Praia Dona Ana | L a g o s | Portugal

Our arrival to the town of Lagos on the Western Algarve Coast commenced the do as little as possible /  beach - pool - shower - dinner - repeat / official relaxation portion of our Portugal trip!!

Yes I have a 4.5 and a 1.5 year old so perhaps my definition of relaxation is on a sliding scale. These boys love discovering a new beach to play on and explore though!! 

The Algarve is a long stretch of Atlantic Ocean coastline in Southern Portugal with many popular beach locations. We researched a bit about Faro, Alvor and Albufiera which all seemed lovely; there are stunning bronze shorelines that meet golden cliffs in abundance any which way you go about it. 

Deciding on Lagos came down to a feeling and finding an Airbnb @ IberLagos with excellent proximity to the splendid shores of Praia de Dona Ana. The pristine pools were a nice bonus! We opted for convenience over needing to see every beach in town / we avoided piling into the car and walked down to Dona Ana everyday. Restaurante Marisol tucked into the cliff side kept us all happy with to-go cocktails, popsicles and on one occasion a respite from the sandy shores with a fun family lunch!!

The boys were big fans of the kiddie pool and fountain at our Airbnb.

Praia de Dona Ana - sought out the most beautiful beach in Lagos, played there every day!

Rossio Square + Baixa | Lisbon

 

Day 2 in Lisbon! Bob had to work this morning so the boys and I headed out on a walk in search of their two favorite things: toys and snacks. Perhaps we were in search of my favorite thing too: brightly colored azulejo tiles. 

Beyond the construction which was an actual barrier across street intersections on Rua da Prata we discovered an entire elegantly laid out pedestrian friendly area, where wide open streets are perfect for strolling and shopping. I got a Super Bock tee shirt. Camden got Milka Chocolate and a Lisbon tram tee. Ryder got a Lollipop. They got a set of toy race cars to share. 

I learned the streets of the Baixa grid are named after old professions. Rua dos Douradores (our street) is after gilders. Rua dos Correiros are saddlers. Then Rua da Fanqueiros is fabric traders. 

We regrouped with Bob at the Airbnb as he finished work and headed out together down Rua dos Sapateiros (cobblers!) under the Arco do Banderia into the hub of Baixa, Rossio Square.  The waves of the ocean represented in the pavement tiles really spoke to me. As did A Ginjinha Espineria a tiny bar counter in Rossio where you order a sweet liqueur made from sour cherries known as Ginja. It is served in a shot glass and you sip it. 

More specifically, Ginjinha is Morello Cherries soaked in a distilled spirit called aquardente. There are multiple locations of tiny bars that serve it, constituting a quintessential Lisbon experience. There might be a line but it moves quickly and everyone mingles outside anyways so it's fun. 

It is actually really cool for me to connect the tiles here in Portugal with the tiles on the promenades fronting Ipanema and Copacabana beaches. Portugal's are the OG with Brazil modeled after them. 

The shopping and the strolling continued. Camden picked out trinkets for his cousin Lilah, his neighborhood best friends Sammy and Adeline, and his Nana! Then, we turned down Rua das Portas de Santo Antao a pedestrian only walkway off Rossio Square. Drinks at a local Cervejaria brought to you by the racecars the boys picked out earlier. A paper tablecloth lending itself as a racetrack brought to you by Camden's creativity / happenstance. Then we stopped briefly at Elevador do Lavra before continuing to Avenida Da Liberidade. 

S U P E R  B O C K love. 

Day 2: Still so into you, Lisbon. The rest of DAY 2 and NIGHT 3 choose your own adventures next!