Provided there is a swell to be had from the south, the popular Portuguese resort of Faro can be a fantastic place to pull on your wetsuit for a spot of surfing. Reached easily on flights from across Europe, Faro can be the perfect base for a relaxing holiday, with the bonus of as many memorable surfing sessions as you can handle!
Flickr: hungrybrowser
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Approaching Évora, Roman walls suggest you should keep out. While this town in Portugal’s Alto Alentejo region looks like it is indeed ready for battle, upon entering you will find what appears to be a quaint medieval settlement. Évora has fooled you yet again. This town is not cute and quaint, but downright spooky. If you love horror movies and find yourself counting down the days to Halloween, if ghost shows really do it for you, Évora is your town. With many cheap flights to Europe, visiting Évora is relatively easy.
Flickr: Sr. Ganso
The Cathedral of Évora looks ready and willing for battle just by its design alone. The Sé features a number of domes in different shapes and sizes. Quasimodo maybe hanging out in Notre Dame in Paris, but his Portuguese cousin could be here in Évora. You must pay to enter the Cathedral and enjoy walking on its roof. Roof access to the Sé comes through dark and narrow corridors that lead up to the terrace, allowing you to get up close and personal with those domes, along with Évora from above. At night, the domes are lit up, only adding to their spook factor. This cathedral is unlike most you see in Europe. It also carries a bit of history for it was here explorer Vasco da Gama had his ship flags blessed.
Near Évora’s Cathedral is the Templo Romano, out in the open air and in plain sight. Rediscovered in the 19th century, the temple is believed to date back to the second century. The Corinthian columns are incredibly intact, making it the best-preserved Roman monument in all of Portugal. But why is it so preserved? The temple was walled up in the Middle Ages, inadvertently contributing to its preservation. The Templo Romano did not always have the best of intentions. It was used as the town’s slaughterhouse at one time. Knowing this, your skin might crawl while standing next to those Corinthian columns.
Praca do Giraldo is the main square in town. Here, you will discover mostly tourist cafes and their menus, but it is a pleasant place to perch while in town, or so it seems. On the surface, Praca do Giraldo has all of the elements of a fine town square. Dig a little deeper and it was the site of a public burning of victims of the Spanish Inquisition in the 16th century. In the 1970s, agrarian reforms were also debated in this seemingly uncomplicated space.
Rounding out the spookiness of Évora, Capela Dos Ossos fits the bill. Literally meaning, the Chapel of Bones, the chapel within Igreja de São Francisco is composed of the skulls and bones from 5,000 people. The chapel was constructed in the 17th century in such a fashion to serve as a reminder of death, a note on the human condition. Perhaps the creepiest element to the Capela Dos Ossos is the words at its entrance. A sign at the top of the chapel reads, “Our bones await yours”. Admission into the Capela Dos Ossos costs just €1.50, or you could wait and seemingly get in for free according to those words.
Most in Europe are looking for those quaint towns, those places that seem so sweet. Évora is sweet, but it is also a good place to get to know the past in more ways than one. The town will have the hairs on the back of your neck standing up and the goose bumps plaguing your arms. If you enjoy being spooked, Évora has all of the elements for spooking so grab yourself one of those last minute flights and get exploring.
Written by: Suzy Guese
Portugal’s capital has always been one for dramatics, including its very location. Across seven hills, Lisbon makes a home. Its roots have proven to be both prosperous and tumultuous. In 1755, an earthquake decimated the city, destroying much of the riches Portuguese exploration worked so hard to show off. Lisbon would rebuild, this time a little more earthquake proof. Despite destruction, Lisbon has a unique feel over other European capitals. It isn’t like this city or that city. It marches to the tune of its own boisterous fado music. Travelers in search of this unique capital city can look forward to the ride that is Lisbon.
Image: iPhil Photos
You can spot the classic yellow cable cars a mile away in Lisbon. They are everywhere, a favorite means of transportation for both tourists and pickpockets. Hang on to your valuables and hop on Tram 28 for a wild ride through the city. Some of the drivers might turn your look around Lisbon into more of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disneyland. The Tram 28 route goes passed all of the major sites in Lisbon at a very low cost. You get a lay of the land and a rollercoaster ride in the process.
