I’m really excited to share the photos from when I went to Algarve in Portugal because it was probably some of the most beautiful nature scenery I have ever witnessed. It was funny the way it happened, too, because I was walking with a friend on the road when we randomly decided to walk towards the ocean and once we got there . . . BOOM! We saw huge grottos floating on crystalline, light blue water. At that moment I thought “Wow, sights like this are actually real and not just a product of photoshop!” – as a note, I didn’t alter any of these photos, the colors are REAL.

You know what else is great about Portugal? It’s so cheap! I mean, I went there right after coming from Paris where a drink easily costs 10 euros or so, but in Portugal you wouldn’t spend more than two. I think that when people think about European destinations, they often underestimate Portugal, but it was honestly one of my favorite spots in Europe. Well, if you’re a Brazilian, you would have a lot of fun listening to their thick accent because Brazilians think they speak Portuguese; but no . .  in Portugal five year-olds conjugate all the verbs properly when speaking to their kindergarden friends, unlike adult Brazilians.

Portugal had many unique things (like every country) but what stood out for me was this delicious egg tart pastry called “Pastél de Belém” that we got hot out of the oven (each tart was only 90 cents!). I embarrassingly ate four and didn’t eat more because, well, my friend pushed me away. Also, when you walk around the city, it is hard not to notice the different kinds of tiles covering buildings, houses and streets. Lastly, the beach was beautiful, although the water was very cold. Don’t be fooled by the two-year olds swimming and playing in the water – apparently they have blue blood because I couldn’t even last a minute with my feet in the water. But don’t worry because the sun will keep you in check. - Pati

A Pastelzinho de Belém in Belém. This tart pastry is creamy and crunchy. I think I ate one everyday. However, when we arrived at this famous bakery in Belém, and saw the long line of locals outside waiting for the new batch to come out of the oven, I easily ate four or something. They also have them in Brazil, but they are not quite as good as the ones in Portugal.

The old city in Faro. The architecture is unlike anywhere in Europe – the houses are covered in beautiful tile that is unique to the area and you can also see a hint of the Moroccan influence in the design.

The Algarve. The photos speak for themselves. I was blown away by the natural beauty of the Algarve. We spent an afternoon laying on the beach and starting at the blue waters, I couldn’t be happier in the sun. It’s also very easy to get to the Algarve because there are many city buses that run to the beaches along the coast.

photos by Pretty Talk