Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

It was another early morning train ride, this time our destination was Sintra. Our first stop was a trip to the romantic, mystical, magical Pena Palace. It was even more magical and mystical because of the deep fog layer that covered the mountain when we first arrived. Pena Palace or Palacio da Pena is a vibrant, hilltop Romanticist palace featuring diverse architectural styles and panoramic views. The train only took us so far. After getting off the train we hired a cab to take us up as far as he could. Then …. we had to hike up the mountain for about 1/4 mile, straight up, to get to the actual castle. It was well worth it, even if it was yet another tough climb. Portugal has many, many STEEP, STEEP hills all over. If you really want to see and explore Portugal, there is no getting around these steep hills.

Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage site near Lisbon, is a breathtaking hilltop town renowned for its 19th-century Romanticist palaces, misty pine-covered forests, and dramatic, colorful, and eclectic architecture. Major attractions include the iconic Pena Palace, the mystical Quinta da Regaleira, and the medieval Moorish Castle, making it a premier, magical day trip from Lisbon.

Pena Palace is the legacy of the artist king, King Ferdinand II.

The Palace of Pena is the result of two distinct periods, reflected in its complex and seemingly fantastical architecture. To the 16th-century monastery, the consort king Ferdinand II added, in the mid-19th century, an entirely new palace. Even today, the palace’s silhouette clearly reveals these two construction phases, harmoniously combined by 19th-century Romanticism. The two wings served different purposes, although some domestic functions — such as bedrooms, studies and dining rooms — recur in both. However, while private apartments predominate in the former monastery, or Old Palace, state rooms are found only in the New Palace. This architectural duality allows visitors to explore two distinct visitor circuits.

But the construction of Pena Palace actually started much, much earlier. The original construction began in the 12th century, following reports of apparitions of Our Lady, a chapel was erected on this site, and was a religious site for many centuries. King Ferdinand II purchased the castle in 1838, and expanded the castle, mixing and matching architecural styles. This sixteenth century monastery held an enormous degree of fascination for the king stemming both from his Germanic education and the romantic imaginary prevailing at the time that attracted him to the hills and the aesthetic value of the ruins. The original project was simply to restore the building as the summer residence for the royal family but his enthusiasm led him to opt for the construction of a palace and extending the pre-existing construction under the supervision of Baron Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege, a mineralogist and mine engineer who was then residing in Portugal. The building is circled by other architectural structures that appeal to the medieval imaginary, such as the parapet paths, the lookout towers, an access tunnel and even its own drawbridge. The palace incorporates architectural references displaying Manueline and Moorish influences that together produce a surprising scenario recollecting “a thousand and one nights.” The Palace of Pena thus emerged from the combination of the former Hieronymite monastery with a sophisticated 19th-century building, reflecting a taste for Romantic revivalism.

We got there early, which was a good thing. That gave us plenty of time to hike up the mountain, catch our breath, relieve ourselves and explore the grounds a bit before our scheduled tour time. In time, the fog cleared too.

Our time had come to see the inside of the Palace. Once again, we were in awe. It did not disappoint. We started off in the huge kitchen. Again, I would love a BIG kitchen like this. I would have plenty of room for everything I need. 🙂

The Royal China and it’s dragon design.

This room is known as the Hunter’s Room.

King Ferdinand’s private chambers.

The Royal Chapel

We left the Palace and started our trek through the gardens and beyond. Those are going to be in a separate post though, since I have many more pictures and stories to tell about that; too much to add on here, and definitely more than enough to warrant it’s own posting. 🙂

Haver a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride, even the challenging parts. They make it all worthwhile in the end. ‘Til next time.

This was a VERY full and busy day. We stopped for a late lunch, in between activities, at a little place called Tapas & Friends for some Portuguese styled tapas. The food was delicious, and it was a fun little place in the heart of Baixa.

I relaxed a little with a tasty, traditional sangria.

One of the dishes we ordered was some grilled sausage, and this is how the grilled it; on a little open fire portable grill. We noticed this at other places we stopped too.

We also ordered the cod cakes, that we ended up eating quite a few times on our trip, and one of our favorites patatas bravas. Patatas bravas are Spanish, but Spain and Portugal share many things, along with their long borders. The whole Eastern part of Portugal is bordered by Spain, from the north all the way down to the south.

This was just enough to re-energize us for the rest of our day’s activities. It also felt very good to sit down and relax a bit too.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

In between our Fado experiences, we also explored more of Lisboa and Alfama. We took full advantage of our Lisbon Cards and used them as much as we could, all over Lisboa.

