“BRESCIA BABES and LUCKY LASSES” 

I was thrilled to go on two separate GIRLS’ GETAWAYS to this lively, colourful, delectable country! 10/10 recommend! It passes all kinds of vibe checks. To top it off, it is extremely affordable. For my first visit, I went in the Spring with my bestie from uni, and it was pretty spontaneously planned, at least for this passionate planner. The second time, I went over a year later, in the Summer, with my “also retired and loves to travel” teacher friend, and it was super spontaneous, by anyone’s standards. My coverage of both will be broken into the two seasons, to help you decide which might be more appealing to you. Even though there’s some repetition of place, there was a fairly noticeable difference in the experiences. BOTH were fantastic! ENJOY following our shenanigans! These beauties are great sports and supportive of my Go Sassie Go endeavour, and gave me permission to share our stories and pictures. I say to them, with so much of my heart: OBRIGADA!!! (Thank you) TIP: If female, you say OBRIGADA. If male, you say OBRIGADO. We figured this out quite comically. CLICK HERE for the full STORY. 

“BRESCIA BABES” (2 weeks: April into May, 2023)

Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais, Lagos, Lagoa, Albufeira 

The rooftop terrace of the B&B we stayed at in uptown Lagos. P made these fabulous tees with back to back B’s, her original insignia for Brescia Babes! 

This was a special trip with my bestie from my old, OLD days at Uni. We met while living in residence at, you guessed it, Brescia, at the top of the hill at [formerly] University of Western Ontario (UWO). It was planned on the spur of the moment, with just 6 weeks to go. That is a SHORT planning period for me. The convo went like this via old fashioned phone call: P: I need to get away. Do you wanna come? Somewhere WARM? For 2 weeks? In, like, 6 weeks from now. I was thinking maybe Costa… Me [interrupting and talking over]: YES! Also Me: What about PORTUGAL? She agreed (sorry, Costa Rica. LOL) AND let me plan the whole thing! CLICK HERE for the remarkable STORY about how Portugal, for me, was the trip that almost never was, after THREE attempts, but turned out…it was always meant to be. Just in its rightful TIME. 
We flew on a red eye, out of TORONTO directly into LISBON, with AIR TRANSAT https://www.airtransat.com , which wasn’t too bad at all, even though it was quite teensy for an overseas haul (two rows of 3 seats with one middle aisle). Since we booked only 6 weeks ahead of time, we didn’t get the deal I normally would have found, but it was still pretty decent for buying seats together and checking luggage, and it was comfortable and clean. I would definitely fly with them again, especially for the great prices. Outside the 

Outside the airport around 10:30 am, awaiting our pre-arranged taxi. TIP: I had arranged for one via my Genius discount with www.booking.com . There is a “meeting area” inside the airport, near the front doors, where a person finds your name on their “list” and brings you to your driver and car. I’m not sure if this ended up saving us any money or being any more convenient than just waiting in the taxi queue, but it sure felt “boujie” and movie-like. 

LISBON (4 nights) 

Lisbon is alive with antiquity which breathes its magic into everything. It is a large city, with a population of over 3 million, but because of the way the neighbourhoods are laid out, the cobblestone streets, magnificently tiled buildings with all their patterns and colours, and charming little restaurant tables lining the pedestrian walkways, it feels quite quaint. Surprisingly, it is fairly easy to get around on foot, even factoring in the steepness that is everywhere! Thank goodness for talking GPS. TIP: I do NOT recommend renting a car for your city stay, because the traffic is congested, side streets VERY narrow (mostly room for one way only), and there is the neverending sloping to factor in. If your preference is a car hire because you’re relocating to other parts of the country, wait until you leave the city to do that. OR, just do as we did: travel by bus or train. The transit infrastructure is excellent. 

BAIRRO ALTO 

This is the neighbourhood in which we stayed. We were here for 4 nights, which was the perfect amount of time to spend in Lisbon. We checked into our amazing apartment style place: MY BAIRRO ALTO SUITES https://www.booking.com/Share-RpLok2 It was ideally located in the heart of this animated district, well known for its nightlife. There was not only a plethora of restaurants and bars for evening fun, but there was a cafe right next door, all kinds of shops, mini marts, and a grocery store/market about 2 blocks away. We WALKED everywhere!!! Our glutes were rockin’, given the steepness of the city core, and the fact that we were 3 levels up in our building (no elevators, which is typical, and I was cool with that).

The exterior of our flat. We opened our doors and enjoyed the balcony views and symphony of city sounds: in the early morning, the garbage trucks AND the last of the drunken revelers. We LOVED it! 

We were warmly greeted and let into our flat ahead of our set check-in time, but it was still being cleaned, so we left some of our bags and ventured over to the cafe next door and enjoyed cappuccinos. Once the place was ready, P took a proper disco nap, while I roamed the immediate neighbourhood in search of some groceries. Note: The kitchen was stocked with a thoughtful starter pack of bottled water, coffee pods, some sugar, salt, and pepper. I found a few little mini-marts and discovered the nearby market http://www.minipreco . In total, I brought a super economical haul home. For only $26 Euros, we got: 3 bottles of wine (local red and cava), pastries, local cow cheese (texture similar to feta), grapes, bananas, milk, sparkling water, and olives. TIP: Most smaller, locally owned establishments didn’t open until about 2:30. I appeared to be the first and most eager customer everywhere I went. People seemingly like to ease into their days. Being a night owl, who likes to slow roll into my mornings after relishing a fresh cup of coffee, I COULD GET USED TO THAT.

Enjoying a liesurely cup of coffee with a slow roll start to the day; our pre-game appies and wine: priced at $2.25, $2.99, and $4.00 Euros! All were fantastic! 

TIP : We were budget conscious, so we enjoyed breakfasts in our flat, as well as glasses of wine and tapas style plates before heading out at night, where we treated ourselves to local cuisine at restaurants. For our daytime explorations and/or excursions, we each had a small backpack that we packed with: fruit, croissants with cheese, our refillable water bottles, sunscreen, sunhat, hand sanitizer, bandages etc…. We were out exploring for hours on end and it was good to be prepared for everything. 

NIGHTLIFE in BAIRRO ALTO 

When I researched the various options for accommodations, walkability was key for us. If you opted to read my “story” above, you will know that I had already booked a different place in the Alfama neighbourhood, but had to cancel and rebook. It all worked out, as we were ABSOLUTELY destined to stay in the heart of Bairro Alto. It was as lively as it gets, and that’s what we wanted. If you are not one for late nights and street noise, then maybe this isn’t the flat (or neighbourhood) for you. But if you want to open your door and step into: EVERYTHING, then this is your jam. We were so overwhelmed by the choices, that even for dinner, we decided to just roam and see what spoke to us. Interestingly, it was an Italian place, but definitely local, charming, and scrumptious: CASA NOSTRA https://www.casanostra.pt/ Thankfully, I wore my “roomy” dress because we ate as though we had never seen food before, AND did not decline the desserts they brought to us, on the house! After carbing up, we asked for recommendations as to where our SHENANIGANNING should start. The servers, who we had befriended, walked us out to the street and pointed toward “The Irish Pub”. We had a brief photo shoot, said a million “obrigadas”, then went on our merry way. We eventually made it to not one, but TWO Irish pubs (they bookended our night), but we’re not sure if either of them were in fact the suggested one, because we ended up popping into about 4 other bars first, doing shots in each and taking a few turns on the dance floor, to boot. One can get a wee bit disoriented in such circumstances in a foreign city with slopey, cobblestoney, winding streets filled with hundreds of people and so many distractions. 

Our first dinner out: CASA NOSTRA 

TIP : Being Canadian, we thought it was pleasantly WARM out at night. Back home, it was miserably cold (like, in the 30’s F) and wet (snow and rain). Thus, we were eager to wear our summer dresses and sandals. However, we definitely stood out, as most people were wearing slim puffy winter coats and even boots! It was around the low 60’s at night, which felt tropical to us. If you’re trying to blend in and not look like a tourist, don’t follow our fashion leads . 

