The Beauty of Portugal
Tourists in Portugal can travel by Tuk Tuk; a great way to see the area and local attractions up close with an experienced local guide.
Potugal is one of those places about which there is rarely a bad word spoken. The reason why perhaps lies in its friendly people and its easily accessible tourist areas. Geographically it is a region of the world that is reachable for many people. It’s also part of the EU which means that if you are coming to Portugal from a non-EU country, you will already have your Schengen visa sorted out and you can also explore other countries in the EU (except the UK), which can make for an exciting and interesting trip.
Lisbon Airport
When you fly into Lisbon International Airport, you are immediately struck by how ordered and clean everything is. From that moment you feel that you are in a safe place and when I visited Portugal that was how the remainder of my trip there felt; that we were in a safe place, we were welcome and we could relax. We had come from Turkey and from the chaos that is part of Istanbul’s charm to the calm that is Lisbon, I felt that I could sit and breathe and not feel pressured. Maybe that is why people love it so much.
Accommodation in Lisbon
For the first part of our stay we had chosen to rent an apartment via Airbnb which is a great way to find accommodation in normal, local areas at a reasonable price. The first apartment we rented was in Estrela on Rua dos Industriais, just two minutes walk from the Parliament building and conveniently, right upstairs from an Australian restaurant called Downunder which was lovely and a Hamburgueria do Bairro (a restaurant that sells hamburgers). This kept everyone happy for the first day until we decided how we were going to travel around the city. When out and about, we were a stone’s throw from the local bus and tram stops which take you all around Lisbon for very little money and, using this form of transport, we went all over, eventually stopping in the square where we were able to buy tickets for the open top Yellow Bus. This bus was great as it took us all over, there are headsets that allow you to hear all about the places you are visiting in your own language and you can get on and off as often as you like for the duration of your ticket’s validity.
Getting Around in Lisbon.
In Lisbon, many of the streets are hilly and therefore, exploring the city can be very good exercise. With this in mind, we did a fair bit of walking and discovered lots of local delights on foot. Small local cafes and places of interest, bars and the most interesting of all; museums. A museum of Phramacy, The Maritime Museum and not forgetting the Museum of National Art. All fascinating.
Travelling Around Portugal
With the car we had hired we decided to take a drive down the motorway (A2) and visit other places in Portugal. We ended up in the Algarve region in a town called Lagos where we had accommodation arranged via an agent. Lagos is a town in southern Portugal’s Algarve region. It is famous for its walled old town, steep cliffs and wonderful Atlantic beaches. Wooden steps lead to the sandy cove of Praia do Camilo. The nearby cliffs of Ponta de Piedade allow visitors to enjoy the panoramic sweeping views and the lighthouse. The ornate 18th-century church of Igreja de Santo António sits across from the Castelo dos Governadores, a castle with a baroque facade and watchtowers. Lagos is typical of many seaside resort towns with a variety of decent restaurants to please the many visitors, boat tours etc are available and you can also travel in a Tuk Tuk to see the surrounding areas in a relaxing way. There are museums such as Museu Municipal Dr José Formosinho and the Wax Museum of Discovery and not forgetting Lagos Zoo, a small zoo ideal for families.
Leaving Lagos, Portugal.
After a couple of days in Lagos, we decided we hadn’t seen enough of beautiful Lisbon. So, off we went back up the A2 to Lisbon where we had rented another apartment, this time in the Belem area and only ten minutes walking distance from Mosteiro dos Jerónimos and Torre de Belém. Belem is a beautiful, safe area and from this apartment we could walk to the Tagus river with all its lovely attractions in five minutes and take in the great sight of Saint Jorge Castle, the Sé Cathedral and the April 25th Bridge. From the Maritime Museum here, we took a Tuk Tuk ride around much of Lisbon to give ourselves a last close up look before heading on to our next destination. We were so glad we did because we now have all of the things we seen imprinted on our brain and this wonderful memory will make us return to explore these areas in greater detail.
Services available with Keyholders International Property Group.
At Keyholders International we pride ourselves on the wonderful portfolio we have to offer in Portugal (Lisbon, The Silver Coast and Cascais). We also assist non EU citizens with the application process for ‘Golden Visa’ investment scheme. If you are searching for your dream home or you would like more information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if there is anything we can help you with.