Here is a brief snapshot of my last couple of days in Porto and Lisbon:

Porto is enchanting…  Old buildings, cobble stone streets, history, and of course, port.  Everywhere you turn, colors reflect off the water.  A glossy rose color filters the whole city.

Puppies in Alfama, the LX Factory (warehouses-turned-artistic-and-hipster neighborhood), and the Tile Museum… when in doubt, just wander the streets of Lisbon, you’ll find gems.

The Carmo Monastery (built in the 14th & 15th Centuries)… It’s one of the only buildings remaining in Lisbon (outside of Alfama) that survived the 1755 earthquake.  The roof fell in, but the monastery walls remained (as seen below).  The colors are mesmerizing and the energy is palpable.

And then there was the Aquarium… Lisbon’s aquarium is the largest in Europe and is definitely a stop to make.  I had no idea the aquarium, marina and boardwalk existed in Lisbon until my last day.  The restaurants on the marina, the Vasco Da Gama Bridge, and the peaceful running path along the water are beautiful and definitely worth seeing up close.