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TRAVEL YEAR 2021 – THE YEAR OF GREAT CHANGES
The year 2021 is finally over and it’s time to look towards the new year 2022 and new amazing adventures. Last year included a lot of changes and fantastic moments, as well as great emotions and wonderful experiences. It was not a very big year of travelling maybe, but quality replaces quantity in this case, and instead of several separate trips, the year was filled with change and adventure when I moved here to Portugal and did a lot of exploring inside this new country that I can now call home.
It feels downright weird and funny to look back in time to the beginning of last year and remember the times when the frosty snow was still cracking under my shoes and my face was freezing in the cold winter air. However, I have to start somewhere with this compilation of last year, so we go back to February, when the 2021 travel year officially started for me.
RELAXING ON THE WAVES OF THE BALTIC SEA
Cruises may not be the most revolutionary travel experiences, but they do create a comfortable break from your everyday life and refresh yourself in the middle of work and everyday life. We carried out this February cruise on the cozy Viking Grace in cooperation with Viking Line Finland, and although not all of the ship’s services were available at all times due to the corona, the voyage was still a relaxing experience with sunny winter sceneries.
THE CHARM OF KUUSAMO AND THE MAGIC OF THE MOUNTAINS
I may have always been a bit of a “bad” Finn, because I have never liked the cold or the winter, I don’t like winter sports, and I hate skiing holidays. I can enjoy the snow and fresh winter weather for an average of a month, but after that I could already return to the summer time and sunshine. I have only visited Lapland once before and even then it was July and we only drove through it to the Norwegian side, so that made me feel obligated to jump on the car when my mother announced that she was going to Kuusamo to look at some white winter sceneries a little further North. So we girls from Tampere city drove to the great Rukatunturi mountain, and to the lovely Ajakka Bed & Breakfast to admire the reindeers and huge amounts of thick white snow all around us. In addition to these, Kuusamo also offers for example cute huskies for a husky safari ride and of course the famous Riisitunturi mountain.
MOVING TO PORTUGAL WAS LIFE CHANGING
May was an emotional month in many ways, as at the end of May it was finally time to pack my suitcase and head for the new great adventure, moving to Portugal. I had received an good job offer from Lisbon, the capital city, just a few months earlier, and I finally decided to grab the bull by the horns and accept the job, because after thinking about it, I couldn’t think of enough reasons not to seize the opportunity and to take the job.Beloved relatives and friends remained in Finland, as well as my boyfriend and our rental home. I packed my life in one suitcase, in which I only packed a bunch of shorts and a bikini, as well as salmiakki, the famous finnish liquorice.
I fell in love with Portugal right away and Lisbon surprised me with its versatility, comfort and easiness, although I had never before thought of moving to Portugal to live more or less permanently. Lisbon has everything from lovely cafes and restaurants to history and the old town, a beautiful city center and easy access to everywhere. Nightlife is booming and there is entertainment for every taste and style. Lisbon has great exercise facilities for both outdoor and indoor exercise, with options ranging from cheap gyms to affordable all-inclusive wellness centers and everything in between. Personally, I just signed up for a new dance school here and soon after a break of just over six months I will start dancing lessons with some new dance genres too, so excited!
It is also extremely easy to travel from Lisbon to the surrounding areas and the rest of Portugal, or why not cross the border into Spain. In the summer I travelled a lot to the nearby cities and villages and for example my own new favorite beaches can be found on the other side of the river Tejo, in Setúbal, in the area of the Arrábida Natural Park. We also went to spend a long weekend in the Algarve, the cozy city of Lagos. The Algarve was a truly wonderful experience and this year I will head back to explore more of the southern coast. The Algarve blog post is also coming up soon, so stay tuned. This year, the directions will of course also be put towards the much praised Porto, as well as many other lovely small towns, from which I will write more here on the blog too.In November I traveled to Finland for a mini-holiday to take care of some work and visit some family, and to finally end my relationship, which had lasted about eight years. The decision was common between me and my boyfriend and we parted as friends, in all good harmony. The new life in Lisbon opened my eyes in many ways and I know I will not return to Finland for a long time. We want different things in life right now and the future cannot be predicted, so this decision feels right. Life has taken great steps forward and I can’t wait to see what the upcoming summer, for example, will bring here in Portugal with sun, warmth and new wonderful experiences!
