Portugal: The hidden gem of Europe

Óla!

Another break!? Hmm... Where to go? Where to travel to? Portugal... that sounds like fun! I like to think of Portugal as a hidden gem that has now become a European hot spot that many people travel to. In the six days that my boyfriend and I were there, we visited Lisbon and Porto. Both of these cities are on the coast and totally satisfied my craving for the beach and ocean. It rained for most of the time we were there which sucked since I had brought three bathing suits and did not get the chance to use any of them. Oh well, here are some photos from this amazing trip:

Lisbon - This is the view from the São Jorge Castle and by far my favorite view I have seen in Europe so far! The red roofs and green trees around make for a very pretty picture. 

Lisbon - This is in Costa da Caparica which is about 30 minutes outside of Lisbon. This is were we stayed because I wanted to be closer to the beach. Such a good move!! Lisbon is very congested with toursits, so staying here was great. I will stay here again when I come back one day!

Sintra – We took the train half an hour out of Lisbon to a town called Sintra. There are a few castles that we explored here. Highly recommend if you want to get away from city and see some castle ruins in nature! This is the Castle of the Moors. It is not as big as the São Jorge Castle, but equally incredible and the view was spectaular. 

Sintra - This is the view from the Castle of the Moors of the Pena Palace. We only saw it from far away, however the Pena Palace is a picture perfect view. 

Sintra - These boulders were at the castle. As you can see, they are pretty fun to climb. It is like an adult jungle gym.

Lisbon - Gelato! Hello! I've been eating a lot of gelato (as I should be while studying abroad in Europe). As pretty as the gelato is, the tile behind it is what I am showcasing. These tiles are a thing in Portugal. Many houses and buildings are covered in these detailed tiles, and all I wanted to do is take a picture of every single one of them. My camera's memory card, however, is not big enough for that... But in all seriousness, you can even buy tile as a souvenir. :)

Lisbon - Last meal in Lisbon was a DIY bruschetta. Bread with salt, olive oil, cream cheese, garlic, crushed olives, tomatoes and prosciutto. YUM.

Porto - The last three days of our trip was in Porto. Unforunately, it rained most of the time we were there. We still had an awesome time in this city. 

Porto - These pretty Peacocks were all over Porto and Lisbon. They are like the equivalent to pigeons, it is awesome!! They are pretty loud though...

Porto - If you go to portugal you HAVE to try pastel de Nata. It is the world's most heavenly dessert. It is essentially just an egg tart pastry. You do not have to look hard for these cups of goodness because they are everywhere in Portugal.

Porto - Just the fabulous view of Porto. It is even stunning in the rain. :) 

Porto - This is the Dom Luis I Bridge. I was standing on this bridge to take the picture above this one. It is one of the six bridges that connects the city of Porto to the city of Gaia. Pedestrians, cars, and the tram can cross this bridge. Efficiency at its finest!

Porto - If you are a pancake lover then you need to go to O Diplomata. Many tourists go here because it is incredibly yummy. We ended up coming here twice! I would get there early because a line forms 30 minutes before it opens and there is limited seating. SO GOOD. 

Porto - What do you do in when you are sightseeing and it is raining? You go to some museums! This photo museum was extra interesting because it is located in an old prison. Yes! This used to be a prison. So much history, so many cool photos!

Porto - Those grey clouds did not bring us too down. Porto is nice in rain or shine!

And that's a wrap! Thank you for coming along our Portugal adventure!! I do hope this inspires you to visit what I think is the hidden gem of Europe. 

xx Dani