I’m not blurry. You’re blurry. The final bar that we popped into: CHEERS Irish Pub https://www.cheerslisbon.com/ It has 2 sections: THIS room, where spontaneous, informal GROUP karaoke happens. And the other part, a more traditionally styled pub atmosphere. We, of course, sampled both quite successfully.

Let’s have an early night, we said. Hit the ground rested and running tomorrow, we said. Yeah. We got to bed at 3:30 am. First night and coming in HOT. For the FULL, and oh so fun STORY about our LEGENDARY first night out in Portugal, CLICK HERE! 

BAIRRO ALTO (AND SURROUNDING) SIGHTS 

In no particular order across 3 days (one of our 4 days was spent out of the city), here are some of the amazing sights all within WALKING distance of our flat: 

The tile on the buildings’ exteriors is INSANE. I thought of what we pay in Canada for squares like this for our bathrooms and kitchens, and here it is covering massive surfaces everywhere! 

A typical street sight in bright colour. 

The spectacular view just around the corner from our flat. 

A quintessential street scene. This is my favourite part of the city experience. We chose to opt out of the trendy, cosmo styled rooftop bars to take in more of the lesser known, charming places like this. We meandered, sometimes aimlessly, and found our gems. 

CHURCHES 

So many city views were like this. Grand architecture, especially the churches, with a glimpse of the water downhill. 

I always pop into the churches, basilicas, cathedrals, chapels, whenever possible (and ensure I carry a long sleeved button down shirt, which also doubles as a cover up when I start to get sunburned, to cover my shoulders for respectful visitations). The spaces are not only reverent, with an opportunity to sit, pause, and reflect, but are works of art in themselves. You just have to look all around, at all angles, to see some of the world’s, and history’s, most magnificent creations. 

BOOKSTORES!

I also frequent bookstores. Bookstores galore! 

LIVRARIA BERTRAND- The OLDEST bookstore in the WORLD! 

LIVRARIA BERTRAND , opened in 1732 in the Chiado district, and holds the Guinness Record for oldest bookstore still operating. 

Of course, I HAD to buy some souvenirs from Livraria Bertrand’s street sale, one of which was Don Quixote in Portuguese, which I got for my son. 

We covered a lot of ground from BAIRRO ALTO . We passed through CHIADO, PRINCIPE REAL , and went down to the popular TEJO RIO (riverfront), to the MERCADO DA RIBEIRA (Time-Out Market) , CAIS DO SODRÉ (where you can catch the TRAIN to Cascais and Sintra). We tackled going up and down a very steep hill, several times daily, ON FOOT, and P sometimes cursed me for it, but….we saw so much, and popped in and out of places spontaneously because of it, and even met interesting people, also energetic enough to do the same. If you would like to be entertained by a STORY about this, CLICK HERE! 

FUNICULARS 

There are 3 main funiculars that you can take up and down, to and from the waterfront. The one nearest us in Bairro Alto is ELEVADOR DA BICA. We walked its route daily, but actually took it ONCE, to get back UP the steep hill on a very hot day, to say we did. The other two are: ELEVADOR DO LAVRA and ELEVADOR DA GLORIA. *Since writing this blog, sadly a tragedy struck GLORIA, which derailed and crashed causing 17 fatalities (as of the time of this publishing) and many injuries. My heart aches for the loved ones of those who perished and I have been thinking of the Lisbon community with so much love and sympathy. 

The tracks for ELEVADOR DA BICA, which we walked along to get to the waterfront. It was just a few blocks from where we were staying. We caught it back up ONCE via the terminal inside that yellow arch at the bottom of this hill. Along its route, there were a few places to pop into (cute little restaurants and bars etc….) if you needed a break to catch your breath and/or check your heart rate. 

During one of the jaunts down toward the waterfront, we came across these men moving buckets of what looked like cement powder up the building. We loved the ingenuity of the pulley rope. Also, out of photo range near the spread of construction “tools and things”: the “F” word on the sign perfectly poised to the right of the man on the balcony. And…a little bucket of beer in the shade of the street corner. I don’t know who that belonged to, but I have a hunch.  Below are some of 
he other things we came across at the bottom of the hill, at or near the TEJO RIO … 

TIME OUT MARKET in MERCADO DA RIBEIRA 

This is a very POPULAR (for locals and tourists alike) and very cool market. It has just about every type of cuisine and wine and spirits. It was definitely something we made time for. Twice! We got food and bevvies here, and naturally, some PASTEIS DE NATA (calories? What calories? We just burned them all off walking around the steep, cobblestoned streets), and sat at a family styled “picnic” table, to people watch and listen to the multitudes of international languages bouncing around us. 

When in Portugal… 

RED CARNATION DAY 

Unbeknownst to us, and as seems to be a theme for my travels, there was a festival: RED CARNATION DAY . This nation wide holiday honours PORTUGAL’S INDEPENDENCE and FREEDOM. On our 1st night out (mentioned earlier), the bars closed “early” at around 1:00 pm, and on this night (the 3rd), the bars were completely closed for this holiday. But in our wanderings, we found this lively waterfront party. There were people dancing everywhere, little bar huts, and the Tejo Rio lit by anchored boats, with Jesus watching over all! 

A fun DJ amidst throngs of dancers. 

The huts were decorated with birds carrying red carnations. 

TEJO RIO (Tagus River) 

Some kick-a$s mojitos along the famous riverfront during the RED CARNATION FESTIVAL 

Sanctuary of CHRIST THE KING Monument

Santuario de Cristo Rei 

Erected in 1959, after being conceptualized in 1940 and inspired by the famous Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it stands as a gesture of gratitude for Portugal being spared the mass destruction that many European villages, towns, cities, and regions suffered during WWII. It is across the TEJO RIO in ALMADA. 

ALFAMA 

Alfama is the OLDEST area of Lisbon. It is situated atop the city, with some spectacular views of the river below it. It’s the one neighbourhood that we did get a ride to and from, as we were headed there for an evening out and it is quite a long walk all UPHILL (doable, but probably not if you don’t want to arrive a sweaty mess). It has gorgeous character in all the elderly buildings. Definitely something you should plan on taking in! TIP: My Uber app was not working well in Lisbon (it was great in the Algarve). It was very confusing as to where the pick-up points were on the main street because of how congested the traffic is. If you can figure the system out, great! But due to the mass volumes of Ubers and Lyfts and cabs driving by at any point, you are vulnerable to being taken advantage of. This is me, below, arguing with a driver who claimed to be a legitimate cabbie; however, when I asked him how much it would be to take us to Alfama, he said it was a 40 minute drive, was very difficult to get to, and it would be $80 EUROS!!!! I scorned him. I had done my research and I knew this would be a very short drive (because technically, you could walk there from where we were) of about 5-10 minutes, traffic factored into that range, and that it should cost only about $10 to 15 Euros. This whole conversation was done with gesticulations. It ended with my finger pointing at HIM and a very sassy, “NO OBRIGADA!!!”. 

The NATIONAL PANTHEON (Church of Santa Engracia) 

This 17th Century baroque styled monument, once the Church of Santa Engracia, regally rules, from the highest vantage point, over Alfama and all of Lisbon. Many significant Portuguese people and dignitaries are buried here, including the famous Fado singer, Amalia Rodrigues. 

The National Pantheon (Church of Santa Engracia) 

ALFAMA NIGHTLIFE

I made sure Alfama was factored into our itinerary because this is THE place to experience FADO music: the beautiful, haunting, romantic signature of Portugal. I had made dinner reservations (weeks in advance, when I was still planning our itinerary) at a local restaurant based on a friend’s [who had just returned from Lisbon] recommendation. This night turned out to be one of the most MAGICAL nights I have EVER had. CLICK HERE, for more on this fairytale like STORY. However, it did have its glitches, beginning with the fact that it was still the national RED CARNATION HOLIDAY, and many places were closed (or closed much earlier than normal) in this particular area. But, as with destiny, it all worked out exactly as it was meant to. 

I was so happy that my friend told me about this charming place. 15/10 recommend! https://reservation.umai.io/en/widget/alfama-cellar 

The very friendly owner. He had taken pictures with my friend and her hubby, so he humoured me by letting me do the same. He also said he remembered that “nice Canadian couple”, and added that he loved Canadians. Lucky us!! This is just a small sampling of the wine selection there. It’s impeccable. 

