Lisbon City Break
Alison's City Break to Lisbon
Day 1
We arrived in Lisbon after a short flight from Manchester to Lisbon with Ryanair. After just a 30 minute private transfer we arrived at the lovely hotel – Browns Boutique Hotel in the Baixa area in the heart of Lisbon. Breakfast was included but this was taken at its sister hotel – Browns Central Hotel over the road. There was a great selection at breakfast and all the staff were very pleasant. They gave us a map of the city and lots of tips on getting a Lisbon Travel card to use on all public transports- bus/trams etc.
Our first stop was at the Time out Market. Selling all different types of food and drinks to suit everyone’s taste, it had a great bustling atmosphere.
En-route we strolled down Pink Street, which is a vibrant street and famous for its colourful hanging umbrellas. It is a trendy spot with lots of bars and restaurants and the odd local busker.
We chose to go up a Funicular (Gloria), as it has great views at the top and all the buildings are painted in pinks and blues very pretty. There is a square overlooking the city and lots of Market huts selling drinks and snacks.
Day 2
We took the hours train journey to Cascais. This town is a charming beach side town with a pretty harbour and plenty of shops bars and restaurants to browse around.
On the way back from Cascais we also stopped off at the must see town of Belem, brimming with history and culture. There you can visit many attractions including Belem Tower, Cathedral and Belem Palace. Oh, and you must try the local custard tart, “Pateis de Belem” sold in lots of cafes and delightful pastry shops.
Day 3
We took the 40 minute tram ride to the old town Alfama- we joined the tram at Martin Moniz , which I feel is the best location to join the tram as it gets very busy. It takes you through the old neighbourhoods of Graca, Alfama and Baixa- great scenery of the Cathedrals and Castles- hold on tight as it does go quite fast down some of the routes.
Lisbon is a great city, and I could have stayed a few more days as there is lots to see and do, will definitely be returning soon.
For more information on Lisbon, contact Alison on 01706 250006
After first going back to Vietnam for a few nights, this time to the busy bustling Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to see our son, we then flew to Phuket and enjoyed a relaxing few days on the beach in Khao Lak. Staying at the lovely beachfront property of Ramada Resort by Wyndham. Bed & breakfast is fine to do here as there are so many lovely restaurants within walking distance to try a different one every night. The food in Thailand is amazing and there is something for everybody, even the fussiest of eaters. From here there is the opportunity to do a boat trip across to the Similan Islands, an established National Park with impressive limestone scenery both above and below the water. From Khao Lak, we were then picked up by minibus and transported a couple of hours to Khao Sok National Park, where we were staying at The Elephant Camp at Elephant Hills. Staying in tented accommodation (but with flushing toilets and showers!) we had the chance to get up close, stroke and feed the elephants at the camp that have been rescued from various places throughout Thailand. Surrounded by stunning scenery, this was an amazing experience. Our second night at Elephant Hills was 3 hours journey away from the Elephant Camp, by road and boat. Staying at The Lake Camp on Cheow Larn Lake, once again in tented accommodation but over the water. Here we had a couple of relaxing days spent kayaking, swimming, wildlife and bird spotting and paddle boarding amongst more amazing scenery. After Elephant Hills we then had a private transfer down to Krabi where we spent a few nights on the bustling Ao Nang Beach. This resort is very different to the quieter Khao Lak with lots of tourist shops, bars, hotels, hostels etc. It was a great place to experience the tourist side of Thailand. There are many boat excursions from here across to the Phi Phi Islands, Maya Bay (where ‘The Beach’ was filmed), Hong Lagoon etc where more limestone pinnacles and islands can be seen.
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