Going to 4 different places in 9 days over Spring Break was quite challenging, but it was totally worth it. The first three places we visited were Amsterdam, Paris, and London. The final destination of our amazing trip was Cascais, Portugal. When we decided we wanted to go somewhere warm to wrap up our trip, I began searching for places that had reasonable priced flights and would be fairly warm this time of year. I saw on TripAdvisor that Lisbon, Portugal was in the top 10 places to visit in Europe. When I was reading the overview on Lisbon, I found that Cascais was a quaint coastal town just a short train ride away. We had no expectations and that was so exciting. Luckily, Cascais did not disappoint. It is a place I never dreamed of going, but it is a place that I will never forget.
We stayed at the Hotel Villa Italia. It was a five-star resort hotel that we got the best deal on due to off-season prices. It was incredible and exactly what we needed after walking about 10 miles per day in the big cities. It is the most room I have had since I left my bedroom at home, which was incredible. There was also a bathtub and a huge shower!!! Conveniences that I never knew I could miss so much. The weather could not have been more beautiful for us during our trip, but it was especially perfect in Portugal. We enjoyed the cliffs and sea foam teal waters of Boca Do Inferno. It was only a 6 min walk from our hotel to this picturesque coastline. Cascais is a seaside fisherman’s town with lots of character. The town had lots of cute shops and restaurants. Who knew that Portugal was known for its production of cork? There were so many adorable products made from cork such as purses and shoes!
It was warm enough to lay out at the pool on our last day there. I even got a little sunburned!! Sunbaked relaxation is how I would describe our two days in Portugal. It was perfect. Spring break brought so much personal growth, fantastic places, and wonderful memories. I feel so content and blessed by all the experiences I have had so far. I can’t wait for what these last 5 weeks have in store!
Ciao,
Anna Machen

Beautiful sunset on the rocks in Cascais.