We enjoyed several REALLY REALLY good glasses of wine before and during our dinner, which was a traditional Portuguese seafood stew, and it was ALL THAT. So much so, that we forgot to take pictures! Traditional Peras 

Traditional Peras Bebedas (drunk pear) dessert. It was luscious. 

FADO MUSIC 

We walked around after dinner to take in the beautiful character of this neighbourhood and to find a FADO establishment. We got EXTREMELY lucky that the ONE place that we were able to find (everything in that near vicinity was closed) happened to be immediately next door to Alfama Cellar. Otherwise, we may not have ever found it. I sent the address to our new Irish friend, met the night before on the street outside the Irish Pub (LOL), who met up with us there, and I’m certain it was because of his fluency in Spanish and ability to understand Portuguese, and his typical Irish warmth and charm, that we were let into this packed house. For THREE gorgeous hours, we sipped wine, non-stop, and listened to rounds of this passionate, haunting, romantic music, shared with our intimate crowd of maybe about 20 people (several of whom were the musicians). It was MORE, FAR MORE, than we could have dreamed of. If you find yourself in Alfama, make a plan to dine, sip, and listen here: MESA DE FRADES RESTAURANTE. https://www.mesadefrades.pt/ 

Stunning performance after performance. Several of the singers had been sitting incognito next to us, and they’d just suddenly pop up, in delightful surpresa after surpresa, and took their turn on the “stage”. As it turned out, we were the only non-locals present. This intimate aura made the night all the more magical. 

After the performances, we explored the quiet street a little bit before catching our ride back to Bairro Alto. TIP: Likely because of the holiday and most places being closed, there were no taxis waiting around. Also, we spilled out of the Fado music at around 2:00 am. So, before you get to Alfama, you might want to arrange for a pick-up in advance, just to be sure you have transportation back. Depending on where you stay, it would be quite a LONG walk home (but at least, it would be downhill). We got extremely lucky in that a very kind local gentleman, who had worked at one of the restaurants, happened to be walking by on his way home, and overheard us talking about our return strategy. He stopped and chatted with us at length, and then graciously ordered a ride for us (our Uber apps weren’t working up there), and wouldn’t let us pay him. HUMANITY! We vowed to pay that forward. The 3 of us shared the ride back to Bairro Alto. TIP WITHIN A TIP (SAFETY): For solo female travelers: as with any city, always keep your guard up and be mindful, especially at night. That being said, we felt very SAFE everywhere we went in LISBON and PORTUGAL. I wouldn’t recommend being out that late at night alone, though, no matter where you are in the world. That’s just common sense. We were always a duo (or more, if we met new friends). I also always leave as detailed an itinerary as I can with my family back home, and update it whenever possible. Also, I never separate from my friends at night. Birds of a feather stick together! For MORE safety tips when traveling, check out my website for a special feature article. 

Apparently, folks were teensy tiny in the time when Alfama was constructed. 

Also, apparently, the city dwellers must have all been Olympians. Pausing to catch my breath…. 

DAY TRIPPING— 

We took a day trip to CASCAIS and SINTRA (scroll down to see the logistics of how we got around). This is very easy to do and you don’t need more than a full day to see a little bit of both. It was our own fault that we got a late start to the day, and that we went during a one day train strike (with limited run options), and we, therefore, somewhat rushed through both. My ADVICE: get it together in advance (check train schedules etc…), make sure to have an early night prior, get up and at ‘em EARLY and spend as much time as you can in each, with more time allotted to Sintra to be able to tour the palace grounds fully, because they are lovely. 

CASCAIS 

Cascais is more than just a coastal town with a beach and a marina, although that in itself makes this worth the trip. It’s a tranquil reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the big city life in Lisbon, and it gave us a moment to recharge. It is easy to see how the nobility of long ago used to spend their summers here, and their presence clearly affected the elegant atmosphere all around. We, unfortunately, didn’t have much time here, but we did squeeze in enough to get a feel for it and we were able to walk along the beach, which is perfectly nestled in between a mild cliff and a marina, feeling sheltered and private. 

Portugal’s coast is dotted with these impressive rock formations and cliffs and…palm trees!

The Cascais marina. 

Sangria!! 

A picturesque shop.

P strolling happily along the intricately patterned streets. 

SINTRA 

This UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the hills of Serra de Sintra, is a MUST SEE. Yes, it is definitely a touristy spot, hosting over 3 million visitors annually, but worth fighting the crowds. Stepping into Sintra we found ourselves in the pages of an enchanting childhood fairytale book. We were content to just stroll about the town, but we did make a point of getting up to the famous PALACIO DA PENA (the most popular attraction). Being we were there in the shoulder season, there were not many people at all, and we even had the fun choo-choo style train that took us on a leisurely, winding, scenic ride up the hill, all to ourselves! It was worth it just for the views looking down, as you get an impressive perspective of the town and forestry below.
Here are some of our moments meandering through this historical town:

The wonderment of it all, right IN the town. We fully expected a Prince Charming to appear at a window! 

The fusion of grandeur and… 

Rustic. So beguiling. 

We had this fun choo-choo ride up and down the winding hill. And the bonus was, the driver looked exactly like my SON, which was “very very nice”. 

A glimpse of PALACIO DA PENA from near the front gate. . 

PALACIO DA PENA 

This famous palace overlooks all of Sintra from its perch atop the hill. Due to time restrictions, we were not able to venture onto the palace grounds to see everything up close, but I recommend you pay to enter and do a full exploration, if the clock is more a friend to you than it was us on this excursion. We just hopped out of the choo-choo to snap a few shots, as our driver kindly waited for us to do so, then we hopped back on, along with a few others, to wind back down toward the town centre. 

SINTRA SIGHTS, Restaurants, and Shops 

This ride does a complete “circle” to and from the hilltop palace grounds, so you get to see different things in each direction. There are a lot of everyday life things to see, which I love! A charming 

A charming little stop (seen from our choo-choo) on our way back down. 

One of the many alleyways with special shops and cafes in the town centre. 

Traditional clothing 

The Moorish architectural stylings are all over Sintra, not just at the palace grounds. We came across this while walking along, a little bit outside of the town’s hustle and bustle. Behind it, and to the sides of it, is the lush forestry that Sintra is also known for. 

A storybook (for adults) worthy wine and spirits store. We 

We enjoyed a little tapas treat before catching our train back to Lisbon. Everything was so simple and so fresh and deelish. It didn’t hurt that we also enjoyed some good wine AND cappuccinos. 

Even the SINTRA TRAIN STATION is pretty! And because it’s small, it’s easy to purchase tickets in, and board the trains from since there were only a few platforms and tracks.

HOW WE GOT TO AND FRO 

* Reminder: this was affected by the one day train strike (and our self-inflicted late start to the day). TO CASCAIS: We bought train tickets at a self-serve kiosk from the CAIS DO SODRE Train Station (near the waterfront) right before departure. Tickets were super cheap! Only about $4 euro (round trip)! It turned out, unbeknownst to us, since everything was in Portuguese, we were on a local train, and because of the strike, it was CROWDED. And stifling hot. We stood for the entirety, about 40 minutes, but passed the time looking out at the coast and even spoke with a few of the passengers (in French). CASCAIS TO SINTRA: CAB (about a 15 minute ride). SINTRA TO LISBON: Due to the strike, we missed the ONE “evening” train back to CAIS DO SODRE (there were supposed to be more to choose from). Luckily, the SINTRA TRAIN STATION is well equipped with manned ticket 
booths! We were able to pay just $5 euro extra to top up our round-trip ticket to take a different train back to a different end destination. We ended up at ROSSIO STATION . Using GPS, we made our way back from there to our flat, and got to see a whole new part of the city! We passed through an amazing outdoor restaurant scene, where table after table lined the narrow sloped corridors, and people (seemingly non-tourists) were enjoying each other’s company and wine and fragrant food. Our tired feet did not fail us and eventually, we were home! 

