Portugal Archives - sateless suitcase

Love, It’s Complicated

I know this is a strange way to begin a travel-related blog post (especially when you have the real-life dating experience of a sandwich), but lately, I feel like a jealous ex-girlfriend. My first love and I have drifted apart. And I'm slightly heart-broken. A few years back, we were on the same page about everything. We were the perfect fit, and I felt like I alone had discovered the awesomeness that no one else saw. I was over the moon and couldn't stop smiling, because we were so amazing together. Unfortunately, I had to move on eventually. But I never [...]

By Julika|2015-06-30T20:58:31+02:002015/06/30|Categories: Destinations, Europe, Portugal|Tags: Europe, Lisbon, Portugal|18 Comments

The European Capital Curse

For some travelers it's the one of the worst travel sins, but I'm absolutely guilty of it: Visiting (European) capital cities. Prague, Czech Republic Budapest, Hungary How often have I had a conversation with someone from England that went something like this: "So, have you been to England at all?" -- "Yes!" -- "Oh great! Whereabouts exactly?" -- "Only London, to be honest." -- "But you do know that London is not England, right?!" London, UK Okay, so besides my linguistic inability mimic a real Brit, these people are right. Of course I have no right to say I've been [...]

By Julika|2014-12-29T14:19:41+01:002014/08/13|Categories: Czech Republic, Destinations, England, Europe, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, The Netherlands|Tags: Europe, Germany, thoughts|31 Comments

Serra da Estrela – That Other Portugal

If anything is common knowledge about Portugal, it's the country's phenomenal beaches. I could sing songs about how amazing Portugal's beaches are, and I'd advice anyone, who desires a perfect (affordable!) beach vacation, to travel to the Algarve. But besides beaches and beautiful cities with colorfully tiled houses and windings streets, Portugal also has rough, impressive mountains -- with a ski-lift! Wait, what, skiing in Portugal?! Yep, you heard that right. See?! A ski-lift in Portugal! This different Portugal is the mountain range of Serra da Estrela. Of course, these mountains are not the Alps, but since they are so [...]

By Julika|2014-09-22T23:58:10+02:002014/03/03|Categories: Destinations, Europe, Portugal|Tags: Europe, Portugal|14 Comments

10 Places You just Can’t Miss in Portugal

Summer has finally arrived in Germany and I cherish every little second of sunshine. The other day, I was waiting for my bus home when I suddenly longed for a cold, fresh pressed orange juice. I sat on a bench in the sun sipping my juice and realized how much I miss Portugal. A country where you can sit outside in the sun year round. A country where every little pastelaria sells freshly pressed orange juice for less than a Euro. How much I loved the Portuguese for their sweet tooth that they even serve the most delicious orange juice [...]

By Julika|2013-10-02T10:46:27+02:002013/07/14|Categories: Destinations, Europe, Portugal|Tags: Algarve, Architecture, Europe, Lisbon, medieval, Porto, Portugal|62 Comments

What Porto Really Is About – A Photo Essay

My beloved Lisbon and I have an ongoing love affair, which has lasted for years. But if I ever happened to cheat on Lisbon in a weak moment, it would be with Porto. That other great city, up in Portugal's north, where the people are even friendlier, the food is heartier, and the wine is even sweeter. The old wooden boats of the port wine cellars Porto is just adoringly Portuguese: Beautiful, at ease, a little slow. It is not a perfect city - the streets aren't free of dog poop, and most of the houses in the city are [...]

By Julika|2015-05-05T09:33:07+02:002013/01/03|Categories: Destinations, Europe, Portugal|Tags: Architecture, churches, Europe, Porto, Portugal|20 Comments

5 Things You Really Should Do in Lisbon

I love Lisbon. I fell in love with the gorgeous Portuguese capital more than four years ago and this love has been growing stronger ever since. The five months I lived there in 2011/2012 have been filled with enduring sunshine, wonderful people and abundance of indescribable beauty. I dream of moving back every day! Although Lisbon is the capital and largest city of Portugal, it is still pretty small compared to the other Western European capitals. To be honest, if you wanted to see all major sights, you could do that in less than two days: You would go see the Castelo, take [...]

By Julika|2022-01-05T15:04:09+01:002012/10/25|Categories: Destinations, Europe, Portugal|Tags: Europe, Lisbon, medieval, Portugal, study abroad|76 Comments

What Happens in Lagos…

During our last weeks in Lisbon my friend Kathi and I really wanted to see one of THE most famous places in Portugal that everyone has been raving about... After having fallen in love with the Algarve in October, we were eager to return and looking forward to finally experiencing Lagos - the city with the most gorgeous beaches, the hottest surf teachers and its non-stop party. There was just one little hook - we were going down there in mid-January 2012! Honestly, we really didn't know what to expect of a beach city in the middle of the winter [...]

By Julika|2013-05-07T04:44:58+02:002012/08/08|Categories: Destinations, Europe, Portugal|Tags: Algarve, Europe, Portugal, study abroad|4 Comments

10 Things I Love Most About Portugal

Without further ado - I love Portugal. Here are the ten things I adore the most about this amazing country Sunsets. Portugal has the most gorgeous sunsets I have ever seen… I never got sick of taking pictures. Especially in combination with palm trees. Pastries. Pastéis de nata – so heavenly, no words could describe... if I could eat these for the rest of my life, I would be the happiest girl in the world. Beaches. Absolutely no need to explain any further. Seafood. Grilled fish dishes – to die for! Manuline Architecture. Late Gothic, one-of-a-kind-Portuguese, simply beautiful, my art [...]

By Julika|2013-05-07T04:56:48+02:002012/07/18|Categories: Destinations, Europe, Portugal|Tags: Algarve, Architecture, Europe, Lisbon, Portugal, study abroad|20 Comments

Portugal’s Algarve – A Dream Come True

Do you have this one spot in the world, where you would like to spend your retirement? I do. Definitely. Portugal's most gorgeous coastline is where all dreams of surreal beautiful beaches, rough sublime waves and the most incredible rock formations combine... I know, there a bazillion amazing beaches out there, but I’m convinced that you can’t find any beach within Europe that compares to the ones on the Algarve. During my semester in Lisbon I took two weekend trips down to the Algarve, and ever since swore to myself that I will so have to come back for a [...]

By Julika|2012-12-04T11:13:22+01:002012/06/25|Categories: Destinations, Europe, Portugal|Tags: Algarve, Europe, Portugal, study abroad|2 Comments

My Semester Abroad in an Undeservingly Short Summary

Oh, how should I ever be able to summarize my semester in Portugal adequately, and squeeze one little blog post – even my original tumblr on my time in Lisbon didn't even cover half the wonderful experiences I had in those sun-filled five months. I will try to keep it short: After a rather elaborate application process, I got offered a place to study at Universidade Nova de Lisboa in the fall semester 2011/2012. Having fallen in love with Portugal, and especially Lisbon, during a vacation in 2008, I always knew that I would eventually have to come back for a longer period of [...]

By Julika|2014-01-28T16:25:53+01:002012/06/05|Categories: Destinations, Europe, Portugal|Tags: Europe, Lisbon, Portugal, study abroad|3 Comments