Portugal
Recently, I headed over to Portugal for a little holiday. It was my first time in the country and I had absolutely no idea what to expect.
Our first stop was Lisbon where we stayed at the Heritage Avenida Liberdade Hotel. It's located right in the center of town on a street lined with lots of luxury shops (perfect for browsing on a lazy afternoon). On one of our days there I came down with a nasty stomach bug so spent the day in bed. Thankfully the hotel had a big selection of TV channels (including TLC - yey) and so I got to watch my ultimate favourite guilty pleasure show. Lisbon was a pretty great city to explore. Everything was super cheap (hello beer for €1.50). The food was really good - we had loads of fish and way too many pastel de nata (you've got to try it if you're ever in Portugal).
On one day we took a short train ride to the nearby town of Belem. While there we visited the Berardo Museum - a modern art museum filled with a seriously impressive collection. It's an absolute must see as, not only does it house some of the world's best artists, it's virtually empty and free. The best bit though is that there's a mist water feature outside which you can run through. Absolutely perfect and essential in the scorching Portuguese heat. While there we also stopped by the Jeronimos Monastery. Belem is right on the coast so if you get tired of sightseeing just snatch up some food and enjoy it in the park where you can soak up the beautiful views (that's what we did).
I wore a Paul & Joe Sister top covered in tiny blue lips, Acne jeans, Havaianas and Mykita sunglasses.
Our next stop was Cascais - a little beachside town located about 20 miles away from Lisbon. I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking to get away from the city and you want to spend a little time sticking your toes in the sand. We stayed at the super chic Onyria Marinha Hotel. It has a minimalist design aesthetic and all feels very zen. Unfortunately the pool was so enticing (it was salt water) that I had little motivation to leave the resort and go explore the town. When we did though I was intrigued by all the beautiful tiles on buildings that were verging on falling apart.
Overall I really enjoyed my time in Portugal. It has a very laid back atmosphere. You can get everywhere by taxi (the most you'll pay is €6 to get across town) which makes navigating easy and stress free. The food is delicious and the people are friendly. It's perfect if you're looking for a low cost getaway. It feels a bit foreign and exotic but is still really close by (if you're in Europe). If you haven't been yet, I'd definitely recommend it.