ROSSIO TRAIN STATION . We really had NO idea where we ended up. We were second guessing the conversation we had had with the ticket kiosk worker back in Sintra. 

We made a little tapas spread and finished up the opened wine, while we packed up for the next leg of our vacation. We certainly dropped from fatigue after a full day of being on our feet in the heat. We slept like logs that night, which was perfectly timed since we had to be at the bus station somewhat early in the morning. 

Departure for the Algarve 

We took a cab to SETE RIOS bus station to ALBUFEIRA. The station was a somewhat “sketchy” area, and I had expected this from my previous research, but the bus ride was CHEAP and smooth! I had booked our tickets in advance via BusBud www.busbud.com . Each ticket was only $4.99 EUROS! It was about a 3.5 hour ride and quite comfortable.

A wee bit confusing trying to find our boarding queue. TIP: Sometimes, the bus numbers posted don’t match what is on your ticket. Be sure to confirm with the driver. Also, as with all bus and train stations, we made sure to be extra vigilant guarding our things. It wasn’t busy at the time of this picture, but the station did see more traffic as buses came in and reloaded. 

THE ALGARVE (1 week) 

The spectacular view from our hotel room’s balcony in Albufeira! 

THE ALGARVE region is in the southernmost part of Portugal. It is lined with coastal towns and even has some wineries in its somewhat mountainous countryside. Although situated along the Atlantic Ocean, with its water being much cooler in the Spring, it has a Mediterranean climate. It is a very popular destination for visitors from Europe, the UK, Ireland, and other parts of Portugal. 

ALBUFEIRA (3 nights) 

Albufeira is a thriving coastal town. It has beautiful, sandy beaches and a VERY vibrant nightlife, both in its OLD TOWN and NEW TOWN, as well as many quaint shops and delicious restaurants. It’s especially a super popular tourist destination for people from the U.K.and Ireland, notably for Bachelor (Stag) and Bachelorette (Hen) parties, as there are many direct flights from their airports into FARO, which is less than half an hour from here. Many restaurants in the city hub cater to their tourists and provide more traditional British food fare, but we managed to find some more authentic places to enjoy more of the Portuguese flavours. Overall, 
Albufeira was SOOOOOOO much fun!! I had researched in advance and knew to expect this, which is why I booked us here across a weekend (Thursday to Sunday). We definitely took advantage of that. GETTING AROUND AND ACCOMMODATION We arrived at the bus station and went outside to catch a cab. This is a pretty small station; there’s not a large cab queue outside, so it did take some time to get one. We lucked out in that someone was being dropped off, so we hopped into that car. It was about a 7 minute drive to our hotel: BOA VISTA HOTEL AND SPA (Adults Only ). It was, again, perfectly located! We were able to walk EVERYWHERE, but it is just slightly out of the touristy area, so it had more of a neighbourhood feel. There is even a busy grocery store right next door. Our stay included a breakfast FEAST each morning, and had all the amenities of a nice hotel, including a lovely pool, that we did relax by and swim in several times. We paid a very little extra to be on the top floor in a room with a balcony and view of the ocean. It was worth it and made our stay the wonderful experience that it was. I highly recommend you do the same! This hotel decor reminded us of the old “Hollywood” glamour days and we LOVED it. There’s a lot of history of celebrity clientele here, and we actually enjoyed looking at all the pictures and articles that hang in an office in the lobby. I loved it here so much, that I stayed here again when I returned the next year! Here’s the booking link: https://www.hotelboavistaspa.com/

Sipping a breakfast cappuccino from the beautiful dining room and TWINNING with the chairs. 

Morning Mimosas from the dining room. We gave up trying to be demure and went heavy on the bubbly and low key on the orange juice. 

It became our thing to hit the grocery stores and pick up a few snacks (there’s a mini fridge in this hotel room), wine bottles (see pic below), and WATER jugs, and enjoy time on our balcony before heading out at night. We were also able to wash some things in our bathroom sinks and hang them to dry along the balcony (we bought clothespins at the grocery store). 

We picked up this bottle of wine at the grocery store for 1,59 E. Because…1,59 E. It wasn’t too shabby! And it had a picture of a Knight in Shining Armour on the label. Manifesting? 

Two of the many serene views (above and below) from our balcony, enjoyed whilst sipping coffee or wine. Mostly wine. We were in PORTUGAL. 

Sunrise over the beach. P took this. I am NOT a morning person. 

OLD TOWN 

We kept to the beach and the Old Town parts of Albufeira. There was plenty to do and the nightlife was happening enough for us (it was WILD), so we didn’t venture to New Town, which also has huge nightlife and a strip of bars, but is, apparently, more popular with the younger, student-aged crowds. Old Town has so much charm and a lot to take in. Here are just a few snapshots of our walkabouts. IGREJA 

IGREJA MATRIZ de ALBUFEIRA . We could see it (in the distance) and hear the bell ringing from our balcony. It was a precious part of the experience. I had no idea, due to the glaring sun, until after I looked at my pics at day’s end, that I happened to catch this ginormous bird mid-flight –and how serendipitous the sign is ensuring I notice! 

COUNTLESS shops with all kinds of wares: clothing, pottery, jewelry, souvenirs…. And EXCELLENT prices! We stocked up on treats for ourselves and families back home. One shop that we favoured sold unique handmade jewelry: APUMANKE (not pictured). I bought a vintage style ring that makes me smile every time I wear it. 

This building attached to The Irish Harp (an old pub) is for sale?? YES, OBRIGADA! 

There are a few ways you can get to this fantastic beach. 1): take the never ending stairs down and/or the glass elevator (quite handy if you’re loaded up with beach gear). 2: Come through the tunnel in Old Town. The walk down to Old Town is more gradual, so you won’t have to work as hard (coming back up anyway). 

We discovered handy Wine “juice boxes” for picnics. And we never looked back. 

The ONLY request P had when I planned our trip, was that every so often we could find an outdoor cafe so she could sit and sip her cappuccino and watch life happen around us. 

This is a great lookout point where you can see the marina (in front of me), the beach and Old Town (behind me). 

When in Portugal….. Pasteil de Nata and…. 

GINJINHA . A favourite Portuguese liqueur made with Ginja Berries and alcohol, sugar, and often mixed with cinnamon sticks and cloves. Served here in an edible chocolate shot cup. 

OLD TOWN NIGHTLIFE! 

The nightlife is EXTRA. We’re both night owls who LOVE dancing, so this was a perfect place for us for just the right amount of time. The old town corner is ALIVE with live music (outside) and the accompanying full blown street party, and bar after bar after bar beckoning you in. Literally. There are people handing out Free Shot tickets on the street, to try and get your business. By the end of our 3 nights, we had been in every establishment. I had never seen anything like this: the atmosphere was NEXT LEVEL (as one of the bar signs says). It was sensory overload (competing bar music and street music, people everywhere, inside and outside, and costumes galore for the Hen and Stag parties). Everyone was gregarious and having the time of their lives. If this is not your scene, no worries. Just step away from this little pocket and back into the more subdued restaurant and pub scenes. There are plenty to choose from and relax at, especially if you want to sip cocktails overlooking the ocean. Here are some moments in pictures. However, if you would like a more detailed STORY (and fun pics) of our nightlife shenanigans, then CLICK HERE! TIP: Attire. Old Town is quite casual. Definitely not clubwear (but you could certainly dress that part too if you wanted). Anything goes. We wore sundresses and/or skirts or summer pants with cute little tops and comfortable sandals. We brought light sweaters or jean jackets as the walk, along the water, to and from, was a bit cool, but once in the bars and dancing, we got overheated pretty quickly. 

Our first night out. We had no idea what was still ahead. We quickly learned, whilst recovering the next day, to PACE OURSELVES. It’s a MARATHON. Not a sprint.

One of the STAG party costume themes. They got a LOT of attention! 

An IRISH Hen Party. We loved these lasses dressed as grannies, and made fast friends. 

Grooving with the Grannies on the dance floor. 

A delightful, seaside dinner to fuel up before hitting the bars. 

