Lisbon | Sintra | Lagos | Seville | Granada | Ronda | Cordoba

Initially attracted to the arches and history of the Mezquita while researching cities to visit on our Andalusian trip, this final destination on our itinerary actually blew me away for the slice-of-life true southern Spanish experience it offered beyond the walls of its most famous tourist attraction.

Cordoban history is an interesting multicultural tale of Muslim, Christian and Jewish cohabitation (all mildly tolerant of each other as men of “the book”) in a Muslim-dominated city once recognized as the largest in Western Europe. Today, it’s a beautiful, lively place where I scarcely heard a word of English, where locals walk dogs in parks and we encountered weekend weddings and proposals and charity beer festivals, and where we felt truly surrounded with culture even as tourists.

We came away singing Cordoba’s praises and I would highly recommend spending time here beyond a quick visit to the Mezquita. We spent two nights and had a full day to explore around a day trip squeezed in to Ronda.

Mezquita

This stunning cathedral-in-a-mosque is the most interesting religious building I’ve ever explored. Founded first as a Christian church and evolved over kingdoms into a grand mosque and later addition of a cathedral, the Mezquita is one of the world’s greatest representations of Islamic design and epitomizes the region’s architectural Islamic-Christian (Mudejar) relationship we’d been seeing so often on our Andalusia trip.

I was transported by the dark, calm intimacy of the banded stone arches and how it gives way into sudden baroque fanfare of gold, vaulted ceilings and staggering altars. The gorgeous Mecca-facing mihrab and monstrous monstrance in the treasury (sorry, I had to) were highlights. This was a place where, once we completed a lap, I turned to my husband to ask: Can we walk around it again? A well-dressed Catholic wedding was taking place in a small chapel corner while we were there, and I remember seeing some of the party at our hotel (Las Casas de la Judería de Córdoba, an excellent place), where a carriage decorated with bows waited outside.

Puente Romano (Roman Bridge)

We came here on our first night and explored again in the morning before the Mezquita. The pretty walk was full of strollers and knick-knack peddlers and reminded me of Prague. It crosses the wetlands of the Guadalquivir, and there is a nice park you can extend your walk along heading northeast before you cross back into town.

Torre De Calahorra

Located at the end of the Roman Bridge, this museum with audioguide features miniature replicas of the Alhambra in Granada and the Mezquita itself. The view from the top looking back over the bridge is excellent.

Plaza de las Tendillas District

Cordoba’s modern heart is north of the Mezquita and river, and a place I’ll fondly remember wandering around at night and on our way to and from the train station. Locals are out and about here, shopping and dining and enjoying daily life. We stumbled on a Christmas market, which to my surprise featured several vendors dedicated to tiny miniatures and models for nativity mangers, ranging from Cordoban-styled housing to camels to working waterfall oases. I also liked window shopping at the flamenco gear stores and, of course, a place dedicated entirely to the ubiquitous ham legs.

Juderia

We stayed in the Jewish Quarter of Cordoba, tucked inside the cool old walls and Puerta de Almodóvar gate. The Córdoba Synagogue is an interesting quick visit and the Casa Mazal at Plaza Maimónides was a great place to eat for dinner, featuring Sephardic (Jewish from Spain or Portugal) food.

This isn’t technically in the Juderia, but it’s everyone’s favorite Cordoba picture and is a quick walk away. There is a short queue to go out and back in this tiny alley for the quintessential shot up Calleja de las Flores with the Mezquita in the background.

Calle Martin de Roa

Before our 4pm train to Madrid and effective end of our trip, we wandered outside of the old walls for a quick bite of flamenquin and cañas of beer, and ended up walking down an old ruin of a wall called the Murallas del Castillo de la Judería. A friendly local showed me how to take the best picture of a wall sculpture, and drawn by the sounds of live music, we stumbled onto an outdoor cancer charity concert event where I put my best Spanish to use to read the signs for “Free Entry” and “Beer Tickets.” Locals were out in happy droves, sipping 1€ bottles of Cruzcampo and paired off to dance in a well-known routine I have only been able to match through some Googling as something like the fandango. It was so much fun and one of the highlights of Cordoba and our entire trip to Spain.

The End

Well, almost. From Cordoba, we caught our super-speedy train to Madrid, popped out from the metro in the middle of the teeming Sol plaza, and were thrown headfirst into the crazy urban beauty that is the country’s capital. (We asked our hotel staff: “What event is going on out there?” Their reply, carefully devoid of condescension: “This is Madrid on Saturday.”)

After a week in quiet, contemplative Andalusia, we had no idea what was going on and loved every hour of it that we stayed up to wander around before our flight the next morning. The Mercado de San Miguel was a treat, and I won’t forget singing 4 Non Blondes’s ‘What’s Up?” while walking by the Royal Palace of Madrid, and taking a group photo for a cosmopolitan group of foreign university friends and their tiny dogs on the base of the Monumento of Felipe IV. We’ll be back, Spain.

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Lisbon | Sintra | Lagos | Seville | Granada | Ronda | Cordoba

This compact and beautiful Andalusian city is perched on the edge of a gorge and famous for the views of the Puente Nuevo bridge that links the old town from the new. Ronda is also the birthplace of bullfighting, a Spanish tradition worth exploring in the historical museum at the Bullring of the Royal Cavalry of Ronda. We arrived via fast Renfe train from Cordoba in two hours, and spent around five hours exploring the viewpoints, walking to the El Tajo Gorge, and climbing the walls of the Murallas Del Carmen.

