Surfing in Portugal (Ericeira)

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Bus from Sintra to Ericeira

If you have been reading this blog for a while, then you know that I don't really do extreme sports or adrenaline pumping activities. I usually go visit castles and go on city walks. This time on my trip to Portugal, B and I decided to do something very sporty especially after we got a great recommendation by our host at the Lanui Guesthouse. We went SURFING!!!! I was playing with the idea for a while especially when I went to Sri Lanka and was told that surfing is becoming big there, but time wasn't enough so I didn't. Surfing was completely unplanned for this trip, but we are extremely glad we tried it! We were even due to fly that same night. We woke up early, went for some shopping in Sintra then we packed and headed to the Bus station. We took the 12:25 bus from Sintra Train/bus station to Ericeira. The bus took longer than expected and we were late for the lesson, but thankfully we made it there a few minutes after everyone else. 

Surfing in Portugal

The lesson started at 1:30pm. We started with learning the three main moves on land and then we were taken to the water to try them. There was a small class of us of eight and two instructors. We queued up in the water with our boards and it was go go, but exactly what we needed to get on with it and used to the moves. By half way, we were able to stand on the board and even have full surf moments (yes I just made that name up!). I know how to swim, but I am usually scared when I go deeper into the sea, but this beach was PERFECT! The ground of it was great for standing. After a while, I got used to the water and was just floating with my board. Everyone else was a beginner too, which was fun for us all to try and encourage each other.  

The wet suite was the right size, but the gripe on the neck felt so weird, but I forgot about it once I was in the water. The beach was COLD but thankfully with the movement and the suit I couldn't feel it. I got back with hands and feet tan lines. That beach was busy with surfers but I would have loved to spend a few extra hours just chilling there too. 

I would highly recommend that you try it! 

Company: Activity Surf Centre Ericeira
Price: Two Hours Surfing Lesson: 1pm to 3pm for 30 euros each including wet suite and equipments. 
Bookings: directly on their website. 

Over to you: Have you been surfing before? Where did you do it and what did you think!!

Recommended Eats in Sintra 

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I don't usually write extensively about food on this blog, but since I found that the food in Lisbon and Sintra was a hit and miss, I thought I will share the hits. In the six days I was there, I got a couple of mouth watering meals and a couple of really bad meals that I couldn't even finish. Be warned this post will make you hungry! I am already craving them and it's only been a day since I left! 

The same pointers I mentioned in the recommended eats in Lisbon applies, so if you haven't read that post, it might be a good to do so! 

Lunch in Sintra

We had a few lunches that were just sandwiches and pastries. All were nice but nothing special to report back expect for one place below! 

Ekvilibro: Vegan Restaurant in Sintra

After all the indulging above, we thought, we will go for a healthier option. We saw Ekvilibro, a vegan place on the road and we were intrigued. They also had a good offer of wrap + salad + a hot drink and a cold drink all for 5 euros. They were all very delicious. They only had four tables urging the lunch service, but you can grab it and eat it wherever if it's too busy. 

Ps. This place offers yoga lessons, massages and vegan and organic products. 

Dinner in Sintra

Tasca de Xico

This was a recommendation from one of the nice shop keepers that we met in Sintra. It was a good place that served fresh fish and a few other options. They served traditional desserts that were OK. The cod on toast starter and the main were worth the trip and the price though. 

Incomum by Luis Santos

I left the best for last! The food in Incomum by Luis Santos was so good we wanted to cry. I am just glad the people next to us left by the time we got our mains because some ahs and ohs must have escaped us! The starter was sautéed shrimp in the best sauce ever. It took some self restraint not to lick the plate. Then I had the shrimp linguine, which was excellent and ended with a gorgeous dessert of pineapple cake with lychee ice cream and some sort of yummy orange cake. If I was staying longer in Sintra, I would have loved to eat there again!

Sintra has a must try pastry as well, Queijadas Finas. It's like a smaller pastel de nata made of sweet cheese and sprinkled with cinnamon. It was so yum! You get like eight in that roll of paper that finished in half a day! 

