| Summer 2000 : | |
(by clicking the photo they get larger)
 |
Portugal, is a very very nice country. It is full of interesting places and cities: that’s why I really suggests to everybody who is very fond of travelling like me, to choose Portugal as destination for your next holidays. Besides, the Portuguese people are so kind and polite as they always show you their great sense of hospitality. |
Oriente railway station, Lisbona |
 |
Your stay should last at least 1 week as you need 3-4 days to visit Lisbon. Lisbon is a very lively town where we can see crowded streets, big museums and so on… First of all you should visit the two most popular quarters of the town: The Alfama andThe Barrio Alto quarters, the first one on the south east hill of the town, the other on the North western one. |
Mirador de S. Lucia, Lisbona |
 |
When you visit the Alfama, you get there by the most famous mean of trasport of Lisbon: the electric tram, which climbs up throughout the lively narrow old streets with the ancient typical houses on both sides, decorated outside with the azulejos, which are tiles painted in blue and white. At the top of the hill, you can admire the landscape of the town which stands on the mouth of the river Tago which flows into the Atlantic ocean.You can watch it from the Mirador of Santa Lucia, the most romantic place in Lisbon. It’s a terrace full of flowers and decorated with ancient wonderful azulejos. |
| A typical electric tram |
 |
You shouldn’t lose the visit of the most important museums and monuments as well: like The Tower of Belem which is the symbol of Lisbon, the Jeronimos monastery, the Navy museum and the Coaches museum. The Expo area, is the big area where in 1998 it took place the last world exposition of the millennium. There you can still admire wonderful examples of modern architecture: fountains, buildings, and above all the European biggest shopping centre called “Vasco da Gama” with more than 400 shops together with many restaurants, cinemas, theatre and pubs inside. |
| The Expo 1998 area, Lisbona |
 |
The best way to move around Portugal is by car, as the trains are usually very slow. Anyway, the only two cities I can suggest you to visit by Train are Porto and Braga as you can get easily there by the Alpha train which is a special fast train which links Lisbon to the North of the country. |
| The central square in Braga |
 |
.Braga,
Obidos and Sintra, are 3 very interesting town. Obidos, because it lies on a mountain, surrounded by big medieval walls with all little typical white Portuguese houses, decorated with the typical azulejos.Braga is a wonderful town at the northern border with the Spain. It it full of ancient houses and fountains as it is a bath centre. If you go there don’t miss the visit to the Bom Jesus, the 16th monastery with the gorgeous white stair: one of the most charming view of the country. Sintra is a suburb of Lisbon, in fact you get easily there in 20 minutes by train. It has got three castles, the most important one is the Pena Palace, on the top of a mountain, surrounded by a big park. It is a curious colourful castle, decorated with monsters and supernatural creatures. |
| Monastery BonJesus,Braga |
Portugal is not expensive at all. The only big cost you have to afford is the fare of the plane. It’s not very confortable to get to Portugal from Italy, with other means of transport, like the train or the car as the journey may last around 48 hours. A vacation in Portugal, except for the cost of the plane is quite cheat, as in Lisbon the ticket for the tram or the metro costs about 0.52 Euro, while the dinner in a restaurant for tourists in the downtown of Lisbon does not cost more than 7-10 Euros. Besides, the entrance to the museums costs 3, 10 Euro, or 1,55 Euro, if you are a student or a retired person.
And here you have the four “stars” of the holiday
From left to right: Lia, Francesca, Simona and Eva.
| Click here |  |
to came back to my Home Page |