Lisbon

Several weeks ago I went to Portugal with some friends to spend a few days rambling around Lisbon and Lagos. We mostly went to chase the sun and warmth that even now in June is severely lacking in London.

Lisbon is a dream, from its narrow winding tree-lined streets, to its bright yellow trams and its colourful cityscape spread out across a rolling hillside. Lisbon has the most beautiful buildings. Some modern, many tiled, and others aged with laundry and flowers hanging from the balconies and chipped façade. The city has character that makes it feel old and familiar.

We spent every day meandering the streets, stopping in cafes, drinking beer on the water, and wondering why on earth we don’t live in Portugal! The pace was slow, and we immediately felt at home and at ease lounging around the city. At night we went out in the Bairro Alto hilltop district that is speckled with cafes, restaurants and clubs along its cobbled streets.

Lagos

And then there came Lagos, beautiful, warm Lagos. The bus from Lisbon took about 3 hours and for a return ticket cost 33 euros. Lagos is supposed to have vibrant summer nightlife; perhaps we were a bit early, because to us it seemed like a sleepy beachside town. Just what we wanted. My absolute favourite part about Lagos was walking the coastline. We walked out of town along the rocky coastal trail to the old lighthouse and then down to some quiet beaches that felt like they were there just for us. We explored the inlets when the tide was out and lounged on the nearly deserted beaches.

Love Love.