On a sunny day in November, in the morning the little town was just coming to life. When we emerged later from the bull-fighting museum, it had filled up with tour groups making a quick stop at the gorge. If you have time, you can always come back to a spot later to avoid crowds. My favorite memories of this romantic place are on the Old Town side by the Walls of Ronda where we were alone with views of the rugged scenery.

Overlooks

Get your bearings on this beautiful area by first walking to the Alameda del Tajo park. We took our time walking south along the edge of the hilltop and enjoying the scenery of patchwork farms, distant cliffs and trees unfolding below.

Bullring of the Royal Cavalry of Ronda

Bull-fighting got its start as a military training maneuver and turned into a sporting ceremony with Spaniards later on. I was worried about patronizing this weird sticking point of animal cruelty, but the museum highlights an unsavory business in a tasteful and interesting way.

Your ticket gets you access to walk through the modern-day Real Maestranza de Caballería operations, a riding school and horsemanship organization. We spent a quiet moment watching dressage practice from a viewpoint above the riding school before moving on through the stocks where the bulls are released (and I felt electrified imagining something charging through the tight space). The bullring itself is worth a look, as are all the costumes and trappings in the halls specific to horses, carriages, and other celebrations.

Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) & El Tajo Gorge

This photogenic feat is best seen from the short hike down a trail on the Old Town side of the bridge: Cross, take a right at the first side street, and follow til you reach the Mondragon Palace and a lookout called the Mirador de María Auxiliadora. The way down is on the right, and your destination is down a steep but paved trail. You can keep following the trail all the way to the bottom for a more distant view, but we pulled off to the right at Mirador puente nuevo de Ronda. We stood for a long time and enjoyed the sunshine, the magnificent bridge and the rush of Guadalevin River as it cascades down the gorge.

Old Town

After climbing back off of the trail, we wandered through white-walled side streets, angling back north past the major Catholic church until we hit a pretty viewpoint (Palacio de Salvatierra) on the street down to see Ronda’s Old Bridge (Puente Viejo). The big stone gate on this street is called the Arco de Felipe V, built in the 1700s as a main passage into the town. The narrowest part of the gorge trickles through here. The Puente San Miguel (once called the Roman Bridge) can be seen to the south.

Out of pure curiosity, we decided to take the little descending stairs to the right once on the bridge, and found ourselves wandering along the El Tajo Gorge on a stone path dotted with grass until we popped out at the ruinous walls of the Murallas de la Cijara. This area had some of my favorite views in town, with the clustered white homes of Ronda to the north and open fields speckled with passing clouds to the east. We were almost completely alone on this side of town and had fun exploring the towers and taking pictures on the battlements of the city’s old defense.

Back at Puente Viejo, we crossed this time and hung a sharp left once over the bridge for more views of the gorge and white houses from the beautiful cliff-hanging gardens of Jardines De Cuenca and the Mirador De Cuenca.

What to Eat

After our exploration we refueled with coffee and sweets at Confitería Daver. For lunch earlier in the day, we were ready just as Tragatá opened for a 1pm lunch, and enjoyed excellent tapas and crispy pig’s ear.

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Lisbon | Sintra | Lagos | Seville | Granada | Ronda | Cordoba

“Give him alms, woman, because there is nothing sadder in life than being blind in Granada”

Francisco de Icaza

Named for the Spanish word for “pomegranate,” the Moorish heart of Andalusia and picturesque city of Granda is nestled at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and is rich with history of Christian and Muslim legacies. No Andalucian trip is complete without a visit to the Alhambra, the city’s stunning hilltop palace.

Granada is also the place to try Moroccan cuisine and roam through the winding streets of the Albaicín neighborhood for dramatic views and historic house facades.

We spent just shy of a full day in Granada, with an afternoon arrival and exploration, and morning entry time at the massive Alhambra complex.

Alhambra & Generalife

The fortress overlooking the city has endured the Reconquista, many changes of hands and lots of vandalism (19th-century tourists were keen to take home pieces of the palace), but remains beautifully preserved today in its gorgeous royal rooms, Islamic art and striking courts. The name Alhambra refers to its red color visible as the setting sun strikes its outer walls.

This popular destination sells out months in advance, so make sure to buy tickets online well in advance of your trip. We combined it with the Generalife gardens and purchased the morning’s first time slot to walk through the Nasrid Palaces with a very helpful audioguide picked up from a cart outside the queue. Like sultans, emperors and kings of old who called this place home, you’ll wander through and enjoy all the details, from arched ceilings to fountains and inscriptions. We spent an hour touring the Nasrid Palace, and almost two and a half in the Generalife.

Albaicín

The evening of our arrival, we ate dinner then crossed into the city’s quiet, historic Albaicín district. Sunset was just about to strike the Alhambra from the view at the Mirador de San Nicolas, so we were in a full sprint, leaping up winding stairs and white-washed alleys under balconies lush with trailing plants and ornate iron window bars until we came upon the crowd gathered for the scene.

With so many clouds at dusk, we didn’t get our quintessential “red castle,” but we did enjoy a gorgeous panorama of the indomitable Alhambra flanked with the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas. There were lots of people kicking back to enjoy the view. After we swapped some photo-taking responsibilities, we clambered back downhill and peeked through the alleys along the way. The Mirador de Los Carvajales offered another beautiful view of the fortress.

Historic Center

The sights of the historic city centre are clustered around the Catedral de Granada. In the Plaza de las Pasiegas by its grand facade, notice the paint detail on the buildings made to look like plaster ornamentation. Nearby to the south, there is a neat alcove marked with an arch called the Corral del Carbón that was once a former caravanserai: a Moorish roadside inn where traders could rest up.

