Tuesday June 2, 2026
Hi All! We’re still in Europe! Today we were docked in the city of Lisbon in the country of Portugal. Today is a “turn over” day where about 400 people get off and another 400 get on. I wonder how many will be gamers like us?? Time will tell!
Since we’ve both been to Lisbon many times (heck, I spent a week here 8 years ago!) and even though we love the city, we decided to check out the “suburbs”. So we did a 4.5 hour tour called “Palaces and Cascais”. We started with a drive to the National Palace and Gardens of Queluz.
It is a beautiful palace and often referred to as the “Portuguese Versailles”. It was built in the 18th century and is one of the last great Rococo buildings to be designed in Europe. The palace was conceived as a summer retreat for King Joseph I’s brother, Peter of Braganza, later to become husband and king to his own niece, Queen Maria I. (Those Europeans were crazy!).
We got to tour the various rooms inside as well as the beautiful gardens. While much smaller than Versailles, it was just as regal and amazing. There were probably as many rooms in that palace as there is on our cruise ship. I want to live there when I grow up! Lol.
We then drove to the town of Cascais. It is an elegant coastal town on the Portuguese Riviera located just 20 miles west of Lisbon. It seamlessly blends a storied royal history with traditional fishing village charm. It’s known for its sandy beaches, 19th century architecture and vibrant upscale but laid-back atmosphere.
We walked thru town, did a little shopping and had to stop for the most revered specialty of the area… the Pastel de Nata (the Portuguese Custard Tart). It was so delicious and I ate it so fast I forgot to take a pic! Sorry! But trust me, it was delicious.
We then drove back to the port and boarded the ship around 2:30 PM. We just chilled in the late afternoon and hung out on the balcony and admired the gorgeous view of this beautiful city. The weather was perfect being sunny and 72. Love it! I’ll do another update later tonight.
The Wandering Italian 