Our European 2025 didn’t end this summer we were able to head back overseas for Thanksgiving this year! We started the trip in Lisbon, Portugal, where we stayed for 3 full days before heading to England to spend the remaining part of the week.
I still have to pinch myself when I think about how much once in a lifetime travel we have been able to do this year!!
Lisbon, Portugal
Saturday
We landed in Lisbon around 9 am and after flying through the night I decided figuring out the train and walking to our hotel wasn’t on the cards so I booked us an Uber and we were off. I was pleasantly surprised at how affordable the Uber was and continued to be throughout our trip.
Upon drop off we were able to check right into the hotel and to avoid falling prey to jet lag I took a quick shower and we headed out immediately. We started by walking to a ceramics store I’d read about online. My plan was to buy a few things for friends and family and have them shipped home for Christmas gifts but after finding a few things I liked, at exceptionally good prices, the staff calculated the cost of shipping and OMG I had to pass!! To ship $30 worth of ceramics they were quoting over 300 Euro – ahhhhhh!!! I was disappointed but I didn’t have room in our luggage so we headed out and down to the river front to get our first taste of Portugal.
The next stop we made was at Manteigaria, for some pasteia de Nata, a traditional custard pastry that is a must try in Lisbon. I ordered 3 of the sweet treats thinking the kids and I would each have one but I was left eating the lot – Christopher and Ada didn’t care for them. I choose Manteigaria for our first pasteia de Nata stop because it most recently won the Pastel de Nata Competition in Lisbon and was mentioned in almost everything I found online about the pasteis. They were good but I was a little disappointed because they were cold and I have heard (and now know after Sunday) that they are much better warm.
After Manteigaria we headed to the river front to walk back to the Praça do Comércio, which is a large historic square. The kids ran around as I meandered around the square looking around and enjoying the day. After a few more photos on the river we walked up to the National Pantheon. I wanted to go in and look around but between the flight and the walking the kids were spent so I ordered an Uber and we headed back to the room for a little break.
For dinner I had a place I wanted to try which required us to wait until 7 pm to try to get in. We rested in the hotel for a little while then around 6:30 walked over to the restaurant. The line was insane but we waited and when we got to the door they told us they were full for the first seating and it would be an hour and a half before they did another round of seating. With the kids in tow I couldn’t wait so we headed back toward our hotel and found a spot to eat at along the way.
We ordered paella and Portuguese sausage and I think something else that I didn’t take a picture of and now I can’t remember lol. Ada fell asleep at the table and afterward we walked back to the hotel under all the Christmas lights!
Sunday
On Sunday we started with a trip to Pastéis de Belém – a shop where the original Pasteia de Nata was created. It was so much better than the day before – the custard was creamy and warm and the pastry was perfect. Ada and Christopher got a few other things since they didn’t want to try mine and we sat on a park bench nearby and enjoyed our breakfast.
After our breakfast we walked over to the Jerónimos Monastery to take a look around. The Monastery is described as a masterpiece in Portuguese architecture and it didn’t disappoint – even the kids thought it was neat. We walked around taking in the arches and columns before heading to our next stop.
Up next on the list was a closer look at Lisbon’s Christ the Redeemer statue, which is across the river. We caught another Uber over and after driving past the people huffing up the hill to the statue I have never been so happy about a decision to Uber haha! We took lots of photos with the Lisbon skyline and of the statue before heading back across the river to find lunch.
For lunch we went to O Trevo to get our hands of some bifanos. These are little sandwiches – served warm and fresh. The kids enjoyed them so much they ordered 2nds and ate every bite! After lunch we took a little break in the hotel – watched some tv and waited for dark so we could walk around and see the Christmas lights.
While we were out earlier in the day I noticed a few Christmas markets so after dark (5 pm) we walked to a few spots where they had light displays and Christmas markets. We were all still full from our multiple bifanos that we settled for a few croissants for dinner and called it a night.
Monday
On Monday I’d booked us a cooking class so we got up early and ordered our Uber and waited and waited and waited but we kept getting dropped and after over an hour of waiting and knowing we would be more than 40 minutes late for the class if we ever managed to find an Uber I gave up and came up with a plan B. (maybe after a small meltdown – small, very small…)
The plan for the afternoon was to go to St. George’s Castle so I moved that up to mid-morning fun and we set off up the rolling hills of the Lisbon city streets. It was a little drizzly but it wasn’t too cold. Along the way we passed by a great viewpoint and stopped for brunch complete with coffee, hot chocolate, and a Pepsi.
The castle was very fun and Christopher and Ada had a blast walking along the grounds and the castle walls. The lookout points were great but just a smidge windy! I think we stayed at the castle fore several hours, even in the drizzle.
After the castle we walked around more – going to see the trams and the funicular before walking to Pink Street and then ending up back at O Trevo for dinner. Christopher and Ada told me that’s what they wanted for dinner again and who can argue with two kids who are planning to eat every bite!
Tuesday
Tuesday we flew to England so we didn’t do much in the morning. I ordered an Uber the night before to avoid the issue we’d had trying to get to the cooking class and thank goodness we got the best Uber driver ever because it turns out the police block the road up to where we were staying for a window of time every morning and instead of dropping our ride the driver called me and gave me directions for where to walk down the street to meet him! We said goodbye to Portugal in style – with a stop at the airport McDonalds.
My favorite two things about Lisbon – the tile on the buildings and the sidewalks!! Everywhere we walked and everywhere we looked the tile work was amazing! Here are some of my favorite patterns!
Wednesday
On Wednesday I woke up super early and headed to the Lake District on a Rabbie’s bus tour. This was a region of England we didn’t get to visit this summer and I wanted to check it out while I was back. We aren’t really tour bus travelers but I have to say after taking one and having someone tell stories about the area, point out interesting places and things, and PARK for me – I think I’d do it again!
Our first stop was Windermere where we embarked on a 45 minute boat tour of the lake. After the tour I warmed up with a hot chocolate and a scone before getting back on the bus. I can’t tell you enough how much I like clotted cream!!! It’s a shame I can’t find it here at home.
The next stop was Grasmere. Here I did the 20 minute river walk in a brisk and wet 15 before going to the gingerbread shop and purchasing a piece of gingerbread. Apparently this shop is the shop where gingerbread was invented.
After that we had two quick stops in Monk Coniston and Tarn How’s (Beatrix Potter’s land). These were quick hop out and check out the view – which wasn’t much considering the fog. It was still nice to hear the stories of the areas even if we couldn’t see the amazing views clearly.
The last stop on the tour was Hawkshead. In Hawkshead I stopped into a few shops and gathered the items I’d need for a charcuterie dinner in my hotel before waarming up in a pub with a latte.
After the last town we all loaded back on the bus and the driver took us back to Manchester. I enjoyed my chartuterie dinner in the hotel and watched some AppleTV.
Thursday
Thursday I spent the morning relaxing and the afternoon wandering around the Manchester Christmas markets. I tried chestnuts and a scotch egg and where I’d try the scotch egg again if it was warm and not cold I will forever pass on chestnuts. They weren’t great. After walking around a bit I had dinner at one of the pubs under the hotel I was staying at and then called it a night with a little more AppleTV.
Friday
We headed back to the states Friday! It was a long flight from Manchester to Atlanta but the kids fly well and I think we were all happy to be back together and home.
This European year has been a blast but I think for now I’m traveled out – something I never thought I’d say! I’d love to go back to so many of the places we visited the year but I think if I had to choose a top 3 it would be Lisbon (Portugal), Vernazza (Italy), and Dumfries (Scotland).
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