Portugal
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Porto (Portugal): Travel Diary
With JB out of paid leave but still wanting a change of scenery, we had to pick a destination that wasn’t too far for December. That’s how we ended up spending a weekend in Porto right after Christmas. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Day 1 There’s a direct flight from Lille with Ryanair, which saves us a lot of time (plus Lille airport is just a 20-minute drive from the city center, handy!). Unfortunately, during peak holidays, prices are sky-high for both flights and hotels. Ryanair is already not great, but the plane we were supposed to take had an issue. They bumped us…
- Around the world, Beauty, During the World Tour, Europe, Female Travellers, Lisbon, Portugal, TDM, Tips
[Test & Reviews] The Best Face Care & Spas in Lisbon (Portugal)
Today, I bring you to discover the best facials & spas (which I have personally tested) in Lisbon. To know that they are the best in the city, I simply trusted the hundreds of reviews left here and there on the Internet and tested them myself 😀 Why is it interesting to do a facial in Lisbon? (or in Portugal in general) ? Because the same treatment, of the same quality, would have cost +50% or even twice as much in France. You can therefore treat yourself to luxury treatments without (too) breaking your PEL. Note: for those of you traveling around the world of spas, I have written similar…
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Practical guide of Lisbon (Portugal)
We have just spent a month in Lisbon and we really liked this beautiful sunny city with its crazy charm. I know that there are already a lot of practical guides about Lisbon, but I am writing you a guide to my liking. Abstract The city center is quite small and public transportation is numerous, I think that 3 full days will be enough to explore the places without hurrying: 1 day to Lisbon, 1 day to Belém + beach, and 1 day to Sintra Download the CityMapper application for all your travels in Lisbon. It’s a city of hills and cobblestone streets, so quickly forget about strollers, pumps and…
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A day in Setubal (Portugal)
This travel diary will be much shorter than the others eh because it is a succession of monumental #fail 🙂 I put you commented pictures because we did almost nothing all day. We rented a car (with Europcar – official website) to go to Setubal, 52km from Lisbon. The fiat 500 costs 17€/24h and the Citroen C4 25€/24h It is in this corner that there is a bird sanctuary, where about thirty dolphins(bottle nose) live, and where the most beautiful beach in Europe is located: Galapinhos Beach. Well, it was not the best day of our life, because not only we did not see dolphins (while the success rate is…
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Lisbon (Portugal) #10: Monastery of the Hieronymites, Belém
Today, we take our courage in both hands to go to the district of Belém. It is only 30 minutes away from our house but there are only 2 buses that go there. They are always crowded, the drivers not at all nice… so we delay the moment, until the last moment Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary It is thus in Uber that one goes there. We already visited the tower of Belém last time, but if you are going there for the first time, we advise you to go there first. Monastery of the Hieronymites I copy and paste here the presentation text…
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Lisbon (Portugal) #9: Convent of the Carmelites, Castle S. Jorge, Puppet Museum, Restaurant Ponto Final
Morning Puppet Museum This museum isn’t one of the best known/visited in the city but it’s something I like very much so I went there by myself. Entrance costs 5€ and there is a permanent exhibition and a temporary exhibition. I am told that the temporary exhibition is the one at Studio Aardman. What a surprise! I’ve been a fan of their work for years (I’ve watched Chicken Run, Creatures Comforts on a loop). First I show you the permanent collection. They have a very complete collection of all types of puppets from around the world. First the shadow puppets. Then puppets with threads, and even water puppets (those from…
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Lisbon (Portugal) #8: LX Factory & Village Underground
We heard a lot of good things about LX Factory, as a place to discover absolutely, because the concept is too trendy, too cool blah blah blah blah. In the end, it’s just a nice place (without more) to discover in Lisbon on a bored day – or when you run out of Instagram photos. Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary Opinions are rather mixed on this place, and one of the negative opinions underlines that it should be visited on a Sunday, the market day. Otherwise, one is bored like a dead rat. So we went there on a Sunday. The place is a…
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Facial treatment at Organii Day Spa in Lisbon (Portugal)
Walking past Organii, you might have thought it was yet another organic cosmetics shop (stocking brands like Dr. Hauschka, Madara, Voya, Ilha, Absolution). But it’s a well-known treatment address among specialists (featured on the list of favorite facials by the beauty editor of Vogue Portugal). And it’s so popular that sometimes you need to book 2 weeks in advance. This shop / spa offers two types of facial treatments: a range of 60-minute multi-brand facials: where they pick from the products sold in the store, those that best suit your skin. They only stock organic brands, so you’ll get a mix of organic products for your facial. a signature 80-minute…
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Facial treatment at Skinlife in Lisbon (Portugal)
Today, I tried the facial at Skin Life for you. It’s the secret gem of the locals, and I’ve learned it’s a spot frequented by some stars too. What is it? Skinlifeis a perfume and cosmetics boutique (with plenty of cool brands like Pai, Aesop, by Terry), but every Wednesday, a dermato/aesthetician with magic hands comes by and offers facials. Most facials here focus on anti-aging, using expensive machines to fight sagging skin etc., like Mesotherapy, Botox, but that’s not (yet) my thing, so I went for a deep cleansing facial (deep pore cleansing). How the facial went The treatment lasts 1h30 and takes place in the back of the…
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Lisbon (Portugal) #7: National Palace of Pena & the Chalet of the Countess of Edla in Sintra
I have already told you about our mini-excursion to Sintra here. We visited only one palace. So I took advantage of my girlfriend C. coming to Lisbon to visit the Pena Palace, the most famous of Sintra, with her. Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary How to get there The last time, we went to Sintra by car (and had a lot of trouble). This time, we take public transport to see if it’s better. We leave on a Friday (to avoid the crowd) and trust City Mapper. The suburban trains of Lisbon are a little bit expensive to take so it’s cool that City…
