Spring Break: Italy & Portugal

It has been awhile since I have written. Life can be so confusing. I think I’m going through a mid-life crisis. Is that possible? Something had been feeling off and it had been difficult to pinpoint. But I knew, I needed to change my environment, even if temporarily, to change my energy, flow, and focus. I took advantage of an opportunity to escape to Europe because my neighbor was going to be spending an extended amount of time in Italy. I had been to Italy so many times before, but it had been a decade since. Plus, I love Italian food, pasta particularly. At the very last minute, I booked a trip because nothing was really happening for me in LA and I had the time. I had been stressed. I had been overwhelmed. I had been stuck. So why not? And since I love exploring new countries, why not add in Portugal too?

Florence (4 nights): My first stop was Florence, where I joined my neighbor and her sister. This brought back so many memories. I had first visited Florence when I was 19 years old, with two friends, after we completed our summer abroad in the countryside of France. I was so young! A baby! This was pre-technology and pre-smart phones. I stayed in hostels and used guidebooks. Back then, hostels were not as nice, modern, or fun as they are today. I roughed it. I guess my curiosity and desire to explore was always a part of me and it felt good to get back in touch with that part of me again. Travel is a privilege but adventure is within you. Since my neighbor was staying in Italy for the month, she got an Airbnb a bit outside of the city. This was a little annoying because we had to walk to get to a tram to get into the city, and then walk a bunch more. If you can, stay in the city center. It will make your life so much easier. During this trip, we dined at some really lovely restaurants such as La Menagere (a little fancy and romantic) and La Giostra (charming). We did not have reservations at either. Since Europeans typically eat late, we were able to get tables without reservations because we arrived early. However, I think we got lucky. You should definitely make reservations if you want to eat at the best spots. Some of the random spots we chose were not as good, but we were sometimes desperate because we didn’t have reservations and didn’t want to wait hours. We went wine tasting in Tuscany. Walked all over the city, averaging at least 15,000 steps a day, which is anywhere between 5-8 miles. We indulged in gelato. Since I had been to Florence before, I didn’t feel obligated to wait in line to visit all of the museums. I don’t even think I have the patience now to do it. I was still very exhausted from all the walking though. We saw the Duomo, walked across Ponte Vecchio, shopped at the Central Market (bought truffle slices), climbed up to Piazzale Michelangelo for a view of the city, and explored many of the small, cobblestone streets. There were a few restaurants/bars that I wish we had time to try, such as Floreal (cool looking bar), lo Osteria Personale (small, quaint, wine-bar vibe, Michelin-rated), Gurdulu (casual, hip), and Zeb (casual, diner style, Michelin rated) in the Santo Spirito neighborhood. But I guess I’ll have to save that for next time!

Rome (3 nights): Rome was my second stop and also the first part of my solo adventure. We took the train to Rome together from Florence but then separated at the end of the day. They proceeded onto Naples and Pompeii and I decided to stay in Rome. I had not really traveled abroad solo since pre-pandemic. I was a little nervous about this when I booked the trip but once I got into my groove, I felt in my element. I stayed near the Trevi fountain at Relais 95 Trevi for one night but I would not do that again. The hotel was fine with a rooftop terrace and friendly staff. The room was small though and the area was overly crowded with tourists. The second two nights, I stayed in Trastavere, which I preferred. It’s close enough but away from the touristy sites. I stayed at Palazzo Baj, which is more like a guest house. The room was spacious and clean, but the bed was memory foam and super uncomfortable. Memory foam beds and pillows are something your body needs to get used to. It’s not something that should be offered for a random stay at a hotel. I’m surprised that they only provided memory foams beds because it’s not for everyone. I think a standard mattress would be more universally pleasing. The staff was super friendly and helpful but they were rarely to be seen on the premises. If you email the hotel in advance, it takes days to get a response. You have to make an appointment to check in. When you get your hotel confirmation, you can’t respond back to the email from which it comes from. You have to respond to the email listed at the bottom of the confirmation email. I made that mistake and waited days with no response. But even when you email the correct address, it still takes days and follow up. They didn’t provide complimentary water in the room but when I had written a review about this on Tripadvisor, the owner said that they provided complimentary water. I didn’t see it. I only saw small water bottles in the mini bar which had a listed fee. They had complimentary water in a large carafe in the lounge but they didn’t refill the bottle regularly. Since there was no staff around to inform, I couldn’t refill my water bottle from the water in the lounge and I wasn’t sure if the tap water from the faucet was safe. Sorry, don’t mean to go off about water but with all the walking, I was exhausted and dehydrated and sometimes did not get the chance to search for a market to pick up a bottle. The guesthouse was also a little isolated from the main area of Trastavere, about a 12 minute walk. There aren’t as many mid-range hotel options in Trastavere so you could also stay in Piazza Navona or Campe de Fiore or Vatican if you want something quiet. Airbnb is an option too. But I would stay away from Trevi, Pantheon, and the Colosseum.

