Posted on 07/27/2025 11:38:56 AM PDT by PJ-Comix
The BEST way to sightsee in Lisbon is on top of a double deck tour bus. You will have a panaromaic view of the city which makes for easy video recording and still camera shots. Also, as you can see, the streets of Lisbon are very narrow which makes it tough for most Americans to navigate while worrying about scratching or causing even worse damage to their rental cars. The weather on the day we toured Lisbon atop the tour bus was absolutely perfect with nary a cloud in the sky. At any time you want to get off the tour bus to explore Lisbon on foot or sample its incredible food, you can later board another tour bus from the same company. They keep busses constantly in circulation so you don't have to wait long to catch a tour bus using your all day pass which sold at the time we were there for 28 Euros per person.
it’s good if you cannot walk, but we walked all around Lisbon back in May of this year. We took a lovely Sailboat tour at sunset and that was lovely. Also did a 25 mile ebike excursion through Cintra out to Cabo da Roca (westernmost point in Continental Europe). That was very challenging due to the traffic (not bike friendly roads). I am 65 so feel very blessed to have strong physical ability left to do such a trip.
i recommend sintra
That will be in the next episode of my travelogue. However, I must warn the viewer that they will see me commit horrible acts of Sadism near Palacio Pena.
This bus tour took place on May 21 of this year. When were you in Lison. Also the way they set up the bus tours, you can get off the bus at any of their stops in order to walking around or go to a restaurant, and then catch another bus from the same tour company with the all day pass. Same system we used in Sintra.
Will you make it to the Algarve/Faro?
Algarve but at Lagos, not Faro. We had Faro on our schedule but Lagos was soooo INCREDIBLE that we cancelled out on Faro and added another day to Lagos.
What was nice on the way back toward our hotel (the Corinthia, which I can highly recommend) the driver deviated from the route by a couple blocks to drop us off in front of the hotel.
E.g.: The people were worried about a nazi invasion. Spain provided a buffer, but no one knew how secure a buffer. They were also concerned about possible heavy-handed behavior, maybe even conquest, by the Allies, especially the UK, who would not hesitate to exploit Portugal in the interests of their own national security. Both the Axis Powers and the Allies were after Portuguese wolframite (tungsten ore), important to weapons manufacture. And there were still important reverberations of the recent Spanish Civil War. Everyone was uncertain, high anxiety everywhere, loyalties fluid, whom to trust, spies, corruption, bribes, assassinations, etc.
The series is excellent, educational, and enlightening.
I recommend going to Coimbra during the graduation week. Taking your time in Lisbon. Sitting under the jacaranda trees when they are in full bloom. Going to the “end of the world” in the far SW. Seeing the 30,000 year old petroglyphs in the far NE, still visible after being exposed to the weather all that time. Perfectly preserved Roman and medieval ruins. And the mixture—often right next to each other—of ruined 16th century apartments and modern stores and apartments.
Plus Portugal is quite inexpensive. (The only place less expensive was Lvov, in the Ukraine, when we visited in May 2019. Not sure if that would be true today).
We were in Portugal from May 27-June 6, 2025. Loved Lagos also and saw the End of the World (as they called it back in earlier centuries) at Sagres. Wish I could post photos but am very limited as to how. Should learn before the big 4th of July celebration next year-we plan on being there.
I was in Lisboa mid June for several days before grabbing a flight to Funchal Madeira. Lisboa is so crowded with tourist but I enjoyed the city, people and delicious food and (inexpensive) wine. But Madeira blew my mind. I can understand why so my expats retired there. Beautiful island.
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