Sean3810/Getty
Portugal is known for its beaches, as a place where you can sprawl out on the sand for a day, or walk around the corner to pick up some grilled sardines,a glass of red wine, and just relax. Over the past decade, this once well-kept secret has etched its way into a hot spot destination. Because Portugal is on every list, and one of my favorite places to visit in the summer, I wanted to see what it was like to visit in the off season—if the space still had its sun-kissed charm and effervescent cobblestone streets, but a little more elbow room.
My trip began in Lisbon, a city I know and love, but which has always been crowded. A day in Lisbon in the spring or summer can feel like being stuffed into a subway car at rush hour, like the tinned fish the country is famous for. This was not the case in the winter. Instead, it might be better described as parallel to having a Wes Anderson movie set entirely to myself.
Straining up hills, turning around to catch glimpses of the sun poking through the clouds and reflecting off the water, the city felt empty in the best possible way. There was still a life force teeming through it though, an energy of workers, and shoppers, blazing down avenues and side streets, ordering pastries (pastel de nata, especially) and espresso at cafes, but at the same time, nothing was ever crowded, nothing felt claustrophobic—instead it felt like the city was breathing at a normal rate, for once.