As our trip neared its end, we eschewed more cathedral interiors for wandering around side streets. Finding pomegranate accents turned into a fun scavenger hunt.

Shopping & Eating

The touristy Alcaiceria was once a bazaar of Arabic silks, spices and goods, but now you’re more likely to find (and photograph) the ceilings of low shops decked with gorgeous stained glass lamps. We bought lots of souvenirs around this area, including olive oil soap from the surrounding region and chocolate bars from the cool spice shop and tea store called Medievo.

We stumbled across Restaurante Arrayanes online and enjoyed the ambiance, milky tea and great Moroccan food. If you want a local dessert, find a bakery advertising the Piononos de Santa Fe. This pricey little pastry is traditional to a small town nearby and is made of rolled dough, syrup and toasted cream.

It’s not unique to Granada, but I’m going to stop and talk about jamón here, since I took these pictures while walking the city. Spain’s favorite dry-cured ham will be topping your breakfast sandwiches, your lunch spread and dangling in rows of full legs from shop fronts and restaurant rafters. Jamón Ibérico is the local variety, made from black Iberian pigs fed acorns or chestnuts – and jamón ibérico de bellota guarantees it got to wander the oak forests on an acorn-only foraging diet before gracing your plate. You’ll see ham stands all over with the delicately poised hoof locked in a brace, ready to be sliced.

Churros con chocolate is also not a particular Granada specialty, but we had a really good plate at Café Fútbol in the Realejo district. We also had a cheap drink underneath the lit Alhambra fortress at one of the outdoor bars along the walkable Paseo de los Tristes.

Where We Stayed

Unbeknownst to me despite booking it myself, the Palacio De Mariana Pineda is not only one of the most beautiful hotels we stayed at, but a historical 1600s palace with a central patio and only five rooms. Our suite connected a bathroom down the hall to a gorgeous room with a canopy bed and balcony with a view of the Alhambra and walkway and tree-lined creek below.

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Lisbon | Sintra | Lagos | Seville | Granada | Ronda | Cordoba

On our tour of Andalucia, the stunning capital of Seville snagged our hearts from our first late-night walk from the bus station through the gilded, lantern-lit lanes of its historic heart.

During our 2-day itinerary, fueled with sangria, tapas and jamon, we toured the indomitable Catedral de Sevilla, strolled the Mudéjar Christian-Islamic influenced Real Alcázar, and returned day and night to the romantic Plaza de España. We also saw flamenco, a can’t-miss experience.

Day 1

We opted to fit the two largest sightseeing destinations into the same day, with Real Alcázar in the morning and the Cathedral in the afternoon.

Real Alcázar

As architecture and history buffs, we were drawn to the Andalucia region for the exact experience this tour had to offer: Gorgeous 10th-century Moorish arches, Islamic inscription adorning walls and the unique mesh of Christian and Muslim style uniquely known in this region of Spain called Mudéjar.

The Alcázar is one of many structures were Christian buildings vied for prominence on old Islamic remains, a back-and-forth of hundreds of years of reconstruction that gave us gems like the sprawling Alhambra or Cordoba’s stunning chapel-in-a-mosque Mezquita.

Famous Catholic rulers Isabella and Fernando called the Real Alcázar their home, and the upper levels still serve as a residence to the royal family. These royal rooms can be visited with an additional ticket purchased in advance.

Tickets: I bought our tickets online the night before and we lined up for the earliest morning time slot. We weren’t able to see the royal palace rooms, which were sold out for months on either end of our arrival in November, so if you want to see those you’ll need to buy further in advance. The audioguide costs extra, but was extremely informative.

Church of the Divine Salvador

We came here for a quick peek and to buy a combo ticket with the Cathedral that would allow us to walk by the lines to get inside. The pink facade houses a beautiful Baroque altar.

Catedral de Sevilla (Seville Cathedral)

With a ticket purchased in advance at the church listed above, you can walk right by the massive line and start exploring. Of all the roomy cathedrals I’ve seen from Prague (St. Vitus) to London (St. Paul), the Catedral de Sevilla, clocking in as the world’s third largest church and world’s largest in the Gothic style, blew me away the moment I stepped inside.

The cavernous nave stretches out of sight in a gilded hall of chapels, ornate choir loft, and the staggering High Altar piece detailed with scenes from the Life of Christ. Christopher Columbus’ tomb is held on the shoulders of allegorical statues of the four kingdoms of Spain, and a treasury of reliquaries, crosses gilded with silver, gold and exotic tortoiseshell, and one of the world’s largest pearls carved into the body of a cherub in the Crown of Virgen de los Reyes, Spain’s priciest crown.

We spent about 40 minutes touring the inside, then climbed up to the La Giralda bell tower. Named for its bronze weather vane topper (a replica which you can see up-close outside the Cathedral entrance), the tower was once a Muslim minaret repurposed during the Reconquista, so the approach up involves a series of ramps.

The top is jam-packed with viewers, so we had to wait our turn to peak out over the city and the court of orange trees below. Oranges are a special sight all over Seville, a perfume and ornament to the beautiful streets, but the fruits themselves are allegedly too bitter to eat fresh and make a better ingredient in liqueur.

Barrio Santa Cruz

We stayed at the Hotel Amadeus for three nights, a beautiful composer-themed boutique hotel tucked into a quaint alley in this neighborhood. In the Plaza Virgen de los Reyes, music floated through the empty space by night and horse carriages and tourists flocked by day. We wandered through this area often in our explorations and it became a special place for me.

