Overall a terrific trip. Lisbon is so festive and it was sweet to see Erica there – we always have so much fun when we travel together.
Everyone in Lisbon speaks English. Not sure if that’s a function of Portugese being a less known language or the fact that so many tourists are coming to Portugal now.
Lisbon used to be in the lower tier of European capitals but has managed to become the Capital of Cool over the last 10 years.
While we were there it so happened that a convention was in progress with 70,000 attendees. So everywhere we went we ran into them. It made for a much busier time. Add to that the nearly daily arrival of cruise ships with their day trippers and it was a very busy place. Fortunately we generally navigated around the crowds. I would have thought the first week of November was past high season, but apparently not. Next time maybe a winter visit.
Ginjinha is a national drink in Portugal. It’s a fortified wine infused with sour cherries and it’s delicious. You can find ginja bars scattered around central Lisbon – look for people lining up outside a window or small entrance. for a few Euros the attendant will fill a shot glass with the cherry nectar, and you can see people standing around sipping their drinks. Try it when you go, definitely unique.
The hills in Lisbon are brutal and inevitably you are walking uphill. As hilly as Istanbul. Fortunately they have trams and funiculars that will take you uphill. If you’ve purchased a Lisboa Card, then all public transportation is included. Well worth it. Of course there is always Uber, which was super fast, clean, and reasonably priced.
If you choose to ride one of the famous trams get ready for a line. Tram 28 always has people waiting, but you can pick up Tram 12 in the same location and it does a circular route back to your pick up point in about 25 minutes. We were able to jump on the first Tram 12 that stopped.
You could also ride the handy Metro. Don’t you love that the seats and seat backs are made from cork?
All of the sidewalks in Lisbon are hand laid stone that usually creates a lovely mosaic. This is a statue in tribute to those stone layers. While pretty, be careful when they’re wet as the become quite slippy.
When you book a hotel, try to find one with a view. Spend a little more for a balcony if you can. The views from Lisbon’s hills are amazing.
Moving on to Madrid, which was a very different vibe. As you know, Madrid is the capital of Spain and it acts like it. It demands your attention!
Everywhere you look in Madrid you see something grand, some embellishment to a facade that makes it feel important.
So you have to make sure you’re looking up while you’re walking around.
The overall effect is one of royalty and money. But to me the most surprising thing about Madrid was that it wasn’t flat. It’s not hilly but streets do have an incline to them. Centro, the old part of Madrid, also is very charming and fun. I wasn’t expecting that.
As you would imagine, plenty of bakeries, confectioners, and chocolatiers around. Temptation at every corner!
And you can’t talk about Spain without mentioning tapas. Always so delicious but also a problem when you plan on dinner. It’s easy to ruin your appetite!
Some places were self-serve and you were charge based on the number of toothpicks left on your plate.
If you go to Toledo here’s a big tip: take the elevators to the top from the bridge you walk over after your train ride. They aren’t very well marked, but walk right after you cross the bridge. Around the bend you’ll see a garage entrance which is where you’ll find the free escalators.
Another tip: skip the Sunday flea market at El Rastro.
Sooooo many people. If you’re even a little crowd phobic this was off the charts. We looked at this and immediately looked for an exit. Also, nothing but crap for sale. Better to find some antique shops in the neighborhood around El Rastro.
Well thanks for following along with our Portugal and Spain trip. We have some more great trips planned in the coming year as we try to make up tine for the pandemic.
In the meantime, stay safe. Peace + Love from Alex + Jeff.
