A Tale of Two Cities: Lisbon and Bordeaux with Family

Our October 2022 trip was an amazing adventure with my family, including my parents, sister, brother-in-law, and my little nephew, who was one year old at the time. We planned this trip for the wedding of a close friend in Bordeaux, but first, we stopped in Lisbon to stay with a friend for two weeks. It was the perfect getaway for me as I was overwhelmed with my previous job. It was a great opportunity for Nim and me to leave the country for a few weeks. We had some difficult times in 2022, and this was the perfect escape.

We arrived in Lisbon on October 3, 2022, and stayed in Estoril, a charming village just a few minutes from bustling Lisbon. Our friend’s house, perched on a hill with an infinity pool on the second floor, was simply stunning! We kicked off our evening with a refreshing Sangria, a perfect cocktail to start our journey in Portugal. We had one goal throughout the trip: to learn to drive on the right side of the road. We had to drive from Portugal to Bordeaux, a nine-hour journey. Every morning included a driving lesson, which was quite stressful. The detailed trip will be described later in this blog.

We thought the weather would be cool as we arrived mid-autumn, so we brought warm clothes. We were wrong! It was so hot that we had to go to a mall and buy summer clothes. We visited Cascai Shopping Mall, just a few minutes by car from where we were staying. Lisbon offered the best shopping experience I've ever had, with prices much more competitive than in other places. For instance, a pair of Nikes that would cost 150 euros in Paris was only 75 euros in Portugal!

Our first family activity was visiting Quinta da Regaleira. WOW, just WOW! The garden was free, and we enjoyed a pleasant walk, exploring this historical place. Quinta da Regaleira is famous for its unique blend of architectural styles, underground tunnels, and esoteric symbolism. The chapel, standing in front of the palace's main façade, is a Roman Catholic sanctuary adorned with frescoes and stained-glass windows. The weather was cool and agreeable, and we spent more than two hours there, taking photos with amazing views.
One Sunday, we woke up early and visited the local market. I was impressed by the variety of fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, cheese, and everything else available there. The market was colourful and vibrant, and we spent two hours there buying fresh seafood, fish, fruits, and vegetables to prepare an amazing dinner. It was a delightful experience, immersing ourselves in the local culture and flavours.

Three days had already passed since we arrived in Lisbon. My parents offered to look after Ezra, allowing my sister, brother-in-law, Nim, and me to explore Lisbon. We did not purchase tickets online in advance, as we were unsure of our schedule, but we had no issues buying them on the day of our visit. Our first stop was the Belém Tower, symbolizing Portugal's maritime and colonial power. Built during the Portuguese Renaissance, it features a mix of architectural styles. We enjoyed viewing it from the outside, accompanied by a violinist and a small van offering “wine with a view.” Naturally, I had a glass of wine at 10:30 am—after all, I was on holiday!

Next, we visited the Lisbon Military Museum (Museu Militar de Lisboa). Nim and Oren are very interested in military history, and we paid a modest fee of 4 euros per person. The museum, housed in an 18th-century fort, is dedicated to those who served in the Portuguese armed forces. It was fascinating to learn about the 18th-century history.

We didn’t stop there; we took an emblematic TUC TUC tour to explore Lisbon further. We found the best TUC TUC driver, who agreed to give us a two-hour tour for 100 euros for four people. He not only drove us but also stopped to explain the history of each place:

1. The Monument of the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos): This monument commemorates the maritime discoveries made by Portugal. It features a world map in the pavement, and our guide mentioned Mauritius, which made us very proud.

2. Central Tejo: Tejo Power Station offers views of the Tagus River and the 25 de Abril Bridge, reminiscent of San Francisco’s Golden Gate. We took some beautiful photos there.

3. Jeronimos Monastery: Famous for its Manueline architectural style and as Vasco da Gama’s final resting place. We opted for free entry to avoid the long paid queue. The monastery’s architecture was awe-inspiring.