Algarve- the southern tip of Portugal is a wholeeeee other world. Right off the flight from Porto to Faro- we felt like we landed on an island and were far from city life. We were not mad about this and we were craving the beach like you crave a big glass of water. Gimme Gimme!

We checked into our amazing hotel and felt like we were on a honeymoon. I frequently was pinching myself so my mind and body knew this was in fact real life.

The south of Portugal’s beauty is striking in a way that does not grow old. For 5 straight days, I lost my breath every time we drove over a new hill to reveal a fresh sprawling view of the green water or a cliff formation that peaked so high you wondered how it ever got there to begin with. I could look at the same water crashing into the same line of rocks for hours and feel just as awestruck when we left as I did when we arrived.  It is a place that makes you fall in love with nature and the world.

What I loved most about this part of the trip and country was that I was able to reflect here. There were so many moments that left me sitting with my own thoughts in a scene that seemed not real and every thought left me feeling grateful. I realized how lucky I am to be ALIVE, to have my health and most importantly that I’m able to travel with my favourite person. Because at the end of the day- you can go anywhere in the world……….. but its who you have by your side that matters.

Thank you to the Algarve for taking a piece of my heart and to my love for taking good care of all of it.

Casa Três Palmeiras is one of those rare places that you see professional photos of that ACTUALLY do not even do the place justice. Beaches, landmarks…of course- they look better in person but I find it rare when a hotel or inn does.  Dolly Schlingensiepen, owner of the charming and exquisitely designed B & B in Portimao- has created this type of space. It is a space that sits perched on top of one of the most beautiful and peaceful beaches in the Algarve- prime, prime real estate yet it is quietly tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the tourists. No detail goes unnoticed here. The place is pristine…so much that even the linen napkins are embroidered and the china custom.

THE GROUNDS

The focal point of the place is the solar heated fish shaped swimming pool. I have never seen a pool shape like this before and it made it quite difficult to even make it down to the beach some days! It was that inviting. The B&B also offers an intimate lounge in the center that is furnished with retro furniture pieces and plays the most lovely records once the sun starts setting. Dolly offers guests an “honest bar” in there where you can help yourself to a drink or snack. At times- we felt like we were in a posh 70’s movie. It was romantic and hip and if you are into design- you will appreciate the space big time.

THE ROOMS

There are only 5 rooms and each of them are quite spacious! It is equipped with walk in wardrobes, lavishly tiled bathrooms and big spacious beds.  In addition to this, the linens are folded down for you each night and the fruit basket is also stocked up daily for you. In other words- its easy to get comfortable here. Each room also comes with mini flashlights ( to get around the beach if you want at night), house robes ( WORD!) and full cable.

5 things to do while there

# 1- Visit the Alvor- a small and enchanting fishermans village about a 7 minute drive away! It is filled with small resturants that boost lots of character. You can eat here fresh fish here on the cheap while watching the sun set in the marina.

#2- Eat at Canico Restaurant! Their food may be slightly overpriced but you are eating RIGHT on the beach and the restaurant is carved out in one of the famous cliffs.

#3- Explore the nearby areas by Scooters. We recommend these ones from Grasp a Wasp!

#4-Visit the different beaches. You are about a 25 minute walk from the famous Praia da Rocha or visit the more secluded caves and beaches that you can explore by foot!

#5- Go Golfing! This area is home to some of the best courses in Europe!

IMPORTANT TIDBITS

Bonus Feature?

Free breakfast on the terrace every morning

Best way to book?

Through their website or direct email with the host

Every building- almost untouched from its original settings- looked like it had a story and it made sense that JK Rowlings- author of Harry Potter- used to live here. The bookstore Livraria Lello Bookshop was one of the places that inspired her while writing the famous novel and the famous library at Hogwarts was modeled after this one . The bookstore where she regularly visited – made me want to strap on a cape, pull out a wand and get lost in allll the books there.

