Much Ado About Doing Nothing: A Blissful Lazy Day in Porto, Portugal
Porto was the perfect antidote to my short but frenetic tour of Portugal. I had shown my mother (who was visiting Portugal for the first time) Lisbon in 24 hours, trekked across the hills of Sintra in search of castles in the sky, and made a day trip to Fatima to witness the largest gathering of Catholic pilgrims in the country. A highlights reel of 3 cities in as many days; travelling by train, coach, trams had made for a hectic pace, and it came as a relief to spend a lazy day in Porto before flying back to London.
That’s not to say that Porto had little to offer. Quite the contrary. From the moment the train emerged from the pitch-black tunnel to reveal a bird’s eye view of Rio Douro and her graceful arched bridges; Porto wowed me with the faded opulence of her medieval walls covered in hand-painted azulejo, the rustic charm of her hole-in-the-wall taverns, the prettiness of her pastel houses carved into hills that stopped short of the promenade, and the joie de vivre that one gets from sipping Port Wine by the riverbank from dusk till dawn. Porto, in short, was like a pop-up book of life’s greatest pleasures, laid out for the languid perusal at the tip of this lazy reader’s fingers. This is my photo diary from Porto I hope that it captures the sultry, sun-drenched, soirĆ©e I enjoyed during my last day in Portugal.
June 20, 2018
The Castle Circuit: The Palaces of Sintra You Must Visit in a Day Trip from Lisbon
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Castles rising from rippling mountains. Palaces peeking out from peaked pine hills. Mansions encircled by exotic gardens brimming with luscious flora. Ruins coated in lichen and moss. It’s no exaggeration to say that the picturesque town of Sintra, the Moon Hill, is like a jewel box, especially when you realise that this tiny town is full of gems: a glittering collection of national monuments ranging from colourful castles, gothic mansions, Moorish fortresses, and imposing palaces.
Back in the day, Sintra was the playground of the nobility and elite for the fresher air, cooler climate (thanks to the town’s elevated position in the hills of Serra de Sintra) and evocative landscape. These enticed the 1% to build the exquisite homes and gardens which form the famous “palace circuit” that have established Sintra as the must-do side trip from Lisbon. You’ve seen my pictures from when I visited Pena Palace (left), here are the other palaces and mansions I saw, as well as how to make Sintra a day trip from Lisbon and how to get around this beautiful town.
June 15, 2018
No Need to Adjust Your Set: This Technicolour Trip is All Real. #NOFILTERNEEDED. š³š±š
Pena Palace is a sight that seems all too familiar even to those who have never been to Sintra, Portugal. The utter wackiness of this castle - a hedonistic hodge-podge of architectural styles and colours that resembles a box of oversized crayons - has more than made the rounds on postcards (and its modern day equivalent: the holiday snaps on social media) to the point where many who cross the threshold of this famous palace for the first time are struck by deja vu. But unlike a dream, the reality of Pena Palace in Sintra, Portugal; is more fantastical, more lurid, and more unbelievable than the imagination can conjure...
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June 11, 2018
In the Footsteps of the Faithful: Following the Pilgims to Fatima, Portugal's Holiest City
Now, let me preface this with the disclaimer that I am neither here nor there on religion, that is, I’m not quite a heretic destined for eternal damnation nor am I meek enough to inherit the earth; but rather one of the “fence-sitters” of the religious world - an agnostic. I’m not foolish enough to believe only what I can see with my own eyes yet I also possess a healthy dose of skepticism - the latter of which I believe to be my form of self-preservation, because, well, you can’t be disappointed or let down by something you didn’t truly believe in, can you?
But whatever my fluctuating position on faith, religion, and divinity, what I witnessed in Fatima, Portugal; was nothing short of a modern day miracle.
June 08, 2018
24 HOURS IN LISBON, PORTUGAL
WHAT & WHERE TO EAT, STAY, SEE, AND DO
Summer is nearly upon us in the Northern Hemisphere which, for the adventurous but time-pressed, means sun-soaked city breaks. No continent is better suited for a “little in-out” than Europe. But first; an anecdote that may go some way to explaining my “too much” gene. A few weeks ago mummy dearest travelled all the way from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to London...just for the Chelsea Flower Show. Upon realising that crossing 8 time zones over a 13 hour flight just to look at some plants seemed like much ado about nothing, she decided to make the most of being on my side of the world by visiting a country she’d never been to before - Portugal.
And so, we spent a week in Lisbon, Sintra, Fatima, and Porto; which I can assure you was far more fulfilling than perusing peonies or contemplating chrysanthemums (oh, and did I mention that I suffer from severe hayfever? Kill me). I digress. Whether or not you have EXTRA AF family & friends visiting or just fancy nipping over for a change of scenery, here is my guide on WHAT & WHERE TO EAT, STAY, SEE, AND DO WITH 24 HOURS IN LISBON, PORTUGAL.
June 05, 2018
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