During my two weeks in Lisbon, nearly every person I met gave me the same travel recommendations. Not one to bypass the wisdom of locals, I heeded all their advice and ensured my time in Portugal's sunny capital city included two day trips — first to the royal sanctuary of Sintra, then to the beachy seaside town of Cascais.

First up: Sintra!

Sintra is something out of a fairy tale. With a looming Moorish castle sitting atop the forest-covered mountains, the magic of this sprawling UNESCO World Heritage site is tangible. Sintra is famous for its 19th-century Romantic architecture, which earned it its UNESCO designation. A popular retreat for Portuguese royals, it also served as a mystical religious destination — the Celts worshipped their moon god here.

From Lisbon, you'll take the Linha de Sintra train that runs from Rossio station located near the Barrio Alto neighborhood. The train takes an hour, and you'll know you're heading the right away if you're surrounded by tourists (you've been warned).

Eat —

I don't remember much of what I ate minus two huge pastries from Casa Piriquita (which has the cutest signage). Make a morning stop for the local favorite, a travesseiro (almond pastry), and an espresso, before heading off to explore.

See —

My favorite stop was the Palácio Nacional de Pena (aka the castle of my dreams). This colorful Romanticist castle is as quirky as it gets, with onion domes, mismatching crenallated towers and a patterned confectionary of mismatching tile. Commissioned in 1840 by the artist-husband of Queen Maria II, I'd really like to move in immediately and never leave. The view is nothing short of stunning.

My second favorite stop was Quinta da Regaleira — one of the most gorgeous parks I've ever visited. It's the former residence of a wealthy Portuguese businessman, who built the five-floor grand house with an ornate Gothic façade. The best parts, however, are the gardens spread over four hectares. Secret tunnels, symbolism and a certain air of magical mysticism follow you wherever you wander.

Other popular stops in Sintra include the Castelo dos Mouros (Castle of the Moors), National Palace of Sintra and Convento dos Capuchos. Keep in mind that a full day trip will most likely only allow you to see 2-3 sites.

Cascais might be, perhaps, the opposite of Sintra. The reason to come to this pristine coastal city is for good ol' fashioned R+R. Cascais gained notoriety when the Portuguese royal family vacationed here in the 19th and 20th centuries. Now, it's a popular holiday destination for people and foreigners with money (the area is one of the richest in Portugal).

The train from Lisbon's Cais do Sodré station is a lovely hour-long ride along the coast. If you feel so inclined, make a quick stop at Belém. You could easily spenda full day here to visit the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, but if you're short on time (like me), I'd recommend hopping off the train to see the Torre de Belém, a former defense tower and UNESCO World Heritage site located IN THE OCEAN. Seek out the famous pastel de nata at Pastéis de Belém. They claim to craft the original based on an ancient recipe from the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos.

Eat —

A stop at Moules + Co. is highly recommended. Promise me you'll order Moules Á Bulhão Pato (mussels with coriander, olive oil + garlic) and a large glass of vinho branco. The mussels are a local dish and named after the famous Portuguese poet Bulhão Pato (knowing this fact will score you points with the locals).

See —

There are quite a few things to see in Cascais, but my #1 recommendation is to find a you-sized spot on the beach, and park it there all day. Praia da Ribeira is the main beach, but I enjoyed Praia do Tamariz, (a 40-minute walk east). If you cannot beach it more than 20 minutes without getting bored (like me), take a few hours to wander through the maze of Cascais. I was endlessly inspired by the bright colors, gorgeous architecture and laid-back vibe of this beachside gem.

[Typography hand-drawn by me]

When traveling, I usually get a good sense of how much I'll like a new country within minutes of arriving. Call it traveler's intuition or the benefits of being an empath, but there is a distinct and true feeling that emerges deep in my gut. It is rarely wrong.

I've been wanting to visit Portugal for as long as I can remember. I don't recall what sparked my initial interest in this sunny capital city other than it sounded warm and perhaps, more foreign and less familiar than its European neighbors.

