On a recent vacation to Lisbon, my travel companions (all of whom you’ve met in my blogs on LA, Paris and Turkey) and I experienced ocular overload by the city’s many sensory pleasures.
Lisbon is continental Europe’s westernmost capital city and it’s closer in distance to Casablanca than it is to Paris.
This proximity to North Africa coupled with Portugal’s medieval-era Islamic past help to contribute to the city’s color and charm.
From the Portuguese Azulejo tiles
To the softer pastels.
To the bolder, more vibrant shades.
To the fun patterns cobbled into the sidewalk.
To the many plazas.
And the newly refurbished trolleys.
And the trams.
And the overabundance of uphill stairs.
Even in the rain, Pink Street pops with color.
Lisbon is truly a charming and visually stunning city.
Now that the dogs are barking maybe it time to seduce our palates with the ubiquitous Portuguese pastry, The Pastel de Nata.
This little pastry packs a punch with a rich, flaky pastry shell almost oozing of butter, the rich egg custard is so creamy and is slightly charred. This little decadent treasure is so delicious that your taste buds can be heard cheering in delight.
This tasty morsel was created in the 17th century by the monks at the fabled St. Jerome Monastery in the Belém district of the city.
What a wonderful excursion and our next will be as fun as we check out some of the historical buildings, including the St. Jerome Monastery, in this captivating capital city.
Until then, fiquem bem, meus amigos!