Lisbon – on the Shores of the Ocean

I’ve wanted to start this blog for ages, somewhere I could share my travel impressions with you, because so many of you keep asking me “What’s it like there?”, “Which hotel did you stay in?”, “Can you recommend a restaurant with a nice view?” and a whole load of other questions. At last I’ve found a little time to devote to this project – or rather, to this part of my life: travelling. I’m so happy that we’ll get to share the excitement of my new destinations together.

Everyone who knows me knows how much I love to travel and how much I hate staying put in one place – hence the name of the site, Balkan Nomad. Although my passport is Bulgarian, I’d definitely call myself a citizen of the world. I’m grateful to have had the chance to travel so much, to find myself in all sorts of situations and to discover so many new and different places, cultures and people, and that’s exactly why I believe – and can vouch for it – that you come back from every trip changed, with a richer mind. Every journey, whether it’s to a neighbouring country or another continent, changes you, because travel makes you think, reflect, interpret and ask yourself questions you never would if you’d stayed at home.

I’m delighted that my first post of the year is about a destination that’s become a real favourite and that I’ll definitely be going back to: Portugal – the westernmost country on mainland Europe, which still feels more exotic and unfamiliar to Bulgarians. Maybe that’s why I liked it so much and why it drew me in, because I’ve never been a fan of clichéd places that everyone goes to.

The Portuguese capital is easy to reach, with direct flights from Sofia on both regular and low-cost airlines. If the fares seem too steep, you could fly to Madrid and on to Lisbon from there. The direct flight takes almost 4 hours, but I promise the long flight is worth it.

One of the must-dos on any trip is trying the local food, and naturally, being the dedicated foodie I am, I didn’t miss the chance to tuck in. Portuguese cuisine is very close to Spanish – everywhere serves Spain’s famous paella, gazpacho and sangria. What’s really interesting here is the fish, because it’s freshly caught from the ocean and tastes completely different from what we eat in Bulgaria. Of course, it also depends on which restaurants you choose. My advice is to avoid the places in the centre, because the food has nothing to do with traditional local cooking, and in most cases it isn’t fresh either. One day we had lunch at a restaurant on the ocean front, built on the rocks. The view was incredible, and so was the food. Of course, prices at places like that reflect it, but I’ll say it again – I prefer quality to a low price. My suggestion for you is Gordinni, which is outside the city but close to the beaches.

I was surprised that, despite the city’s small size, the nightlife is really lively. The place is full of young people, and after 8 or 9 in the evening the city is every bit as busy as during the day. There’s a whole neighbourhood of nothing but clubs and bars, and I noticed everyone was out in the street with their drinks. It turns out that’s because the bars are small and narrow, so half the crowd stands outside chatting and drinking. It struck me as odd at first, but it means you make friends quickly and easily. Also bear in mind that Portugal is every bit a match for Bulgaria – most clubs stay open until 7 or even 8 in the morning.

You absolutely must visit the town of Sintra, about 30 km from Lisbon. You can get there in 30 minutes by car or 30–40 minutes by train. There you can visit one of Portugal’s symbols – Pena Palace. I’m not usually one for traipsing round museums and palaces, as I’ve been to some of the biggest in Europe, but I promise this one is worth it. What makes it special is that it’s built on top of a rocky peak, with views of the ocean and Lisbon. It was a monastery in the Middle Ages but was converted into a summer residence, and it’s gorgeous thanks to all the different colours it’s painted in. Another perfect spot for photos.

Another place I recommend, although I didn’t manage to get there myself, is the statue of Christ (Almada). It stands on the opposite bank of the river, looking straight at Lisbon. It’s a copy of the world-famous statue in Rio de Janeiro, but taller. When we got there it had just closed, so it’s top of my list for my next visit.

Lisbon is one of those places I’d happily go back to, and I’d even live there. I love the climate, the closeness to the ocean and the mix of cultures in the city.