So on March 17th, I exited the Lisbon airport and jumped into the first available taxi, a standard black vehicle topped with a neon yellow and green sign proclaiming, "TAXI!" Within minutes, Marco maneuvered us out of the airport loop. As we strung together a basic conversation in Spanish (when you speak Spanish and your driver is bilingual, Spanish it is), I found my mood lightening steadily, like a runaway balloon floating towards the endless sky.

Every building on every corner beamed with color. The sun shone brightly, and as we cruised along the salt-tinged air of the oceanfront, I knew I'd love this place.

San Francisco meets Paris, I read somewhere. It's a fitting description. Lisbon has the laid-back cool of San Francisco but with a stylish European touch. And yet, it's more. There is something special about Portugal I can't quite put my finger on.

It's intoxicating, this place.

I'll start with food & drink. Literally, intoxicating. I drank more vinho branco (white wine) in two weeks than I'll ever admit to, and enjoyed some of my most memorable meals. Not even a nasty bout of food poisoning could deter me. For someone who doesn't like seafood or olives, I surely inhaled both. Sardines and cod fritters were staples in my daily diet, along with bottles of not-too-sweet vinho branco and olives (which is a damn miracle for this lifelong olive hater).

But as always, it's the people that made this city so amazing. Everyone was friendly and eager to help, guide or just talk with me human-to-human. Nobody seemed in a big rush. Enjoying one's life seems to reign supreme. A taxi driver sat with me for more than 20 minutes after my ride was complete detailing his favorite places in southern Portugal that I should visit. And now, because of that chance encounter, I'll be heading back in just a few weeks to follow his itinerary.

Portugal, you stole my heart, and I'm counting down the days until my return.

(It's 14, to be exact.)

See* —

28 Tram: No trip to Lisbon is complete without a ride on the classic yellow 28 tram.

Museu Nacional do Azulejo: A 25-minute walk from Alfama, this museum was my fave. It offers a history of azulejos, the gorgeous painted tiles you see adorning so many buildings.

Praça at Martim Moniz (Anjos): Filled with food trucks and public art, this plaza at the Martim Moniz metro stop is sandwiched between Alfama and Bairro Alto.

Castelo de São Jorge (Alfama): This 12th-century castle overlooking the city is a must-visit.

Miradouro de Sao Pedro de Alcantara (Bairro Alto): Situated at the top of Bairro Alto, this lookout is the perfect place to rest your feet with a glass of wine.

Mercado da Ribeira / Time Out Market (Cais do Sodre): Half traditional market (produce, fish, meat, etc.), half modern food market. Stop here for the chance to eat everything from fresh juice to cocktails to pastel de nata to ceviche to sandwiches to bifinhas (essentially, a Portuguese hamburger) and more.

Igreja de Sao Vicente de Fora (Graça): Founded in 1147, this church is regarded as one of Portugal's finest. It's gorgeous and towering.

Miradouro da Graça (Graça): My favorite view of Lisbon, especially good at sunset.

Panteão Nacional de Santa Engracia (Graça): I loved this Pantheon more than the one in Rome (blasphemy, I know). It has the most exquisite pink tiling inside, and a hike to the top offers a lovely view over the Feira de Ladra market.

Jardim do Principe Real (Principe Real): Packed with locals, this small park offers a book market as well as a farmer's market on Saturdays.

Shop —

A Vida Portuguesa (Anjos): My favorite shop. In my experience, stores touting "local products" are often filled with useless junk I don't want to buy. But not this one! It has the most impeccably curated collection of clothes, food, home goods, shoes, stationery,  toiletries, and toys. I could have bought one of everything.

Chocolataria Equador (Chiado): Buy yourself the dark chocolate + passion fruit bar, and thank me later.

Feira de Alfarrabistas (Chiado): The loveliest antique book market on Rua da Anchieta. Open on the weekends from 10am to 5pm.

Feira de Ladra (Graça): This Tuesday-Saturday flea market is great for random finds and even better for people watching. Grab a pastel de nata + espresso at As Maria com Chocolate (a local favorite) and watch the crowds wander by.

Bisset (Principe Real): A stylish, French-inspired boutique with minimalist basics.