LAGOS (4 nights) 

The view of Lagos from the rooftop terrace, where we enjoyed breakfasts in the mornings. It was always open, so we took advantage of sitting up there a few other times to take in the view. 

After the Albufeira shenanigans, we moved on to Lagos, and it was well timed, as the pace here was much slower and we were able to catch our breath and regenerate after several late nights of non-stop dancing. Lagos is another popular coastal town in the Algarve. It is probably best known for its series of beaches, grottos and caves (accessible via kayaking or small boat tours, which, of course, we did), and hiking trails winding down to the more secluded beaches. It has a pretty marina, just a short walk from Old Town. What we were most pleasantly surprised by was the medieval wall, MURALHAS De LAGOS (Wall of Lagos) , that surrounds the Old Town. 

GETTING THERE AND ACCOMMODATION 

We arrived via BUS (again, booked in advance through Busbud. www.busbud.com . These tix were significantly more expensive, even though the distance between Albufeira and Lagos is only about 40 minutes. I think because it was a Sunday in the shoulder season; there weren’t as many runs. Tickets were 17,90 E per person, one way. We stayed in the UPTOWN part of Lagos, at the top of the hill, just outside the Muralhas de Lagos, which we got to walk through daily! We were in an established, upscale neighbourhood and it was lovely, but definitely a bit of a hike down to the action of Old Town. It was worth being at the hilltop 

LAGOS UPTOWN BED & BREAKFAST 

LAGOS UPTOWN BED & BREAKFAST https://www.booking.com/Share-MPVnvuS Each floor has several self-contained rooms/balconies/private bathrooms AND a shared kitchen area. As well, the rooftop hosts the breakfasts for all the guests, which is included in your price. The hosts and staff were WONDERFUL.

The entrance to our stay: LAGOS UPTOWN B&B. Cute, right? 

The rooftop terrace breakfasts were epic! The delicious spread, the hospitality, the view… 

OLD TOWN 

Old Town has all the charm you could hope for and all sorts of extras, like shops, restaurants, ice cream and gelato kiosks, street buskers, bars, a sea walk, beaches, and plazas. It is all within a pleasant stroll, from one end (the marina) to the other (the beaches). A popular thing to do is to sit, gelato in hand, and people watch. 

LUIS DE CAMOES SQUARE 

A happening spot for buskers 

The Green House 

An old fashioned carousel. 

THE BOY KING 

A sculpture of Portugal’s beloved BOY KING, Dom Sebastiao. He became King at only 3 years old in the 1600’s! This particular sculpture, by artist Joao Cutileiro, has him in oversized armour, which might represent a time he went on a mission in Morocco. He sadly died quite young while in battle. 

The Sea Walk 

Along the sea walk, en route to the marina or the beaches, there are all sorts of tents and wares (clothing, souvenirs, jewelry…) with a fair like vibe, and spots to sit in palm tree shade. 

Walking through Old Town is like being in a FREE outdoor gallery. The homes, the shops, the restaurants ooze character and charm. 

IGREJA de SANTA MARIA de LAGOS 

This beautiful church is in the heart of Old Town. 

FESTIVAL dos DESCOBRIMENTOS (Discoveries Festival) 

As luck would have it, AGAIN, preparations were underway for yet another festival! This time, it was to honour Portugal’s Age of Discovery, meaning, many explorers, namely HENRY THE NAVIGATOR, set sail in the 15th and 16th centuries from the Lagos Port. 2023 (when we were there) was especially special as it marked the 450th Anniversary of Lagos’ establishment. Sadly, the festival kicked off the day we left, with a parade, so we didn’t get to experience it; but, at least we got to get a feel for what it would have been. 

Tents were being set up along parts of the Muralhas de Lagos (the medieval wall). 

Looking at part of the Muralhas de Lagos from across the boulevard on the sea walk. 

Spices for sale in a festival vendor tent. 

P stopping to take in the atmosphere that we had turned a corner into. It doesn’t get too much better than the surprise of a cobblestoned street in an ancient city lined with happy little flags. 

Medieval flower crowns ready for the festival goers 

THE BEACHES 

The beaches are gloriously lined with the gorgeous rock formations and cliffs. We easily accessed, via walking, both PRAIA da BATATA and, via a tunnel in the rock formations, PRAIA ESTUDANTES, an intimate beach with even more rock tunnels to walk or swim through. (Note: PRAIA DONA ANA is very popular for photo ops, but we didn’t venture there.) We were here at the very start of May, so the ocean was still quite chilly, but the temperature was great for sunning.

The tunnel entrance to Praia da Batata. 

WINE STORES GALORE 

Take your pick! There are so many! We wandered into this one because it was in the Praca Luis de Camoes, facing the Green House, and from the outside, looked very authentic. It WAS. 10/10 Recommend PORTOS GARRAFEIRA. It also sells high end whiskey, brandy, liqueur, cognac, tequila, etc… . We bought an excellent $6 E bottle of local red that the salesperson recommended. It was fantastic! 

PORTOS GARRAFEIRA (just ONE corner of the magnificent inventory). 

UPTOWN LAGOS (hanging out in our neighbourhood)

We walked along this street to get down to the medieval wall archway (to enter Old Town).It was steps away from our place. We nicknamed it Boulevard of Oranges. 

The neighbourhood elementary school. 

We saw these birds everywhere, and many of them looked and SOUNDED like they were having romantic moments. This one looked at us as if in solidarity of singlehood. LOL 

Cheers to the GOOD life–with our excellent $6 euro wine on our private balcony, which overlooked the little parkette to the right, where we were entertained by kids coming home from the school stopping to kick their football around in true young Ronaldo fashion. 

UPTOWN RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATION 

Our B&B host told us about this local favourite, and it was a very short walk from our place: CALHOU https://restaurantecalhou.com/ 

We called in advance and were able to secure a reservation. It was INCREDIBLE. The food. The wine. The atmosphere. The authentic vibe, being a neighbourhood place. 15/10 recommend!

We indulged in a traditional SEAFOOD CATAPLANA (an Algarve specialty) that was served in this copper pot. It comes to the table with the lid closed and the server carefully and dramatically unlocks it, as though performing a magic show. It was OUT OF THIS WORLD good. 

We literally could have just lived off the simple things too, though. Somehow, EVERYTHING is just the “goodest” here. I ate so many olives. So. Many. Olives. 

This is the smile of someone who didn’t let a single drop of the pitcher of excellent house wine go to waste. 

SMALL BOAT EXCURSION: CAVES & GROTTOS 

We wanted to directly support a smaller, LOCAL company vs booking through the 3rd party sites, so we asked our host for recommendations. We were glad we did. This was a fantastic experience!!! We called in the morning and reserved our early afternoon excursion. TIP: We got lucky. If you have a specific time frame in mind, definitely call in advance, like perhaps the day before, to ensure your spot. These are very popular runs. BUT don’t fret if you don’t have luck. You can just show up at the marina and there are several kiosks selling last minute tickets. You just might have to take a different time.

We went with the family owned ROYAL FISH GROTTO TOURS. (ph: 351-96-410-28-38) We had a pleasant captain, an entertaining tour guide who narrated everything, and there were about 8 guests in total, all of us from all over the world. It was a lovely and intimate sail. At this time of year, the water is still chilly, which is why we had opted out of a kayak excursion. The small boats are the next best thing in terms of grotto and cave accessibility. Here are some of the sights…

(L) The Lagos Marina, where we met with our small boat tour crew. (R) Brescia Babes saying for about the 1000th time, “I’m so happy right now!” 

The elephant formation! 

Inside a grotto: The Skull. Spectacularly blue-purple water 

There are many portals to the sky. When looking up from beneath, it’s like an entrance to heaven. 

When inside the caves, the echoing of the waves hitting the rocks and the birds singing is all part of the experience. It’s like being encapsulated in a song. So beautiful. 

NIGHTLIFE! 

There is a buoyant nightlife in Lagos, which was a pleasant surprise. There are TONS of restaurants and bars, all within walking distance, in Old Town. 

P showing MAIN CHARACTER energy under the moonlight at the pretty “Antiga Camara Municipal de Lagos ” building in the heart of Old Town & at this cute little cafe steps away from the Green House in the Old Town square, with some mojitos to kickstart this night. 

