My Favorite City in Europe

My favorite city in Europe is now Lisbon, Portugal. I fell in love with the city before I even exited the plane. Lisbon's gorgeous beaches and city are breathtaking. Arriving in the early afternoon, I settled into my hostel and explored the city. Our hostel was located in the city center, known as the Bairro Alto district. We decided to take the train to see the Belém Tower. The Belém Tower served as the main entrance and exit port through Portugal for many of the world's greatest explorers, including Vasco De Gama.  Erected in 1515, it is the oldest monument I have been in.

We started our day early Saturday with a free three-hour walking tour, which took us all over Lisbon. We saw some of the most historic spots as well as some of the most scenic spots. After this,  we headed to a local beach known as Costa De Caparica. This was a beautiful beach but did not compare to the one we visited the next day.

On Sunday, we took the train out to Cascais, the most beautiful beach I have ever been to. The water was crystal clear, the sand was baby soft, and the view of the rocks surrounding the cove was gorgeous. It was very hard to leave Cascais for the airport. However, we decided to leave a bit early so we could have a traditional Portuguese meal in Lisbon. Our meal included grilled grouper, lamb chops, and swordfish, vegetables, and very delicious steaks. It was one of the best meals I have ever eaten, an amazing way to end an amazing weekend in an AMAZING city.