Mini by Luna (Principe Real): This boutique has a curated selection of European brands for both women and children.

Eat —

Brick Café (Anjos): This hip neighborhood café is the ideal breakfast stop. Get the fresh orange juice, simple omelette and a pastel de nata sprinkled with cinnamon.

Giallo (Alfama): The cutest ice cream shop. I loved their mango-passionfruit sorbet.

Lisboa Tu & Eu (Alfama): My favorite place. Around the corner from my AirBnb, this friendly café serves up a small menu of Portuguese fare. My favorites were the grilled sardines, orange-infused olives and 2 Euro glasses of vinho branco.

Medrosa d'Alfama (Alfama): Head to this tiny café for their array of open-faced sandwiches. Plus, it has the best tile floors.

Restaurante Alpendre (Alfama): For a nice meal out, I'd recommend Alpendre. It's a bit touristy, but the hilarious waiters and seafood stew with rice make up for it.

Manteigaria (Bairro Alto): Perhaps the most famous of pastel de nata shops, come early to get a piping hot custard tart right off the line.

The Decadente (Bairro Alto): Housed in The Independente Hotel, this ultra cool restaurant is a must. Killer cocktails, great food and a gorgeous interior space. Reservations needed.

A Cabreira (Graça): This family-run joint is perfect for an espresso + pastel de nata.

Graça 77 (Graça): A vegetarian café where I ate one of my favorite meals. Cash only.

Graça do Vinho (Graça): A small wine shop serving up generous pours + tasty happy hour appetizers. Go for the oysters.

Friteria: A charming food truck serving up tasty cod fritters, fries and cheap wine.

Stay —

My AirBnb in Lisbon was ideal for a one-person stay. Located in Alfama, it's within walking distance to sites, restaurants and the waterfront. My favorite part was the two balconies overlooking the twisty, charming Alfama streets. At night, I'd open the doors and let the lilting fado music waft in as I relaxed with a glass of wine.

The Independente Suites & Terrace (Bairro Alto): This not-too-expensive boutique hotel infuses old world charm with a modern aesthetic. The lobby and adjacent bar/restaurant are impeccably designed and great for lounging.

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*I took day trips to Belém, Cascais and Sintra, which I will recap in my next blog post. 

If Stockholm is the mother of cool, then Copenhagen is its young, hipster child.

When I arrived, I almost felt like I hadn't left Stockholm. The cities felt eerily the same. But soon, the similarities between these Scandinavian capitals dissipated as I began to see their distinct differences. Copenhagen is grittier. Edgier. More bike-friendly (I'd argue as bike-friendly as Amsterdam). And so damn stylish.

If I'd allowed myself, I could have spent all day quizzing every gorgeous Danish woman on where she purchased each piece of her outfit (oversized coat, oversized sweater, trousers, Stan Smiths, all black everything). Instead, I simply admired them from afar like a total creep, bemoaning why the hell I was born in the wrong country.

But I digress...Copenhagen!

From fashion to food to architecture and culture, this city just seems to get it. People work hard but not too hard. They take as much vacation as possible while working the least amount as possible. And, perhaps most importantly, they appreciate good food! Copenhagen had, without a doubt, the best eating of my trip thus far. Plus, the people are very friendly. Not even getting pickpocketed (yes, pickpocketed!) could ruin my genial, rosy view of the Danes. I made friends with more random strangers here than any other country I've ever visited.

Although, because of the aforementioned pickpocketing, I did miss two big things I'd been looking forward to visiting: the Frederiksborg Castle, and Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. So, if you make to Copenhagen, please visit these two places for me until I can weasel my way back to this fashionable utopia.

And if you need somewhere to stay, this Airbnb is it. I absolutely loved my time here. It's in the best neighborhood (Nørrebro) with the best host (Marie) and is five flights up, so you're guaranteed a daily glute workout.

See —

Assistens Kirkegård (Nørrebro): This cemetery + public park is worth an afternoon wander to see Hans Christian Anderson's grave.

Biblioteket for arkitektur, design, konservering & scenekunst (Christianshavn): This quaint, light-filled library made a relaxing stop on my way to Christiania.

