Every single trip outside of my own city is a great source of inspiration. And I love traveling abroad during autumn & spring season and visit European cities. Every now and then, if I’m in proper awe, I love sharing some travel tips with you here on the blog. These trips are very much part of the design collection. With every experience comes a new sh•tload of inspiration. Traveling to new places opens you up. It triggers all your senses seeing new things. 10 years ago I took on a new resolution: do one new thing a day. Visit an exhibit, a new coffee place, order something from the menu without knowing what it is. Small things. They are so important to me to not get stuck in a rut. I always felt the need to explore and have a taste of new things.
Now 5 years ago I visit Lisbon. It was my first solo trip after my long-overdue break up a month earlier. I booked a cute bedroom in a shared AirBNB place right in the heart of the city and I fell in love with the place right away. Now 5 years later I traveled to the beautiful country of Portugal with my new human. We only booked our first two nights in a super cute B&B in Lisbon, from there we would rent a car and see where we would end up. And so we did.
We explored our little hood. With its parks where locals hand out, listen to music. Watching the Azulejos covered buildings uphill with a great view overlooking the city. Visiting some small handmade shops and concept stores. And where we stopped for wine. Always make a little stop for wine. Portugal has the most amazing wines! And we found some super cute places to eat, with great tapas. We also found an amazing place with a gluten-free menu.
After our days in Lisbon, we needed an escape from the city. We went decided to go visit the park near Sintra and then travel up North and see where the road would lead us. We had no idea what we were going to see, what would come our way. Just the way I love to travel.
Palace of Monserrate - Sintra
A beautiful 40 minutes drive will take you to this magnificent palace and garden close to Sintra. We were driving through the National Park when we found this amazing place. The Palace truly is an architectural gem. A combination of Indian and Moorish influences with a rich garden with plants from all corners of the world. You can spend an entire afternoon in the garden, the gorgeous cacti, the lush green trees, overlooking the foggy mountains it is breathtaking. The entrance of the palace is magical. The patterns on the stone walls, the rich ornaments of the ceiling take you to a gothic-like interior. You can see some beautiful wood-cuts and tiles and don’t forget to take a deep breath when you see the view in one of the rooms in the back. I’m pretty sure this is where pretty was invented!
Ericeira - Surf & Waves
I have to admit I must be one of the worst surfers ever. I tried taking lessons but couldn’t even get myself up on the board in the water. I think I’m just not made for surfing. But I’ve always listened to friends traveling to the Ericeira waves. So during our road trip, we managed to get to the city of Ericeira and even though I don’t surf, it’s a great place to visit. Lot’s of things to do and see and a great laid back alternative if you’re done with the crowds and busy streets of Lisbon. On our way there we made a stop at a cliff to watch the incredible view over the ocean. That was a good teaser! We entered the city, which is pretty small and easy to navigate and explore in a day or two. Ericeira has lots of small bars and restaurants, numerous coffee places and cool surf shops to stock up on gear and comfy clothing. It’s lovely to have a drink at the central square where locals and surfers meet. Since it’s a place that is very popular for surfing, the food is also pretty hipster proof. Healthy smoothies, gluten-free, vegan. There are lots of choices here. In the evenings the surfers fill up the bars and restaurants. Head to a rooftop terrace to view the sunset. Oh, and did I mention this place is very popular under lesbians? I didn’t realize: since the surf babes I know are all with dude people, but it’s a lesbian Walhalla.
Castelo de Sao Jorge
On the first day in Lisbon I really wanted to climb uphill and visit the castle, from there you have the most amazing view overlooking the city. I’m a sucker for views, I always end up on a hill, or on top of the highest building in the city. As I traveled to Lisbon before I couldn’t help noticing the city was very much overrun by tourists. I didn’t experience these crowds before so we visit the castle, but after that we managed to dodge the tourists by exploring the less obvious neighborhoods. We walked down the small streets with cute nooks and street art, has some wine in a tiny little local bar and walked all the way back to the city center. A great way to spend an afternoon.
Botanical Garden of Lisbon
As some of you might know I’m a tree huggin’ kinda gal. I love me some green and I get a little crazy if I’m not in the woods at least once a week. When I travel alone I usually visit cities, where it’s easy to meet new peeps and you’re not all lonely. But while visiting the city of Lisbon with my +1 I noticed I just really needed some peace and quiet. We stumbled upon the Botanical Gardens of Lisbon’s University. I was so excited to see so much green I ran into the park and didn’t even notice the admission stand. Ooops. if you need a little break from the busy streets of Lisbon this is a great place to get yourself some green. Take along a book and sit in the grass while looking over the bamboo forest. Or find a spot on a bench near the little lush pond. I love visiting Botanical gardens and loved this little surprise.
Embaixada - Concept Store
As some of you might know I am not much of a shopper. When it comes to clothes I rather walk around naked than go for a new pair of pants. But. Whenever I am on the road and visiting other places, I love to check local handmade products and usually end up in a home decor shop or a concept store. This place I didn’t actually notice right away, I walked by the building and did see the typography on the window outside and love the architecture, but didn’t expect to walk into an old palace, with beautiful old detailing, wall decorations, and sliding doors. This building is also housing some fun local businesses. When you enter the building, go straight to the second floor where you can find a beautiful shop with home decor and accessories. I bought a little handmade cup. Whenever I see a cute cup or bowl I take it home with me as a souvenir. There are some other small businesses located on the second floor, even a kid's clothing store with some Scandinavian brands. Didn’t find a Maxomorra print of mine though.
If you’re done shopping or need a break, you can find a small coffee place in the center of the building on the ground floor. From there you can look up and enjoy the gorgeous architecture and wall art. So pretty for the eyes this one. Definitely, a great place if you’d like to see what’s happening in fashion and home decor in Lisbon.
Since we didn’t have enough time to cover more of Portugal, I am sure we’ll be back soon. Even though the Lisbon streets felt much more touristy, the easy vibe of the city remains. There’s music everywhere and the food is amazing. Oh and the wine. Oh yes, so much delicious wine!
