When Mark, Maya, and I arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, after a bad experience with the airline company TAP Portugal, there was a lot of talk about “the storm” that had hit the southern Iberian Peninsula on the evening before our arrival and which had caused some of our delays. For the first time, we checked the weather. It didn’t look promising.
Welcome to Lisbon, Portugal!
There was more rain — and wind — in the forecast, but we would make the best of our four-day stay, despite already missing out on a free taxi ride promised by Booking.com (because we had to postpone our arrival), moving our accommodation out for two days, having less time on the peninsula, and needing to pick up our rental car earlier than expected.
Maya in front of the Lisbon sign
Since we had a six-hour delay (in addition to the two-day delay because of the blizzard in New England), we had to skip our nap upon arrival after a red-eye flight. All these experiences helped with our need for flexibility and resilience. We were not going to complain. Not even about our tiny and moldy, wet apartment, where nothing dried. Because its location in Alfama was perfect. It was our first time in Portugal. And we had finally arrived in Europe!
(As always, hover over or click on the photos in the galleries to read their captions.)
Day one
Since it was noon by the time we checked in, we hit the cobblestone streets after taking a shower and settling in. We decided to try a typical local lunch of grilled sardines and a white fish. For some reason, I’d forgotten that serving entire fish with all the bones — and sometimes intestines — is a thing in Europe. While the flavors were great, I’m a lazy person when it comes to eating. The less work, the better. 🙂
In the afternoon, we explored the cute and mostly pedestrian Alfama neighborhood, climbing its hills, strolling its cobblestone streets, and eating my first of many pastéis de nata. For someone who loves pastries and pudding, this treat is heaven!
Day two
It rained all night and pretty much all day. We set out to explore another neighborhood in Lisbon in the morning, but returned home drenched. Maya was one wet puppy; we needed the heater on high to be able to dry out and get warm.
Late in the afternoon, we tried our luck again and, this time, we managed to stay dry while exploring the waterfront and the city center of Portugal’s capital city. The historic buildings and attractive plazas pleased the eye — and my camera — and we read descriptions of the sites on my GPSMyCity app.
Following a recommendation of our US niece, Josephine, we grabbed the last outdoor table at the restaurant Bonjardim to try their local specialty of chicken piri piri. It was tasty, especially with a glass of the delicious house wine. Maya behaved under the table as always.
Day three
Another rainy day. We managed to stay relatively dry and climb up to the castle in the morning. But when faced with the steep entrance fee of 17 euros per person, we decided to walk around the village within the walls instead. I couldn’t get enough of the cute, narrow streets with cobblestones and pretty buildings. They are a pain to pull your luggage over, but they are super photogenic.
We had a few chores on the agenda: picking up the rental car (which was initially planned for the day we would leave, but then our timetable changed), buying a bag of dog food for Maya, and shopping for groceries at Lidl (now that we had a vehicle). Of course, obtaining the car while still staying in the city meant we had to find a (free) safe parking spot in Lisbon for two nights.
We also put the vehicle to good use by driving to the Belém neighborhood of Lisbon. We had heard and read a lot of positives about it, so we set out on a little self-guided walking tour. It was a very windy and cloudy afternoon, but once in a while, the sun popped out.
Lots of buildings and sites were under construction and, when open, the entrance fees were steep. So, while we enjoyed this exploratory walk — and another incredible pastel de nata from the place it was originated, Pastéis de Belém — we were not impressed by the area.
We finished our day with some welcome rest and sunrays on a park bench, before finding decent parking a 20-minute walk from our accommodation in Alfama.
A touch of sun brightens the buildings and the spirit.
Day four
Our last day in the Lisbon area was by far the favorite of everyone. We went on a day trip to Sintra and entered a different world! Castles, nature, amazing views, and unexpected sunshine. In the morning, anyway.
We parked the car in an old part of the village and hiked up to the Moorish Castle through a green, lush, and peaceful park. We had picked this particular castle for a visit for several reasons — it would offer glimpses of all the other castles, it was cheaper than the others, and it was dog-friendly. What this means is that Maya was allowed on the grounds, but not on the walls. We “parked” her in an allocated area, while one of us stayed with her at all times.
Climbing the steps, entering the turrets, and walking along the walls of this old fort was exciting, special, and amazing. I truly enjoyed the views and the photogenic character of this site. With unexpected blue skies, the photos came out fantastic.