Queijadas Finas - Sintra's special treat

Hope you find these recommendations useful and I really hope they remain as good by the time you try them! 

Over to you: What were your favourite places that you have tried and absolutely loved in Sintra and the areas around? 

The Guesthouse I stayed in in Sintra: Lanui Guesthouse

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La Nui means have a good trip in Hawaiian and it is the name of the guesthouse I spent three nights in in Sintra! Lanui is a family run guesthouse by Daniel and his wife. She is the creative brain and visionary of the place and he is the force that made it all possible while working another full time job! It took them a year to get the permit for this guesthouse to start working on it and making it liveable. Everything you see in there, they did it themselves. This family team have transferred the house into a stylish escape. You can see the work in progress images on their Facebook page. They are still working to transfer the back garden to a fairytale like space with beds and cushions under fruit trees and shades.

I know most websites recommend a day trip to Sintra but staying there for two full days was a great way to see the city without rush. We woke up and just took our time. We started the days by making our own breakfast and eating in the guesthouse's garden then taking off to explore a different part. I would have easily stayed there for a couple extra days. 

The guesthouse is a shared space with shared bathrooms, but there are a three of them, so we didn't have to wait on anyone. We can just go to the other available ones. Each room is named after a famous place in Sintra, which was a cute idea and it even gave us some ideas of places to visit that we haven't considered! Having a fully equipped kitchen was nice to prepare light things in the morning. I liked the living room as well. We got to meet other travellers and chat to them.  

Overall, we loved the atmosphere and the space. In addition, Daniel did his absolute best to make our visit as comfortable as possible! He was very kind and helpful. He even arranged some surfing lessons for us in the nearby fishing village. 

Alongside the clam and well maintained Sintra guesthouse, Lanui has three other properties around Portugal that you might be interested in:

  • Belém Guest Apartment in Lisbon
  • Porto Santo Beach House I
  • Porto Santo Beach House II

To book your stay with Lanui, you can contact them directly through their website

or on booking.com

Disclaimer: This was a press stay, but all opinions are my own. 

Lisbon DIY Graffiti (Street Art) Tour

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Lisbon has a great selection of public/street art. There are also lots of tour on offer that would take you around and lead you to fantastic pieces around the city. 

I spotted the first piece in Alfahma during the Lisbon Photography Tour I took. Just walking around that area was full of little (and big) colourful surprises. Most Street Art walking tour go around that area. In attempt to spread tourists around the city of Lisbon, Graffiti artists collaborated to paint across the city. To properly see them all, you would need a car. 

We didn't have a car, so we started by going to the Under-Dog Art Store, which is located inside the Montana Lisboa Art Store (Address: Rua da Cintura do Porto, armazém A, nº 20 Cais do Sodré, Lisboa). The Underdog section of the store has a big map that shows you where the major pieces of art are located. You can also purchase a paper map -for €1.50- with the main spots and locations. We didn't have a lot of time, so we went to the Hall of Fame, which had lots of major art that was completed in a previous event. It was basically a very long circular wall (photos below). We also found a few other pieces by chance and walking around. 

You can also arrange a tour with the Under-Dog Art Store, but that needs a minimum of three days notice! 

Restaurants in Lisbon 

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I don't usually write extensively about food on this blog, but since I found that the food in Lisbon and Sintra was a hit and miss, I thought I will share the hits. In the six days I was there, I got a couple of mouth watering meals and a couple of really bad meals that I couldn't even finish. Be warned this post will make you hungry! I am already craving them.  

Few pointers about eating in Lisbon: 

- I know Cod fish is very popular in Portugal, but unfortunately all the Cods I tried were very poor and came from the bottom of the freezer. I would advice you to get sea bass or sea bream instead since all the ones I had were VERY good! 

- All bread and little plates of cheese, cold meat, olives, butter and other things that come to your table when you sit down are NOT FREE! Thankfully, I knew that before visiting from the blogs I read.

