Hi C,

It sounds like you’ve been having a blast celebrating your birthday! So our first stop was in Beja, Portugal. I was excited to spend some quality time with my older cousin and grandparents! It was about an hour and a half away from Lisbon so it wasn’t bad at all. I loved driving through and seeing all of the beautiful scenery the country has to offer.

We had lunch at Luiz Da Rocha, one of the most popular restaurants in the area. We each ordered different dishes including Carne de Porco à Alentejana so we could try a variety of cuisine. The service was impeccable and the food was delicious.

After lunch, we checked in to Pousada de Beja, which was a former convent. The echoes throughout the hotel were unreal.

We drove around Beja, saw where my nana went to school and visited the Museu Jorge Vieira. The museum was very interesting… to say the least.

One of my favorite places to visit was the gorgeous park. It was stunning from one end to the other. It felt amazing to sit on the bench and people watch. We could have done it for hours.

Which I know you would LOVE! We went to dinner at O Alentejano that was walking distance from the hotel. On our way there, I was fascinated by the art on the street and bus stops. We also walked by Casa Benfica of Beja!!!

By the time we got to the restaurant, we were so full that we decided to order two dishes and share it between the four of us. One of the classic Portuguese dishes is steak with an egg on top. It was mouthwatering!!

One of the things that I love the most about Portugal is the ice cream. I get so sad that I can never find these ice creams in the US! When I saw that they had a Cornetto, I had to have it!!

We just had breakfast at the hotel and the buffet had soo many options. Everything from eggs to bacon to waffles to fruit to cereal. It was the perfect breakfast to start off our day. 

As a bonus, we enjoyed breakfast while enjoying the beautiful view of the pool.

We are off to Alqueva!!

Xoxo,

– K