Every weekend with CIEE there are optional field trips planned. This past weekend we visited a city known as Caldas da Rainha, and visited the the Oceanario on Saturday. With CIEE I’ve had the chance to travel all around Portugal and visit places I probably would have never visited on my own, such as Porto. Porto is a beautiful medieval city located in the North of Portugal; its known for its famous Port wine and was the inspiration behind J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels.
Being a Catholic country, Portugal is known for its beautiful Monastery’s and churches. One must visit the Monastery of Jeronimos in Belem before one leaves Portugal. Each and every church and Monastery has a different story behind it and different architecture. There are also several castles and palaces located in Portugal and even within Lisbon. Every Tuesday my architecture class visits a different location around/within Lisbon. My favorite place thus far has been the Palace of Fronteira, which is a beautifully colored palace made with tiles and gilded wood. There are also several gardens surrounding the palace itself! I have been in Lisbon for the last couple of months and have only left the country once, and I still haven’t seen all the famous landmarks and museums Lisbon has to offer.
The culture and history of Lisbon is very unique; I would definitely recommend visiting a couple of places during your time here!
