This is my Lisbon photo diary, with 30 of my favorite images from a 3 day trip spent exploring the Portuguese capital’s historic alleyways, authentic Portuguese life, and stunning vistas that the city has to offer.
I very first time I laid eyes on Lisbon, I was in love. After 5 visits to the Portuguese capital, I can say that the love is still as strong as it was during my first visit.
Why do I love it so much?
How would I describe it? It has the relax atmosphere of the Mediterranean without feeling sleepy; it is historical without feeling stuffy, everything is a little bit hipster, it’s young, and it doesn’t pretend to be something that it’s not. I’ve read how some people found it “dirty” because it had graffitis on buildings and trams, but I couldn’t disagree more. That’s part of the Lisbon charm, that’s part of what makes it unique and beautiful.
Lisbon is also not what you think of when you think “European capital”. It is not as grandiose as Paris or Rome; it does not have an Eiffel Tower or a Coliseum. Despite being the second oldest capital in Europe (after Athens), Lisbon does not seem old. And there is a reason for that: it had to be rebuilt almost completely after the 1755 earthquake. It that sense, the Lisbon you see today is relatively young compared to it’s European counterparts.
Lisbon also often feels many small towns rather than one large capital city. Each one of it’s neighbourhood has a character of it’s own and each deserves to be explored!
Keep Reading // 11 Amazing Things to do in Lisbon
I visited in late October, when the pace was slower and the friendly chatter of neighbours filled streets. Lisbon is never really quiet, but the Fall brings a sense of peacefulness that is harder to find in the summer months.
This is my Lisbon photo diary; full of my favourite photos to inspire your own adventures to Lisbon soon too.
30 LISBON PHOTOS THAT WILL INSPIRE YOU TO VISIT
READ THESE POSTS BEFORE VISITING LISBON!
LISBON GUIDES | 14 Things to Know Before Visiting Lisbon; 11 Amazing Things to do In Lisbon; How to make the best of your visit to Belém; 1 day, 3 castles: How to make the best of your day in Sintra; 5 tips for riding Tram 28 in Lisbon; Where to Stay in Lisbon?
THE REST OF PORTUGAL | 11 amazing things to do in Porto; 9 amazing things to do in Lagos
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I almost made a very different version of this reel.
Last time I posted about Smiths Falls, the comments surprised me and a lot of them seemed to come from people who actually live there. There’s nothing to do here. It’s boring. My first instinct was to make a whole clap-back video, screenshots and all.
But honestly? I get it. Nobody is a tourist in their own town. The canal is just the thing you cross on your way to work. The museum is where you went once on a school trip in grade four. When you see a place every single day, it goes invisible.
I grew up near the Bay of Fundy – home of the highest tides on the planet – and as a kid I thought it was the most boring place on earth. It took moving away to realize people cross oceans to see what was in my backyard.
So this reel is me being a tourist in your town for you. The 1912 bridge you’d paddle under if you hadn’t stopped noticing it. The museum where you can climb into the trains, and even sleep in one. The thrift trail. The mural. All of it.
To everyone who’s never been: this is your sign for an easy day trip from Ottawa or Kingston.
And to Smiths Falls locals: I dare you to do one thing from this list this weekend. Report back. 😌
What’s the thing in YOUR town that you’ve stopped noticing? I want to hear it.
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#SmithsFalls #RideauCanal #OntarioDayTrip #ExploreOntario #smalltownontario
I have a confession: half my road trips are reverse-engineered.
I don’t pick a destination and find a coffee shop nearby. I pick the coffee shop, then build a whole day around justifying the drive. A hike here, a beach there, some antiquing, all very respectable cover stories for the fact that I drove two hours for an iced latte.
Because here’s what I’ve figured out after years of crisscrossing Ontario: the best coffee shops are never just coffee shops. They’re the unofficial welcome centre of every small town. The barista knows which trail is muddy this week. The regulars will tell you where to park for free. The bulletin board has better local intel than any travel blog, mine included.
So this list isn’t really about coffee. It’s about the 12 places I use as an excuse to keep exploring this province. Swipe through, every single one comes with what to pair it with so you can build your own cover story.
From Thunder Bay to the County, consider this your permission slip to drive unreasonably far for caffeine.
Which one’s closest to you? And more importantly, what’s YOUR coffee shop worth driving for? I’m always taking notes. ☕
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#OntarioCoffeeShops #OntarioRoadTrip #DiscoverOntario #OntarioTravel #SmallTownOntario
For over a hundred years, the men who lived in this house woke up, looked at the lake, and went to work captaining the Wolfe Island ferry. Three generations of them. Same water, same crossing, every day.
I thought about that a lot during my stay at @themullinhouse_ (mainly from the bathtub, because the tub faces the lake and once you’re in it there’s no reason to be anywhere else.)
The Mullin House just opened as a stay, and those who brought it back to life did it in the best way that possible. Keeping the soul of the place.Places with an actual story make my job as a photographer easy. I just have to pay attention.
And if you want to stay here too: It’s a free 20-minute ferry from Kingston, 5 bedrooms, sleeps 10. So this is your sign to plan the group trip you keep talking about.
Save this for when you book it, and be honest, would you make it out of that bathtub by checkout?
Thank you to @themullinhouse_ for having me!
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#wolfeisland #kingstonontario #thousandislands #exploreontario #ontariotravel
I grew up an hour from the Bay of Fundy. And every few years, my school would pile us onto a bus and take us to Hopewell Rocks or Fundy National Park. And every single time, as a kid, I thought : ‘okay, cool. Rocks. Trees. Can we go home now?’
I had absolutely no idea what I was standing next to.
It took me leaving New Brunswick, travelling across the country before I came back to the Bay of Fundy as an adult and genuinely had my breath taken away. I grew up next to one of the most extraordinary places on the planet and completely took it for granted. And I think a lot of Maritimers probably feel the same way.
This carousel is my attempt to fix that, for myself, and for anyone who’s never made the trip. Scroll through and I’ll show you exactly how I’d plan a road trip along the New Brunswick side, from the tidal flats to the coastal cliffs to the little fishing towns that feel completely frozen in time.
And if you have extra days to spare, Saint John is absolutely worth a stop, underrated city, great food scene, and it sits right on the bay.
I’m also heading back this summer to try a stay I’ve had my eye on for a while, I genuinely cannot wait to tell you all about it. 👀
Save this for your New Brunswick road trip. 🙌
👇 Have you ever been to the Bay of Fundy? Were you as underwhelmed as I was at 10 years old? 😄
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#BayOfFundy #NewBrunswick #ExploreCanada #CanadaTravel #FundyNationalPark
I’ll be honest, when I pulled up to @whispering_springs I didn’t know what to expect. I’d seen the photos, I’d read the website, but nothing really prepares you for the moment you walk into your safari tent and realize this might actually be nicer than your apartment.
We’re talking a king bed, more space than I expected, and an actual bathtub, in a tent. I took a bath. In the woods. And I would do it again without hesitation.
Oh and the s’mores bar? Someone thought really hard about what would make people unreasonably happy at the end of a summer night and they nailed it.
Save this for your summer planning because at 90 minutes from Toronto there is really no reason to wait.
Now tell me have you ever gone glamping? If not, what are you waiting for!
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#OntarioGetaway #GlampingOntario #OntarioTravel #WeekendGetawayOntario
ExploreOntario