Metropol Parasol

….we couldn’t find out how to get on the top of this local landmark. Was it closed? Were we sauced on sangria and manzanilla? Here’s an urban art shot of my husband, at any rate.

Eating & Drinking

We ate lunch at a great tapas place called Sal Gorda, where in a constant quest for Spanish ham, I was keen to try the croquetas de jamon Iberico. Sangria options along the street are plentiful, as are tempting pastries.

Day 2

These days in Seville were leisurely by our traveling standards, and we followed the flow of life by getting up late and staying out for dinner past 8 pm. On a second day we visited the Plaza de España and surrounding María Luisa Park, took our time at a couple museums and walked along the Guadalquivir River to Triana.

Plaza de España

Before 11 am, this lovely contribution to the World Fair of 1929 is almost empty for exploration, and we enjoyed strolling over the colorful tiled bridges before the inner section was cordoned off for a military awards function (the Plaza houses various government offices, including the army). The plaza was constructed for pure admiration and Spanish pride, and features tiled historical scenes from the 49 provinces.

At night, the facade transforms into a romantic, near-private walking area as the fountain glows with color.

Parque de María Luisa

The nearby Maria Luisa Park complemented the Plaza de España as host for World Fair functions and is now a perfect place to enjoy a sunny stroll through botanical gardens, monuments and historical pavillions.

We found ourselves on the eastern end at the Plaza de America, where a pretty pond anchors the Museum of Arts and Traditions and the Archeological Museum. Oh, and THERE ARE ALSO BIRDS.

How much fun can you have with €1.50 bird food and fifty aggressive pigeons? So much fun.

Archeological Museum of Seville

Always suckers for anything Roman, we ducked in here after our pigeon encounter for some Andalucian archeological history.

Torre del Oro

After exploring the plaza, we walked north along the river on a pedestrian walkway covered with pergolas and dripping wisteria. The Torre del Oro was an important watchtower for 13th-century city defenses. We didn’t go inside the museum, but kept north along the river to cross the Puente de Isabel bridge into Triana. The skyscraper in the picture is the controversial Seville Tower.

Triana

The old quarter on the west bank of the river was more slice-of-life Seville than anything we had seen in the city center, and worth a walkthrough. Tiny shops and markets spilled with local patrons, who snacked on shrimp and picked up groceries. We strolled around residential streets and through the Triana Market before crossing back over the river for lunch at Bartolomea, the sister restaurant to the super-busy La Brunilda’s tapas.

General Archive of the Indies (Archivo de Indias)

Once the merchant’s exchange in ancient days, the Archive now houses some historical documents and maps, and is free to visit. At the time of our visit, we stumbled into one of the best-produced rotating exhibitions I’d ever seen: “El viaje más largo,” the fascinating story of Magellan told through beautiful displays in the moodily lit hall. I’d check to see if there is anything exhibiting here to make it worth it.

Flamenco

Entertainment and performances don’t often make it on our travel itineraries, but I am glad we made an exception for Seville’s famous native art, an Andalucian staple of singing, clapping, stomping and twirling dresses.

Attending at Casa de Flamenco was simple: I bought tickets online the day before, and showed them on our phone at the door. I was worried about being held captive to a “tourist” experience, but they kept it casual and approachable. We just went inside the hall, took a seat, and the performance began. It was passionate and moving, and one of the most memorable things on our trip.

We stayed in Seville three nights, then continued our Andalucian journey with a train to Granada in the morning.

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Lisbon | Sintra | Lagos | Seville | Granada | Ronda | Cordoba

Portugal’s Algarve region sports turquoise beaches, rugged coastlines and tiny fishing towns anchored around local and European tourism. Visiting Lagos, Portugal is no exception ⁠— Even when we went in early November during the off season, there was still plenty of sunshine to enjoy a boat tour to get a view of the beaches and iconic Ponta da Piedade, and walk around the historic old town.

We spent a day here after visiting Lisbon and before a bus ride into Spain, a decision to break up the travel time and to experience Portugal’s coast. One day was perfect, but with more time in a summer month we might have kicked back on the beaches, rented kayaks or joined another excursion. They are easy to find: Tour operators post up in rows on the boardwalks.

Read More: Part of our Portugal and Andalucia, Spain Trip

Boat Tour

In the morning when we walked around looking for an excursion, there was only one tour group offering a boat ride out to the coves, crannies and rock formations down to Ponta da Piedade, the famous headland out into the Atlantic.

Our grizzled Portuguese guide didn’t speak English but between some gesturing and words he offered to a French-speaking couple that I could grasp for Romance language roots (“oh, éléphant!” “La couleur!” ), we put some names to imagining whimsical rock formations, and enjoyed a fun, casual ride around the beautiful coast. On the way back up to the docks, he kicked the boat in gear and sped us in teasing trajectories for head-first collisions with rock outcrops, pulling away at the last minute in a swerve and splash of sea-spray.

Historic Center

We spent an hour or so strolling the town, ducking into tourist shops and passing by the Igreja de Santo António. It’s a very relaxed destination and easy to navigate.

Lunch at Saibos

We stumbled into this cute tapas place, and it was one of our favorite meals in Portugal, with seafood and mussels straight from the Algarve.

Where to Stay

Lagos Avenida Hotel was a reasonably priced and gorgeous room, an easy walk from the train station and centrally located.

Our Portugal & Andalucia Trip

Lisbon | Sintra | Lagos | Seville | Granada | Ronda | Cordoba

Lagos was part of a trip that began in Lisbon and took us to explore the Andalucian region of Spain. After Lagos, we took a 4-hour bus into Spain via ALSA and arrived in Seville.

