I haven’t been writing for a while, mostly because I haven’t felt like myself for some time now — but I’m back at it!

Dani and I got ready to Britney Spears before we ventured off to the National Palace of Pena, arguably the most famous palace in all of Portugal. Little did we know that our efforts to beautify ourselves would be ruined by the uphill treks, gusting wind and eventual tuk tuk ride up to the park entrance. I enjoyed the tuk tuk very much, because this was how I frequently got around in Thailand, and I instantly felt a rush of nostalgia.

The park itself was beautiful, and was full of over 80 species of trees, plants and shrubbery. Seeing Asian, African and North American trees in one shot deems this the prettiest arboretum…

The winding path up to the palace was just as breathtaking as the structure itself. This was Dani’s first castle experience, and although this may seem like a dumb analogy, I would assume this is how parents feel when they see things through their child’s eyes again. I had a similar enthusiasm as I did when I saw castles in Germany and France for the first time, which I appreciated and needed immensely.

As my beloved travel guru Rick Steves always says, the architecture means nothing without the history and greater context of the era. To keep it short and sweet: the Palace de Pena embodies the quintessential art of Portugal’s 19th-century Romanticist period (in other words, this would be perfect for a romantic afternoon or evening)! Even the gardens and and park surrounding the palace are historic in their own right. Everything about this magnificent place screams imagination and whimsy. The palace was inhabited by a variety of royalty, by death, remarriage and other circumstances, which inevitably led to the additional romantic aesthetics of the national park today. For more history and specifics, feel free to visit their official website.

After a quick pickpocketing scare, we grabbed a cab and received a great, local dinner recommendation from our driver. We enjoyed port wine, warm meals and some of the best chocolate mousse we’ve ever tasted. One thing that I love about dining in Europe is the slower pace, and I’m grateful that some of my favorite spots in the US have adopted this way of operating as well.

Once we finished up our meal, we walked around the corner back to our Airbnb, played dominos and went to bed early because we had another big day ahead…

Photos taken Sunday, September 19, 2021