Discovering Portugal is a culmination of my living in Portugal and find myself enthralled by this country after moving here from California some 12 years ago.
If you have never been to Portugal, and in specific Lisbon, you will be amazed at the wide range of things that are here to see and experience. Its written history goes back some 2000 years ago, when legend has it that Ulysses founded Lisbon during his epic voyages as written about in the Odyssey.
The Lisbon you see today is a combination of the old and the new, with many buildings that seem like they come straight out of the last century only in the last years re-emerging to show their true beauty.
Lisbon is walking through winding medieval streets in the Alfama, visiting the many architectural sites with exteriors ranging from Romantic, Gothic, Baroque and to Modern and stopping in peaceful gardens laid out in the 18th and 18th century in all areas of the city. There are monuments to people and events that marked the passage of Portuguese history found everywhere, and wide boulevards in the surrounding areas with modern office buildings and the hustle and bustle you expect to find in a capital city - but with the difference being that you still feel like you might be in the Old Europe that is hard to find today in the rest of Europe.
But Lisbon is not only about the past. There are many restaurants where you can enjoy world class cuisine in settings that are designed for seeing and being seen, and the nightlife has something for everyone - from younger to older and professionals to students - the Portugese work during the day but save most of their energy to enjoy themselves at night with their friends and are always open to meeting new people.
What I want to do is share with you Lisbon and Portugal by showing you places that are hidden from persons that do not live here every day, and in the process helping you gain a better understanding of the ways of life that make Portugal certainly a place that you will want to make a return visit in the future.
Please take the time to contact me if you like to experience Portugal and see for yourself what I am talking about. We can discuss what you like to see and design your tours based upon those areas that hold a special interest for you.
