da Gama, Magellan, Diaz, Cabral, etc). The paved area on the approach to the monument is neat, as it's a large mosaic compass rose and includes maps of the areas explored by the Portuguese.

Looking across the park toward the Monument to the Discoveries

The Monument to the Discoveries

Playing with our shadows in the beautiful winter sunshine

One side of the Monument, depicting many of the explores from the Age of Discovery

We then walked further along the waterfront to visit the Tower of Belem. This tower, which was both for defense and to be a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon, was built 1515-1519. It is considered to be one of the last things in Portugal that the explorers saw as they left their home to sail into the great unknown. We had a little snack picnic on the grass and enjoyed people-watching and the view.

Belem Tower

Sitting on the grass and reading about the area's history

We then walked back toward the Monastery, and found a nice cafe in the Maritime Museum nearby. We didn't actually visit the museum, but the food and gift shop were worth a visit.

The next activity was to take the bus for about a 45 minute ride back across town, past the Alfama, to the Lisbon Oceanarium. Charlotte fell asleep on the bus, and wasn't super happy to wake up initially! There was a cool fountain at the entrance to the aquarium, which you could walk under (like a half-tunnel of water).

Fountain outside the Oceanarium

The aquarium was great! It was designed around a large central tank, with large additional areas and tanks on each of the four corners of the building on two separate levels. We saw lots of animals, and Charlotte ended up having a great time.

Looking into the large central tank at the Oceanarium

Otter!

Charlotte loved that we gave her the freedom to wander on a "rainforest" trail by herself (we could watch her from below). She must have done it 5 times!

That evening, we went back to the Mercado Da Ribeira, where we had gotten money earlier in the day in our failed attempt to pay for our trolley ride. They had a huge food hall there called "Time Out" with lots of different food options! We tried a few different stalls, and finished with Charlotte's favorite (dessert, of course). She even got a free paper bib with it, which was cute.

Portugal: Lisbon & Sintra

In mid-January, we took flights out of Stansted airport to Lisbon, Portugal! Portugal was definitely a bucket list item to see in the winter time -- it got us out of gray, rainy England and to a warmer climate with sunshine! It's also quite an inexpensive country to visit -- our flights were less than $200 total for 3 round-trip tickets. We had a fantastic time! I did struggle with the language a bit -- I could read quite a bit of it because of some similarities with Spanish and French, but trying to pronounce it ended up being embarrassing. So many "zh" sounds where you're not expecting them!

After arriving into Lisbon's airport, we took a taxi to the Alfama -- the neighborhood where our Airbnb was located. It's one of the oldest neighborhoods in Lisbon because it was not destroyed in 1755, when there was a massive earthquake followed by a tsunami. It's well known for it's narrow, hilly, and labyrinthine streets, as well as restaurants that have live Fado music in the evenings. (Unfortunately, the music tended to start up after Charlotte was asleep so we didn't get to enjoy it.) We had our only difficult Airbnb meet-up experience -- my messages to the host weren't going through initially, so we spent a few minutes worrying that we weren't going to have a place to stay. But finally the host's father met us and took us to the apartment, which was small but adequate for our needs. 

An orange tree in the middle of winter!

Walking the streets of the Alfama neighborhood

Our apartment was in this building, up a somewhat steep set of stairs

Many of the buildings in the Alfama are decorated with beautiful tile patterns

That evening, we wandered the streets of the Alfama, visiting the Lisbon cathedral before climbing lots of steps on the way to Sao Jorge castle. We ended up finding some great views over the Alfama neighborhood, and didn't make it all the way up to the castle as we were limited by toddler legs (and let's be honest, pregnant lady fatigue!).

Views over the Alfama neighborhood of Portugal; the moon was playing hide and seek.

The next morning, we took the easy to follow metro to one of the main train stations in Lisbon. We then took the train about one hour to Sintra, home of the Moorish castle and the Pena Palace. We spent the rest of the day touring the two sites, which are connected by a bus route that takes you up the twisty, windy roads of that mountainous area. The Moorish castle was constructed in the 8th and 9th centuries.

Exterior of the Lisbon train station

Walking down the path to the Moorish castle

Entering the Moorish Castle grounds

View into the valley from the Moorish Castle

Snack break for a muffin was required

After finishing our visit to the Moorish castle, we rode the circuit bus up to the Pena Palace, which was built by the royal family in the 19th century on an old monastery site and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. It's famous for its unusual architecture and paint colors, and has lots of great views from the Sintra Mountains as well.

After finishing our tour there, we headed on the bus back down the mountain and took the train back to Lisbon.