Exploring Portugal in the Springtime

We are leaving Houston midafternoon on March 19th, flying to Amsterdam, where we will change planes and arrive around noon in Lisbon on March 20th at the Humberto Delgado Airport. We have a transfer from the airport to our hotel with Connecto travel service. We are staying at the Hotel Olissippo Marques de Sa' in Lisbon. The rest of the day will be for relaxing and sightseeing in the local area.

On March 21st, we are taking a tour with Viator and traveling to Fatima to see the famous Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima. There we will visit the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Chapel of the Apparitions and the Esplanade of the Rosary. We will also visit Praia do Norte, Nazare. The beach is known for its massive waves. Some of the largest waves in the world are found here, partly because of an underwater formation that amplify the waves. We will conclude our excursion with a trip to the medieval city of Obidos before returning to our hotel.

On March 22nd, we will take a Lisbon site-seeing trip around Lisbon where we will visit the Belem district in the Lisbon. We will visit the Belem Tower, a tower that was built to protect the Harbor, the Padrao dos Descobrimentos, which is a monument built in the 1960's to honor the famous explorers of Portugal. The monument is shaped like a Caravel ship. The Caravel was the type of ship that helped Portugal become a world power in exploration and trade in the 16th century. No trip to Lisbon can happen without a pastel de nata, a custard tart that is considered Portugal's national dish. We will go by the bakery famous for these at Pasteis de Belem. We also plan on partaking in a Gin Jinga, a drink made of cherries, cloves, cinnamon and alcohol.

On March 23rd, we will visit the top of Edward VII's Park to take in the magnificent views of the hills of Lisbon and the River Tagus. In the afternoon, we will take a trip to Sintra and visit the Sintra Royal Palace, the 15th-century royal residence that contains the largest tile collection in Portugal. In the evening, we will enjoy a Flamenco show in Lisbon.

On March 24th, we will again transfer to the airport using the car service of Connecto. We have a flight at noon flying back to Houston with a stopover in Atlanta.