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Lisbon | Sintra | Lagos | Seville | Granada | Ronda | Cordoba

The picturesque beauty of Pena National Palace and the roaming, rugged Moorish Castle make Sintra the perfect day trip for visitors to Lisbon.

With seven hours, we were also able to take a gorgeous forested hike down to the town center, and visit the eclectic and playful Gothic gardens of the Quinta da Regaleira (though we didn’t have nearly enough time there).

In early November, the weather was wet and romantic. I wore nice rubber boots but was still covered in mud from all the hiking, and grateful for a waterproof coat and umbrella.

Getting there from Lisbon:

A train runs about every 30 minutes from the Rossio Station in Lisbon to Sintra, takes 40 minutes, and can be paid for with the reloadable Viva Viagem card, if you used other public transportation in Lisbon.

We took the 8 am train to make sure we were there as early as possible. So did everyone else! This is going to be crowded no matter how you dice it, as tour groups flood the morning hours and if you come any later, you cut yourself short on time to experience everything.

Our greatest decision was hailing a cab from the Sintra train station to take us to the Pena Palace. It was inexpensive, fast (I mean, really, really fast — these guys do this trip all day and know every swerve in the road), and we beat everyone waiting for the buses.

Order of Sights:

To minimize backtracking up hills, see the sights in this order: Pena Palace, walk down the street to Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle), then walk into town via the beautiful Vila Sassetti hiking trail. From the end of the trail, Quinta da Regaleira is a short (but steep) ten-minute walk to your left.

Pena National Palace

Book your tickets online in advance. If you’d like to tour the residential interior of the palace, which I’d recommend if it’s not peak season when the lines get lengthy, opt for the Park and Palace ticket. You’ll hop in line at the gate here, get scanned in, and then hike uphill about ten minutes to the entrance. It’s steep but manageable, and a better option if possible for you than waiting in the big lines for the bus.

Once you’re in, it’s playtime. This beautiful, decorative mishmash of architecture styles under King Ferdinand’s creative vision incorporates some distinctly Portuguese Romanticism along with tiles, a clock tower, and lavish rooms used by the royal family in the summer.

The palace interior is the only ticketed section once you are inside the grounds. We went straight here when it opened and did not wait in line, but spied a big wait in the afternoon that later cleared out again. If it’s busy, try again. There’s lots to explore in the meantime.

Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle)

By this point in our day the rain had settled in, a runic mist that hung over the moss-flecked spine of fortifications winding up and over the forested hillside, and wrapped against wind and water, we trekked the castle walls scouting for invaders in the fog like soldiers of old.

The Moorish Castle is just a quick walk downhill from Pena Palace, on the right side. There is a forested approach before you reach the ruins.

Vila Sassetti Trail

Rather than ride back down into the city center, we were pleased with this gorgeous nature trail. We had a couple of false starts trying to find the trailhead, so be sure to follow directions: Once you exit the Moorish Castle, take a right on the road and walk until you hit the “Lakes Exit” of the Pena Palace (referred to here as Bilheteira do Parque da Pena). You’ll see a sign for the Vila Sassetti trail with a hiker on it, and a parking lot on your right. Walk to the back of the long parking lot to start the hike.

The trail takes about 30 minutes and winds near the walls of the Moorish Castle near huge boulders used for rock-climbing, through forests and finally by the exterior gardens of a pretty villa.

Quinta da Regaleira

This intriguing estate is a bit of a Gothic playground, with its own gargoyle-studded palace and park full of green lagoons, waterfalls, dark cave tunnels and the famous Initiation Well, the photogenic swirling spiral staircase designed with Tarot mysticism and grown over with lush green moss.

We squeezed this in before catching a train back to Sintra, as we were on a tight schedule to pick up our bags in the Rossio Station, transfer to Entrecampos and head out to our night’s stay on the coast of the Algarve. Unfortunately, this meant we only had a half hour to explore and it was certainly not enough. Thank goodness we had the sense to hail a tuk-tuk for the ride down to the train station, or we would have thrown everything off. After all the walking in the rain, the last ride through Sintra in the comfort of the tuk-tuk was worth the price.

I’d recommend somewhere to eat, but we didn’t eat The one restaurant we tried for lunch wasn’t accepting any more diners, and we had to make a decision to wander through Quinta da Regaleira or scrounge for a quick bite. Sightseeing won the contest, and I destroyed a hearty bifana (Portuguese pork sandwich) back in Lisbon before our next train.

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Lisbon | Sintra | Lagos | Seville | Granada | Ronda | Cordoba

Lisbon is a hip capital where visitors can tap into the exploratory spirit that dominated this country and commercial port for a good chunk of European history. But you won’t need to pack the schedule to see everything at breakneck speed: Lisbon is truly for wandering, admiring, and getting a bit lost.

We spent one day on historic plazas, scenic overlooks and urban walks through the zigzagging lanes of the Baixa, Barrio Alto and Alfama, and a second on a quick ride out to Belem to explore architecture and celebratory monuments.

Don’t miss a day trip after to the palaces of Sintra, covered in a blog soon.

Getting Around:

We used the metro to travel from the airport to Rossio Station by purchasing a reloadable Viva Viagem card from the machines. We added more to the card to ride Tram 28, the bus out and back from Belem, and to take the train to and from Sintra on our day trip. Accessing everything else was easy by foot.

