May I just say—one of the best days I’ve had in so freaking long. How lucky am I?
The day started slowly, with a long, hot shower and a relaxed breakfast at the hostel. I took a seat with Diana, and a new-to-the-hostel traveler named Mike joined us. Turns out he’s from San Diego, which led me to ask a million questions because if you know me, you know how much I adore that city. We got to chatting about the day, and when I mentioned my plans to explore Sintra, he considered tagging along because he arrived in Lisbon with no specific agenda, as many of us had. The nearby town of Sintra was actually the one item on my agenda that I came intent on pursuing.
Brian, who I shared a bit about on my day 3 post, sat down with us as well and expressed his interest in joining in on my Sintra plan. If I’m being completely transparent with you and myself, I had a bit of a miniature internal freak-out ONLY because my anticipated solo, peaceful, quiet day of exploring some castles was no longer in the cards. I laugh about this reaction now because the day wouldn’t have been a fraction of a fraction of what it turned out to be had I gone alone. People really do so often make the places, we just have to let them in.
I retreated back to my room to reassess my plan and finish getting ready. I darted out of the hostel to check out a nearby shop as I awaited word from either Mike or Brian while they were getting ready themselves and approached the train station just as Mike sent me the message that changed the course of the day.
He said that a decent-sized group was huddled just outside our hostel with the intention of ordering an Uber to head to none other than the town of Sintra. I RAN before plans could move further along prior to showing my face and approached at the same time as Brian, making us the final members of the day’s group trip. My little group of 8- myself, Nina, Mango, Brian, Luca, Axel, Mike, and another absolute sweetheart (though I fear I forgot his name as I spent the least amount of time with him because he separated early in the day)- was the most perfectly, beautifully random assortment of humans and personalities.
We crammed into an Uber, and in true spontaneous travel fashion, I realized we weren’t heading straight to Sintra as I had assumed. Instead, the group had already mapped out an unexpected first stop—Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe. I didn’t have an ounce of disappointment or hesitation in my body. As we arrived, it was obvious just how stunning the whole cape was and I recognized that this group was already something to be grateful for.
Cabo da Roca felt like an endless expanse of rugged cliffs and wild ocean stretching beyond the horizon. We snapped group photos and took turns playing photographer for each other before noticing that some of the most beautiful areas along the cliffside were “restricted,” but had clearly been crossed on to time and time again. Luca from Roma (she says in an Italian accent) pushed the idea a bit, and who am I to say no to a good view and bit of a thrill?
We crossed into the first restricted area along the cliffside, bringing us closer to the edge where we had our model moments looking out on to the most insane ocean view with the sun flaring in perfect contrast with the sea breeze.
After checking off our first danger zone box we naturally made our way to the other side of the cape where giant rocks on a piece of land jut out to the ocean. We actually found some of our group seated about halfway down watching the waves (turns out none of us felt like missing out on the views by following all the rules). The pair of us took it a step further, clambering down the cliffs, finding ourselves on a ledge nearly at the water’s edge where the waves crashed dramatically against the rocks. Sitting there, with the ocean stretching endlessly in front of us, felt like stepping into a scene far bigger than ourselves—cinematic and completely alive. Luca spoke a bit about feeling distant from the sea in Rome which resonated with me as moments by the ocean tend to be ones where I feel most at home. I expressed my adoration for Florence and how I could envision a world in which I lived there, to which he said I would likely find myself bored there before long. Food for thought, perhaps.
Eventually, we made our way back up, breathless and buzzing with the adrenaline of both the climb and the fear of our group leaving us behind, only to find Brian waiting at the top, keeping an eye out for us. A quiet compassionate gesture, but one that stuck with me.
We hopped back in our van after a looooong stop (God bless our angel of a driver), and Nina supplied snacks and water bottles as a prepared friend group mother does. A note on Nina- she is the most wildly eccentric individual I’ve ever met, yet somehow also the most organized and ready-to-help human all at the same time. Off we went to Sintra where history and palaces awaited us. We arrived in the city and said goodbye to Luca. He had planned to take a train back to Lisbon at this point because he’d already explored Sintra and is in the midst of pouring into establishing a personal business. Full-time digital nomads have so much of my respect, and this was a prime example of how so many dedicated individuals balance working hard and playing hard even while traveling.
