Portugal - Kimchihuahuatravel

6 Instagrammable Photo Spots in Porto

Porto is a precious city full of viewpoints, churches and traditional Portuguese buildings and it’s natural that it is one of the best photographic cities in the world. Now I will take you to 6 most instagrammable photo spots in Porto.

Porto Cathedral

Porto has several viewpoints. This spot right in front of the cathedral is one of them, it’s in the city center so easily accessible and has a great city view.

2. Largo da Pena Ventosa

When I was walking around this spot, all I could here was people saying, “Oh my god, it’s so beautiful”. Traditional Portuguese buildings in pastel colors and small alley make a perfect photo spot.

3. Igreja do Carmo

I am sure you have seen this spot somewhere at least once. This is THE spot in Porto and you will see why it’s so popular. The azulejos such a great piece of art and impressive. Tip, if you want to get a shot without crowd, make sure to get there as early as possible. I was there around 10 am and there were already lots of people.

4. Miradouro da Vitória

Actually, this picture is taken just below of Miradouro. I went to Miradouro but I wasn’t really convinced to shoot, although it has a great view, so was walking around and found this spot. This location somehow really reminded me of Comuna 13 in Medellin (which I haven’t been yet ahah). Anyways, the view, stairs and graffiti were giving such a cool vibe!

5. Puente Don Luis I

This is another must spot; you cannot visit Porto without taking a picture under this famous bridge 🙂 Make sure to also take a moment and enjoy the view.

6. Rua do Ferraz

I actually stumbled upon this street by accident. I loved this small alley with the church on the background. You do need some patient to get a good shot as many people are passing by, but the result is so worth it.

Porto definitely has much more precious photo spots however If you don’t have much time, these are some essential places to stop by 🙂 I hope you get some good shots! If you want to read full experience about my tour in North of Portugal, you can read it HERE.

Where to Stay in Lisbon, Portugal

Are you going to Lisbon and looking for a place to stay?

Last weekend I was kindly invited by Dare Lisbon House – it totally exceeded my
expectations and I can’t be happier with my experience!

Here’s what you can expect:

1. You will feel so welcomed by the most friendly staff ever!

I was greeted by them with a welcome drink and they surprised me with a handwritten letter in the room. You will also get one more small surprise, which I heard this idea comes from them wanting to give something personal and memorable to their guests.

2. Fresh bread will be delivered at your door every morning.

Because they want everybody to be able to have breakfast whether you wake up at 8am in the morning or 1pm in the afternoon. Eggs, milk, jam, butter, cereal, coffee, etc… are already in your kitchen.

3. You have a fully equipped kitchen including stove and even dishwasher.

So if you want to save up some money or tired of eating out everyday and want to cook something, you can totally do it.

4. The most aesthetic room ever!

From chandeliers and traditional Portuguese tiles in the room to a marble designed bathroom, you can definitely tell they really paid attention to every little detail. This beautiful and cozy design absolutely makes your stay so pleasant.

5. Bar at the reception.

If you want a glass of wine or two, you have a bar right at the reception.

Visit their website at http://www.darelisbon.com (link)

While I was there, I had an opportunity to chat with one of the kindest staff at the reception. She told me their goal is to make people feel like they are home even though they are in a foreign country. From my experience, they are definitely achieving their goals.

You will totally feel like being home and it’s a place where you’d like to come back to and spend a cozy time after all day of walking.

Here’s an Instagram Reel video (link) that I created at Dare Lisbon House if you want to see the hotel in action.

Hope you enjoy your stay!

How to travel Positano on budget

Positano, colourful houses, exotic view, one of the most Instagrammable spots in the world. Have you been dreaming about this little town on Amalfi coast like me?

Positano has always been my dream destination, but I kept putting it off since I was worried about the cost. However, this year I decided to finally visit this beautiful town because let’s be honest, life is short, and you just can’t wait around for the perfect moment 🙂

As a budget traveller, I will share all the tips and tricks that I used to visit Positano without breaking the bank.

Accommodation – Don’t stay in Positano.

Yes, you read it right. Accommodations in Positano is very expensive, at the minimum of 150-200 euros up to 700+ euros per night. But don’t worry about it. You can stay in other places in Amalfi coast and this way you can save more than half, and even more, if you negotiate. I called one of each accommodation that I could find online and tried to negotiate. And it actually worked, and I got to stay in Amalfi with an incredibly discounted price.

