Joey and I just returned from a week long excursion to Portugal. Portugal is an absolutely beautiful country, with a rich cultural and historical background. It is often overlooked by Americans traveling to Europe, which is a shame, because it truly is a phenomenal place.
We arrived in Lisbon, on Christmas morning. After getting settled into our hotel, we walked around the Barrio Alto neighborhood where we stayed. Although most shops and museums were closed, we had a great time exploring the historical neighborhood.
On our second day, we caught a train to the Algarve, in the southern region of the country. We rented a car, and spent the next few days driving along the coast and stopping at all of the beaches. Our first stop was Sagres, on the Southwestern tip of the coast.
After exploring Sagres, we drove east, along the coast. We stopped in Lagos, where we visited two incredible beaches, Praia da Dona Ana and Ponta da Piedade.
We also explored Praia da Marinha, which is farther east.
After a relaxing few days in the Algarve, we returned to Lisbon, where we spent the remainder of the trip. We had a lot of fun exploring the city. We bought a multi-day bus pass, which was a great choice because it allowed us to visit a bunch of different neighborhoods.
It was a wonderful vacation, and I would highly recommend Portugal as a travel destination for anyone looking for a place with a unique history and lots of natural beauty.