We took the path out of the central part of the city that seemed most traveled as I fear none of us came well-researched, though luck led us to quickly stumble across our first palace. After much contemplation, we decided to buy tickets for access into the castle and to explore the grounds. We didn’t regret our ticket purchases for a second. Having the freedom to roam such a beautifully kept sanctuary and climb up into the castle towers and adventure down into a massive spiraling dried-up well was honestly….well…epic.
Eventually, we felt like we’d seen all there was to see without dragging things on amidst our group’s growing consensus of being hungry that was beginning to verge on hangry. Our little band of friends set off to find a lunch spot nearby. Our group broke up temporarily for a bit to explore our culinary preferences, but the majority of us enjoyed sharing pizzas at a local Italian place.
I convinced the group that we had to hit one more palace called the National Palace of Pena because it’s essentially the sacred gem that crowns the hills of Sintra (I told you I felt passionate about coming to Sintra during my trip and this golden glowing piece of art was why.) We had to hitch a ride to get up to this particular palace because it sits tucked away a bit far in the hills.
We arrived just 30 minutes before they stopped allowing people in and right around the time that the sun was in its early stages of wanting to set. We bought tickets to enter the park and gardens but not to go inside, which was a decision we thought we might regret as we approached closer and realized we might not have access to even see much from the outside because of where the ticket entrance was located. We made the most of admiring the outskirts of the castle when all of a sudden, some of my friends found that the ticket entrance was unrestricted for the night because it was so late in the evening. Essentially, we now had free reign to head far deeper into the palace and explore one of the most insane lookouts I have ever experienced. In addition to the palace being bathed in warm golden hour sunlight with the most breathtaking view imaginable, I walked onto a balcony to find the most beautiful couple taking professional wedding photos. The bride’s veil blowing in the wind made my breath catch, and it was one of those moments that felt straight out of a movie—absolutely surreal. Nina and Mango began playing “Love Story” by Taylor Swift, the bride danced along, and we all got caught up in it, completely in awe of a moment I’ll never forget.
After many photographs and “WOWs” exclaimed, we settled on a balcony to watch the sun spend its last moments above the horizon and felt the temperature drop intensely and quickly. We ordered an Uber as it was time for our newfound family to head back home.
We spent much of the ride back exchanging hundreds of photos with each other via WhatsApp and Airdrop, and I spent the rest of the ride reflecting on my immense gratitude for a special day of special people. The power of human kindness and friendship truly defies all time and space, and this truly gets put on display when relationships form so effortlessly, quickly, and in such unexpected ways.
Upon arriving back at our beloved “Goodmorning Solo Traveller Hostel,” we all went our separate ways briefly to refresh and get ready for a fun final few hours of the day. We regrouped just in time to enjoy pasta night in the hostel and joined in with the rest of the guests who had their own agendas for the day. Dozens of us sat around singing, laughing, and making music; meanwhile, I had nearly the entire room writing in my travel souvenir notebook. So many beautiful people filled it with sweet notes and letters, words of light, encouragement, stories, and humor. We drank and ate and bonded, then hit the town together- bouncing from spot to spot as our massive group of guests and hostel staff united for what became an unofficial bar crawl.
As the night rolled on, it was eventually time for me, Diana, and German friend Samuel (whom we befriended nights before) to head home, but not before the pair opted we stop at the glorious golden arches (McDonald’s). I admired the Portuguese-edition menu, and we ate the cheapest happy meals known to man (thank you Portugal) and hung out with a few people who had already made it back to the hostel common area. I probably set 20 alarms knowing I’d have to be up early and ready to catch a train in the morning to my next destination, then conked out.
*Don’t worry, I’m kidding- hostel etiquette demands that you wake up and shut off your first alarm and I’ve never been one to defy the unspoken rule.*
Anywho, this day really does make my hypothetical list of best days ever lived, and I am eternally grateful to have such meaningful and memorable experiences.
If you loved my first few days of Portugal Diaries (Lisbon edition), get ready for the next segment following the work opportunity I’m currently pursuing in Lagos and all of my future travel endeavors that are in the works.
My travel day to the beautiful Algarve, Portugal is up next!
Sincerely,
SB