The last time I had been to Rome was with my college boyfriend when I was 22 years old. Even a second time around, the colosseum was still mesmerizing. I took a fun cooking class and learned how to make tiramisu and pasta from scratch without a machine. I ate so much pasta and dessert. I tried Maritozza con La Panna for the first time because it’s in the windows of every pastry shop. It’s a sweet bun filled with milk cream. I enjoyed it but it was a little too much cream and bread for me. But definitely worth trying or sharing with someone! I also had Sfogliatelle for the first time. This I could handle because they have mini versions. Though I could probably eat the entire full sized version because that’s how much I loved it! But I wouldn’t say that they are made equally at every café. I had quite a few of these and only one that I really loved. Usually, they are chocolate, custard, pistachio, or jam filled. I found one that was filled with Chantilly cream and that was heaven! I loved the crispiness of this pastry. I had the best charcuterie board at Pane E Salami (tavern style) near the Trevi Fountain. They also offer sandwiches, vegetarian boards, and bruschetta. The cured meats and tomatoes are just so much tastier in Italy! I dined at Coromandel (cozy breakfast spot near past Piazza Navona) and Tonnarello (very popular, casual family style restaurant with long lines), Osteria Ponte Sisto (charming, quaint), and Mama Eat (got pizza) all in the Trastevere neighborhood. I would have loved to have had time to check out La Rosetta (for seafood in the Pantheon vicinity, expensive), Roscioli (small, Michelin Rated, in Campe de Fiori area), Gelataria Valentino (Trevi), and Feffo for pastries (in Vatican). By the end of my Roman holiday, I could not eat anymore food or drink anymore wine. I wanted to try everything and my stomach was just not big enough to handle it all! I recommend having a coffee and pastry in the morning, a very light lunch, gelato or pastry as a snack, and then pasta or pizza for dinner. The Tiber river reminds me of the Siene in Paris. Live music, couples strolling by, dim lights. Very romantic. I will definitely be back in Italy and passing through Rome again. I would love to explore Puglia and I haven’t been to the Amalfi coast. Sardinia island sounds beautiful too. So many places to explore!

