My time in Portugal has been great in terms of the variety of things I’ve seen. This May, I realized that travel is not only about seeing the popular places (though I did do that), but also about appreciating what these moments show and teach. Through the varied experiences of books, food, performance, and landscape. The below seven experiences truly shaped my overall experience of what Lisbon’s culture, community, and food look like.
The first thing I really enjoyed was the Cinemateca Portuguesa, where film and history meet in one. I found myself lingering in the bookshop connected to the Lisbon cinema. This small, cozy, and charming bookshop truly captures such a calming ambience. It wasn’t very busy, so I feel like I was able to take it all in peacefully and at my own pace. When I was ready to check out, the man checking me out told my friend that she had such a “joyful soul,” and when I was going to pay for a postcard, he didn’t let me pay and said that it was a souvenir present. While being in this blend of film and books, it made me think about how storytelling truly comes in such different mediums, but they deliver the same emotions and plots – all of the things that excite us! Cinemateca Portuguesa stated that it is Portugal’s national institution and is devoted to preserving and celebrating film culture. I could tell how accurate that was from my first-time visit here, and how kind that interaction was; I could tell that stories run through his veins and that he truly loved working in his bookstore.
Additionally, books continued to guide Bertrand. “Guinness World Records [stated] in 2011 as the oldest bookstore in the world still in operation, Livraria Bertrand in the Chiado area of Lisbon lives up to the saying ‘with age comes standing,’ given that Bertrand Chiado has been selling books continuously since 1732”. Additionally, during my tour at Bertrand, I learned that it is recognized as the world’s oldest operating bookstore, surviving earthquakes and several political transitions. I imagined generations of people wandering and looking at the books through the shelves. Past or present, we were all searching for something that can only be found in books.
If Bertrand felt intimate, Livraria Lello in Porto felt enchanting. Its wooden staircase, colorful stained glass, and tall shelves of books made this feel like a scene straight out of a movie. I mentioned before that it reminded me of the library that appears in Beauty and the Beast. I won’t deny that the place was quite crowded and impossible to ignore. But to me, it was my dream library, and the busyness did not take away from the magic that sparkled inside. If anything, it made the experience feel all the more magical. Different languages filled this space, cameras taking pictures, and people passing by each other, which made the experience feel even bigger, a place that has no borders or limits. It’s a place for literature lovers to be united and find one another.
Portugal has also taught me that you can quite literally taste the history of a place. Yes! You heard that right. One of my absolute favorite things to do here was a pastel de nata cooking class at Brandscape Kitchen. I loved that I wasn’t reading about Portuguese cuisine, but rather learning about it hands-on by making it myself with guided help from a pastel de nata baker. The history behind the desert is that monasteries in Belém used the egg whites, but that left them with leftover yolks, which were turned into pastries. Now when eating a pastel de nata, I feel like it helped me see it beyond a dessert and more like a connection to the culture.
I also found a deeper connection to Lisbon during our sunset boat tour on the Tagus River. Lisbon looked different; it was less hurried and somehow very reflective. The tour included a welcome drink, and the boat’s movement created an atmosphere. The sunset made it all the more memorable; it really makes you see the city from a different perspective. It’s like all of these factors create an atmosphere that can’t be found in anything else I’ve done in Lisbon. I highly recommend a boat tour that includes music, sunset, and good company.
I wanted to explore the queer culture in Lisbon and went to a drag show called Finalmente Club Lisboa. The venue was a little smaller than expected, but it was still full of so much energy! The place had so much laughter, and performers put their all on the stage, and the audience built community. It became a reminder that I can immerse myself in Portuguese culture beyond food and books, but also by enjoying a drag show that is underrated, and definitely needs more attention. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had here. Experiencing this side of Lisbon made me think about the importance of nightlife and community, and seeing what this looks like.
Lastly, I want to close this along the coast of Lagos while kayaking near Pinta da Piedade. Through this experience, I was able to see a lot of the cliffs and sea caves surrounding us. This was different from the boat tour in Lisbon (though I absolutely loved it!) because I was actually the one moving the boat alongside my friend. We had to put the work in, and I felt my arm muscles being used. Moving through the caves by kayaking made it feel more special. Nature itself can also tell stories, and I discovered that during my first time Kayaking in Lagos.
Portugal has become an unforgettable experience because of this blend of moments. Through the bookstores, pastries, and the performance, and water, I found a country that has a story in every corner, and it’s a city I feel like I actually got to immerse myself in very well, compared to any city I have traveled to by doing all of these incredible things!
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