Read more about Lisbon:
- Alfama – The charming old town of Lisbon
- Bairro Alto – The bohemian neighbourhood and nightlife mecca of Lisbon
- Cascais – The sunny gem of the Portuguese Riviera
- Cabo Espichel & Pedra da Mua – Fantastic daytrip from Lisbon
- Arrábida Natural Park – Beautiful beaches & amazing nature in Portugal
- Sesimbra & Praia do Ribeiro do Cavalo – Portugal’s long-hidden gem
- Setúbal & Tróia – The perfect weekend getaway from Lisbon
Remember to check out how we celebrated Christmas here in Portugal:
HOW WAS YOUR TRAVEL YEAR 2021? DID YOU FOCUS ON TRAVELLING INSIDE YOUR OWN COUNTRY OR DID YOU TRAVEL A LOT ABROAD? DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER REVOLUTIONARY EVENTS IN YOUR LIFE THAT IS NOT RELATED TO TRAVELLING BUT IS STILL MAJOR? SHARE YOUR OWN HIGHLIGHTS AND SUMMARY FOR 2021 IN THE COMMENT FIELD! 🙂<3: Tiina Johanna
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Christmas card from Lisbon – First Christmas in Portugal
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Many travel to the charming capital of Portugal in pursuit of the heat and sun, but how many go out to see the city in the middle of December when the sun sets at six and the weather is chilly from time to time? However, if for some reason you find yourself in Lisbon during the Christmas time, the city has a lot to offer to its visitors and as a passionate Christmas person myself, I am really looking forward to my first Christmas here in the middle of the twinkling lights of Lisbon and the smell of local mulled wine. And it’s of course also wonderful that you can still enjoy the sunny days and temperatures of almost 20 degrees even in the middle of Christmas!This Christmas will be different for me in many ways, as this is my first Christmas in Portugal, but also my first Christmas away from Finland and away from my own relatives and loved ones. In just over six months, I have created a new life here in Portugal and met wonderful new people and made new good friends. I get to live with absolutely awesome roommates with whom we are like family and this year I will spend Christmas with this new and awesome crazy family handing out gifts, cooking and eating a variety of each countries own traditional Christmas food and just enjoying being together. We have already been in the local Christmas markets together and we were there celebrating in Praca do Comercio Square even when the city’s Christmas lights were finally turned on.
I am especially grateful for this new funny little family now that after eight years of being together, my long relationship ended and I spend Christmas for the first time in a long time as a single girl. Sitting in the middle of our crazy miscellaneous Halloween and Christmas decorations in our living room near downtown Lisbon, I couldn’t be genuinely happier right now. If I had heard in the spring how much my life would change here with the move, I wouldn’t have believed, but despite the difficult moments, the move has brought more good than bad into my life, so luckily I decided to leave Finland and come here.
Inspired by a new kind of Christmas and this wonderful city, I also wanted to share some of the Portuguese Christmas vibes and my own best tips for spending Christmas here in Lisbon for you here on the blog!
WHAT TO DO AT CHRISTMAS IN LISBON?ROSSIO CHRISTMAS MARKET
Praca do Rossio is right in the heart of the city center and is surrounded by stunning views of Alfama’s beautiful rugged old town and the popular nightlife center of Bairro Alto on the other side, with its interesting narrow alleys and bars and restaurants. Rossio is filled at Christmas with several stalls and craft vendors booths as well as, of course, delicious food and drink stalls where you can also taste the famous local hot mulled wine. Rossio also has a Christmas tree, of course, which does not compare to the magnificent giant light tree in the Praca do Comercio, where you can also walk inside the light tree to take a closer look at the lights.
WONDERLAND LISBOA CHRISTMAS MARKETWonderland Lisboa is in my opinion the most magnificent Christmas market in Lisbon. Wonderland is located in Parque Eduardo VII, in Eduardo Park, right at the top of Avenida de Libertade, with stunning city views. Here you will find lovely stalls with various handicrafts and discoveries as well as tasty delicacies with mulled wine and regular wine. The area is decorated with beautiful Christmas lights and the large Ferris wheel and artificial skating rink allure many people to come back here again and again to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere of the market of the Wonderland.
CHRISTMAS TREE AND LISBON CHRISTMAS LIGHTSLisbon city center is fully illuminated with beautiful Christmas lights and every street is different. The beautifully lit Christmas light tree in Praca do Comercio Square is the biggest attraction and inside the tree it is so wonderful to sit around admiring the lights from the inside perspective. The surrounding streets flicker with various Christmas light decorations, and many visit the lights in the form of a self-guided Christmas light tour. Personally, I love the light hearts of the Avenida de Libertade, which are hung along tree branches, and my biggest favorite are the jellyfish lights found in the Baixa-Chiado area, which are a really popular and a truly wonderful sight to see. Book yourself here* a Christmas light guided tour through the best Christmas lights in Lisbon and the most atmospheric spots of the city center!
PORTUGUESE CHRISTMAS TRADITIONSPortuguese Christmas traditions usually include a cod-based Christmas dinner on the evening of December 24th, and the dessert is traditionally Bolo-Rei, a fruit-decorated pastry cake. According to tradition, there is also a bean hidden inside the cake and whoever grabs the slice where that bean is hiding will have to buy or bake the Bolo-Rei for everyone next year. In addition to cod and the cake, there are also many other delicious dishes and Portuguese pastries on the families Christmas tables. Also according to the local tradition, gifts are usually exchanged only on the 25th, but everyone nowadays of course create their own traditions and customs. Our Christmas here may not follow the Portuguese ways, but this Christmas we will create our own new traditions and enjoy it to the fullest anyway.
EXPLORE THE BEST OF LISBON WITH THE LISBOA CARD*, THE BEST TRAVELLERS CHOICE FOR DISCOUNTS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTS AROUND THE CITY EASILY AND AFFORDABLY!With the Lisboa Card*, you can easily travel indefinitely by public transport and at the same time take advantage of good offers as well as free admissions to museums and various attractions, for example. Choose the option that suits you the best and enjoy the city’s offerings with this card. 🙂
SAVE THE CHRISTMAS VIBES OF LISBON ON PINTEREST!
HAVE YOU SPENT CHRISTMAS IN PORTUGAL? WHAT DID YOU LIKE? SHARE YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS TIPS FROM PORTUGAL OR OTHERWISE AROUND THE WORLD TO THE COMMENTS! 🙂<3: Tiina Johanna
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