Bike Mike Copenhagen: Lead by foul-mouthed Mike, this half-day bike tour was €45 well spent. I feel like I got such a good feel for the city + neighborhoods. Plus, Mike is hilarious and weird, and you're going to want to be his BFF.

Christianshavn: This neighborhood is nestled between the main harbor and hippie Christiania (see below), and reminded me a lot of Amsterdam.

Church of Our Saviour (Christianshavn): With its shiny gold serpentine spiral, this Baroque church offers the best view over Copenhagen.

Freetown Christiania: This hippie, self-governing enclave is a must-visit. It's teeming with vegan restaurants, marijuana and amazing public art.

Nørrebro: You could easily spend the day in this hipster neighborhood. Not only does it have delicious restaurants (see below) and cute shops (see below), but it's a nice slice of real Danes living their real lives.

Nyhavn: The Old Harbor is an adorably-preserved strip of ships + colorful buildings.

Royal Danish Theatre: Home to the renown Copenhagen Ballet, I'd recommend seeing a performance here. They also have opera and theater shows.

Rundetaarn (Central): A 360-degree view over Copenhagen for just a few dollars.

The David Collection (Central): Housing the private collection of lawyer C.L. David, this free art museum is amazing. Their exhibition of Islamic art is not to be missed.

Shop —

Acne Archive (Nørrebro): The outlet store for the renown Swedish clothing brand.

Adélie (Nørrebro): A perfectly-curated shop with clothes, accessories + beauty products.

Dora (Vesterbro): Next to Playtype, this eclectic home goods store is a lovely stop.

Flying Tiger (multiple locations): This cheap + popular chain is everywhere in Copenhagen—think of it as the IKEA of cute home goods, party favors and more.

Hay Market (Central): Hay is a design firm, and everything they make is impeccable. Stop by their showroom, which features a mini market of fun, affordable items.

Hooha (Nørrebro): A well-curated sneaker store owned by the nicest man.

Jægersborggade: This hip and buzzing street in Nørrebro is filled with cute shops. I recommend Craft Sisters, My Favourite Things, Malene Glintborg Jewelry, Palermo Hollywood and Kaktus (literally, a cactus store).

Res Res (Nørrebro): An eco-conscious clothing shop — I got my new Vejas here.

Playtype (Vesterbro): A type foundry with a shop of typography-focused stationery, office accessories + posters.

Eat —

Antidote Vinbar (Nørrebro): Located at the end of Jægersborggade, this jam-packed wine bar is a great place to end the day with snacks + a few glasses of vino.

Atelier September (Central): The best, most gorgeous avocado toast.

BRUS (Nørrebro): This hip brewhouse is exactly the place I'd hang out on weekends. A wide range of beer, good bar food (get the burger) and an exceedingly cool space.

Cafe Mahalle (Nørrebro): Excellent Turkish-Lebanese food.

Fætter Fætter (Nørrebro): This cheeky toast bar is responsible for one of the best meals I've had all trip. Go for the "Toast Experience."

GRØD (multiple locations): A porridge restaurant! I ate breakfast here more than half the days I was in Copenhagen. Fresh, filling and so delicious.

Istid (Nørrebro): Homemade nitrogen ice cream. And look, I made their Instagram!

Kanalens Kælder (Christianshavn): A cozy wine bar + café for an afternoon break.

Manfreds (Nørrebro): The best meal I ate in Copenhagen. They call themselves, "(probably) the world’s only veggie-focused restaurant famous for its raw meat." Insanely delicious beef tartare and hot Argentinean waiters.

Meyers Bageri (multiple locations): The best, most gooey cinnamon roll of my life.

Mirabelle (Nørrebro): The almond croissant here is everything. Also, that tile.

Nabo (Christianshavn): I met my AirBnb host here for dinner one night, and it was a delicious fixed menu of chicken tikka, salad, homemade bread and small plates.

Torvehallerne (Central): This gourmet food hall has it all—a farmer's market, food stalls, restaurants, specialty ingredient shops and more.