Mark and I took turns exploring this site, before eating our sandwich lunch at a square in the small town. We attempted to visit the parking lot of another castle, but the area was closed. We’ve noticed a lot of closures and scaffolding in this winter season.
I was curious to see Sintra’s historic downtown and we lucked out with the last parking spot. But when the only way for us to pay for the parking meter was with euro coins (we refuse to install parking apps) and our only cash was 40 cents, we rushed around the center within the allocated twenty minutes. We still had a nice feel of the cute downtown, so popular with tourists. This is certainly a place we wouldn’t mind returning to once we find our next campervan.
Our last stop of the day was a 60-minute detour to the coast and back. We were curious about Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe. By the time we arrived, the fog had rolled in and the crowds had gathered.
A little walk, a glimpse at the lighthouse and the marker, and a few cloudy coastal shots concluded our fourth day in Portugal. We sure were happy to have the rental car for this day trip!
Back home, we packed up and prepared for the next stage of our Southern European journey.
Next up: The Eastern Algarve region in Portugal and two towns in Southern Spain.
Curious about a previous ten-year chapter in our nomadic lives, which includes eight years aboard a 35-foot sailboat in the tropics with dogs? Check out my compelling, inspiring, and refreshingly honest travel memoir:
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March 4, 2026 at 8:20 am
Liesbet, you hit the highlights (cobblestone streets, intricately tiled walls, history, and monuments) despite the rain. I love your photos of the Moorish castle, and I’m happy you ventured down to the waterfront, even though it wasn’t a standout for you. Those pastries are sooo addictive. Looks like you are off to a good start.
March 4, 2026 at 2:01 pm
Hi Suzanne,
Maybe a bit surprising, but we actually love Southern Europe so far, other than the weather, which has been dismal compared to other years. As I write this, it’s raining again and in the forties. It’s actually warmer in Belgium right now. While we are enjoying the sites, our main reason to come here – to not be cold – is failing. You live and learn!
I hope you will be on your exciting cruising adventure down under soon!
March 4, 2026 at 8:29 am
For some reason, I feel more tuned into Europe than to South America. All the photos here are informative, but I especially like the photo of you leaving the castle through a different gate–ha!
Next month, we’ll be traveling on cobblestone streets too–eastern Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and then Greece.
March 4, 2026 at 2:03 pm
Hi Marian,
Europe appears to be easier to love than South America for a few reasons. Ease of living and travel (even with a dog) comes to mind. Also the food, the language (we still can’t believe almost everyone speaks English!), and the better roads and grocery access.
We wish you happy travels to Italy and Eastern Europe. Sounds like an exciting and diverse trip. Will you blog about it afterwards?
March 4, 2026 at 8:44 am
Quite the colorful place. The castle looks really cool. Sorry it rained so much. And no, I’m not eating anything that still has its head.
March 4, 2026 at 2:05 pm
Haha, Alex. I had to smile about your “not eating anything with a head” comment. That’s a good way to put it! Although the bones bother me more than the heads when it comes to food. And that Moorish Castle was, really, exactly how castle walls and towers are supposed to be! 🙂
March 4, 2026 at 10:53 am
Bringing back memories of our campervan tour around that area. Gotta love Portugal.
March 4, 2026 at 2:07 pm
Hi Leslie,
We hope to do what you two did one of these months. While we are still enjoying the luxury of a small rental car and full-fledged apartments or casitas to live in, we hope to soon find our next 4WD camper to explore the rest of Europe and beyond.
March 4, 2026 at 11:46 am
Very cool. One of my best friends just returned from Portugal. I just sold my pickup truck to him. I hope it’s as reliable for himas it was for me. I’m looking forward to seeing your new vehicle. Will it be as thirsty as Bella? 😊
March 4, 2026 at 2:09 pm
Hi Pete,
That’s good news (for the wallet) that you sold your pickup truck! I hope your friend had okay weather on his visit to Portugal as it sure has been a mixed bag this winter. It’s raining and cold again. Very a-typical for this area. By the way, nothing is as thirsty as Bella! 🙂
March 4, 2026 at 11:49 am
Wow, a new adventure commences! With your usual plucky, make the best of everything approach to life. Love the “dog parking.” Can’t wait for the next installment.
March 4, 2026 at 2:11 pm
Hi Marie!
I’m a bit behind with my blog posts as we have been extremely busy exploring Southern Portugal and Spain. Even more so than when we were overlanding in South America. We’re on a “schedule” of one day of sightseeing and the next day work and leisure. I can’t believe we’ve been in Europe already more than one month! Stay tuned for all the incredible sites we’ve explored so far.
