a travel blog by renata green
If I can, you can do it, too
The Azores islands offer pure nature, and as some people always feel the urge to compare places with each other, the archipelago is often referred to as the Hawaii of Europe. As a matter of fact, Sao Miguel, the largest one of the Azores, offers a comprehensive variety of the best things to see and do in a few days in this piece of paradise located about halfway between Europe and North America.
Basically all travelers of the Azores visit São Miguel, and many of them stay exclusively on this most prominent one of the islands. And indeed, you’ll find all the attractions the archipelago has to offer here in one spot: breathtaking natural beauty, outdoor adventures, and rich cultural experiences. Yet, despite its growing popularity, São Miguel remains relatively unspoiled by mass tourism. It maintains an authentic, relaxed atmosphere that makes it perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle and reconnect with nature.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Aruba was actually one of the first islands in the Caribbean that opened its hearts’n’harbors to international visitors by installing well-working touristy infrastructures. Today, Aruba is an absolute A-Lister when it comes to a dream vacation in the West Indies.
However, while most visitors are coming for the dreamy sand beaches, it would be a big mistake to miss out on the natural wonders Aruba is hiding in its hinterland.
In this post, I have you covered by telling you about all the wonderful spots you should not miss when visiting this self-proclaimed happy island.
Buenos Aires and me – from the must-sees to the hidden gems: It was love at first sight. The stately baroque architecture like in Barcelona, the elegant cafés – even a bit more charming than those in Paris. Old-fashioned gelato parlors like in Rome. The powerful street art of Bogotá next to the picturesque decay of old Havana, and an entire neighborhood named after Palermo.
In short: This city simply has it all.
The beauty and energy of Buenos Aires took me by storm – and was definitely the highlight of my trip to Argentina.
This Way to the Whole Story ->On my railroad trip through Portugal, I experienced how travelling the country by train is easy-peasy, cheap, and fun.
Hence, let me guide you from mesmerizing Porto all the way south to Lisbon – with some amazing whistle stops in between.
Do you hear the whistle blow? Quick – jump on the train and let’s go!
This is a completely revised, updated, and expanded edition of one of my first 24 hours in… posts. This series was created because, like most travelers, I’m always on the hunt for the cheapest flights possible. The downside is that this often includes connecting flights and, especially on transatlantic flights, I have a longer stopover in a city. Instead of killing time at the airport in annoyance, I venture to the center and this way, enjoy an extra city break. Funnily enough, my first two visits to Lisbon were stopovers: once on the return flight from Miami and the second time on the outbound flight to Santiago, the capital of Cape Verde. This inspired me to summarize in a short guide what you can see and do in Lisbon in 24 hours.
By the way, I now deliberately postpone connecting flights to include short stays like this when my schedule allows it. Hence, I recently booked the flights on my flight to the Azores so that I could spend time in Porto on the outward flight and in Lisbon on the return flight.
I hope I can inspire you to make a virtue out of a supposed necessity.
I’m back in Lisbon. It’s been far too long – you know, with the pandemic and all. But now I’m back, and as I take a good look around, I realize how beautiful this city is and how much I’ve missed it: The steep cobblestone alleys, the past glory of the palaces alongside the boulevards, and the shabby charm of the houses in the backstreets. The majestic views from countless outlooks, and of course the lovely ring of the rickety trams.
Come on, follow me down memory lane, and let’s re-discover the best of Lisbon!
Although Porto is certainly not a major hub, it’s still Portugal’s second largest airport with many connections all over Europe and also to remote Portuguese territories such as the Azores. Since Porto is such a mesmerizing city full of beauty and wonders, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to get a taste of the city during a short visit – I’m sure you’ll come back soon for more. But now I’ll show you how you can have a perfect stay of up to 24 hours in Porto.
Hand luggage – I’m a big fan, a huge supporter, and a passionate user. Where possible, I even try to travel exclusively with hand luggage. Not only because the cheap airlines charge almost the same amount you’ve paid for the ticket for checking luggage.
No, it’s simply much more comfortable and so much faster. Although, since they established the security regulations regarding liquids, it has become a bit tricky.
Once I got even almost arrested at a French airport for carrying cheese.
But mostly it’s really much more handy. The longest I ‘survived’ on hand luggage was four weeks in the ABC-islands and while island-hopping in the Canaries. And neither of these places did I stink up.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Somehow Portugal also seems to be one of the countries overpowered by centralism. Everyone is flocking to the capital Lisbon, which is groaning under the masses of tourists and has to be careful to remain livable for the locals.
Hence, while others are stressed out, Porto pours herself a glass of amber-colored port wine and relaxes as she gazes down the Douro River.
Instead of overwhelming her visitors with innumerable presumably must-see landmarks, Porto invites her guests to take a relaxed stroll down picturesque streets and alleys and offers them a creamy Galão in one of the many charming cafés. The city impresses with cool street art and delights the eye with gorgeous church façades covered in exquisite Azulejos and what is probably the most famous bookstore in the world.
By now, you’ve probably noticed: Porto is one of my favorite cities in Europe and I’m excited to show you the best the city on the Atlantic coast has to offer – also if, just like me, you travel solo.
This is the third and last part of the murals I saw during my recent trip to Lisbon. Already in some of my past posts on urban art, I took you to some rather inhospitable neighborhoods. Whether the 13th Arrondissement of Paris, Copenhagen’s Nordvest neighborhood, or the satellite town of San Pablo in the northeast of Seville – hardly any sightseer makes his way to these places on the outskirts of Europe’s glittering metropoles.
And in Lisbon, too, you have to leave the picturesque historic old town and roam through high-rise developments like Moscavide to see some of the best street art the city has to offer.
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