Our family unanimously voted for a spring break, one-stop destination trip for 2108. Lisbon was the winner!
Each of us knew that we were headed in various directions for the summer, so we took advantage of a chunk of time to visit a major city in Europe. Lisbon had been on our radar after hearing several favorable first hand reports. Excitedly, we secured an apartment off of VRBO that had a city central location, a knock-your-socks-off view and enjoyable outdoor space. We choose to balance sightseeing and leisure time (maybe a bit of school work). Plus, we got smart and hired a tour guide for a couple of days- thanks to Laura Clark at Brownell Travel in Mobile, AL.
We visited the Old Quarter, Castle of Saint Jorge (which our apartment’s garden backed up to the castle wall), Bairro Alto and Belem with our assigned guide, Jorge, and driver, Samuel. We did a traditional Fado dinner one night and a walking Petiscos dinner tour another night. Later in the week, we toured Sintra and Cascais again with Jorge and Samuel.
Our kids have been raised on travels. They enjoy immersing into new cultures, trying interesting foods, and exploring world history. The trip to Lisbon including nearby towns, proved to be a perfect balance. I also have a newfound appreciation for a “staycation” vacation abroad. It’s a great opportunity to briefly live like a local and tune one’s ear to a new language. It gives the body time to relax, soak up culture, and explore new things. I’m so glad Lisbon won the family vote.