Tram 28 can let you off right in front of Castelo de Sao Jorge. The ruined castle has a somewhat steep entrance fee to see just that, ruins. The Visigoths, Moors and Christians have all called this castle their own at some point in time. While you do you have to buy admission to roam the Castelo de Sao Jorge, it seems worth it when you can see Lisbon’s entire orange tiled roofs in one view. Look out for Ponte 25 de Abril. The bridge looks a lot like San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. That isn’t a coincidence. The same company that built San Fran’s constructed Lisbon’s own piece of the City by the Bay
Lisbon’s Cathedral is openly a survivor first and foremost. While most of the city’s structure suffered after several of Lisbon’s earthquakes, the Sé stuck it out. While battered and bruised, the Cathedral is still incredibly intact. It was originally a mosque until it was transitioned into a church. Its position in the city is somewhat strange as it is not in a big expansive square. Rather it sets up at the meeting of tramlines near the Alfama district.
The maze like neighborhood of Alfama is one of the few areas that survived the 1755 earthquake. Perhaps due to surviving what the rest of the city couldn’t, its residents are resilient and headstrong. This might be the area you will hear a neighborhood squabble. The steep, narrow cobblestone streets snake in designs so characteristic of Lisbon. Even your feet need eye candy. Alfama is also one of Lisbon’s oldest inhabited areas. The Visigoths occupied it as far back at the 5th century. The Moors would turn the space into an upper-class residential area. At night, listen for establishments with tradition fado music blaring from windows and open doors.
To know Lisbon, you must drink with her. The Bairro Alto neighborhood of the city is not just one of Lisbon’s oldest neighborhoods, but it is also where the drink special flow like there is no tomorrow and no hangover with it. The streets come alive in the evening hours and early morning moments. Aside from bar hopping, the Bairro Alto is also a nice area to grab a traditional Portuguese meal at one of its many restaurants.
Written by: Suzy Guese
It is true that the Algarve might not be as popular a backpacking destination compared to Thailand and central Europe. However, as I was in search of a heavy dose of sun and sea on my gap year, the Algarve’s call was too strong to ignore…and not a million miles away.
The Algarve is an incredibly popular destination for tourists, so it is easy to be caught out amongst the numerous tourist traps. So be warned and be wise; if it is too good to be true, it probably is. However, in my opinion, this excludes the following:
Water Sports
Although the Algarve’s sun-kissed beaches are busy, they are not near the levels of the inner city: providing you with an adequate escape from the hectic city environment. The beaches of the Algarve are famed for their water sport opportunities which you’d be mad to pass up. For the adrenaline junkies: jet-skiing and windsurfing are incredibly popular. However, as I was still tired from the flight (not scared), I opted for the tranquil experience of scuba diving in Lagos. The transparent waters allows for excellent visibility and an incredibly memorable experience.
Golfing
Golf is an incredibly popular pastime in the Algarve due to year-round fantastic weather and the gorgeous greenery that make up the courses. After my day of swimming with fishes, I was ready to show those golf balls who’s boss and attempted to show off my impressive swing. The less said about my final score the better… Due to the prestige of some of the golfing courses, it is wise to book online to avoid disappointment/expensive ‘on-the-day’ prices.
Markets
Having had quite enough of the tourists on the beaches and golfing resorts, it was high time for me to come off the beaten track and on the road to Quarteira market. I really got a feel for the ‘local’ Algarve as I watched the residents sell their wares at various stalls. However, crime is rife in these marketplaces, so make sure you keep an eye on your wallet…or the bargains you bagged might come at a bigger price than you realised…
Food and Wine
Dining in the Algarve is an experience like no other; the food and the wine are simply out of this world. As a student and therefore an avid cheese enthusiast, I was keen to try out some of the local cheeses. Highly recommended: queijo da Serra. Simply divine.
The Algarve isn’t just for sun-seeking tourists: there’s plenty more to do on the beach than lie down. So make sure you pack your snorkel, golf clubs and appetite and the Algarve will be your perfect gap year escape.
Author Bio: Jade Eva
Jade Eva is an English Literature student who has read books based in all the corners of the world. But now she wants to see it for herself. From Verona to Vegas, Peru to Portugal, Jade will see it all!
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