One stop that is definitely worth it is “The Story of Lisbon” Museum. They did a great job explaining Lisbon’s and Portugal’s history. It takes you through Portugal’s age of discovery, through the earthquake and into the present. It is an interactive presentation, with audio devices that explain everything to you depending on your location in the museum.

The Age of Discovery

This is the tower you saw earlier. Pieces of Portugal – Part 3 – Belem and Beyond

Political Disodence

Church and State

The great earthquake and fires of 1755.

Everyone was affected, from the Nobles to the poor, and everyone pulled together to help each other.

They even had a simulator that made it seem like you were actually experiencing an earthquake. The earthquake was about a 9 on the Richter scale. I grew up in California, and have experienced many earthquakes. A 9 on the Richter scale is HUGE! The worst earthquakes I’ve experience have been 7’s, and those are plenty bad.

We took a lunch break and a much needed time to sit down and rest a bit before meeting up with our tour guide Tiago, for a tour of the Alfama region of Lisboa.

Alfama is the oldest, most traditional district of Lisboa, and Europe as a whole. Alfama’s story begins with Roman foundations. They established a settlement near hot springs. Visigoths followed, leaving their mark. These early inhabitants shaped the landscape. It dates back to the 8th Century, when Portugal was under Moorish rule. The name “Alfama” is derived from the Arabic word “al-hamma,” meaning “the baths.” Alfama has been a melting pot of cultures, influenced by Romans, Moors, and Christians throughout its history. Narrow alleys and steep staircases reflect Moorish design. Many houses still retain ancient features. The district housed a diverse population. Merchants, fishermen, and artisans lived here. After the Christian Reconquista, Alfama was a vital area. It lay outside the main city walls. The district became home to fishermen and laborers. It developed a distinct community identity. The castle of São Jorge stood guard above and offered protection to the area. Life here was vibrant and authentic. This medieval spirit still lingers today.

We even had our first taste of their local drink Ginjinha, or Ginja. Ginjinha is a sweet licqueuer made from sour cherries. It is all over the Southern regions of Portugal and Lisboa. The local ladies made some and had it available for us to taste. It is often served in little chocolate cups, like how we tried it. It’s VERY good, but a little bit goes a long way. It’s very potent, so it will really hit you if you drink too much. 🙂

And we had to stop and test some more pasteis de natas too. We were sampling our way through Portugal. We never met a pastel de nata we didn’t like. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not about the destination, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

After leaving Castelo Sao Jorge, we headed back into Lisboa. We explored a couple of interesting museums. One was the Museum of Fado. Fado is a way of life to the Portuguese.

Fado is a soulful, melancholy Portuguese music genre originating in 1800s Lisbon, characterized by deep emotional expression (saudade), themes of love, loss, and fate, and accompaniment by classical and Portuguese guitars. Recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, it is performed by soloists (fadistas) in intimate venues, with iconic singers including Amália Rodrigues and modern artists like Mariza. The songs are deeply dramatic, focusing on nostalgia, longing, and the struggles of life. It thrives in small, intimate “Fado houses” (fado houses), often in old neighborhoods like Alfama, Lisbon. Fado isn’t always sad—it’s honest.

This wall represents all the famous Fado singers and performers, or Fadistas.

Portuguese guitars. No, they are NOT mandolins.

A very famous picture of the Fado life in the museum.

This is a portrait of one of the famous Fadistas. You had to look at it from a distance to get the full picture.

Amália Rodrigues is one of the most famous Fadistas in Portugal. This is a tribute to her in Alfama, the home of Fado.

We also enjoyed a Fado show that night too. We tried to go to another one, but it just didn’t happen. It was beautiful. All the Fadistas were fantastic.

We got to enjoy a glass of port with the show too, which was also very good. She had a beautiful voice.

He had a deep, rich baritone voice.

If you have never been to a Fado show, I highly recommend it. In Spain, Flamenco is the music of the people. In Argentina, it is the Tango. In Portugal, it is Fado.

This day included a lot more too, but I will get back to that later. It was indeed a very full day. I can only do so much in one day. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

We had another very busy jam-packed day, this time starting at Castelo Sao Jorge, or St. George’s Castle. This small fortress was built by the Visigoths during the fifth century. It was enlarged by the Moors in the ninth century and modified during the reign of Alfonso I of Portugal (1109 – 1185). In later years, it was transformed into a Royal Palace. Finally, it was completely restored in 1938. The Castle reached its maximum splendor during the thirteenth century and lasted until the sixteenth century when it was occupied by both the Kings of Portugal and the Bishop.

The view of the city from the castle.

We toured around through the castle grounds and were serenated by beautiful peacocks the whole time.

I’ve seen many peacocks, but I’ve never seen white ones before. We saw so many peacocks. Of course they were posing for us so we just had to take a lot of pictures of them.

