The first stop traveling around the world
Arriving in Portugal was a bit of a blur. We left Virginia in the afternoon with our 2 large suitcases, 3 small suitcases, bag of car seats, and a backpack each. After landing in Lisbon and getting the fast track customs line thanks to our youngest, we relaxed in one of the lounges before boarding a plane for Porto. Lisbon airport was an interesting experience because we took a bus to and from our planes, which was especially trippy upon landing in the dark and exhausted. Once in Porto, we got a car to our place so we wouldn’t be managing public transit with luggage in tow. We stayed at Casa São João by Ana Ferro Rentals in a sleepy area south of Porto. The place was perfect for our family with 3 bedrooms, multiple bathrooms, plenty of sunlight, and an outdoor space to eat and play. We were a little worried when we found out the washer and dryer were in a separate small structure shared with the two other units on the lot but we quickly adapted.
We lived near Aguda beach for the month and became familiar with the neighborhood. The kids enjoyed the path to the train past the grocery, occasionally visiting and grabbing a couple lollipops on the way. She really reminded us of the friendly UPS delivery driver back home. We spent most of our time in Aguda at the beach and traveling up and down between Porto and Aviero. The town was nicely placed between along the train, but I wish we were nearer to one of the main stops on the train path to Sao Bento, as that was the more desirable stop in Porto. Highlights of where we stayed: short walk to the beach, the bakery across the street, the friendly woman at the nearby grocery who got into the habit of giving each kid a lollipop when we came in, and the aquarium on a rainy day. The kids developed the freedom to independently get pastries for the family at the bakery and grab items at the grocery. Despite all that we did and saw in Portugal, our kids’ favorite days were tide pooling and playing at the nearby beach.
From where we stayed, we not only had access to Porto by train but other smaller destinations. We spent one day in Aviero, where we rode a moliceiro, ate Ovos Moles, explored the city sites, and tied ribbons to the friendship bridge in dedication to friends from back home we miss. We also made a few trips to Espinho. The first time was to have a random afternoon adventure and track down some better fitting clothes for our growing A3. The second time was to indulge in all you can eat sushi and play at the nearby beach, which was full of surfers.
We had enough outings in Porto such that the city went from loud and exotic to familiar. On our last arrival at Sao Bento station, A5 and I discussed how crazy it is that a place that once felt so new feels so familiar. In Porto, we walked many paths and enjoyed the views. We climbed many hills and steps, stumbled into a large book fair with kid activities, got lost in the Crystal Gardens, ate olives in Mercado do Bolhão, pet cats at O Porto dos Gatos, climbed Clerigos Tower for a wet and overcast view of the city, rode the Tram 1, explored Fort São João Baptista da Foz, attempted to visit Molhe e Farolim de Felgueiras (a lighthouse), wound through narrow alleys, crossed the different levels of the Luís I Bridge, played at Jardim do Morro and Jardim de Joao Chagas, dove into the Saint Francis Catacombs to see tombs and bones, feasted on the light show at Clerigos Church, ate Pastel de Bacalhau and listened to a free concert at Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau, toured and tasted port at Taylor’s Port Wine Cellars, rode a boat along the Duoro, and browsed Ale Hop. Restaraunts we enjoyed include ramen at Buga Ramen, detroit style pizza at Angry Box, traditional Portuguese food in the Time Out Market, and coffee at 7g Roaster (highly recommend for their coffee, atmosphere, and very kind staff).
We had a car for one week to visit with friends in Lisbon and further explore the nearby area. These smaller adventures included hiking Parque das Serras do Porto, braving the Paiva Walkways and 516 Arouca bridge, exploring ruins in A Guarda, and enjoying putt putt and the beach in Costa Nova.
Our biggest adventure with the car was to Lisbon so K could celebrate her 40th with a good friend from college who flew in from Colorado with her family to celebrate. We had a large apartment that fit the ten of us – four adults and six kids. It was a bit chaotic in a lovely way. The kids were thrilled to have friends to play and interact with. Leading up to the trip, the kids were asking daily about when we were going to meet with our friends. We initially met up in Sintra to explore Pena Palace together. Our family parked in the free and available parking in town and opted out of the sixty euro tuk-tuk ride to the top, arguably a mistake because the hike was a steep one along the side of a busy narrow rode. We narrowly survived the hike and ate a packed lunch in the Parque de Pena before continuing our hike up to the palace. We had a little time to kill before our tour so we gave the kids the opportunity to clamber around, in, and on some nearby boulders. We explored the palace, but didn’t explore the terrace much because everyone was reaching their exhaustion limits so we enjoyed a few good views and photos before making the trek to the entrance where we paid for a ride back to our cars. Getting to our place was another adventure because we were located in a historical (party!) neighborhood that only residents and taxi drivers could enter. As a result, wives were delivered with luggage and children while husbands either parked or returned the rental car. I was nervous when I realized we were in the clubbing district but our floor was high and the windows had amazing insulation. In Lisbon, we walked a ton and rode the 28. My friend was ill one day so we had 3 adults and 6 kids exploring Lisbon by foot and tram. We managed a few sites, a little shopping, and a packed lunch at Praça do Comércio. My friend and I managed a somewhat disappointing tuk-tuk tour of Belem the next day but also some productive shopping and a dinner with fado at A Severa.
Leaving Lisbon, we made a stop in Obidos where we met a former Seattlite in the Silver Cost Book Exchange. Once inside the walls of the city, we felt that we had stumbled into a fairy tale. We walked through the town, stopped for J and I to try ginja in a small chocolate cup. We browsed a few shops and Livraria de Santiago before climbing atop and crossing the walls of the city. This was a little unnerving with the smaller kids but we survived while enjoying sweeping views of the town and country. Before leaving, J and I tried on more ginja in a chocolate cup at the entrance to the city and found it to be a superior experience compared to the first we had, especially when adding in the nearby live music. Just outside the city walls, we enjoyed lunch and a few Pastel de natas before leaving. I would recommend this stop for anyone looking to feel sent back in time and/or with a strong love for books.
After we left Portugal, I look back an remember most the slow days in Aguda. On these days we enjoyed family walks and playing at the beach. By the time we left, we were comfortable in our environment and it showed. We noticed more people speaking Portuguese to us. And we had people in the area familiar with who we were. We enjoyed the food, the beach, the endless views in Porto, the very cheap Super Bock and coffee, and the overall generosity and kindness of those we interacted with.
