PORTIMÃO , PORTUGAL

Where do I even begin . So for my birthday this year in 2026 it was decided that I would take a friends trip to the beautiful country of Spain ; Portugal to be more exact since the two are divided however I still like to say Spain because it is a little bit more known to the American ear. Neither here nor there allow me to get into the meat and potatoes of the trip , lol . To start I must say that the city of Portimão in which we stayed was absolutely a site to witness , (an hour flight from Lisbon International) . My friends and I stayed in a beautiful Villa outside of the city (in what I’d like to call the suburbs) , in which we were gated and secluded with privacy which was a plus . Laughter , new types of food (a private chef must I add) , and ofc the best wines were all in the air the entire time . Went for The Afronation annual festival there that brought in over 15-20,000 people . Witnessed performances by Tyla , Kehlani , Wiz Kidd , & my favorite Burna Boy (performance) along with plenty of other artist . It was a whole total vibe and no crumbs were left behind from being in the front of the stage ahead of thousands to the small random spontaneous escapades that lived . I really enjoyed one of our final days there especially the most because I was able to venture off and tour on my own within the city and try some local handmade pasta from this super small restaurant called ‘La Bruscetta’ . It was their special of the day , a tomato based pasta but I really wanted a white sauce so she made it for me instead . I sat at a table that was closest to the sidewalk alone and enjoyed a cold glass of their white wine (which in fact was like $4 USD so no complaints there) . Even though the USD and Euro are pretty close in rank , they still tend to sell things cheaper over there I noticed, ESPECIALLY wine and alcohol lol . I ate there alone on the day before my actual birthday ; watched the beach as the construction workers took down the enormous concert stages with massive cranes . I soaked it all in as I allowed my thoughts to be put on cruise control as they drove though my brain . [Thankful] .

I absolutely see myself going back for sure especially when the festival is happening but no time soon . Spain ? Absolutely . Maybe Madrid , if I am in the continent of Europe definitely Italy , I really want to do Ibiza as well . When it comes to international travels there are so many places globally why circle back so soon to the same one , but over time is fine . Thank you for such a lovely time Portugal ; & until next time , Ciao .

-ÁJ