Also, don’t really worry about where you are exactly as long as you are in Amalfi coast, because It’s so easy to get to Positano from anywhere in Amalfi coast. You can simply take a bus and in maximum of 1-2 hours depending on where you are, voila, you are there.

2. Transportation – Use public transportation

There’s a bus that goes along the coast from Salerno to Sorrento. It’s called SITA bus that cost from 2-2.60 euros depends on where you go for a trip or 10 euros for a daily unlimited ticket. (Just one tip, make sure to buy the ticket the day before if you are taking an early bus, as they don’t sell tickets on the bus, they only sell in a tabaco store, newspaper stands, and bars and cafes that won’t open till later). You can check the bus schedule in https://www.positano.com/en/bus-schedule?timetable_route=sorrento_positano_amalfi. Taxi here is incredibly expensive, from Amalfi central to Positano it costs 80 euros. Renting a scooter or car could be an option as well however not only they are not only highly priced than in any other places but also driving in Amalfi coast in extremely crazy due to the small curvy roads that barely fits 2 cars, and you cannot see if there’s a car coming around the corner. However, if you are skilled driver and you would like to try rentals anyway, make sure to book it in advance since it’s not possible to get them last minute.

3. Food and drinks – prepare your own food

As you could expect, food and drink are highly priced. Big bottle of water costs around 3 euros in a restaurant and one bottle of Redbull at a bakery is around 3.80 euros. So, go to supermarket, buy big bottle of water and you can prepare sandwiches or salads. Also, they have a fruits and vegetable stands in the street where they sell fresh items at reasonable price. And why not occasionally treat yourself in a fancy restaurant?  they have so many good ones!

4. Beach chair? Skip it

Beach chairs in Positano costs 20-25 euros. However, there’s a small section where you can bring your own towel and lay. Just make sure to go early to get your place because it can get full quickly. If you really want to enjoy beach chairs, there’s cheaper areas in Amalfi coast, for example in Sorrento it’s more reasonably priced, at 5 euros.

5. Avoid high season – consider shoulder season

During July and August prices for accommodation goes up. Therefore, if you visit during shoulder season you can save lots of money and avoid big crowd.

If you are visiting Positano in anyway, you should be ready to spend decent amount of money. Be prepared to be shocked at their priced. However, with these tips, I managed to enjoy Positano without breaking a bank and I absolutely loved my experience.

I hope these tips are helpful for you and you could also visit this beautiful place. I truly think this is a place worth a visit and remember, whether luxury or budget, there’s a room for everybody!

5 Days Travel Guide in North of Portugal

When I was in Lisbon, I took a 5-days trip to the North of Portugal. The cities here are very different from the capital but definitely have their own charm. Note, if you are going during winter, this part of Portugal could get very cold so make sure to take a warm jacket.

Day 1 – Porto

To go to our first destination, we took a train from Lisbon.

4 hours later we arrived in beautiful Porto (taking bus is also a great option, it takes more or less the same time, and it is cheaper). From the train station we took a taxi to the hostel (taxi in Portugal is very cheap compared to other countries in Europe).

Since we were quite tired when we arrived, we just walked around the city for a short while and then called it a day.

Day 2 – Porto

We woke up and went out early to take advantage of the full day. Porto is not really big, so in one day you can more or less see the whole city.

The most touristic spot in Porto is definitely Dom Luís I Bridge, which is on the River Douro between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.

As you can see in the photo, the view is truly breathtaking! Trams go on the bridge and there’s a sidewalk for walking as well.

Fun fact of Porto wine: did you know it was invented accidently? They added brandy to wine to support a long trip while exportation, and the wine socked up the flavor of the oak. Later on, it evolved as a product by the English people.

After that, we were just roaming around the city. You will find many cute and colorful buildings.

They have a big antique library called Livraria Lello (https://www.livrarialello.pt/en-us/). The entrance is 5 EUR which later you can use as a vouche

To end the trip, we sat in a bar near the river and watched sunset.

Accommodation

I stayed at Best Guest Porto Hostel, which was very welcoming and has a great atmosphere to make friends if you are traveling alone. The location was perfect, just a 5 minutes’ walk to the center. (https://www.hostelworld.com/pwa/hosteldetails.php/Best-Guest-Porto-Hostel/Porto/101290?from=2021-04-07&to=2021-04-10&guests=2)

Restaurants

I ate at burger place called Curb (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g189180-d11877915-Reviews-Curb-Porto_Porto_District_Northern_Portugal.html) which was super delicious. Highly recommended!

