After spending more than one month in Spain, I was ready for a change of pace. Madrid and my English immersion programs were wonderful, but I missed the water and the cool breeze of the coast.

After a glowing recommendation from a friend I decided to spend a week in Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal. Portugal is so close to Spain, and yet it’s size tends to render it overshadowed by its larger neighbor.

As I wandered through the city on my first day, I was blown away by the charm of the tiled homes, the hilly cobble stoned streets, and the ever present trams.