What is up, all you wonderful humans?! The gang and I are back with another instalment of our #MDVP adventures, this time we hit up Portugal and all it has to offer. Together with some old and new partners, we got to explore all there is to do in the Algarves in the South to the beautiful vistas of Lisboa. A little backstory about myself, I am half Portuguese half Angolan, born in Canada! I hadn’t been back to Portugal since I was a kid and was super stoked to get back and experience it again considering I don’t remember much. So without further ado, let’s get right into it.
Mel and I met up with Vic and Peter in Lisbon for a night, then got ourselves a rental and drove the scenic route to the city of Lagos in the Algarve. An extremely popular area at the southernmost part of Portugal. Here you can find Vacationers from all around Europe, beautiful beaches, scenic vistas, and cool refreshing waters that will most definitely wake you up after taking a dip. That being said, If there are beaches on the menu I always like to have some good reading material to fill my downtime when I’m hanging out on the beach. This trip I teamed up with Chapters Indigo and got my hands on one of my summer reads I’ve been looking forward to.
A copy of Fire & Blood: 300 Years Before A Game of Thrones (A Targaryen History). Now that the TV series is sadly over it was time to get into the prequel and see what the next iteration may look like. Having a good book with the backdrop of cliffside engulfed beaches and the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach, few things make me happy. You can find all of Chapters Indigo summer must-reads ->HERE<-! Don’t want to carry around a 400+ page book? No problem, Get a Kobo! I have one for those trips I’m not in the mood to bring a physical copy. And I can bring my whole library along with me!
So you’re want to check out Algarve but don’t know where to go? Here are a few places that WILL NOT DISAPPOINT!
- PONTA DA PIEDADE
With one of the most beautiful vistas on the southern coast, Ponta Da Piedade will take your breath away. Standing on barrier-free cliffsides overlooking the ocean. It is definitely not for people that are afraid of heights though!
- GRUTAS DE BENEGIL
For me, this is should be number 1, but won’t be accessible by everybody due to the fact that you literally have to swim and or kayak from the beach next door to this beautiful cave roughly 5 minutes away. With a perfectly placed hole up top giving you possibly the most epic photo you will get on your trip.
- PALACIO DE ESTOI
A boutique hotel in the small town of Estoi. This Palace was built in 1840, and has all the charm you would expect from a small town in Algarve. Although it is a hotel, it is open to the public, however, you may run into it being closed to private events as it is a hot spot for weddings and swanky gatherings. On the grounds, you will find beautiful blue azulejo adorned walls, perfectly manicured hedges, as well as two sculptures of real-sized women imported from Italy in 2006. the Pink main building complimenting all the different colours is very pleasing to the eye.
We made Lagos our home base while we explored the many beachside towns with our rental car. Lagos is a beauty in itself and I highly recommend it to anyone planning on staying in Algarve. Summertime weather calls for one thing when it comes to my wardrobe. Linen shirts and shorts! I found a perfect pair of cream-coloured shorts from the gap as well and a salmon coloured linen button-up that went perfectly for a stroll along the beach at dusk.
Gap has really stepped up their game recently and I’ve really started to dig a lot of their pieces! But definitely get yourself some well-structured shorts that can be both dressed down for a casual afternoon or dressed up with a pair of loafers for a night out on the town. Pair that with a few linen button-ups and you are set! everything you need for a summer trip.
Lagos is set right on the beach, and on low tide, you can take an amazing walk on the beach and through natural grottos and caves that you normally wouldn’t be able to access during the day. Staying at Airbnb would be the best option in my opinion as there is nothing like having a full kitchen and feeling like you live there during your stay. This also gives you access to rooftops, spacious rooms, and possibilities of meeting locals and other travels along your day. It’s a cheap alternative to staying in a hotel and I honestly couldn’t tell you the last time I booked a hotel when I travelled somewhere.
Speaking about saving money, I would highly recommend signing up for Ebates.ca to earn Cash Back on your everyday purchases (including your flight and accommodations!) It’s really simple, create an account (use THIS link for a $5 bonus after your first purchase) and then search their extensive list of retailers where you can get Cash Back on everything from that hot summer outfit you’re looking for to that camera you needed to pick up to get those beautiful travel shots. I love shopping at H&M and they just so happen to be on of Ebates retailers, getting me 1.5% cashback on my order. Be sure to signup for their email list so you can be notified when they are having their flash deals that can score you rates up to 30% Cash Back! I’ve only started using them recently but finding myself always checking out what special offers they have so I can save that money and travel more!
After spending 5 days in Algarve we headed back to Lisbon to take on the Capitol. We happened to be there during Portugal Day (Month really). We stayed in the Alfama district which is the birthplace of Fado, basically the music of Portugal, known for being expressive in its nature and soulful in its delivery. Alfama is “old lisbon” with its cobbled streets, steep hills, nightly street parties, and open flame barbecues. Be sure to have yourself a bifana no pão, some freshly grilled sardines, and grilled choriço. You can thank me later! The soul of Lisbon comes out at dusk and can be experienced in the month of June until the early hours of the morning. There is no shortage of places to eat, drink, and meet new friends! Spending all day in the sun and all night around BBQ smoke my skin wasn’t loving me for a minute.
Enter some solid skincare! Underrated by most guys but for me it’s a big proponent people think I’m 10 years younger than I actually am lol. First off is always always ALWAYS a good cleansing bar! I’ve always been partial to bars vs other forms of cleansers and the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar was exactly what I needed every night when I hit the shower! With 5% of the bar being CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, I am all over this. after drying off the first thing iI reach for is my CeraVe Moisturizing Cream! My skin is normally dried out and having a non-greasy hydrating cream is super important. I throw it in my checked luggage after locking the pump and I’m all set to go. I’ve been using CereVe on an off for a little while now and I’m pretty happy with how it feels on my skin. It’s easy to use, doesn’t look fancy, and gets the job done!
Lisbon and Portugal generally isn’t known for shopping so you will find yourself spending more time actually enjoying the city and eating A LOT OF DELICIOUS FOOD!
PRO TIP: stay away from anyone trying to get you to teat at their establishment. If the joint needs a promoter to get you in, generally it is overpriced and the food will most likely suck! Find yourself a little hole in the wall or a spot that has a fair amount of people already eating there.
Must visit places to visit around Lisbon:
- Pasteis de Belem
if you want what is probably the most iconic pastry to come out of Portugal find this bakery sit down and spend an hour ordering freshly made pasteis de nata, bolas de berlim, and a galão to bring it all together. - LX Factory
An artists paradise is probably the best way to describe this place, with a huge library housed in an old printing factory. With a local inventor giving free tours of the interesting creations he’s put together on the second floor. Artisans selling their wares, live music, and fusion foods and strong drinks! This place is a fantastic day or night out. - Jeronimos Monastery
A gothic monastery, that is on such a grand scale that you would be kicking yourself for not visiting! - Praça do Comerćio
An area in Lisbon that you will probably end up in without even looking for it, it’s essentially the court of commerce where you will find basically all the shopping you will do while you are there.
So, my thoughts on Portugal? I will definitely be going back sooner than later. Having been to a few other European cities this year, Portugal is cheap in comparison, the food is excellent, the people are funny, accommodating and always friendly. The ENTIRE country is beautiful and there is always something to eat, see, do at any hour of the day/night! I highly recommend it to anyone that is looking to go to Europe without breaking the bank and want to have a great time!
Hit me up if you’re looking for stuff to do or places to visit!