Lisbon (2 nights): My next stop was Lisbon, Portugal. It was my first time in Portugal and I absolutely loved it. People were not as friendly as in Italy, but it was still a great experience. Portugal reminded me of a European version of California. The food was delicious! All my favorites—clams and prawns simmered in garlic and wine. My meals were light because it was mostly seafood, which was more my vibe. Meals were significantly less expensive than the United States and for seafood too! I loved their Pastel de Nata egg custard tarts. Crispy, flakey goodness. Lisbon was still a lot of walking, with cobblestone streets and lots of hills, which was challenging for me after I had just completed an exhausting week in Italy. I wish I had more time in Lisbon actually. I stayed at My Story Hotel Ouro for 2 nights in the Baixa neighborhood, walked around the Alfama district, lunched at the Time Out Lisboa Market, explored the LX Factory (hipster, warehouse area converted into art studios, shops, a variety of restaurants with outdoor space and live music), and got Pastel de Natas at Manteigara. Many blogs suggest going to Bairro Alto for drinks, dinner, and nightlife. Personally, I did not like this area. It’s very hilly. The little cobblestone streets are charming but the area felt very trashy to me. Spring break college drunk vibe. I wouldn’t recommend this area or maybe I’m too old for it. I wouldn’t stay at My Story Hotel Ouro again. The service was not that friendly and the hallways wreaked of their perfume. The room was tiny. On my first night in Lisbon, I felt so worn down by all the travel and walking. My allergies were acting up and my body reacted to all the cigarette smoke. So all I wanted on my first night in Lisbon was noodle soup! Not too far from my hotel, I found Boa Bao and was pleasantly surprised at how delicious the Asian food was! I ordered the most amazing pho and duck bao. It’s a fun spot with a vibe. They offer a variety of modern Asian food. In addition to Boa Bao, I was surprised at how international Lisbon was. I also had the most delicious breakfast at Dear Breakfast in Alfama. I loved Antiga Wine Bar, bordering on the Alfama district as well. It’s small and quaint but has a really good light menu. I spent a day visiting Sintra, Pena Palace, and Cascais. This was part of a tour, but I personally, didn’t think it was worth it. I would have rather spent that time exploring more of Lisbon. The tour was $70 and didn’t even included tickets into the palace so basically it was a glorified taxi ride with multiple stops and a tour guide. If you want, you could visit the palace on your own by taking a train, which is so much cheaper. It’s only 30 minutes away. But my tour was all day because of all the stops. I found the tour sort of boring so I don’t recommend it. Spend more time in Lisbon. Avenida da Liberdade is their high end shopping district. I walked though it but unless you want to do some high end shopping, I didn’t think there was much to see. There might be some fun vibey restaurants to check out in that area though if you are looking for that.

Lagos (3 nights): After 2 days in Lisbon, I took the Rede Espresso bus (I purchased them online 2 days before) to the south of Portugal to explore Lagos in the the Algarve region. The bus ticket there was only $15 euro and the return ticket was $10 euro. It’s a 3.5 hour ride and it’s fairly comfortable with wifi and a toilet on board. Remember to bring 50 cents to use the bus toilet or get change from the driver during your ride. It’s located in the middle of the bus by the side entrance, labeled WC on level with the lower steps, lower than the seat level, almost hidden. I didn’t see it the first time because I was looking at the back of the bus or an elevated bathroom. On my first ride, I held in my bladder and didn’t drink any water for fear of needing to pee. I was dehydrated. I don’t want you to make the same mistake! The only reason I noticed the toilet on my second bus ride, back to Lisbon, was because I saw someone walk out of it. Anyway, that was a learning experience. You can also take a train to Lagos but I think it’s more expensive and not direct. You’d have to take the train to Faro and then switch trains to get to Lagos, whereas the bus is direct. Both take the same amount of time. I spent 3 nights and 3 days in Lagos and it was lovely! However, I would not recommend staying at the Tivoli Resort. It was awful! The photos on the website looked way better than reality. The service was terrible. My room was like a mile away from the front desk and uphill within the resort as well, and it was completely outdated and sort of creepy. The staff members were negative, unwelcoming and almost rude, unhelpful, and didn’t even offer to assist with my luggage. It was mostly occupied by senior citizens. The location was good though. It’s near the bus station and the train station and it’s only a 10 minute (uphill) walk into town. Old town is cute with so many shops and restaurants. Although, I’m not sure you need to stay near town. Uber is quite common in Portugal and a lot less expensive than taxis. You can stay further away for a better relaxed vacation vibe and just Uber into town. Or if you rent a car, even better. Some people I met in Lagos were staying at the Belmar Spa and Beach Resort and had highly recommended it. The reason I didn’t stay as far was because I was traveling solo and didn’t want to feel as isolated. But in hindsight, solo or not, being a little further away in a nicer spot would have made my trip more relaxing. There are only so many times you may even want to walk into old town. Casa Mae and Lagos Avenida hotels also looked like great options for a hotel in town, but a little pricier.

