Lisbon, a bridge to Europe

Ten days, by our standards, is not very many, so in the spring of 1998 we decided on Portugal, a destination that seemed manageable in so few days. We also thought we'd find heat and sun, and that wasn't quite the case: instead we found a bit of sun, some clouds, a bit of rain, but above all a lot of cold wind coming from the Atlantic, a wind that accompanied us throughout the trip, at least for the part along the coast. Our trip starts from Lisbon, where we stay only the first night because the plane landed shortly after midnight and we can't leave immediately. The Rex hotel, booked from Italy, is nice and clean, and we're very comfortable there. But the next morning we leave right away for the north of the country, with a rental car, intending to return to Lisbon only for the last part of the vacation. Our idea is to avoid the south of Portugal, since we don't much like beach life.

But to still get a bit of sea we aim for Estoril and Cascais. The sea is truly very beautiful, the rocks and the landscape too, the beaches even more so, but it's freezing cold, a wicked wind blows, and for swimming we have to give up: better to eat by the sea and admire the houses that dot the coasts, reaching right into the sea.

The next day we head for Sintra, where we see the ruins of an enormous castle but above all the stupendous Moorish palace. The next morning we go to Obidos, a beautiful little town practically all enclosed within a ring of walls. Finally it's also warm, and we enjoy it to the fullest, walking almost all the walls on foot. After Obidos we head for Porto, a beautiful city, and then Viana do Castelo, which instead is absolutely forgettable, although it has a nice beach. After that we head inland, passing through Braga to the Peneda Geres National Park, also nothing special. From there we start to head down, going toward Vila Real and then Castelo Branco.

From there we head toward Fatima for our "mystical" afternoon (and it's a moving experience even for those who aren't religious), and then we return to Lisbon. The Hotel Presidente hosts us, next to the previous Rex. Three days that the capital fully deserves, spent visiting its center, the outskirts, the Belem Tower, the monasteries, the monuments, and also the gigantic bridge that connects it to Setubal. In Lisbon you also appreciate the cuisine, varied and tasty, especially the fish-based one in the inexpensive restaurants of the Barrio. After 10 days in Portugal, the pouring rain bids farewell to our takeoff toward Italy. On the plane, TAP, the flag carrier, serves us excellent fish. Just so as not to forget.