(L) The moonlight over Old Town (R) A charming little shop that kept late hours. 

BON VIVANT reigns over the nightlife scene, perfectly poised in the centre of it all. It stared us down and called us in. It is an absolute MUST DO. https://bonvivantlagos.pt/ 

Rooftop at Bon Vivant. The tables are long and family style, so you easily meet people from all over. We were invited to sit at a table of gentlemen who were all expats. Some from Canada, some from the UK. It’s a great environment to have conversations whilst enjoying fancy cocktails. It was PACKED, so you may have to wait to get seated. Again, we got lucky. 

(L) Bon Vivant has 3 levels, each with its own vibe. Here I am with my new friend from France, who I met on the 1st level dance floor. (R)A spectacular mural on the side of a restaurant. We felt like this the next day. LOL 

LAGOA & WINERY EXCURSION 

MORGADO do QUINTAO ESTATE 

Before leaving for Portugal, I had researched and booked this “Farm to Table” experience at MORGADO do QUINTAO ESTATE in the countryside, up in the Algarrian Barrocal hills and the Monchique Mountains, between Silves and Lagoa. https://www.morgadodoquintao.pt/ It was the HIGHLIGHT of our Algarve stay! It was beyond what we hoped for and was worth every dollar (actually, a very fair price) and the effort to get there from Lagos. We took an Uber, which onto itself was part of the fun. For more on that STORY (the Uber drive and the drop-off), CLICK HERE! Not only did we get to indulge in an intimate, delicious outdoor lunch (prepared fresh, right in the kitchen, with a familial vibe, as though we were visiting relatives) in the shade of a 2000 year old olive tree–WOW– and taste wine varietals (all as promised), we got to meet people from all over the world, see the beautiful, rustic landscapes up in the rolling countryside, and learn about farm and winery life. 20/10 recommend this! I booked via Get Your Guide (link below), but you can also book directly through the winery (link above): https://www.getyourguide.com/algarve-l66/lagoa-morgado-do-quintao-estat e-lunch-and-wine-tasting-t371286/?utm_medium=sharing&utm_campaign= activity_details_desktop 

ABOUT THE WINERY 

The winery was founded in the 1810’s by the 1st Duke of Silves, and has been in the family for over 4 generations. The estate is sweeping and has a winery, organic farmlands, the main house (for the winery), several cottages (that are available to rent for stays), a tranquil pool (for the cottage guests), and all the quintessential Portuguese charm we dreamed of. The authentic family flavouring is what makes this such a special experience. 

As the instructions said, the entrance had a BLUE gate. I entered the pre-assigned code to be let in. What I didn’t realize is that there was a wee bit of a hike to get to the actual winery, and that I should have instructed the Uber driver to drive us there. This made for a funny STORY (that you can click on, above, if interested in hearing all about it)!

It was a lengthy trek to the actual building. We saw a lot of farmland, vineyards, even SIGNS. We were getting worried that we had been dropped off in the middle of nowhere. And it was HOT. Luckily, a car with a sweet American couple drove by and offered us a ride. OBRIGADA! 

THIS. This is what we arrived to. Worth every moment of panic. STUNNING… 

We each bought a bottle to bring home. P got the Red and White varietal (NOT called a Rose); I got the red (the plain blue label). There’s a funny little tale attached to the Uber story regarding this purchase (see Click Here option above), but a serious note is that when I finally cracked it open back home in Canada, right before Christmas, it was truly the most delicious high end bottle of wine I’ve ever had. Not a drop was wasted. 

(L) The current estate owner, Filipe Caldas de Vasconcellos , and the portrait of his grandfather, who was the founder. The portrait had JUST arrived that day, and I was the lucky 1st guest to see and snap a pic of it! (R)This olive tree is over 2000 years old! The stories it could tell… 

One of the estate’s cottages, available for stays! Had we only known… 

BACK TO LISBON 

We reluctantly returned to Lisbon, not because we don’t love it too, but because it meant we had reached the end of our glorious vacay. We had ONE night in Lisbon, before departing the next morning, so we made sure to squeeze every last bit of culture in. We easily returned via yet another bus line, FLIX. https://www.flixbus.pt/ Tickets were pre-purchased (to ensure we had a way back on the day needed) for only $7,99 E each!! It was a direct route of about 3.45 hours, with just one very fast pit stop for a bathroom break. We arrived in time to check into our quaint guest house style place, and had a whole evening ahead of us to explore that area and have an authentic local dinner. 

ALVALADE Neighbourhood 

Our stay. Alvalade Palace. 

I booked a garden view room on the top floor at ALVALADE PALACE https://www.booking.com/Share-utl5Lk for its convenience, as it’s only about 3 minutes from the airport, but what a bonus in that it was such a charming stay! They serve an early morning breakfast, included in the price (and if your flight is super early, if you let them know in advance, they’ll prepare a takeaway bag for you!). I stayed here again in 2024! 

About the Alvalade Quarter 

The Alvalade neighbourhood is in northern Lisbon. We were told by the hosts at our guesthouse that nobility used to live here, as is evident on the avenue that our place was on; it’s lined with stately mansions (now converted to homes or businesses etc….). In addition to this, there is a bustling downtown core about a 15 minute walk away, especially AVENIDA da IGREJA (that starts at the base of the beautiful church at the centre of it all). The many restaurants, bars, and stores were filled with locals just enjoying everyday living.

FLIGHT DELAY!: Upon check-in and settling in, I got a notice that our morning flight was delayed by 12 hours!!! At first, we were feeling the pinches of the inconvenience of it, since I had arranged for our Toronto airport pick-up to be around 3:00 in the afternoon, and now it would be after midnight! Our ride was my SON, and I was upset that he’d be on the busy 401 highway for over 3 hours in the dark in both directions. After ironing all of that out (my Dad joined him to keep him awake), we decided to embrace the extra time. We arranged to have our luggage stored in Alvalade Palace’s hold area near reception, and they offered us the use of a bathroom to freshen up before heading to the airport. It all worked out fantastically, as we now had a whole extra day to explore this quarter of Lisbon. And….once home, we filed a claim with the airline, as it is a European Law (EU 261) that any flight delay of over 6 hours has to give financial compensation. Air Transat refunded each of us about $800 Canadian, which was about ¾ the cost of our entire round trip fight!!! Here’s a link for your perusal, should something similar happen to you: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/air/index_en. htm 

Here are some of the things we were able to take in on our final night, and the next day, with that extra gift of time…. 

AUTHENTIC DINING 

The host at our guesthouse highly recommended this local favourite: TICO TICO. https://www.ticotico.pt/ We waited in line with the many patrons to get in. The maitre’d noticed us pointing and giggling at a particular display with the fresh catches of the day. It looked like a bin full of mini-male genitalia. We were offered free samples, despite the market price for this delectable delight posted on their sign in the $80 Euro range!! We didn’t want to offend, so we partook. And it was…surprisingly, not too bad. I am, admittedly, not the most adventurous with culinary arts, so it was quite surprising to P that I even agreed to sample this! We later learned, once seated and able to “google it”, that we had eaten BARNACLES. We were not sure how we felt about that.

We were hungry after traveling from Lagos, so we ordered what we thought was a pot of seafood stew for two. We were basing this on pictures in the non-English menu. We should have suspected something when the waiters playfully put bibs on us in preparation for the feast, and we were the only ones donning them in the packed house. When they came out and plopped a pot fit for a family of 6 in front of us, we could not stop laughing. It was impossible to eat even just ¼ of it. 

(L) The exquisite barnacle delicacy. (R)Outside Tico Tico. It is located across from the church and on the corner of the popular AVENIDA da IGREJA. 

Sao Joao de Brito church overlooks the length of Avenida da Igreja. 

We meandered around Avenida da Igreja on our final day, since we had unexpected extra time. We enjoyed a cappuccino in the church square; popped into the ALVALADE MARKET; checked out the library and some bookstores, and topped it all off at the PARK JOSE GOMEZ FERREIRA , down the street from our guest house, enjoying some treats from the concession in the tree shade (it was a hot day). 