- It's very difficult to find decent lunch/dinner from 3pm to 6pm. The only places open are fast food or just below average food. So make sure you eat lunch before 3pm and just wait for after 6 or even 7 for dinner to get better options. 

Breakfast in Lisbon: 

Fábrica Lisboa

We stumbled across this gem by chance. It's small and it doesn't seat more than 20 I don't think, but it's cozy and very quirky. Plus, the croissants, which is their specialty is really fresh and just yummy. I had an egg, cheese and tomato croissant that was just YUM! They have a few other options too. 

Breakfast in Lisbon

Gelato in Lisbon: 

Fiori Gelateria
Cais Do Sodré, 1200 Lisbon

I know not a meal, BUT I really liked this little place and ended up going twice! 

Dinner in Lisbon:

Sea Food dinner in Lisbon: Valbom
Avenida Conde de Valbom 104 112, Lisbon 1050-070, Portugal

Freshest sea food I have ever eaten! SO good that the fish melts in your mouth. They are such pros and you can tell from the fish on ice at the entrance and the special fish knives. The atmosphere was nice, but the interior is very basic. We went late at 10pm, so it wasn't too busy. This was out of the toursity area and had mostly locals. 

Fresh Fish in Lisbon

Fancy Dinner in Lisbon:

Bistro 100 Maneiras

Be aware this is not an affordable option, but well worth the money! It was a birthday treat for my partner and he loved it!! So if you are looking for a very special place to celebrate a birthday or an anniversary this is it! We were very lucky that we got a table without a prior reservation. They even have a list of delicious mocktails that are made to perfection. I got to try Dragonfly while waiting. You should say yes to their bread! It's so fresh and yummy. The starters and dessert were my favourite. I almost made a dance eating them! We tried the egg, mushroom and asparagus starter that came in a jar and the shrimp mini sandwiches without the ham. The mains we tried were very good. We had the vegetarian pasta and the shrimp risotto, but I would love to try something else if I ever go back. The dessert was the chocolate mouse with mint and berries in a jar. That was an epic finale! Their portions were really good and we were super stuffed by the end. By the way, the decor is also lovely! Their bar area and ground floor dinning hall are creative. The upstairs one is nice but not as gorgeous as the downstairs. 

Oh yes! And of course the Pastel De Nata was my addiction that whole week. I think I had two a day, which I thought was quiet good considering that I wanted two each time I have one... I confess, I didn't even make it to Belem and I didn't try them in the most pastry in Portugal, BUT I had one from almost every shop that sold them that I saw on my way! The only thing you need to look for is that they are fresh and warm. They were all so yummy and custard-y! Would love to learn the secret to learning how to make the prefect one. 

Pastel De Nata

Hope you find these recommendations useful and I really hope they remain as good by the time you try them! 

Over to you: What were your favourite places that you have tried and absolutely loved in Lisbon and the areas around? 

The Guesthouse I stayed in in Lisbon

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It was really hard to find a good priced place in Lisbon, but I knew they had a good metro system, so I expanded my search to include areas that are accessible by metro, which lead me to find this lovely gem, the Flower Court Guesthouse

The building itself is just an average building, but the rooms inside the flat were beautiful! Maria, the owner of the place has put in so much effort to personalise each room with gorgeous vintage pieces that she bought and refurbished herself from antique and vintage markets. She has a great taste and all the decor ideas are her own. I loved  supporting a local female who is working hard to provide and excellent service to the visitors of Lisbon. 

There a few rooms in the apartment with three bathrooms. The sunset shed -where we stayed- has its own bathroom. There is also a shared lounge and a fully equipped kitchen. Each room has a cute name and a little board that has the name of the country where the guests have come from! My absolute favourite thing was the recommendation folder that Maria has prepared for her guests of places to eat and visit. I tried one of the restaurants she recommended and it was as delicious as promised!  

The location of this guesthouse is fantastic. It is away from the touristy areas, which means the restaurants around serve really nice food with decent prices. Plus, it's not crowded at all and very accessible to other parts in the city and the airport. I would love to go back to the same guesthouse or that location when I visit again! 