On my first full day, I Ubered (less than 10 minutes) to Praia de Don Ana because it was a recommended beach with dramatic cliffs. It was beautiful but the water had a lot of kelp which wasn’t pleasant to be in but was scenic for pictures. Near Praia de Don Ana is Carvi Beach Hotel where Lucas Rooftop restaurant is located. After the beach, I stopped here to have more Portuguese clams (Bulhao Pato). Then I Ubered (less than 10 minutes) to Ponte de Piedade cliffs where there are a group of breathtaking rock formations. These are the same rock formations that I saw on my boat tour the next day, but from a different angle. It was a little windy in this area so you have to be careful when taking photos as you can fall off the cliff! But it was seriously so beautiful. You can actually walk a lot of the coast of Lagos stopping at all the sights via Seven Hanging Valley trail, but I did not have the energy for more walking. I walked some of the trail because the walkway/path intersected at Ponte de Piedade and Praia de Don Ana. I walked by Praia de Camilo beach (another small beach with cliffs) from Ponte de Piedade but was too tired to explore that beach. It looked like it could have been nicer than Praia de Don Ana (perhaps cleaner without kelp?). It’s located right next to Camilo Restaurant, which looks like a good stop for good food and a view. I think that in hindsight, Praia de Camilo beach and Camilo restaurant for lunch would have been a better option vs Praia de Don Ana and Lucas Rooftop because you can walk there from Ponte de Piedade (which I really enjoyed). For laying out and enjoying the beach without kelp, I really enjoyed relaxing at Duna Beach. It’s an easy, white sand beach that stretches for miles. No dramatic cliffs or rocks but super relaxing, calm, clean, clear waters. It has several restaurants on the beach, so you can also stop for food and drinks easily without having to climb up steep steps. On my last day in Lagos, I went on an amazing half day (4 hour) Blue Cruise boat tour with Blue Fleet. It was so relaxing, which was the type of tour I was looking for. It was only $55 and included snacks, lunch, and unlimited drinks while you tour the coast and caves of the south of Portugal. They also give you time to swim. The boat has a small bathroom as well. I met the loveliest people on the tour. I had originally wanted to see the famous Benagil caves but all the tours from Lagos were speedboats and didn’t allow you to disembark so I didn’t think it was worth it. And it didn’t sound relaxing. April is preseason for boat tours though so there may be more options in the summer. Plus, Lagos is a bit far from Benagil. If you’re staying closer, perhaps in Portimao, there may be better tours offered to explore Benagil. My tour went up the coast past Ponte de Piedade, which is in the other direction. I dined at Mimar for wine and tapas and Don Sebastio (Michelin rated casual seafood restaurant with large portions) for seafood rice. I would have loved to try Restaurant de Artistas (also Michelin rated but fancier, small bites) but I was saving that special meal for my last night of my vacation in Lisbon. Mar D’Estorias was a cute little shop in town that also has a rooftop restaurant with a small menu. I also wanted to try Tasca Jota, London Tiger Coffee, Taberna Da Mo, Taninos Wine & Kitchen.

