Posts Tagged With ‘ portugal ’

 Lisbon is the vibrant capital of Portugal, a gorgeous city steeped in history, impressive architecture, cultural diversity, and friendly residents.  The only things that could spoil a visit would be the weather, sitting in an enclosed tour bus, and not having enough time to take in a lot of the activities and sights to satisfy the curious tourist. Unlucky me and my fellow travelers.  We encountered off-and-on rain during our two days in Lisbon, a city spread over seven hills and facing the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Of course, the weather is something you have no control over when on a guided... Continue Reading

 Portugal’s gorgeous Algarve region offers a variety of things to do and see with charming towns, beautiful beaches, rocky coastline, and historic sites. It is the southernmost region of Portugal with about a half-million inhabitants, but it triples during the vacation season with seasonal residents.  A marina in Portimão Our two-day visit in early March was somewhat marred by rain, but when the sun was out, the weather was delightful and places were inviting. We stayed two nights in Portimão, a modern and picturesque ocean-side town that has become a hub for tourism in the... Continue Reading

 Évora is a charming and historic city in central Portugal with relics from Roman and Moorish influence before and during the Medieval period, including protective walls, a temple, several cathedrals, and remains of a royal palace. Group following the guide Our tour of the UNESCO Heritage Site began with a walk through a quiet park bordering an ancient wall as a local guide provided information about the city’s rich history when it was one of Portugal’s cultural and educational centers.  Church of St. Francis And then on toward the Old Town center, stopping... Continue Reading

After spending a couple of days in Porto, we traveled south to historic Coimbra, the fourth-largest city in Portugal.  Belltower at the university Our half-day visit focused on the University of Coimbra and the shopping area near the Mondego River. There’s a limit on what you can see before moving to the next destination on the itinerary. The Romans found the city, naming it Aeminium in the first century. In the succeeding centuries, the Suebi, Alans, Visigoths, and Muslims ruled for periods of time before King Ferdinand I of Leon reconquered the territory in 1064.  You might... Continue Reading

 I suppose one adventure of travel is making connecting flights at various airports. The ideal is to board a plane at your home airport and fly nonstop to your destination. That’s highly unlikely if you’re flying overseas in economy class. I like to think it adds to the adventure of seeing fresh places, even if it is an airport. For my wife and I on our journey to Portugal, we flew out of Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Ky., to O’Hare International in Chicago, then a long flight to Zurich Airport in Switzerland (we can now say we’ve been to Switzerland), and then on to... Continue Reading

 It had been nearly three long years since my wife Mary and I traveled to Greece. In the next two years, we had planned trips to Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Life, as most travelers knew it, had come to a standstill. We were able to take several day trips to nearby state parks to take in the fall foliage or visit the Louisville, Cincinnati, and Columbus zoos. An overnight trip was to Gatlinburg, Tenn., for some Smoky Mountain scenery. Our big journey was a long and memorable weekend at Mackinac Island, Mich., to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.  Portugal... Continue Reading