To book your room at the Flower Court Guesthouse, go to booking.com. 

Disclaimer: I got a press rate for this accomedation, but all opinions are my own. 

Over to you: Where was your favourite place you stayed in Lisbon? 

Lisbon Photography Tour + Photography Tips

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Going to Lisbon for the first time and staying there very briefly I was worried I will get overwhelmed by all the possibilities and miss on seeing the city from the eye of a local, So, I decided to book a photography tour! I have never done one before and I am so glad I did. 

After a quick google search and reading some reviews, I contacted Miguel Helfrich -also known as- Lisbon Photo to ask about the available options. He was very responsive and helpful. We settled on Lisbon Photo Lisbon Photo Tour: Around Castelo and Alfama. The tour started at 8am and lasted until 12pm with half an hour break. It was an interesting experience because we got to see the city quietly before all the tourists woke up. We didn't even run into anyone until the last half an hour. It felt like we were alone in the city because Miguel knew the best routes to avoid the crowd.

From the first moment we met Miguel, we started talking about photography. Miguel is a professional photographer who is certified from the Portuguese Photography Institute. He has very cool photography experiences.  He was very helpful in directing us on the best angles and the nicest compositions. We also got to hear few fun stories about Lisbon and the areas we passed by. 

Photography Tour in Lisbon

Five Photography Tips from Lisbon Photo

  1. Kis: Keep it Simple
    No need to complicate things and include too many elements. Just keep the composition simple and focus on specific things rather than fitting everything you see in the frame. 
  2. Follow the Lines
    The amazing thing about many buildings and windows in Lisbon is their sharp, obvious lines, so focus on one line when taking the photo to create interesting geometric compositions. 
  3. Colours the Camera loves
    There are a few tones that the camera loves especially grey ones and when you find such compositions take time to explore how the camera react to those colours. We found one spot like that and all the photos from there were absolutely gorgeous.   
  4. Level up
    I did this mistake a few times, where I found a subject and just took a picture without moving, but if you want a truly great photo, get close and personal to level yourself up with the subject to get great results. 
  5. Add depth to your images  
    Having layers in your image makes their impact stronger. Have a few angles one in the front and another in the back. 

Relevant Posts:

Below are some of the photos that were taken on the tour and more information about the tour options. 

Other photography tour options:

Of course you can go to Lisbon Photo's website and see all the options for yourself, but here are a few that I thought some of you might be interested in:

  •  Day tours in specific neighbourhoods in Lisbon like Alfama (which is the one I did) or a Night tour to play with light and different compositions. 
  • Honeymoon/Hen Do/Personal Photoshoot and photography tour: I get the feeling most of you would love this! So you don't only get to photograph the city, but you have a professional photographer with you to take photos of you!! I think that will be so much fun if you were on your own, on a hen do with the girls or of course a honeymoon!  
  • VIP Tour: If you want to go all out to see and photograph Lisbon from sea, land or air, you can book this on. Miguel will book a private helicopter without doors for you! 
  • Family photo challenge (Amazing for kids!!)
    This one might be great for the parents who are looking for something creative for their kids to do because the kids get to solve some challenges then get to shoot them!

To book your photography tour, workshop or experience, go to Lisbon Photo and book directly!

Disclaimer: This tour was purchased with a media rate, but all opinions are my own! 

Over to you: Have you tried a photography tour before? Where was it and what did you think?

Nine Things to do this Summer in London (Ideas for Summer activities in London)

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This is my second London summer and I am loving it. It's surprising all the beautiful sunny days that we have had so far! Obviously, there was rain here and there, but it is still a beautiful season in London. It actually got really hot two weeks ago (30 degree) and I had to order a cooling fan! It arrived after the weather cooled down, but I am hoping it will get a little hot during July and August! 

Summer in London

Things to do in London this summer

Every summer, I make a list of things I want to do before the season ends. My list has lots of things and I thought it will be fun to share with you all! Hope you get to try some of these idea!  