Day 1: Baixa & Barrio Alto

Rua Augusta & Praca do Commercio

Our hotel (Be Poet Baixa) in this central neighborhood was the perfect home base for three nights, offering easy access to the surrounding districts. You’ll be dodging tourist shops and restaurants (“don’t eat here,” pleaded the savvy locals on our hotel staff) but it was safe, convenient and well-trafficked. If you don’t stay here, it’s worth a quick walk for the tiled lanes and grand Arco Triunfal that opens to the sprawl of famous Praca do Commercio, once a bustling square where wealth moved from trading ships into Portugal’s heart.

Rossio Square

In a wondrous, jet-lagged stupor as we crawled across the city center from the underground airport transfer, this was the first place we walked and where I returned with camera in hand after dinner to snap shots of rain glinting off the undulating grey and white tiles. We passed by this square several times on our outings, and I became so fond of it, I bought socks patterned in its honor.

A Ginjinha

One man. One bottle of famous ginja, a cherry liqueur. One drink for €1.20. That’s all there is to this fun little Lisbon tradition, so it’s worth running by to join the throng sipping and puckering up over the suspended cherries if you order it com fruta (my husband and I could only stomach one of two).

Tram 28

This charming yellow-sided electric clunker still serves Lisboans as public transportation, and has been picked up as a tourist must-do for its scenic route through the city as it climbs hills and on certain stretches defies speeds I thought impossible for something born in 1914.

I’ve read that at peak times, lines for this particular tram grow hours long and pack in riders like sardines. My takeaway: It’s so fun and worth it if you can walk on and sit down. In early November at 9am, we had no lines at this stop and no trouble snagging a seat to watch the Barrio Alto and Alfama roll by out the window. Otherwise, spend your time exploring.

Funiculars

Like most things in Lisbon, we didn’t seek them out, but ran across them. Cute and graffiti-clad, they lurk in alleys haul passengers up and down slippery tiled hills that I may not or not have fallen twice on, even in sturdy boots…

Carmo Convent

This striking roofless ruin, another architectural victim of the 1755 earthquake, was once a Catholic convent and now a quiet, reflective space where we found visitors respectfully staying out of photo ops to admire the play of sunlight off arches.

Church of Sao Roque

My preferred church visit over Se Cathedral, this decorative Jesuit place of worship houses ornate paintings, intricate gold chapels and Catholic altars with visions of the macabre: Human remains on the Altar of the Holy Virgins peek through glass cases and form the bones of arm-shaped reliquaries.

Santa Justa Lift

I’m all for ornate elevators. I love lifts, funiculars, trams and gondolas, and this beauty is enticing: Built in the 19th century to help city dwellers and future tourists with the local issue of “how do I get up this hill?”, the design and views are lovely. But every time we walked by en route somewhere else, we eyed the hour-long line outside and said, eh. Go up if you can spare it, as the view looks amazing.

Barrio Alto & Chiado

We meandered around these neighborhoods at different times during our stay for food and window shopping (and some actual shopping when I dipped into an H&M for much-needed socks that worked with my boots), and while we were too tired to make it out late with locals, apparently Chiado is a hotspot for nightlife and bars.

Day 1: Alfama

Our favorite for wandering. We spent most of the day in a maze of tiny streets, tiles, old homes and tiny doors for an ancient generation of much smaller inhabitants. On a sunny day in November, street players were out, people were dancing and beer was cheap. We sat around Miradouro das Portas do Sol and ate something I pointed at in a stall window that surprised us with shrimp inside.

Miradouros

I had a plan of attack for visiting all these famous scenic overlooks in the Alfama District that was quickly swapped for a more Lisbon-suited style of sight-seeing: Just walk around and stumble across them.

Miradouro de Santa Catarina

Miradouro das Portas do Sol

Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara

Miradouro de Santa Luzia

If you do opt to navigate yourself toward one in particular, this is a beauty for its tiled walls, pergola and blooming bougainvilleas shivering in a sea breeze.

Castelo de São Jorge

This hilltop fortification changed hands many a time, earning a 14th-century dedication to dragon-slaying St. George and suffering damage during the 1755 earthquake (you’ll see a lot of this in Lisbon’s architectural history). Now it’s a relaxed heritage center where you can trek the castle ramparts for beautiful views over the city and pick up a bit of history in the museum.

If you’re in shape for some stairs (okay, a lot of stairs), go out on the long lookout extension that’s visible from all over town. The entrance to the castle complex is in the Alfama, but if you’re downhill in the city center/Baixa/Chiado area, you can catch a lift on the elevator here (Google Maps).

Se Cathedral

If you’re in the area, the city’s oldest church offers free admission to peek inside.

Day 2: Belem

Seeing the sights down the coast from the city’s heart will take half a day, and we found there was no rush to hop on the bus and head over. We got to the unmissable Jerónimos Monastery by 11 am and had plenty of time to see everything.

Jerónimos Monastery

The critical advice to enjoy this beautiful 16th-century complex is to walk right by the monstrous line forming outside the ticket area and head into the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia. There is no wait to buy a combo ticket from the machine here, and it is only a few euros more. We made a quick loop of the museum itself, and then walked back out to the street and straight inside.

If you’re not familiar with the Manueline style of architecture, you will be now. Entrancing arches, filigrees and symbols like the differing animal rainspouts keep the eye busy as you wander around the cloister court and upper level. There’s even a nice view inside the connected Santa Maria de Belem Church – so nice we decided to skip the 45-minute line to enter it on the ground level.

Pastéis de Belém

The line goes quick at this famous bakery, where Portugal’s egg custard tarts get a local spin with an ancient recipe developed at the monastery. We enjoyed ours on a bench watching the fountain at the Praça do Império.

Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument of the Discoveries)

Portugal’s Age of Discovery is commemorated in a late ’50s stone monument featuring famous navigators, explorers, writers and one queen along a striking prow that overlooks the Tagus River. Approach along a beautiful tiled compass court and good luck fitting the whole thing in a shot. There is an exhibit and viewpoint inside that we skipped.

Belém Tower

Enjoy the sunshine along the walking path from the Monument to the Belém Tower. The 1500’s fortress once guarded the harbor, and if you look for it in old art and paintings, you’ll notice it appears father out in the water in a century when it occupied an island out in the river. The changing course of the Tagus has brought it back up to the bank.

Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga

While not technically in Belem, we hit this museum on the way back east into town. It is a fantastic collection of national paintings, reliquaries, furniture, ceramics and the stunningly intricate sculptures of the Portuguese “crib,” or nativity scene I’d refer to as a manger.

Where to Eat

Lunch at Cruzes Credo

I can’t recommend this place enough. Located along the outer wall of the Se Cathedral, it was relaxing, charming and exquisite. We got three courses for € 9 each plus porto and wine, and sat a while at the window watching leaves fall outside. We ate here Day 1 while walking around the Alfama.

Dinner at Time Out Market

Our Day 1 dinner was at the popular one-roof, many-chefs concept launched first in Lisbon and carried onto other big cities internationally. The busy food-court style space offers options around the outside and foists you onto precious bench seating to enjoy your vinho verde and small bites.

Dinner at Ramiro

The line for seafood heaven is packed at the local 8pm dinner time, but we hadn’t quite adjusted to the new rules and I am glad we did. At 6pm, we waited a half-hour outside this spectacular, low-key restaurant before getting inside and cracking into crab, jumbo prawns, mussels and more.

We spied the menu item “Edible Crab” off of a neighbor, and my husband taught me how to smash and pick apart legs with the provided tools between filling up on bread and the dip dished up inside the main crab shell. So good. Thank you to the Web Summit attendee at our table (one of many in the city for a conference) who ordered it first and shared the wine they didn’t want.

Drinks at Topo Rooftop Bar

As we’re wandering back south from dinner at Ramiro, wondering where to grab a drink, we hear a screeching from the heights above as a panel pulls back from some rooftop perch. We squint, take stock of neon signage that helpfully reads BAR, and decide to check it out. Topo had an awesome vibe and a range of well-priced drinks. We met an awesome husband and wife power couple flown from New York to work in film and stake a claim for citizenship in Portugal, a process that involves just living there for a few years, and got to learn more about the city from their perspective.

We went to Sintra the next day to visit the palaces. You can read about it coming soon, as well as a day on Portugal’s coast in Lagos.

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There’s nothing quite like a towering swoop of sandstone. The landscape of Utah’s Arches National Park lures visitors from far and wide to explore its fantastical geological formations, the highest density of natural arches on the planet.

Options for recreation abound among the other-worldly red rocks, from biking to backcountry camping. But a visitor on a schedule might be tempted to maximize time to Arches alongside Utah’s other natural wonders and parks, an experience helpfully packaged by state tourism as the “Mighty 5.” Or, you’re like me and needed to get into Salt Lake City from Monument Valley at a reasonable hour.

There are 2,000 arches on 76,000 acres. So what of the park’s signature sights can you see in a day (and fit in some hiking, while you’re at it?) Read on for my best-of hiking and sightseeing Arches National Park in 1 day.

Time of Year

I went in early March, when the nearby La Sal Mountains were still coated in snow and weather ranged from driving rain to raw winds to crisp blue skies all in a few hours. This meant I got water on my shoes and sand in my hair (and in my mouth, and ears), but it also meant no crowds.

Delicate Arch

3 miles out-and-back | Our time: 1.5 hours

If you’ve got time for one hike, make it Delicate Arch. This gorgeous formation is the poster child for the park. The three-mile hike is a moderate but unrelenting uphill climb over slick rock that evens out onto a trail. Delicate Arch rises like a coffee mug handle from a basin of soft red sandstone, an intricate beauty in an unlikely place.

Devil’s Garden Trail

Our time: 2 hours

Landscape Arch

1.9 miles out-and-back

While the full loop of Devil’s Garden Trail clocks in at 7 miles, we opted for the out-and-back route on the trail’s left side to see two more arches and get some dirt on our boots. The path to Landscape Arch is flat and accessible, a slow reveal to the towering taper of the world’s largest arch, a meandering line of rock recently thinned by a rockfall in the early 90s. You can get close, but not underneath (because, rockfalls).

Double O Arch

4.2 miles out-and-back

Continue on to Double O Arch via sheer-sided rock fins, jutting sandstone planes that will one day become their own arches! This is was an exhilarating part of the trail, especially as wind buffeted around us. Double O waits at the end around a scramble of rock.

The Windows Section

Our time: 45 minutes

Cool down or warm up in this famous region of Arches, where beautiful formations are accessible just off short paths.

The Windows & Turret Arch

1 mile out-and-back

A gentle trail leads to the North and South windows from the parking lot, where you can peer out through the wall’s “eyes.” Follow the steps around to Turret Arch to complete the loop.

Double Arch

.5 mile out-and-back

Possibly the area’s most interesting arch, the gorgeous double bends of this formation are just a quick walk from the parking lot, and offer scenic windows to the sky.

Balanced Rock

While technically not in the Windows Section, Balanced Rock is a popular spire and you’ll pass it as you drive north on the road.

