… or a long weekend in Lisbon.

Like last year, I was very fortunate that Filo, my Portuguese friend, welcomed me in her home and introduced me to this part of her country. During my stay in Lisbon, I enjoyed a warm weather, quite exceptional at this time of year even for this area: the day temperature was as high as 26-27 degrees, transforming this autumnal weekend into a summer holiday break!

Lisbon is certainly worth the trip for visiting the city itself, and with such an attentive guide as Filo, I could have spent more days exploring its vibrant historic centre or some areas in its periphery, but I was thrilled to visit Sintra and Belem with her.

Indeed, the afternoon spent in Sintra gave me the opportunity to see some of Portugal’s natural beauties, sung by Lord Byron two centuries ago, and explore some of its architectural treasures. And during our excursion to Belem, I felt as if I had travelled back in time and immersed myself into the glorious nautical past of one of Europe’s oldest nations.

I have tried to write a faithful account of this delightful weekend with Filo, and I invite you to follow our steps in Lisbon’s city centre, Sintra and Belem:

Photo at the top of this post: Planisphere showing the main routes of Portuguese navigators (1970s), Navy Museum in Belem, Lisbon (own photo)