Our first post-pandemic trip was a return to Portugal. My wife had been on a charter trip to Lisbon just a few years ago, but I had not been there since 1973!

Should we paddle out instead? Two surfers getting ready to drop in at Praia do Tamariz, Estoril, Portugal
AOS DESCOBRIMENTOS PORTUGUESES This statue commemorates the families of the Portuguese explorers who waited for their return.
CABO DA ROCA This lighthouse watches over the westernmost point of the European continent.
PENICHE FORTRESS This fortress in the coastal city of Peniche also served as a prison.
NAZARE LIGHTHOUSE, FROM TOWN Surfers come to Nazare to test themselves on some of the biggest waves in the world
FAMILY DAY ON THE BEACH AT NAZARE The gentler waves on the town beach are more appropriate for family play than the monster waves that break near the iconic lighthouse at Nazare
SOME OF THE BIGGEST WAVES ON EARTH Nazare boasts some of the largest waves in the world. We were there on a 7/10 day and were amazed by the skill of the surfers and their jet ski drivers.
CONVENTO DE CRISTO, CASTELO DE TOMAR Built on what was originally a Knights Templar stronghold, this convent is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
COIMBRA COURTYARD The university city of Coimbra has many wonderful sights. Some of them are not listed in any guidebook, but they are delightful to find.
ARCO DA RUA AUGUSTA This triumphal arch anchors one of the premier shopping streets in the center of Lisbon.
TORRE DE BELÉM Finished in 1519, this tower not only defended the Tagus estuary at Lisbon but served as a point of embarkation for many of the voyages of discovery of the 16th century.
PADRÃO DOS DESCOBRIMENTOS This monument celebrates the Portuguese Age of Discovery during the 15th and 16th centuries. Prince Henry the Navigator stands at the apex of the panoply of explorers. (He was also the nephew of my 18th great-grandfather Si