Lisbon (1 additional night): On my last night in Lisbon, Portugal, and my European vacation (2 weeks), I stayed at the My Story Hotel Figueira and loved it. Spacious room, lively restaurant, great service, and a central location. It was the perfect accommodation for the end of my trip. Not to be confused with the other My Story Hotels. I stayed at the My Story Hotel Ouro during the first part of my Lisbon trip and I did not like it at all. Tiny rooms, unfriendly, rude staff, and really strong, unpleasant perfume scented hallways and rooms. Fortunately, the Figueira location was so much nicer! Still had a similar perfume scent as the Ouro location, but a lot more mild. There are also alternative boat accommodation options (The Homeboat Company) at the marina that I think could be fun to stay at. If I had more time, I would have tried that! To celebrate my last night in Lisbon, I enjoyed a special 3 hour and 11 course meal at this charming Michelin rated restaurant on a cute street in the Principal Real district Chef Louise Bourrat won the French version of Bravo Top Chef and manages a women run kitchen. I sat front row at the kitchen bar and got to watch the chefs in action but their back patio is really charming as well. There were two tasting menus to choose from, one inclusive of seafood and meat and the other entirely vegetarian, with the option to add on a wine pairing. My favorite dish was the lamb, which is surprising because I hardly ever eat lamb. The amberjack hamachi was another favorite but all the dishes were delish It was the loveliest last night in Lisbon! I wish I had time to explore more of Principal Real because it looked charming and upscale. I would have loved to have had time for drinks and a bite at Lumi (upscale restaurant with a rootop terrace with a view in the upper part of Bairro Alto, need a reservation) and ceviche at A Cevicheria. If you’re looking for coffee shops, Comoba (near Time Out Market) and Hygge (near Avenue de Liberade) were also recommended to me. In addition to the clams and prawns, tinned fish, particularly sardines, are very popular in Portugal. I don’t love the idea of tinned fish so I didn’t try any at restaurants because I didn’t have anyone to share it with and preferred to pick other dishes. But I did buy some as gifts to bring back home. They serve their tinned fish on toast. Fish croquettes are also popular but I didn’t love it when I tried it. I much preferred ordering clams, prawns, and mixed seafood rice. Whenever I ordered clams or prawns, I’d order a side of rice and pour that into the leftover garlic sauce. Portugal very much reminded me of California. It was charming with it’s cobblestone streets, hills, views, coast, and colorful buildings with beautiful patterned tiles and romantic iron balconies. It’s very international and has delicious seafood. I would love to return and visit Porto and other parts of the Algarve region. I was surprised to have met so many Americans on this part of the trip, on my tours, and when I dined solo sitting at the restaurant bars.

Some travel tips: Most places accept credit card, but majority did not accept American Express. For the most part, you can get away with not bringing cash. However, a few coins were needed for toilets in public places, such as buses, bus stations, train stations, and tourist sights. Some taxis in Portugal did not accept credit card but that was before I discovered I could Uber. I didn’t Uber at all in Italy. It was not really available in Florence and in Rome, I didn’t even bother. It didn’t occur to me because in Florence, it wasn’t an option. We took the tram, mostly walked everywhere, and called a taxi if needed. But in Portugal, I’m thankful the hotel staff recommended Uber because it was less than half the cost of a taxi. Most people in both countries speak English. A great meal in Italy and Portugal are a fraction of the cost in the U.S. and you don’t need to tip. Wear comfy shoes because you’ll be walking a lot, over cobblestone, and uphill. I packed cute shoes, which I managed to wear to Boubou on my very last night in Lisbon but only because I Ubered. Most days, I wore sneakers. I brought one pair of day sneakers for all the walking (Vans) and a pair of nicer white sneakers for dinner and going out at night, that I could wear with pants or a dress. Nice shoes will be ruined with the cobblestone. Most hotels don’t provide water. If they do, it’s a small bottle and then they’ll over-charge you 3 euro to drink their small bottled water in their mini fridge. Better to go to a market and buy a big bottle of water for 60 cent to bring back to the hotel. Europeans often are on strike. You will encounter delays with flights, trains, and traffic because of protests, which they refer to as “manifestations.” Bring allergy meds because of the cigarette smoke. People will rudely smoke next you at a restaurant. Make dinner reservations. Europeans eat late. A lot of restaurants don’t even open until 12:30pm for lunch and 7pm or 7:30pm for dinner. If you want to eat at a restaurant without a reservation, I’d recommend going on the early end when it opens. Otherwise, you might get turned down or stuck waiting. Check out my Instagram for more photos and details of the restaurants I visited and meals I ate. All vacation story recaps are in my highlights. Make sure you like them, share, and follow me!

Oh gosh. Writing this blog post makes me really hungry. It also makes me wish I was still on vacay. The wonderful thing about vacation is that my only goal each day was to explore, try some place new, decide which delicious meal I’m going to eat next, go on a new adventure, and do something that brings me joy. It was all about embracing happiness and pleasure, which can be difficult to do at home when you’re stressed and overwhelmed. I enjoyed being forced to be present and disconnect a little bit from technology, reality, people, toxicity, and responsibilities. I haven’t done that in a long time. It was GREAT! I hope I can continue protecting those boundaries now that I am back home. I hope I can hold onto the peace that I felt there for a little bit longer. I’d like to practice integrating that peace and calm into my everyday life. I think I have awakened my travel bug. Where should I go next?