We always reflect back on our trips when we get home, as well as answer the inevitable question: “What did you like best?”. We had many things that we talked about this time, which would indicate that we had a very enjoyable trip. I thought I’d share some of our thoughts with you as we reminisced.

The easiest thought to convey is that we loved Portugal. We visited six cities with distinctly different vibes to them, but there was one continuous thread. That underlying thread is that we were enamored with how nice the people were. Every person we dealt with was a true ambassador for the country. Friendly, helpful, upbeat, polite and encouraging are some words that immediately come to mind.

We do not speak Portuguese. Before traveling, we used Duolingo to learn a little bit to be polite and respectful. We always try to do that as it enhances our enjoyment. We received nothing but smiles and encouragement when we used that little bit of Portuguese. People would help us with our pronunciation without talking down to us at all. It was very uplifting from a traveler’s perspective.

The distinct vibes from the cities came from the locations, the history, the pride and the culture of each. We traveled through what I would call the middle of the country. To the north, we went as far as Porto and to the south, we stopped at Lisbon. There was so much more to see, but we had to have boundaries. As Sue and I always say: “Next time!”.

We started in Porto. I’d say it was a very social city. The main tourist area is compact and easily walkable. Well, walkable if you are ready for the hills. We knew there would be hills, but we didn’t realize that they would be everywhere. Even going down the hills could be a chore as some were a bit steep. The waterfront on both sides of the river was where the action was to be found. Boat rides, bars and restaurants lined the Porto side, while the Villa Nova side had the Port Lodges.

Moving on: no surprises here, Coimbra had a college town vibe. With the University being the central location, there was a laid back approach to things there. Lots of places and activities focused on the students. There was also much nightlife catering to a younger demographic and Fado for the tourists.

Tomar was a favorite for both of us. This stop on our journey just had a special feeling to it. It’s a smaller town, but such a historically important town. For us, our tour with Nikita of the Templar Castle and the Convent of Christ was the high point of the trip. It’s hard to explain, but it left us feeling spiritually fulfilled. We each left wanting to be a better person.

Mother Nature took center stage in Nazaré. Looking over the ocean and feeling the power of the water is mesmerizing to me. Then, watching the sun set brought such a sense of calm. We discussed the wonderment that the ancient people must have had wondering where the sun went each day. Sailing as far as they could go, but never finding where the sun hid when it disappeared from the sky.

In Sintra, we were dazzled by the opulence on display along with the show of power. The huge, imposing castles looming on the mountain tops ready to protect the lands against invaders. Then, nestled nearby, were the palaces of the wealthy dotting the landscape. It was a very interesting contrast.

And lastly came Lisbon. It had the big city vibe, but not always. We stayed in the oldest part of the city known as the Alfama district and spent most of our time there too. While we occasionally strayed across the city and got a feel for the more modern sections, we centered our attention on the historical district, which provided the small city feeling that we enjoy.

As you could probably tell from the blog, we really enjoyed our meals throughout the trip. Every location had excellent food choices of all kinds. We mainly stayed with traditional or modern Portuguese, but we did sneak in Italian, Indian and even a little American. Our restaurant choices ranged from sandwich shops to two-star Michelin restaurants and we were wowed many times over.

And the final thought is the question – would you go back? The answer is a resounding – Yes!

We saw and experienced quite a bit, but honestly, we only scratched the surface. There is so much more to see, do and experience.

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In addition to all the ‘research’, there were some others that really made the trip what it was. Here is a list of some of them. Also, I have gone back through the blog and updated the links to the various hotels, restaurants and other folks that we used.

• Daytrip Transportation between destinations
• GetYourGuide Tours and guides
• TourHQ Tours and guides
• Viator Tours
• TheFork Restaurant reservations
• AirportTransfers Airport transfer from Buffalo to Toronto

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Answering a few questions:

Could you get around by car if you wanted to drive?

You could. It seemed to be easily drivable. The highway system looked good and the roads are well maintained. It would be fine for getting between locations. However, Lisbon and Porto have old, narrow roads and parking is difficult. I’d probably avoid having a car in those cities. Our driver also mentioned that the tolls are quite expensive on the highways.

Are the restaurants expensive?

The meals were very reasonably priced. There were plenty of places that were offering fixed price menus for lunch and dinner. Like anyplace else, you can control your spending through your choices of restaurants. There are lots of cafes and tavernas, along with fancier restaurants. I’d say that seafood is definitely priced well, as it is abundant. Another tip would be to go with the house wines. They were definitely cheaper than the wine list selections.

Did you have problems getting around in the cities?

No! All of the cities we went to were walkable. When we didn’t want to walk or it was raining, there were taxis, Uber and Bolt or tuk-tuks. We only took a cab one time and that was in Lisbon on our way to a nicer dinner.