
When you blend the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, sea and land, sun and powerful ocean rains, along with the customs and everyday life of the Iberian Peninsula, you get a formula for pure enjoyment. Portugal — a seafaring nation with a rich history, deep-rooted traditions, and a proud people — is a true revelation for most visitors experiencing this part of the world for the first time. For travelers from the Balkans, especially so.

When we, coming from the mountainous Balkans, think of Portugal, we usually picture Lisbon and Porto. We imagine Madeira, the island that gave the world Cristiano Ronaldo, and only the most devoted football fans might recall Guimarães. Yet this city, beyond its famous football club Vitória SC, has so much more to offer.

Lisbon is a city that wins you over slowly, layer by layer, much like the sunset that slides over the Tagus River and settles onto the pastel façades of the old town. Some call it the city of light. Others, a city of music and nostalgia. Hedonists will say — Lisbon is a feeling.