Porto’s heart and soul lies in their hilly streets, smoky espresso cafes, glasses of port but also in their art and design museums. One of our favourite things we did was visit the Serralves Museum-a contemporary art museum ( photos below) where we were blown away by the different exhibits but also left feeling inspired. “We should do a window like that in our house”- were some of the silly things we were saying and believing at the time but nonetheless- we were moved! I highly recommend paying a visit here…even if you aren’t into art- the grounds itself are impressive. And yes- I was told more than once- not to touch the artsy balls below. Too tempting, Mr. Security Guard!

Here are some places I recommend getting into if you are there..

Where to Eat

DOP Restaurant which stands for ‘tasting and daring in Oporto’, is a gourmet restaurant owned by the chef Rui Paula, who combines traditional Portuguese cuisine with international flavor. The restaurant is located in Palácio das Artes (Palace of Arts), an original building from the 14th century, which used to be a youth foundation but recently was reconstructed and reopened as a restaurant.  Small portions full of SO. MUCH. FLAVOUR.

Where to Stay

Hotel da Música offers a 24-hour reception and is attached to the Part of Mercado do Bom Sucesso building ( so many cool places to eat) and also steps away from Casa de Musica which is pretty much the coolest building one can ever imagine that hosts live concernts, shows and has one of the best rooftops in the city. The rooms at the hotel are modern and sleek and you can even hear some live music if you open your windows at night!

Where to Shop

A Vida Portuguesa sells a random assortment of gifts — on the ground floor, you’ll find cotton purses, handpainted mirrors, and wacky kitchen utensils. But upstairs, it’s like stepping into a twilight zone where retro styles dominate.

To visit the Porto- please visit Visit Porto for more info and tips!

When I used to think of port wine- I would associate it with old men who smoke cigars and eat cheese by the pound. My perception of this changed after visiting the oldest wine region in the world-the Douro Valley and learning more about the unique wine blend of Port.

We landed in Porto bright and early and immediately hopped into a car and drove 2.5 hours inland through some winding and i mean WINDING roads. We were still slightly jetlagged and at this point- I just wanted to curl up in a blanket, have a motion sickness tablet and then eat a sandwich. As soon as we stepped outside of the car though- the long drive and exhaustion escaped us and we were overtaken by the beauty of the landscape.

The Douro valley is made up of terraced vineyards, green-brown mountains and the cherry on top- a glassy blue river that twists through the valleys below. It really is no wonder that it is a UNESCO world heritage site. I was worried that I needed to savour this viewpoint we were standing on but soon realized every view is a good view. Seriously.

 Unlike other wine regions I’ve visited- I felt that the wineries here or “Quintas” as the Portuguese call them- were less commercialized and had much more personality to them! Some of them were older estates that the original families lived on like Quinta De Pacheca– the first winery we visited. Here we ate a delicious 4 course lunch that was paired with port wine and came with another memorizing view of the hills.  Before drinking the port- I braced myself for a strong, sweet, alcohol heavy taste but was surprised to find my palette embracing it, enjoying it…and wanting another little bit.

We then made our way to our next stop which was called Quinta Do Panascal. Perched up at the top of the hilly terrain- this tiny, rustic and romantic place housed Fonseca Vintage Port from 1994 which was recognized by the Wine Spectator Magazine as one of the best wines in the world. NOT TOO BAD AT ALL!

Here we got to explore the place on our own so we found a seat in the vineyard and just took it all in. It was one of those moments that you don’t forget and I could feel myself making a memory. Life’s definitely not perfect but those few minutes were.

I would recommend the Douro Valley to anyone coming to Portugal. It would be a shame to miss it- truly…..but I would suggest spending a bit of extra money and staying over for the night to truly allow yourself to relax. Plus- the winding roads can get to you……..especially after many glasses of Port

To visit the Douro Valley- please visit Visit Porto for more info and tips!

Porto Bay Lisbon

Porto Bay Lisbon, which recently opened its doors earlier this year, is like a sanctuary right in the heart of Lisbon. Just a short walk to the Avenida da Liberdade you are in one of the nicest areas of the city. Walking into this boutique hotel feels like a spa, cool apartment and resort all rolled into one. The building itself features it’s early 20th century façade with modern and contemporary details inside. Pretty much the best of both worlds if you ask me!

