Raphael Kessler

I'd been meaning to go to Portugal for some time, it just wasn't at the top of my to do list. Then, I received an offer of a cheap break to a five star hotel in Vilamoura on the south coast. The area itself has nothing of real interest and isn't the most fascinating bit of coastline either. However Tavira, East along the coast and past Faro was quaint. The rooves across Portugal are distinctively tiled and can make a pretty sight in themselves.

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I went up to Lisbon, on an uneventful drive and met up with a friend and did some site-seeing there. To get to the more elevated parts of Lisbon, one uses the elevator to take one to the higher part of town.

I liked this old doorway, don't know why.

The Torre de Belem keeps a watch on the water. I don't know what it's watching for or how much defensive use it would be.

The Jerónimos Monastery in Belem is very pretty and also has a museum inside.

Not sure where this fountain was, I think it may have been in the castle.

Sintra is a short drive in to the mountains from Lisbon and has some old pretty palaces with some lovely, though brutal, tiles and sculpture.

This ruined fort gives nice views across Sintra and the surrounding countryside.