Back from Europe
We just returned to the US from a 7 week trip to Spain and Portugal. It was a very good trip. We flew into Porto, Portugal where we spent two weeks, after which we took a train down and spent a week in Sintra, Portugal. Lastly, we flew from Lisbon to Bilbao, Spain where we spent 4 weeks in San Sebastian, Spain and the surrounding Basque country.
Many people may think these are unusual places to spend a lot of time in Europe. However, we were traveling from mid-July to early September, the hottest time on the east coast of the US. We picked these spots as much for the weather as the local history and culture. The weather in all three locations was mid-to-high 70 degrees Fahrenheit with very low humidity every day.
A blue-tiled Church in Porto, very common in Portugal
Porto is a very old city on the northern coast of Portugal with many historical sites to see. The best part of this area, in my opinion, is the Douro Valley along the Douro River which runs from the Spanish border through downtown Porto to the Atlantic Ocean. The Douro valley area is Portugal’s wine country with many hillside vineyards upriver from Porto.
Sintra is the most popular historical place in Portugal. And, despite all the tourists, I can see why. The old town is un-altered with any new development and all the palaces in the area ranging in age from 150 to 900 years are remarkable. Sintra sits in a unique micro-climate that has very cool summers with a fair amount of precipitation. This makes for spectacular gardens in the area. In my opinion, a visit to Sintra is a must in this part of Europe.
Map of Basque Area
The lifestyle in San Sebastian, Spain reminds me of San Francisco, CA, but with even better weather. The city does not have as many historical sites as other places in Europe as the war between Napoleon and the British in the early 1800s left the city in flames. Most of the buildings in San Sebastian have been built since 1813. But the city is located on a most beautiful spot with a stunning rocky coastline and picturesque mountains about 3 to 4 miles inland. There are three beaches located right in town with sunbathers, surfers, and volley games everywhere.
After a week or so, we saw most of the historical sites in town. But San Sebastian is right in the middle of the Basque country which spans both sides of the Spain/France border on the Atlantic Ocean (see adjacent map). We took several day-trips to the surrounding towns of the Basque area including Pamplona, Hondarribia, Getaria, Pasai Donibane, and St. Jean du Luz in France. It is not necessary to spend a month in the area, but the Basque area is worth a visit.
View of Sintra with Atlantic Ocean in background
One distinction between Spain and Portugal was the differences in the language barrier. Almost everyone under the age of 60 in Portugal spoke English. In talking with locals we learned that Portugal, starting in the early 1980s, made a concerted effort for everyone in their population to speak English. Today, beginning in the first grade, English is a required subject in Portuguese schools just like math and history. However, outside of the obvious tourist areas, English is not nearly as common in Spain. On the surface this difference has the appearance of making the Portuguese people seem friendlier than the Spanish. But this is only because the average person in Portugal can more easily communicate with people from English-speaking countries. Since we spent a lot of time in Spain and got to know some Spanish locals, we found the Spanish people to be just as friendly.
The entrance to San Sebastian Bay
One last thing about our trip for those that may be interested is the cost. The daily cost for this trip was even less than our trip to southern Italy in 2015. Our cost for this 50-day trip was $179 per day (based on an average US$1.17/Euro exchange rate). This cost includes housing, groceries, all tourist fees, souvenirs, and all local transportation (i.e., trains, buses, taxis, and one local flight). This area of Europe is so inexpensive that we dined out at a local restaurant almost every day. The only other cost of this trip was our trans-Atlantic airfare, which was $2,400 for both of us.
More pictures:
Hiking up to Pena Palace; Halfway there
Entrance to Pena Palace in Sintra
One of 3 three beaches in downtown San Sebastian
Parade of “Big People” in San Sebastian
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