THE GROUNDS
Architect Frederico Valsassin did not miss a beat when designing this beautiful space. It is decked out in classic neutral shades, vintage photos from various cities in Portugal and cool artifacts that give it the right amount of pop. With only 98 rooms- you feel like you can breathe here. What I loved most about the grounds though is the service that can be found in every corner of the hotel. Whether you are exiting their Turkish steam bath ( THE BEST EVER!), lounging on the rooftop or  sitting in the lobby- there is always someone around making sure you are feeling ok and have everything you need. One of the girls from the concierge was one of the most friendliest and informative people we met on our entire trip ( Hi Adrienne)! She told us about local restaurants that she thought we would like, drew up a personalized map to make walking around the city easier and told us about some hidden shopping stores. She read us perfectly as we enjoyed each recommendation immensely.

THE ROOMS

By European standards- I think its safe to say these rooms are over the top. Each room has a sitting area, big shower, mini bar, and a flat screen tv that can turn every which way so you can enjoy it from any angle. Our favourite part of the room was the HUGE terrace with two loungers. We enjoyed wine out there, quick naps and truly felt like we were living in a fancy apartment.  The bed sheets, duvet and all of the toiletries were top notch and the only downfall of it all- was staying here first and setting the bar extra high. Thankfully we packaged all of the remaining shampoo and conditioner bottles so we could have a bit of the Porto Bay with us even after we left it. The room also featured high end eco saving lighting system. Going green and looking good….we love it!

5 things to do while there

# 1- Go to Mercado da Ribeira

#2- Take the Santa Justa Elevator Lift

#3- Hop on Tram 28

#4-Take a Day trip to many of the outside places around the city- Sintra, Belem, Caucais- all under an hour away!

#5- Have a cocktail in one of the many bustling bars in Bairro Alto.

IMPORTANT TIDBITS

BONUS FEATURE: Rooftop Jacuzzi and about 943289 channels on the TV

Best Way to Book? http://www.portobay.com/en/hotels/portugal/lisbon-portugal/porto-bay-liberdade/

Sintra in a nutshell is where fairytales are born . It is a place where you believe in romance, princesses, dreams and sword fighting on horses. It is a place where Walt Disney must have spent time and it puts actual Disneyland to shame ( ok that’s a lie but almost!)

I had read up on this town- about 40 minutes from Lisbon- before our trip and mapped out the must see sights. Although I did my research and saw the photos- visiting the town surpassed any expectations I had dreamt up in my head. It was so much better. Sintra is set in the mountains and has a woodland vibe to it. There are moss covered rocks and bushels of flowers that surprised us at every turn and as evident in the photos below- Castles! Colourful ones!

Like any true Castle builder, the people that did this one up- decided to build it up in the mountains. The effect I assume they were going for definitely worked because even from the bottom of the mountain in the little town below- you could see the bright yellow peaks and crevices peering from the clouds. It looked enchanting and inviting even on a small scale. Naturally- we decided to walk up to the two main sights instead of taking a bus or cab. After putting in some serious miles in Lisbon the day before -my legs were definitely feeling it on our walk up and at certain times I felt more like Paperbag Princess instead of Rapunzula being dainty on her balcony. The minute we made it up though- I felt like the latter and shifted into “I’m in a Fairytale mode”. I was overwhelmed with how beautiful this place was and I couldn’t help but skip around and smile from ear to ear.

My only regret from visiting Sintra is not spending a bit more time there.

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Well… after getting home from a 2 week stint in the country not too long ago and falling ridiculously hard for it- I am happy to brag that it was everything I thought it would be- amazing beaches, incredible and well priced food, a country rich in culture and SO MANY COLOURFUL DOORS YOU GUYS.  I was a bit surprised that some people would be confused by our choice to visit a beautiful country like this one…but that’s the thing with Portugal- it is definitely one of the hidden gems of Europe and is still very much under the radar I feel. Once you discover what it’s about though and what it offers- you want to get yourself there. Immediately.  

