Fun easy trips from Lisbon
I don’t know how others feel about traveling to a new place, but I for one like to explore the surroundings of a town, not just the core of that place. The capital city of Portugal is a wonderful place to start exploring the country of Christopher Columbus and so are its surroundings. So here are a few ideas for some fun easy trips from Lisbon.
- Sintra: The most beautiful and utterly unforgettable spot to take your loved ones, Sintra is a living outdoor museums (hosting a lot of… indoor museums, most of which being castles). In fact, it is scattered with castles all over the place: Pena Palace, the Sintra National Palace, the Moorish Castle and more. It is also a beautiful forested haven of green which you can explore on foot, on horseback or by car, with a Sintra tour.
- Queluz is a small district very close to sintra. The Queluz Palace is the most amazing sample of rococo architecture in Portugal. The suburb, outside the royal palace, is quite unremarkable, but it is well worth taking half a day off to visit the palace and its amazing gardens if you are in for a display of romantic long lost royal air.
- Mafra with its beautiful Convent and Library is another beautifully royal destination to explore. The town is quite small and not very many people will know of it, but you will surely enjoy a cultural trip there.
- Have you forgotten about the Atlantic Ocean? You really can’t when you are in Portugal. And if you want to go to the beach, you really should stop by Cascais. It is less than an hour away from Lisbon and you are in for a treat: this old fishing village has grown into a very elite city you will surely love to visit.
