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Well, I guess it depends on how mild you want the winters to be. Northern Portugal is more temperate and has a damper cooler winter than Lisbon. Therefore it is greener.
Lisbon has a really good climate, though. With plenty of sun. And with some very pretty seaside towns around it (Not Estoril or Cascais, though---whose appeal I don't get)
I have mixed feelings about the Algarve. I love the landscapes and very picturesque beaches and the very mild winter climate, but it has gotten hugely built up. The traffic along the one connecting road that links all the major towns is a nightmare in summer. And there are loads of resorts, developments, golf courses, etc. that spread all over the landscape. Albufeira, a once picturesque town is for me spoiled. And there are swarms of package tour groups all around. I like Faro, a bigger town that is somewhat immune to the tourist swarms. It feels very Portuguese, but not really pretty or visually appealing.
Guimaraes and Coimbra are wonderful options. As far as weather Lisbon appears as ideal as possilbe in Europe, for those that tend to get seasonal affective disorder(SAD) during the winter which I do.
Would anyone care to offer an opinion on the Principe Real area of Lisbon.
Guimaraes and Coimbra are wonderful options. As far as weather Lisbon appears as ideal as possilbe in Europe, for those that tend to get seasonal affective disorder(SAD) during the winter which I do.
Would anyone care to offer an opinion on the Principe Real area of Lisbon.
When I was in Lisbon in my most recent trip I explored the Principe Royal area by foot. It's a delightful area, full of charming streets and squares, and according to what I read gentrifying rapidly. It's very close to central areas of Lisbon and lively areas like Bairro Alto.
The only thing to remember is that it is very hilly and I remember a long walk uphill to get there and a long walk downhill through Bairro Alto. I'm sure there are easier ways to get there on public transportation though. One thing about Lisbon and most Portuguese cities is that they are very very hilly and you will always be walking up or down.
Just curious, how are the beaches outside of Lisbon?
The beaches around Lisbon are first rate and of all kinds. The closest are around Estoril and Cascais, but are smaller and crowded. Not my favorites. There are beautiful wild beaches to the West of Lisbon and close by is the seaside town of Ericeira which sits prettily above beaches famous for surfing.
South of Lisbon there is the long long stretch of Costa Caparica. I've never been there but understand there are miles of beaches here. And further south there are beaches at Sesimbra, another picturesque fishing town.
Today is presidential election day, although the president plays only a minor role of course, unlike in the US. Here the prime minister governs...
Except for one or two of the 10 candidates I didn't like any of them, including the one in the lead, who infiltrated people's living rooms and minds for years as a political commentator on the country's most popular TV station
Today is presidential election day, although the president plays only a minor role of course, unlike in the US. Here the prime minister governs...
Except for one or two of the 10 candidates I didn't like any of them, including the one in the lead, who infiltrated people's living rooms and minds for years as a political commentator on the country's most popular TV station
He was the only "decent" candidate though. Nearly all of the presidential candidates were a joke.
Guimaraes and Coimbra are wonderful options. As far as weather Lisbon appears as ideal as possilbe in Europe, for those that tend to get seasonal affective disorder(SAD) during the winter which I do.
Would anyone care to offer an opinion on the Principe Real area of Lisbon.
Principe Real is a growing popular area in Lisbon. A lot of gentrefication is going on there. Many artists and bars as well as restaurants. It gets very crowded on Friday and Saturday nights. Very close to Chiado and Bairro Alto areas.
They said today that at almost 400 tons Portugal has the 13th largest gold reserves in the world, more than the UK, Saudi-Arabia or Spain. Not bad for a broke country
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