He was on proud peacock display here. He’s so gorgeous, but he knows it too. 🙂

This one reminded us of our our puma (Otis) and our panther (Nicodemus).

We went inside this cathedral that was adjacent to the castelo. It was being restored at the time, but it is still very impressive. Castles and cathedrals seem to be located next to each other quite often. The church and state were basically one.

This was our first adventure for the day. We had a lot more coming, but we had to go back to the main part of the city first. So I will leave it here for now. Sit back and relax, there is oh so much more to come. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. ‘Til next time.

I think taking tours when in a new place is always a good idea. It is a great way to learn the new spot you are in, and they are almost always fun and informative. The same is true for food tours. You are introduced to new and different foods by taking food tours, plus you are walking all around taking in the sights as well. We took tours all over Portugal. And one of those tours was also a food tour back in the Baixia district.

We met with our guide, Attila, in the Baixia district about 6:30 PM. We had a private tour, since no one else showed up. More for us. 🙂 We started with a vinho verde wine from one of the local hot spots. I love vinho verde wines, and drink them all the time, particularly in the warmer weather.

Vinho Verde is a crisp, low-alcohol wine from Northwestern Portugal renowned for its high acidity, refreshing nature, and light, “spritzy” mouthfeel. Vinho verde means “green wine.” It refers to the lush, verdant region where it’s produced—not its color—and is best enjoyed young (within 3-6 months of harvest) as a perfect, affordable summer wine. Typically they include notes of lemon, white melon, gooseberry, grapefruit, and lime blossom. They are very fresh with and high acidity, and often feature a light sparkle (carbonation) added to brighten the palate. They are blended from indigenous Portuguese grapes like Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura, and Alvarinho. We found out later that almost all of the Portuguese wines are blends. Vinho Verde comes from the Minho region in northern Portugal.

From our first stop for the vinho verde, we went to a little family owned restaurant for some piri piri chicken. The piri piri chicken I’ve made is more Peruvian styled. The one we tried this time is from Mozambique, which was once a Portuguese colony. the two types of piri piri chicken are very different.

And we enjoyed some more vinho verde there as well. The chicken was delicious, as was the wine.

Next stop, another small family owned and operated restaurant for some Portuguese meats. The owner is the older gentleman sitting in the corner, watching everything that is going on inside his restaurant.

Everything was delicious, but we were already very full. There was supposed to be yet another food stop, but since it was just us, we declined that stop. Our last stop was to a little club for an after dinner drink. We had drinks that were like liquid pasteis de nata or like a custard drink, topped with cinnamon or nutmeg. Again, they were very good and tasty.

It’s a good thing we had a nice walk back to our train. We were so full. We are not used to eating or drinking like this. But when in Rome, or in this case, Lisboa, do what the locals do right?! Every now and then is fine, but we can’t do this on a regular basis, that’s for sure. 🙂 Everything was good and it was a fun night and a fun tour to take.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. ‘Til next time.

I guess we had worked up so much of an appetite at this point that I forgot to even get the name of this little family owned and operated restaurant. It was cute and clean, with good food, so that’s all that really matters. It was somewhere in Ajuda. We tried our best to go to small family owned restaurants as much as we could. We always like to help the little guys when we can 🙂

This was “a light meal” so we just ordered one meal and split it between the two of us. Good thing we only ordered one meal. This is still a lot of food. 🙂

We wanted to eat lighter in the mid day because we had a food tour later, back in the Baxia district.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

After touring around the Belem area, we made our way to near-by Ajuda, where we saw the crown jewels and one of the many royal palaces. The amounts of gold, silver, jewels and opulence are just astounding and hard to wrap my head around. But …. it is beautiful and truly a sight to behold.

All of it was very overwhelming, but I did take quite a few photos. I know. You’re all STUNNED. 🙂 🙂 🙂

The Crown Jewels

The churches, both private and public, were just as wealthy, with just as much opulence as the royals. Most of the palaces and wealthy homes also had their own private chapels as well. Many were very extravagant.

From the crown jewels exhibit, we moved on to one of the near-by palaces. Portugal was ruled by the monarchy for 771 years, and there were 35 monarchs who ruled during this time period, from 1139-1910. Needless to say, there are a lot of palaces all around Portugal.

A model of the Ajuda Palace.

And of course, the kitchen. I have to say, I would LOVE a kitchen like this. 🙂

With palaces and royalty, there are also carriages. Believe it or not, there is a carriage museum too. Of course we went. How often do you get to see a carriage museum?

This is a “carriage” of modern design. I don’t think any of the royal members were riding around in this, but wouldn’t it be a fun ride?

The royal ambulance service.

