Portugal quickly became one of my favorite destinations, because it has that mix of European country order tinged with a Latin touch that gives its joyful summer sun, its exchange with people from other Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil, Angola and Cape Verde with more of 3000 years of peoples that have passed through the shore of the Iberian Peninsula.
Spectacular beaches with fresh water, culture, friendly people and the mighty wind at all times. Its colors in the streets, in its houses and in the way its people dress clearly express the place where we are or at least it was in what I could see in Lisbon, its nearby beaches and Porto, the other great city in the country
Lisbon
It is a cosmopolitan city, as I mentioned before with a great diversity and an interesting European, African and Brazilian mix all the time. Alfama is what I have more present in mind. Despite being nowadays a tourist district, its bohemian essence that gave birth to the Fado, typical Portuguese music, continues to be felt in its surroundings between its white houses and an impressive sunset with the Tagus River in the background.
Getting to Lisbon from Estoril is easy and convenient. Just take the comboio (train) that takes you along the coast, to go through Oeiras and get to the city by Belem, an area that shows the great tradition and maritime history of Portugal. It is mandatory to go through places such as Bairro Alto, nightlife area and the Parque Das Naçoes, which has spectacular architecture like all created by Santiago Calatrava.
Lisbon received me and gave me the opportunity to see their summer cultural activity, as I was lucky enough to attend an exhibition of Shepard Fairey OBEY at the Underdogs Gallery in Braço da Prata, the trendy and cultural neighborhood today, as well as the music festival from the world Liboa Mistura and attend to photograph a Fado concert by Raquel Tavares at the historic Estoril Casino.
Beaches around Lisbon
Thanks to the invitation of Beach Please Portugal I had the opportunity to visit the best beaches around Lisbon while I photographed for this great project of tours and travel experiences focused entirely on beaches.
Day 1 in Portugal to see what was chosen as the best beach in Europe in 2017, Praia Galapinhos, which in turn has its twin brother next to Praia Galapos. Fresh or rather cold water for a Latino like me, but nice to enjoy surrounded by imposing green mountains, to close the day in Fonte de Telha with an orange sunset over the Atlantic that draws forms with violet water on the sand.
Guincho is one of the favorite beaches for surfers and kitesurfers because it has a powerful wind, which pushes you as if inviting you to continue to know and visit more about the coast to pass through Boca do Inferno, Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe and one of my favorite the Praia da Ursa, which has two large boulders that remind us of the strength of the bear and that give its name to this beach.
Finally the beach that practically was my house for two weeks, Tamariz beach. The golden beach, the favorite of many lisboetas who fill the comboio every day of summer vacations to bathe in its waters or simply walk the beira da praia to relax.
Porto
I keep thinking about the color of cities and how they represent them. Porto is totally blue. Blue in the sky, blue in the river, in the sea, in the night, in its football team, in its bars, in its day, in its seagulls. Porto has that feeling of Celtic culture, of cold night. A night city, with nocturnal essence that is announced with the sing of its birds among its alleys of the hills.
Portugal seems to be a hot spot among travelers and with good reason, it is a country that welcomes you with open arms, which invites you to take its famous tram and explore its colorful streets, take a Sagres if you are in Lisbon or a Super Bock if you are in Porto, escape its well preserved nature, swim, climb, ruffle with its strong representative wind, leave and want to return to its bohemian atmosphere in every corner.
Once again thanks to Beach Please, Bar do Tunel Band meu Ricardo Ricardo Alarcón and all his staff for all the attention in this great experience.