GRAND Magazine - Fall 2024 - 16

travel
We booked a guided tour with Choose Your
Emotions to get a feel for the city. Email: chooseyouremotion@hotmail.com
They were able to
accommodate all of us with a minibus so we could
experience Lisbon together. We got an overview of
Lisbon's unique neighborhoods-Belem, Chaido,
Bairro Alto, Baxia, and Alfama. Our tour guide gave
us a brief history of each area, and we got off the bus
to explore on foot with his guidance. Some highlights
were Castelo de Sao Jorge (St. George's Castle), a hilltop
fortress with gardens and breathtaking city views,
and Belem Tower, built in the 1500s to protect Lisbon's
harbor.
One of our first stops was Pasteis de Belem, famous
for its delicious, hard-to-resist custard tarts. There is a
Author, and her multi-gen family
enjoying dinner in Portugal.
"
16 GRAND FALL 2024
If we decide to take another vacation
together, Portugal is the destination
we would all gladly return to.
"
long line to buy them, but it moves quickly and is
well worth waiting. Although this bakery supposedly
originated the tarts, these custard-filled delights
have become so popular that variations are offered in
restaurants, hotels, markets, and sweet shops across
Portugal.
During our free time, we enjoyed roaming around
Lisbon. Ubers are readily available all over Portugal
and less expensive than the United States. We also
downloaded the app BOLT, a European car service like
Uber. Portugal is known for its cork and
tiles, and we made sure to pick up souvenirs
at some of its quaint shops. We
also strolled down Avenida da Liberdade,
a tree-lined boulevard specializing in
designer and high-end clothing, shoes,
and handbags.
We enjoyed visiting Time Out Market,
Lisbon's biggest food market. Housed in
a large food hall, it's filled with numerous
stalls run by some of Lisbon's top chefs.
We also had fun wandering around LX
Factory, which has bars, restaurants, and
various shops that sell vintage clothing,
jewelry, art, household items, and more.
Considering the age range among the
grandkids, they participated in different
activities suitable for their interests. The
teenage boys and their parents attended
an SL Benfica home soccer game. As devoted sports
lovers, this was one of their trip highlights. www.slbenfica.pt/en-us
My
son, his wife, and young daughters visited the
Lisbon Oceanarium, Europe's largest aquarium. The
enormous variety of fish, sea creatures, penguins,
sharks, and underwater life captured the girls' attention.
www.oceanario.pt.
We had many options and recommendations for
dining, but we especially liked A Valenciana. www.
restauranteavalenciana.pt Their specialty is chargrilled
chicken, served tableside on platters with rice,
fries, and a salad. Although Portugal is known for its
fresh shellfish, sardines, and seafood, this was our
favorite meal. (See below where to dine in Lisbon.) We
were seated outside, which was conducive to large
parties dining together.
On one of our days, we all climbed aboard the
minibus and took a tour to Sintra, about 45 from
Lisbon. Like much of Lisbon, Sintra is particularly hilly
with many steep streets, which could be challenging
for some-and difficult for navigating strollers. We
trekked to the top to see the 19th-century magical
Pena Palace (Palacio de Pena) and explored the courtyard
and palace interior. Perched high in the mountains,
the lookout points and nature are worth the
hike, even if you opt not to wait in long lines to see
inside the palace.
We saw the Sintra National Palace in the town
center with two cone-shaped chimneys. We then
spent an hour exploring Sintra's narrow streets, stopping
for sweet local specialties at the iconic bakery
Piriquita. Before heading back to Lisbon, we cooled off
at a local seaside beach.
Continued on next page
https://www.facebook.com/GRANDmagazine http://www.slbenfica.pt/en-us http://www.slbenfica.pt/en-us http://www.oceanario.pt http://www.restauranteavalenciana.pt http://www.restauranteavalenciana.pt
GRAND Magazine - Fall 2024

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