Summer in London Activity 1: Park Picnics

I know this is the most obvious one, but it's so much fun! I would recommend that you go to a few this season and make most of your summer outdoors! By the way, forget Hyde Park. I seriously don't go there unless I am forced or there is something extra special happening there! I like: Regent Park, Greenwich Park and Richmond Park. Regent is the most central one of the three, but the other two are out of the way and can be great for a more peaceful park time away. The added benefit of Richmond is the deer you can spot there! There are also gardens that allow picnic like Kew Gardens.   

Find more London parks on: 

The best parks in London

24 quiet London parks and secret gardens to escape to

Ps. You can see some of the Greenwich Park in my Greenwich video below!

Summer in London - Park Picnic

Summer in London Activity 2: Art Festivals

The first one that comes to mind is Shubak Festival and it's an Arab art festival with lots of art related activities happening across two weeks. It only started three days ago, so you have time to checkout the rest of the activities they have on offer! I am planning to go to the art exhibitions they have arranged. 

Summer in London Activity 3: Music Gigs and Festivals

I have to admit. I got this idea slightly late! Most tickets are sold out at this point, but there are still few going! There is a great lineup happening in Somerset House. I am slightly sad I am not spending most of July in London because there is just SO MUCH to see and attend. There are also few music and art events to check in the Barbican Centre.   

More Music gigs and festivals from other websites: 

Music Festivals in London during 2017

Summer in London Activity 4: Rooftop Crawl

I haven't done much of this *yet* but I went to a few spots last. The only rooftop garden I have been to was the Canary Wharf: The Crossrail Place Roof Garden. It's small, but it's nice to chill after grabbing some food from one of the restaurants downstairs!

I have four more places to try this season on evenings with nice weather: 

I would also like to go to the fancy Sky Garden one of those days.

A full list of the best Roof spots can be found (here). 

Summer in London - Golden Tattoo

Summer in London Activity 5: Outdoor Cinema

This is very weather dependent. Although it is technically summer, but with the unpredictable British weather, this could be taken over by rain. It's still worth doing and luckily there are few venues that do that! 

The Luna Cinema has a list of movies that are shown in a number of London venues.

The Nomad Cinema does cinema pop ups at various venue around London too!  

Summer in London Activity 6: Stuffing face with Ice Cream! 

Like seriously this is my favourite thing to do the second I see sunshine! There are lots of great locations to get yummy ice cream from such Chin Chin Labs, Snowflake gelato, Gelupo or even your local supermarket. Doesn't matter where from just stuff your face with as much as ice cream as possible! 

Chin Chin Lab ice cream - Summer in London

Summer in London Activity 7: Lavender Fields

I don't know if you noticed all the instagramers last year posting beautiful photos in lavender fields. My instagram was seriously flooded with those photos and I just had to get one there too! I went to the Hitchin Lavender Fields (45mins from London by train). I still have my full bag of lavenders from last year, so I am not sure if I am doing it again this summer, but it was so much fun! They have a really nice cafe too that is worth chilling in! 

Summer in London Activity 8: Fruit Picking

This is basically the same idea as the lavender field above. I haven't done this yet, but I am planning on going next month! There are a few strawberry and berries farms that are very close to London such as

Stan Hill Farm

Hewitts Farm

Copas Farms

Here are more choices from other websites: 

Ps. I suggest checking google maps for the nearest locations to you! London is huge, but since I am closer to the South I have only focused on that area. There are plenty scattered around.  

Summer in London Activity 9: Day Trips!

Yes this is not technically in London, but very accessible from one of the Central London train stations. Few weeks ago, I went on a country forest walk to Ashridge. Being under the shade, walking and eating ice cream was one of the best things I have done! There are many possible walks all around London. There are beach walks too! Last summer, I went on a beach one to Hayling Island. This summer I want to go to Portsmouth and Brighton!  

For even more ideas here is a list of activities for July and August from the London Time Out website:

Over to you: What's on your summer activities list?