THE ALAVALADE MARKET . We, of course, picked up the last of our Pastel de Nata before flying home. 

This green space is very zen. 

AND, THAT’S A WRAP! Keep scrolling for the JULY 2024 experience… 

“LUCKY LASSES” (JULY 2024: 1 week) 

At the Quinta do Frances Winery in the Algarve countryside 

The THEME of this getaway was “SURPRESA!!!” . I very spontaneously booked a flight when this spicey lass, “M”, who I taught with for most of my career and who is also recently retired, asked me if I wanted to join her for the 2nd half of her Portugal vacay (that she had already planned months in advance). She had decided to add a week to her itinerary so she could venture south to the Algarve. I am pretty sure she wasn’t expecting me to say YES to this ADDRESS. Thus, the SURPRESA (insert jazz hands) vibe was ON. And what a FUN adventure it was!!! I booked just one week ahead of my departure, so I didn’t get as great a deal as I normally would, but I was happy with the roundtrip, red eye flight I got out of Toronto: TAP to Lisbon www.flytap.com ; Air Transat https://www.airtransat.com/ for the return flight. I left everything to chance, and didn’t pay for a seat in advance (to save money) and traveled with just a carry-on and personal item (a small backpack that fits under the seat). It worked out fantastically, as I ended up being assigned a front row seat with lots of legroom, and I shared the row with a young Portuguese woman and a 
young Canadian man, both of whom were cool to chat with. I liked how the “go with the flow” thing was working out before I even took off!

I met up with M at ORIENTE BUS STATION , which is a short walk from the airport (but I took a cab because of the carry-on). TIP : Be sure to ask for the cost before getting in. It should be predetermined. I am embarrassed to admit that I got ripped off and paid $18 Euro for what turned out to be a 3 minute drive! I couldn’t figure out where the queue started, so I had asked a police officer, who pointed to an available cab, but it wasn’t in the queue. I reluctantly went because I had already unsuccessfully attempted to figure out the metro station (which is supposedly a very short and cheap ride to Oriente and you don’t have to leave the airport to catch it), and I was nervous about arriving late and missing my friend and the bus. So, I chalked it up to an expensive lesson learned, and I carried on! I had ordered our tickets to Lagos in advance via FLIXBUS . https://global.flixbus.com/bus/portugal . We enjoyed a nice, scenic ride down to The Algarve (and I took a wee nap). 

The SUMMER experience… 

I revisited both Lagos AND Albufeira, and it was notably MUCH busier this time around. As it was peak season, there were more people, everything was more expensive, and the HEAT….it felt off the charts at times. But still, I had a WONDERFUL time and am so glad I acted so spontaneously! Despite being in the same places as before, there were new vibes this time, so the experience didn’t feel repetitive (but that would have been ok too because I adore Portugal!). 

LAGOS (2 nights) 

M had booked a lovely apartment style place in Old Town Lagos city centre, close to the beach and just a short walk to all the nightlife. It was super convenient and even had a little pool that we did use to cool down in! 10/10 RECOMMEND: CASA PAULA https://www.booking.com/Share-Ccw9Fvb 

(L) The entrance to our ground level apt at Casa Paula. (R)The pool right outside our door! 

(L) The street view from just outside our stay. (R)The rooftop view from our building! 

There was a tiny “mercado” right around the corner from us, so we picked up snacks, breakfast foods, and of course….inexpensive, but oh so delicious, WINE to enjoy at our flat, which had a kitchen. We walked around and popped into stores and restaurants. Other than the booked kayak excursion, we had no agenda and this worked out great. 

RANDOM SNAPS OF OUR STAY IN OLD TOWN 

(L) The view from the outdoor cafe we stopped at for a late lunch. (R)Treating ourselves to some ice cream in Old Town. 

Enjoying a much busier (this time around) Lagos nightlife. Something different was that the waiters must have been schooled together in preparation for PEAK TOURIST SEASON, as we were “my love” and “darling” at every single place! We weren’t complaining! (R) I’m BAAACK!! 

CAVE AND GROTTO KAYAKING EXCURSION 

We booked (just hours before) a Cave and Grotto KAYAKING tour with a local company. It was FANTASTIC!!!! We easily walked to the meeting point, right at the beach, from our flat. The crew were very efficient getting us suited up with life jackets etc… . TIP: They give you a waterproof bag to keep your valuables in. Also, they lock up everyone’s shoes etc… in a storage bin at their kiosk. I had brought lanyards with waterproof cases for our phones so we could take pictures. These cases worked amazingly, as we could touch the phone screen through the plastic, and our phones were safe and dry. I ordered these from Amazon.ca: https://a.co/d/amneSJX

We kayaked for hours; got right into the depths of the grottos and caves; stopped at a beach and swam; and met people from all over the world on our tour. And in keeping with the “surpresa” theme, we even saw DOLPHINS playfully frolicking in and out of the sea, very nearby!!!🩷 This is NOT usual that close to where we were. Apparently, they may have been lost.

A nice perk to this excursion is that after all that kayaking, they join all the kayaks together and TOW EVERYONE BACK!!! It was fun to just sit and take in the scenery without all the physical exertion (after hours of it). I did see the same rock formations I saw in my previous trip, BUT there were a few caves I got to go into that the small boat excursion couldn’t access, so it was definitely worth doing this again for that alone! Also, with it being so hot, it was very refreshing to be in the water. 

(L) I’m paddling through one of the grottos that only kayaks can access (R) M enjoying the tow back ride. 

The BEST SURPRESA!!! A local, hidden gem… 

We discovered this delightful place, situated between the busy city centre and just a few blocks from our flat. There isn’t a sign, so don’t ask me what it’s called, but, according to my Visa receipt, it is on RUA DR JULIO DANTAS. We wandered in, and it was about as authentic an experience as you can get (given we were just a few streets away from a popular tourist area). We conversed with the husband (Joao) and wife, who we nicknamed “The Lady of the House” duo via google translate. They told us that the bar was actually the “front room” of their home, and they showed us a glimpse behind a door of the rest of the house. They didn’t need to boldly advertise its existence because it was a local hangout. Lucky us to have come across it! We ended up drinking their “advertised” SURPRESA for 1,50 E– The Lady of the House produced a pitcher from under the counter from which the shots were poured. AFTER we shot the shots, she demonstrated how the concoction was made: pointed to 8 different bottles, saying “ping” as she gestured at each. One of them was absinth. She then said the unnecessary, “Surpresa!” with a smile and jazz hands. It was the highlight of our stay in Lagos. 

(L) The establishment as seen from the street. Bottom- (C) The famous “shot surpresa” (R)The lady of the house. She appeared so sweet and innocent, until she started ping ping pinging at the bottles that were part of her magic concoction; then, the mischief that matched our own started dancing in her eyes. 

(L) Joao and The Lady of the House chatting with their neighbours just outside, whilst we enjoyed our drinks inside at the bar. They kept checking on us and/or joining. 

ALBUFEIRA (4 nights) 

Getting There:

We took an uber over to Lagos. It was very convenient, being that we could go based on our own schedule, and it was door to door. It ended up being about the same as if we had taken a bus (maybe even cheaper). The UBER app works great in the smaller cities and towns, so I recommend you download it. As well, you will know the cost in advance, so you can decide yay or nay on the ride offerings!

Where we STAYED:

As with my prior vacation, we stayed at BOA VISTA Hotel and Spa https://www.hotelboavistaspa.com/ , and in an unbelievable turn of events, we got upgraded to a room with a seaview on the TOP floor. I MUST give a proper shout-out here to the WONDERFUL staff, who were so kind and accommodating, when we asked for a new room due to a non-functioning a.c. unit in the one that M had booked. Not only did they move us promptly, but yet another “SURPRESA”, in keeping with the THEME of this vacay, was walking into the SAME luxurious room I had stayed in the year before (as featured earlier in the blog). It was pure coincidence and felt like “a meant to be” moment. 