Day 3 – Guimarães

We took a bus and headed to our next destination, Guimarães. It is small but played a big role in the foundation of Portugal because the first king was born in this place. To tour the city, I just walked around and found many cute buildings. You can feel a lively atmosphere in the central plaza, where they have lots of bars and people gatherings.

Accommodation

I stayed in Guimaraes Living – Hostel & Adventure (http://www.booking.com/Share-i36xCb).

Nice and clean and I loved their breakfast.

Restaurants

Thanks to the kind local people, we found a very nice typical Portuguese restaurant. It was very economical and delicious. If you are looking to have a local experience, you will like it.

It’s called Restaurante A Marisqueira (https://g.co/kgs/PPYzmb).

Day 4 – Braga

From Guimarães we took a taxi to Braga. They are very close; it only takes around 30 minutes and was only 20 euros (price negotiated).

Braga is the third largest urban center in Portugal after Lisbon and Porto, and therefore you can feel more city vibes. Since we went during the Christmas season, they had a wonderful tree set up in the central plaza as well.

Accommodation

I stayed in Braga Bells Guesthouse (http://www.booking.com/Share-hO4LAw). The decoration of this place is really nice, and I enjoyed my stay here.

Restaurants

Right in front of the hostel we found a local restaurant called Dona Pestica (https://g.co/kgs/NLV9if). Cheap, simple and delicious.

Day 5 – Coimbra

We took a bus from Braga to come to our last destination. This was my favorite place after Porto. Coimbra is known for the University of Coimbra, founded in 1290, which is the oldest university in Portuguese-speaking countries. For that reason, there are lots of international students and the city definitely has young lively vibes. Apart from the university, there is Mondego River, which is the longest river in Portuguese territory that goes across the city, creating an amazing view!

You also can’t miss the night view of the city!

Accommodation

Baixa Apart is a perfect apartment to stay! They have one bed in a room and a sofa bed in salon. It also has a laundry machine with dryer. Plus, the owner is super kind. (http://www.booking.com/Share-RVzjGb1)

Restaurants

I didn’t really eat in restaurants in this city and ate just sandwiches. Therefore, I cannot recommend any place but please, eat well while you travel, don’t skip meals like I did 🙁

Overall, I enjoyed this little trip a lot, since those cities are not so big, and they are close to each other you really don’t need many days to tour all of them. Therefore, if you are looking to do a little get away to the North of Portugal, I would definitely recommend this route 🙂

LX Factory – Lisbon

Lisbon is a beautiful city with full of wonderful touristic spots. However, if you are like me and have visited the city several times and want to try something different, or you just want to visit some less touristy but more local places, you can take a look at LX factory…..

It is not in the city center but with a 10-minutes bus ride you can easily get there.

As you can tell by the name, yes, it used to be a factory. It’s a former fabric company that’s now became a hip place where they have cafes, restaurants and lovely stores. It also has cool graffiti that makes the place even more enjoyable.

One store that really stands out the most definitely in my opinion is this bookstore.

If you are bookworm like me then you will definitely LOVE this place! As you can see, the 2 floors bookstore is completely full of books! How exciting is that 🙂 Most interesting of all is that this store still has the old factory machines inside. You can actually go around and have a tour of them.

After visiting this exciting bookstore, we were hungry, and we went to have lunch at “name of the restaurant”. We ordered empanadas and Argentinian steaks and it was very delicious and not so expensive. If you fancy meat, this is a place to go!

As a desert, we went to this little café, and my friend introduced me to this Brazilian dessert called “Brigadeiro”. It looks like a little ball; each has different flavors, and they are really sweet and super delicious. We ordered classic, coconut and Oreo but they have many other flavors. One other good thing about being in Lisbon is that we have easy access to Brazilian food, and it is quite authentic.

One thing that I missed was a bar called “find the name”. I really wanted to go there because it has this famous statue and really beautiful however it was closed due to the current pandemic situation. So hopefully next time I could visit there.

Overall, this is a perfect place where you can walk around, chill, catch up with your friends over nice dessert, or go on a date with your partner 🙂 I had such a lovely Sunday afternoon and definitely recommend you to check it out!