It’s charm and uniqueness is not as well known and constantly exposed like say Italy or France and you are experiencing a country that is true to itself- not overtaken with Starbucks, McDonalds and Nike stores.

Our journey began in the country’s capital -Lisbon and oh what a place to start! We arrived in Lisbon at 7AM local time after a red eye flight and were greeted by an enchanting city that was still resting in its Sunday slumber. We later learned that this pace…slow and steady…was part of the Portuguese culture. We got settled in the gorgeous Porto Lisbon Bay hotel and properly fueled up on their delicious house coffee and breakfast ready to start our day ( more on this insanely beautiful hotel later). We had no problem ignoring our Jetlag and starting our day with a goal to eat as many Portugese egg tarts without making ourselves sick.

We left the hotel on foot and we weren’t sure if everyone else got the memo that everything was closed on Sunday mornings and that it was Portuguese Siesta time but we weren’t mad. It literally felt like we had the city to ourselves in these early hours and it felt pretty special getting acquainted with Lisbon- just the three of us.

We were quick to discover that the city of Lisbon is very hilly. One minute you are lunging up the streets and you feel like you are in a Richmond Simmons exercise video and then you turn a corner and are going down steps- holding a railing and walking down their mosaic tiled steps. Every big hill led us to a view better than the last and every turn downwards led us to a different street that was bustling. Walking through the city was the best way to take it all in and we surely would have missed all of the little details that I loved so much if we cabbed it everywhere.  It led us to seeing all of the locals in their routines —-The ladies hanging fresh laundry off their beautifully tiled balconies or stumbling into a market buying beer from a sweet and smiley old man who moved as slow as a turtle in peanut butter or peering into a tiny local restaurant to see the owners- husband and wife- polishing off a bottle of wine at 3PM. It made me learn and better yet appreciate this culture. These moments were my favourite.

Besides lurking locals- we did touristy things like witnessing the famous Tram 28 which winds its way up and down the district’s at times cliff-like overhangs and tight twists -and although we took it only once- it was such a cool thing to see and have in the city. We ate at some cool restaurants that had an atmosphere that felt different than any other trendy city we have visited- big emphasis on design, good ambience without trying so hard and unique dishes ( like black squid butter!). It felt real. We went to Time Out’s Market place- Mercado da Ribeira (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) which houses all of the coolest restaurants under one roof and is bustling all day, evvvveryday. It was tempting not to order some Oysters from one booth, grab some vino from another and order pasta from the third stall and eat here everyday of the trip.

We walked around the less windy narrow alley ways and into the spacious squares decorated in swirls of black and white tiles that we wished we could transport home with us. We took the Santa Maria spiral stairs to the top and saw the city from up high. We visited the Alfama district. We did it all!

After spending a few days here at the beginning of our trip- we were so thankful to finish our trip off here as well and take it in one last time before returning home. Lisbon made our hearts and brains feel as colourful and vibrant as their tiles and patterns and it was the perfect start to our Portugal intro.

More on the rest of our trip coming soon…

After some technical difficulties with my blog, I am happy to say I am BACK and sooo ready to share all of my Portugal adventures with you all!

Before I populate my blog feed with 4839 photos of Portugal and share my experiences- I thought I would first start with the video recap of our trip. Disclaimer: there is some smooching and I am not sorry about it.

 I also thought I would thank all the incredible companies that made this trip extra special!

LISBON

BEST LISBON HOTEL– Porto Bay
BEST LISBON RESTAURANT– A Cevicheria

ALGARVE

BEST ALGARVE HOTEL– Casa Tres Palmeiras
BEST ALGARVE RESTAURANT ( Portimao)– Bulie & Pupie

BEST SCOOTER COMPANY/WAY TO GET AROUND-Grasp a Wasp

PORTO & THE DUORO VALLEY

BEST PORTO HOTEL- Hotel De Musica

BEST WINERY IN DUORO VALLEY-Quinta do Panascal

BEST RESTAURANT IN PORTO- Dop Restaurant