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Day 5: Tuesday, February 20
Students and chaperones left their hotel at 8:10 in the morning on a bus ride to Evora in Portugal where they stopped by for lunch and went shopping at local stores. In Evora, they were given the opportunity to explore the different stores in the area and were able to buy various things from clothes and food to wooden toy crossbows and leather boots.
Afterwards, they went back on the bus and eagerly awaited their arrival to the next destination. Shortly after arriving in Lisbon, the group went to the Museu Nacional do Azulejo (National Tile Museum) where they split into 2 groups to wander around the museum and view varieties of tiles, along with making their own!
When painting their own tiles, they were given various colors (& stencils if needed) and were able to unleash their creativity on their tiles. When visiting the Museu Nacional do Azulejo, students and staff were able to explore the different types of ceramic tiles painted throughout history. They were also allowed to view famous tile works and were given insight (by their tour guides) on many of the different tile designs.
After their exploration of tile art, students and staff arrived at their hotel (My Story Tejo), where they settled in before getting dinner at Marisqueria Santa Marta. The group of students really enjoyed their dinner here with the company of the considerate, yet mischievous servers. They were served a variety of dishes which included a type of soup, roasted olives, bread, salad, fried rice, and dessert (flan or fruits).
As their dinner concluded, they took a 10 minute break to walk around the streets of Lisbon before returning to their hotel for the night.
Day 6: Wednesday, February 21
Students and staff started their day with breakfast in the hotel and left at 9am on a tour of the Jerónimo Monastery. This monastery featured remarkable architecture and contains the tomb of Vasco da Gama, a famous portuguese explorer and the first European to arrive in India by sea.
After their visit at the Jerónimo Monastery, the group went on a panoramic bus tour of the city and took stops along the way to take pictures. Students and staff then went on a walking tour before heading to the Castelo de São Jorge (Saint George’s Castle).
In the Castelo de São Jorge, the group was able to get a view of the city and saw many peacocks, which were said to have been brought to Lisbon as trophies during the 15th century. Afterwards, the group stopped by to get lunch and split into 2 groups. One of the groups went to buy souvenirs and explore the area, while the second group went into the Sé de Lisboa (Lisbon Cathedral), the oldest church in Lisbon.
Later, the group met up and went shopping in the city. After their shopping spree, the group walked back to their hotel to freshen up before dinner at Chú-Chú, where they were served chicken, rice, french fries, and pudding as dessert.
After their dinner, the group walked back to their hotel and settled in for the night.
Day 7: Thursday, February 22
After breakfast, students and chaperones took a bus to Sintra where they started off by visiting the National Palace of Pena, which gives a clear view of the city due to its location at the top of the a hill in the Sintra Mountains.
Inside the palace, the group was able to see various items typically found in a residence, but also items with historical significance. As the summer residence of the Royal Family, the Palace of Pena was decorated lavishly with sculptures, tall vases, detailed glassware, fancy beds, and etc.
Shortly after their tour of the National Palace of Pena, the group stopped by Sintra’s central square to go shopping and grab lunch. In that area, there were various souvenir stores, pastry shops, an ice cream store, and more. In the pastry shop, students who went inside were not only able to enjoy a famous Portuguese pastry called the pastel de nata, but were also able to watch the staff make them.
After their lunch and shopping break, the group went into the Palácio de Sintra (Palace of Sintra), where they greatly admired many of its historical, artistic, and architectural features. Some of these features include: the rooms of different birds (magpies, swans, and doves), royal bedrooms, a ceiling of active Portuguese family names (in the 16th century), and wardrobe rooms.
After their palace visit, students and staff went back to their hotel to freshen up before going on a walk in the area. During the walk, the group visited the Guinness World Record’s oldest operating book store which was established in 1732 and is still currently operating. Those who bought books there were able to get them stamped (which was proof that they had been here!) when checking out.
The group then had dinner at Ouro My Story Hotels where they were served duck paella, salad, bread, olives, and crème brûlée for dessert. After dinner, the students were taken to an Ice Cream shop where they were treated, by Mr. Talbot, ice cream of their choice. Students were also allowed to visit more souvenir shops as this night would be their last night in Portugal.
After heading back to their hotel, the group of students and chaperones received the finished glazed version of their tile, which they were allowed to keep as a souvenir. Then they all signed a card for their tour guide, Raquel, before heading to bed.
Departing from Portugal
The group had breakfast at the hotel again, and left on a bus to the Lisbon Airport. After around 3 hours of flying, they had a layover in Amsterdam where they took another plant to Boston for around 7 hours. Upon their arrival in Boston, they got on a bus and returned to their school where students were picked up and returned home safely.