With carriages comes horses. The royal stables have been turned into the stables for the equestrian police units.

At this point, we had worked up quite an appetite. Our next mission was to find a place to eat. But taking time out for lunch was just a little reprieve. We had a lot more adventures in store. This is a good stopping point for now. Trust me, there is plenty more coming your way soon. So sit back and relax. This is just a short intermission. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

Once again, I am accepting the photo challenge from Frank Hubney at https://frankhubeny.blog/ and Dale Cooper at https://cosmicphotochallenge.photo.blog/ Their challenge this time is on bridges. We saw a ton of bridges all over Portugal, that I will share with you.

No, this is NOT the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, but it is a replica in Belem, Lisboa, Portugal.

One of the many border crossings between Spain and Portugal, in the southern region of the Algarve.

Up north, along the Douro River. This is Porto.

In the Douro Valley wine country, where all the Ports are made.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination the matters, it’s the journey. ‘Til next time.

Our next set of Portuguese adventures took us to Belem, another district of Lisboa. Belém is a historic, riverside district in western Lisbon, Portugal, renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage sites, Manueline architecture, and maritime history. It is home to iconic landmarks like the Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, and Padrão dos Descobrimentos. Located about 6km from downtown Lisbon, it’s famous for the Pastéis de Belém custard tarts. We hit all these hot spots and more too.

The first thing we did after getting off the bus was to try the world famous Pasteis de Belem. They are very similar to pasteis de nata, but they are made with a “secret” recipe from the monks at the Jerónimos Monastery that has been trademarked by the restaurant. If they are NOT made here, they can not be called pasteis de Belem, therefore the name they are most commonly known as, pasteis de nata. They are all very good, and the differences are very subtle. But as our guide Bruno said, you have to try them many times before you discover which ones are the best. 🙂 Pasteis de Belem have been made with the same secret recipe since 1837.

This was our breakfast. Larry also tried one of the famous grilled ham & cheese sandwiches that was recommended from some of the videos we watched.

This is the famous restaurant for the Pasteis de Belem. It looks small from the front, but it is actually a very large restaurant with a nice courtyard in the back.

It was decorated with a lot of the azuljelos inside.

After finishing breakfast, we had a little time to stroll around before meeting up with our tour guide Luigi. Luigi took us all around the Belem area and gave us the history. Like Bruno, Luigi was very knowledgeable and informative. We learned so much.

One of the things we wanted to do was go into the cathedral, but it was closed to the public for repairs. It’s HUGE. It covered the whole block.

Here are some of the exterior details. This style is called Manueline. It is a combination of different styles of architecture. It is very prevalent all over Belem and Lisboa.

Before meeting up with Luigi, we strolled through the palace gardens. They were beautifully manicured and well cared for.

All around the gardens were the crests of all the Portuguese kingdoms before they were joined together to make one country. They were beautiful. Here are just a few.

From the park, we could see the Prime Minister or President’s Palace. Portugal has both a Prime Minister and a President. I don’t know which one resides there, but he is obviously a very important Head of State. We knew he was there because of the heavily armed security who were also present. When the President/Prime Minister is not there, there is still security, but not the heavily armed security.

After leaving the gardens, we went to the Padrão dos Descobrimentos or the Monument to the Discoveries. This map of the world shows all the routes to places under Portuguese influence.

And the Padrão dos Descobrimentos. It is the story of everyone who supported the Portuguese explorations. Portugal and the Portuguese navigators are responsible for the discoveries of many parts of the world as we know it today.

We had a semi private tour with Luigi and just one other person.

Do these remind you of famous pieces from other parts of the world? They should. This is a replica of the Golden Gate Bridge, in San Francisco, made by the same people and the same materials.

This big statue of Christ looking over the city is very similar to the one in Rio de Janeiro.

Being right by the sea, of course there are going to be boats and marinas all around too.

Our tour with Luigi ended at the Belem Tower. We couldn’t go in, because once again, it was being repaired and restored.

Our tour with Luigi may have ended here, but Larry and I still had a very full day and went off to explore many other areas on our own. I will go into more details of those other places and things later, but I will end this “tour” with Jerónimos Monastery, which we did on our own, but it was still in the area.

The monks and religious leaders were surrounded by luxury just as much as the kings were.

This is one of the ceilings.

We bought the Lisbon Cards that got us into a lot of the museums, tours and sites for free. If you are going to Portugal, I highly recommend getting them. They are definitely worth the price you pay for them.

We did a lot more this day, but it will be information overload if I give it to you all in one blog. Trust me, I have a plethora of good stuff to share. I want to keep you interested, and not overwhelm you, so I am giving it to you in smaller increments. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not about the destination, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.