Park Avenue

Evoking the tall sides of skyscrapers, these interesting canyon walls can be seen up close on a 2-mile round-trip hike toward the Courthouse Towers. We were pressed for time, and so just stopped at the lookout point along the road.

With around 5 hours, we were able to spend an exciting day getting up-close and personal with some of the beauty of Arches National Park.

Commemorate your Arches National Park trip with a Roaming Hills design!

You can purchase my art print based on Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. Want to customize it? Send me a picture of you and who you hiked with and I’ll add you as silhouettes where the person is standing. You can also select a custom background color!

The post Best Of Hiking Arches National Park in 1 Day appeared first on Roaming Hills.

The lonely rock forms of Matsushima Bay, bristling with pines and worn with cave-like holes, are the quintessential inspiration for old Japanese art and modern photographers alike. The area boasts the honor of being one of Japan’s iconic “Three Scenic Views.” If you find yourself hugging the coast up north on your trip, it’s easy to spend a day trip here exploring the scenery.

Nearby Sendai was our hub for the trip. You can read about 5 things to do in Sendai here.

Matsushima Bay Boat Cruise

The best way to see the islands is, of course, a boat tour around them. We booked through Marubun Matsushima Kisen Co. for the “Cruise A” loop that departs Matsushima for a 50-minute narrated adventure. An English voiceover gets non-natives up to speed between the pilot’s announcements, so you don’t need to worry about being left out of the cruise highlights. Although based on the passenger laughter, the Japanese version is much more humorous.

The islands are fantastic, and bear some interesting names and lore.

Godaido Temple

This small wooden temple occupies an islet near the pier. It’s worth a quick look if you are killing time before your cruise departs, but if you are prioritizing a visit to any other islands on a time crunch, I would recommend the following….

Fukuurajima Island

A small fee gets you over a 800-ft bridge, and onto a network of trails inside a scenic botanical garden. The views from everywhere are beautiful, the trails well laid out, and the canopy of plants impressed me a tinge of adventure. We found a worn rope to descend to an isolated beach, and another inlet where shells peppered the ground and white herons swooped over the tide.

Oshima Island

We found ourselves the only visitors to this mysterious island just south of the train station. Buddhist priests once carved their own places of meditation into moss-flecked rock, now overgrown with tree roots and occupied with forgotten stone tablets and spiritual effigies. Dappled by the late afternoon sun and touched with a whisper of wind, this place felt especially mystical. We followed a tree-lined path to an overlook of the bay, and left over a series of cherry-red bridges.

Enjoy the scenery, but don’t forget about the seafood options for lunch! I also tried beef tongue, a Sendai delicacy (or tourist trap) – I’ll leave that decision up to your judgement.

MORE JAPAN TRAVEL:
HOW TO SPEND 10 DAYS IN JAPAN | TOKYO | HAKONE | KYOTO | NARA | KOBE | HIMEJI | OSAKA | SENDAI

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Get ready to hanami.

Miyagi’s capital city of Sendai is a less-traveled tourist spot, and more famous to the casual traveler as the victim of 2011’s destructive tsunami, which wracked the coast. But the resilient Sendai has recovered in stride, and offers travelers to Japan a more laid-back and local experience to the traditional tourist track.

My sister had digs in Sendai’s suburbs for the last year, so we had a bonafide guide to some of the best cultural sights and things to do. In early April, the city’s northern latitude made it one of the last to boast cherry blossom season and the coveted art of hanami: flower viewing in a public park.

1. Hanami

It’s a party in the park, where that park is draped in the white-pink of sakura blossoms, hanging overhead like clouds and scattering silky petals on your picnic blanket. Oh, and you can drink with your friends. BYOB or stock up goodies and booze from the nearby food booths.

Nishi Park was our daytime choice for a stroll, and the place was already filling with happy revelers enjoying the spring sunshine. In April, we’d been pushing the envelope to catch any cherry blossoms at all; Tokyo and Kyoto had long since withered with the rain. But up north, it was still splendid.

At night, we snagged a tarp, some convenience store favorites and a box of cakes and set up shop at the popular Tsutsujigaoka Park. As the lantern lights came on and the sun went down, we had a blast with this local pastime in good company.

If you’re planning a summer trip instead of spring, Sendai’s famous Tanabata Festival takes place every August.

2. Zuihoden

The mausoleum of the Masamune clan is striking for its vivid colors and serene cedar forest. The complex introduces you to the clan’s history and legacy. I’d recommend seeing this first and catching the “Loople” tourist bus up the hillside to the castle next.

3. Sendai Castle

Sendai Castle (also known as Aoba) was the effort of legendary Date Masamune of the 1600s, an iconic city figure nicknamed the “One Eyed Dragon.” While only some foundations of his castle remain, the man is immortalized in a great statue on horseback on the top of the hillside. Head up for views of the city, a peek at a beautiful shrine and a chance to try gift goodies in the city’s famed flavor, zunda (green soy bean).

4. Eat & Shop

If your Japan trip will be packed with temple sightings, shinkansens and landmarks like ours had, it’s important to slow down for a bit to enjoy something the country does best: food and shopping. Sendai was the perfect place for a slice of life. We cavorted through malls and sampled some fun restaurant chain classics like Bikkuri Donkey.

5. Take a Day Trip to Matsushima Bay

One of Japan’s alleged three “best scenic views” is a quick 30-40 minute train from the city center of Sendai. Check out our half-day island experience in my blog here.

MORE JAPAN TRAVEL:
HOW TO SPEND 10 DAYS IN JAPAN | TOKYO | HAKONE | KYOTO | NARA | KOBE | HIMEJI | OSAKA | MATSUSHIMA

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