H20 Madeira– Whale and Dolphin Watching tour. This tour leaves out of Calheta on the West side of the island. We stayed in Calheta, so I chose this company for a tour. If you are staying closer to Funchal, I would recommend going with Rota do Cetecos Monte Palace Gardens- Flower Festival 2026– Each May…
Pack Layers- The weather is mild here year round, however if you are going anytime outside the main summer months (June-Mid September) you will need some warmer clothes. The temperature dip down into the 50’s at night and in early morning then reach up into the 60’s- low 70’s during the day. You will want…
Sao Jorge Castle– This is the castle you can see up on the hill while in downtown Lisbon. It was built on the highest hill as a defensive structure and if you visit on a guided tour (which I recommend) you can learn how the castle was built to stop invaders from successfully seizing the…
Hiking Tips/Advice for Madeira– You can’t visit Madeira and not go for a hike. This island was made for hiking! Even if you are staying in Funchal city and are not renting a car you will find lots of tour companies (local tours are best but GetYourGuide and other international tour companies also offer hiking…
If you are traveling to Portugal, Lisbon specifically, you have probably heard about Sintra and the Pena Palace. These are on every website about Lisbon. Sintra is a cute, charming and hilly little town about 45 minutes West of Lisbon. You can take a guided tour here, ride the metro trains (the cheapest option) or…
I packed for 18 days in Portugal in just a carry on bag and personal item. I like to pack carry on because I find that unless you have a direct flight or maybe only one layover, your luggage can get lost much easier. For this trip we were flying from the west coast of…
When I travel to Europe I like to book a few tours. I find that the history behind all the beautiful churches, cathedrals and buildings makes the experience so much richer. I’ve had pretty good luck with the website GetYourGuide. When planning our trip to Portugal I wanted to see more than just Lisbon but…
I love Europe for food. The small cafes and restaurants that have 5-6 tables and are all individually owned. Nothing like the chain restaurants that have taken over America. Often you will meet the owner or the chef while dining in these European restaurants, sparking up a conversation with your server will get you food…
Recently on our way to Europe, our flight to Dallas got canceled due to weather. Our options were to spend a day in Philly or Miami on a long layover. We opted for Miami as both of us have never been to Miami, and Philly’s forecast was rainy Our flight was a red-eye and landed…
This year my partner Kole and I have decided to travel to Portugal. We will be visiting for two weeks, one in Lisbon and one week on the island of Madeira. So I will need to pack for both city sightseeing and outdoorsy hiking. Typically when we visit Europe, we pack large backpacks. This helps…