March 4, 2026 at 12:16 pm
Glad you’re safe, having fun and out of the New England weather. In Colorado we’ve had the opposite weather – too warm.
Portugal is a wonderful place to visit, even in the rain. We only visited a small portion, but I especially loved the colorful tiles we saw. Annie and I hope to go back one day. But what’s with not using parking apps? Doesn’t that really limit you in your travels?
Steve
March 4, 2026 at 2:22 pm
Hi Steve,
You are right, cities are the best places to visit when it is crappy weather. Even raining. The beautiful and sunny days have been so far and few between that we feel like we have to do all our sightseeing on those days, and stay home on the crappy days. The weather in Southern Spain and Portugal has been very unusual. Just like everywhere we go these last few years… Maybe it’s us?
So, regarding parking, we usually find free parking in Europe, either in lots on the outskirts of towns or street parking. We actually use the “free camping” apps for these as we figure if a camper fits there, our small rental car fits there. The reason why we don’t want to install parking apps is because there are many and they are different for each country and sometimes city. It would become a mess on our phone and they all need a lot of personal information. We’d rather just pay with cash or credit card at the parking meters when we have to pay for parking.
March 4, 2026 at 2:43 pm
We’re lucky enough that we can afford paying rather than spending time finding free parking farther away from where we want to go. And with our handicapped placard we can usually find close up parking spots. As far as the apps, I just delete them after we leave the area. And I just assume the whole world knows everything about us already considering how much of our personal information is stored on various websites. I bet Instagram knows more about Annie than I do!!!
Stay safe,
Steve
March 4, 2026 at 2:57 pm
Hi Steve,
That’s often the consideration – ease and comfort compared to expenses. You certainly have a point about Google and the entire web knowing everything about us. We have given up on that as well. Let’s see what happens regarding these parking apps. If it seems to be the only way to pay, we will have to fold.
March 4, 2026 at 12:23 pm
As usual, interesting sights. You’re close to Gibraltar, now Spanish rather than British (I think that went through by now). I’d love to see what that changes (if anything).
March 4, 2026 at 1:58 pm
Hi Jacqui,
We actually visited Gibraltar a couple of weeks ago. Not sure what you mean with it being Spanish. It’s been a British overseas territory since 1713 and that hasn’t changed and is not about to change. It has its own parliament and a high degree of autonomy, but the UK is responsible for defense and foreign affairs. It also has its own version of the pound and in every referendum, the inhabitants want to remain British.
That being said, Spain has always challenged this situation, which reminds me of the Falkland Islands (Las Malvinas), which Argentina claims is theirs but it never has. Funny governments. There are many of them these days, claiming other territories…
March 4, 2026 at 2:42 pm
I think that bathroom is even smaller than the one in your camper. 😉 Too bad about the weather and the construction; but wow, what amazing historic surroundings! And Maya must be relieved that you’ve left “the land of the fireworks”. How is she coping with the change?
March 4, 2026 at 2:55 pm
Well, in our camper we couldn’t wash our hands while sitting on the toilet, that’s for sure. You know what’s been interesting to us, Diane, it’s that all things considered, our camper was comfortable for us to live in and it had everything we needed to rest in peace, sleep without back aches, fit all our food in the fridge, and it had all the kitchen utensils to cook whatever we wanted. We had cutting boards, a carrot peeler, a wine opener, dish towels, you know… It’s strange that so many rental places don’t have any of this stuff, the mattresses aren’t comfortable, the pillows hurt, and the neighbors keep us awake. I guess it’s time we find another camper…
But to answer your question: Maya is quite happy to be living in bigger spaces, but she hates riding in the small and noisy rental car. Of course, when upstairs neighbors drop heavy things on the ground (which is our ceiling and which seems to happen frequently), it’s not only startling to us, but it makes our dog super anxious. We hate living in apartments! Another conclusion to learn from. 🙂
March 4, 2026 at 3:32 pm
Portugal is one of my favorite places that I’ve ever visited
March 4, 2026 at 4:24 pm
Lisbet, the photo of Mark sitting on the toilet washing his hands is hilarious!! The photos of Lisbon are fabulous. I love the photo through the arch of the Moorish Castle. Thanks for sharing. Jim
March 4, 2026 at 5:51 pm
We loved Portugal so much and your pictures bring back wonderful memories of Lisbon and Sintra. We have friends who moved from SoCal to a small village near Lisbon. They say that it was their best decision ever.