Pictures of Portugal

Our last stop on my family’s trip around the world was Lisbon, Portugal. Portugal is located in southern Europe and borders Spain. It was the perfect next stop for our trip as it’s located just to the north of our previous stop in Morocco. My favorite part of our time in Portugal was a private tour we took to visit the holy site of Fatima, the coastal town of Nazare, and castle relics of Obidos.

Portugal as a whole had a very culturally European feel, but with a lot of Latin influence. Its residents speak Portuguese, which our tour guide told us is similar to Spanish. As our last stop on an extended trip, it proved to be a welcoming culture with a relaxed pace of life and a rich history.

We felt the best way to take in as much as we could during our time in Portugal was to hire a private guide. Our guide provided us with an extensive amount of background information for the areas we visited. He helped us to see the most pertinent areas of interest, and avoid the more crowded areas with higher prices. We really had a chance to interact with the locals as he served as interpreter for us as well.

On our tour, we first visited the town of Fatima known for its Christian holy site of Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima. The location is known for the Marian Apparitions in 1917. We experienced an open air mass during our visit, and witnessed the devotion of believers, who walked on their knees down a long stone tile path leading to the holy site as a symbol of the journey that Jesus took during His passion.

We had the opportunity to visit a local manufacturing company while we were in Fatima. They create many pieces of art and keepsakes with tourists in mind. One section that I was fascinated by was a section of purses, belts, and other products made from cork as material. I asked our tour guide to tell me more about the relationship of cork to the country of Portugal. I learned that cork is harvested from the bark of trees in the country without harming the trees. They then grow more cork that can later be harvested. We also saw a truck filled with rolls of cork bark being transported when we traveled between towns.

Then it was onto Obidos. Obidos is know for its once thriving castle that has now turned into a village of shops and stores amongst the remains of the castle. Visitors are allowed to scale the surrounding castle walls, which is a bit precarious with only a wall on one side. If someone is brave enough to accept the challenge, they are rewarded with unbelievable views of the Portuguese countryside.

After Obidos, we visited the beautiful coastal town of Nazare. Our guide took us to an area that we could look over the water with breathtaking views of the village. We enjoyed interacting with local vendors to learn about some of the favorite food products. One delicacy that they enjoy is barnacles. I learned that what makes them a rare treat is that it’s dangerous to harvest them. A person needs to go along the cliffs to collect them from the coastal rocks when the water is calm so as to not get injured against the rock. Then we dipped our toes in the Atlantic Ocean.

With all Portugal has to offer, it makes for a well-rounded travel destination. The food, culture, historic sights, views, and ocean all contribute to it being one of my favorite stops along my family’s around the world trip. I hope you will consider all Portugal has to offer when you start planning your next travel adventure!