LISBON BATHED IN LIGHT

April 2022 — Lisbon, Portugal

By Raisa Gates

I’ve had Portugal tugging at me for the last 4 years. In the most timely fashion my trip was realized in the month of October 2021.

After chilly summer months living in Reykjavik, I was ready to shed my raincoat and extra layers to welcome Lisboa as my next impermanent home.

I rented a friend’s apartment in Santos ,an area full of up and coming cafes and shops – just a 15 minute walk from the city center. I spent my mornings usually working from a cafe, Tiffin Cafe and Comoba were among my favorites. In the evenings I would meet up with friends for dinner. My favorites places were: BBB Taste for craft Portuguese sandwiches, Landeau Chocolate for cake, and finally Taberna da Rua das Flores for historic tapas.

In the evening I explored the city by foot – camera in hand. The cobblestone streets at my feet to the laundry waving in the wind above, there is charm in every corner of this city.

The abundance of sunlight brings the city to life. The warmth always reflected in the tiles of buildings and the Portuguese people I met.

A city that always seems to shine, Lisboa is a place I hope to come back to again and again.