OVERVIEW 

As this was my 2nd time here in just over a year, a lot of the detail is already covered earlier in this blog. But…being this was summer, the Albufeira vibe, especially in Old Town nightlife, was amped up by about a thousand. ( For a fun STORY about said nightlife, CLICK HERE.) I’ve included a few pictures and captions, in no particular order, to give you a sense of that. Our days were spent walking around popping into the shops, relaxing on the beach or by our hotel’s pool, leisurely dining…and hitting the bar scene at night. We did one winery excursion, which was amazing (see below). 

SNAPSHOTS OF MOMENTS 

(L) Overlooking the stretch of the main beach. (R) Going through the tunnel at night to the beach. The pose: We had met two trendy girls in the square in Old Town Lagos, and when we took pictures for each other, they taught us this. We made it a funny thing, and assumed it in almost every pic afterward. I clearly did not perfect it, unless you consider “awkward” a win. 

These two lovelies socialized from their balcony each night on our way into Old Town. This is now our Golden Girls’ Living goal. 

ICONIC BLUE BELL BAR 

This is an ICONIC bar just on the edge of Old Town. Very cool vibe. Highly recommend! 

We returned to Blue Bell our final night in Albufeira. As you can probably tell from my pic, I had come down with a very bad cold. The bartender hooked me up HARD with a delicious and medicinal concoction made with their star liquor: BEIRAO. It was delicious and quite effective. 

OUTDOOR ART 

An artistic work in progress. This fellow was somewhat “safely” harnessed to a pipe on the roof as he freshened up the roof trim on a building across the way from our hotel. It was about 100 degrees out, to boot. This was quite fascinating, and stressful, to watch. 

This is another iconic place in Old Town. There are amazingly crafted sand sculptures that put my old childhood castles to shame. They change them frequently and they’re a favourite sight. 

DINING FAVE 

We dined at this charming restaurant going into Old Town: RESTAURANTE O’DAVID. (L) We ordered a seafood cauldron for “two” and an excellent Vinho Verdi (unique to Portugal, with only a teensy percentage allowed to be exported). (R) SOME of what was polished off from the cauldron. Many a passerby looked incredulously and nodded or smiled/giggled as though to say “impressive” (that we polished off as much as we did). 

WINERY EXCURSION AND SILVES 

We booked an excursion through Get Your Guide through SILVES to QUINTA DO FRANCES WINERY in the countryside: https://www.getyourguide.com/algarve-l66/from-albufeira-half-day-winery-tour- and-silves-t383084/ It included pick-up and drop-off at our hotel. It was quite a memorable experience ! 

EN ROUTE TO SILVES (A STORY OF HARVEST AND LOVE) 

We were picked up by our affable driver/tour guide, CATIA, who was the BEST person we could have had that day (and any day, for that matter). We were joined by a brother-sister duo from England and a young lady from Norway. As we wound our way up and around the mountainous terrain, Catia pointed out the many orange and carob orchards, and olive AND almond trees 

galore, as well as massive and gorgeous Oleander “trees”. Something precious we learned from her is that the olives and oranges are harvested by HAND. It is believed that the love transfers through the worker’s hands to the harvest AND back into the tree, which is felt both on the table in the food and in the earth for Mother Nature’s cycle. 🩷

SILVES 

It was HOT. 40 degree Celsius. So hot, that the van kept stalling from overheating. Catia kept reviving it AND she was most excellent at storytelling, to distract us from our own dripping sweat. We were a bit behind schedule because of the technical difficulties (beyond anyone’s control. We all rolled with it as part of a genuine experience), so had a very brief stop in this unexpectedly pretty medieval town in the countryside. We only had about 45 minutes to ourselves to wander. M and I decided we wanted to see the Silves Cathedral, in the middle of it all. We programmed it in our gps, and pretty much sprinted to it (quite a feat in that heat and altitude). It was worth it. Upon arrival, we paid a $2 Euro entry fee, which also included borrowing shawls for our shoulders. It was the best bargain ever! The church was STUNNING. The moment we stepped in, we could feel hundreds of years of reverence. We didn’t have enough time to venture through the castle, but it looked interesting from afar. No need to pay for expensive art gallery or museum tickets, when you can wander around and see the plenitude of SURPRESAS… Here are some snaps of our jaunt through town and the cathedral. 

It was like strolling (racing) through an outdoor gallery! (R)This is just a random building. 

If we had had more time, we definitely would have stopped here for a refreshment. 

(L)A glimpse, from afar, of the castle. Note the flag. There was zero wind to blow through the heat. (R)An example of the Moorish design influence all throughout the town. 

THE SILVES CATHEDRAL 

Se Catedral de Silves was originally a mosque, erected during the Moorish rule in the 12th century. It was later reconstructed, likely in the 13th century, into a Catholic Cathedral. It suffered damage due to an earthquake, and has since been, yet again, refurbished. The antiquity, along with the Baroque and largely Gothic influences, in my humble opinion, make stepping inside so breathtaking. 

QUINTA DO FRANCES WINERY 

The winding, illuminating drive culminated in this end game: a guided tour of this pretty winery nestled in the Silves countryside, between the rolling hills in the Odelouca River Valley. There is even a Hallmark Movie worthy romantic story attached to it! The main estate at Quinta do Frances https:// www.quintadofrances.com/ is owned by a man named Mr. Patrick, who established this entire property to express his love for his beloved “princess”. At least, this is what we were told, and I’m here for it! 

Besides legendary STORIES (always my fave), our excursion included: a tour of the vaults, a lesson on the making and aging process; watching bottle labeling in action, trying our hands at the old-fashioned corking machine; and sampling 4 different varietals, paired with tapas. The grand finale of a “SURPRESA” , an EXTRA glass, was deelish! 🥂 People often think of Porto and its region for wine, and that’s definitely a thing. But…the Algarve has been steadily garnering attention and awards in its wine production. We met some lovely people, and drank some lovely wine. Life is good in The Algarve. 

(L) Catia explaining the traditional corking process, which we got to practice! (R)Posing with the selection of bottles (eager to get to the business of sampling!). 

(L) The gorgeous veranda makes for perfect photo ops. (R)Even the staircase to the rooftop terrace, which has beautiful views, is charming. 

The rooftop terrace VIEW. So pastoral. Sigh. 

(L) The outdoor dining area, where we enjoyed all our treats. (R)Sighing again. 

The grand finale. It doesn’t get much better than this! 

BACK TO LISBOA (ALVALADE NEIGHBOURHOOD) 

We returned to Lisbon, via Flix Bus, for our final night. With very little steam and I sick with a cold, we still managed to squeeze in a few more moments. We found a popular hangout with a spectacular bill for both our drinks (a beer and a vinho verdi) of $2,20 euro (I know. Staht the cahhr!!); came across a discount type store with the sole worker sound asleep in a pile of tees; walked into the town centre’s church to hear the Rosary in Portuguese; window (and actual) shopped (SO MANY SALES); ate at Tico Tico (again!) and were greeted with the same kind of curiosity and attention (this time, we were given a free sampling of snails 🐌 cooked in a delicious broth); and found a pub to watch the local football match (there was a Sporting CP game at the Estadio Jose Alvalade stadium and people were all over the city, sporting the green and white jerseys), but instead, Olympic table tennis was on and we ended up making friends in the Portuguese father-son owners of the “Old Vic”. 

A popular place for locals. It was very inexpensive!!! 

We wandered in when the rosary was being said in Portuguese. So special. 

TICO TICO (I’m baaaack!) 

Another spectacularly fun dining experience at Tico Tico!! 

OLD VIC BAR 

https://www.facebook.com/OldVicLisboa# This pub is family owned and has been for decades. It is a local favourite and has all the character you could hope for in an English pub in Portugal! 

(L) The father-son duo were impeccable hosts and they whipped up some fantastic cocktails and conversation. (C)- The Olympics were on the telly: Table Tennis! (R)Part of the cozy interior. 

All in all, when our heads hit our pillows that final night, in the quaint renovated mansion turned guesthouse that once belonged to nobility, visions of pasteis de natas danced in our heads. OBRIGADA, Portugal! 🇵🇹❤️ It’s no surpresa…I’LL BE BACK!!