Our European adventure began with an ambitious itinerary through Portugal and Spain, marking the second season of our retirement travel plans. After rethinking our original three-year international living strategy due to health challenges, we’ve established a home base in eastern Tennessee with a modified approach: spending 6-9 months abroad annually while maintaining a U.S. connection for family visits and recharging.
Our journey started with flights from Knoxville to Lisbon via Washington D.C. While we cleverly used credit card points for free transatlantic passage, the overnight flight proved challenging with a wailing baby preventing any rest. Arriving exhausted in Lisbon, we still had to navigate to Lagos in the Algarve via bus. Our Airbnb there presented unexpected quirks – a bedroom upstairs with the only bathroom downstairs, plus strange condensation issues with windows dripping wet each morning. Despite these minor inconveniences, Lagos offered beautiful sandstone cliff formations along a picturesque coastline.
However, after spending years living on Ecuador’s Pacific coast, we found ourselves somewhat jaded by beach tourist destinations. As we travel, we constantly evaluate places through the lens of potential long-term living, and we’ve realized that resort areas no longer appeal to us as permanent residences. That said, Lagos impressed us with its walkability, excellent food scene, charming mercado, and small-town village atmosphere.
An impromptu $18 bus trip took us to Seville, Spain, where we experienced a delightful cultural immersion despite my mishap of missing our original bus (full details on our website). Seville quickly won us over with its flat, pedestrian-friendly layout and vibrant Spanish culture. Our strategically located Airbnb allowed us to explore entirely on foot, from the impressive Cathedral housing Columbus’ tomb to the magnificent Spanish Square with its intricate tilework. The discovery that actual ticket prices were significantly lower than those listed online (just €7 each with senior discounts versus the advertised €45-50) reinforced our practice of investigating options in person rather than relying solely on internet information.
Seville’s highlights included an unforgettable flamenco show paired with delicious tapas, exploring the maze-like Jewish quarter with streets barely wide enough for a horse, and dining at a restaurant established in 1386. The historic depth of European cities continues to astound us, with architectural and cultural elements spanning centuries in everyday settings. The Parasol, the world’s largest all-wood construction, provided spectacular 360-degree views of the city and embodied Seville’s blend of historic charm and modern innovation.
Returning to Portugal, we visited Albufeira for the International Living European Boot Camp, where I delivered a presentation on roaming retirement. Though we found good accommodations and excellent restaurants (including our customary search for quality Indian cuisine), the city’s party atmosphere and tourist-oriented environment confirmed our preference for more authentic cultural experiences. Spain clearly made a more favorable impression than Portugal during this leg of our journey.
Lisbon presented both challenges and rewards with its San Francisco-like hills that often exceeded San Francisco’s steepness. While the city itself didn’t strike us as somewhere we’d want to live, we discovered amazing treasures like the unassuming Santa Catarina Cathedral with its surprisingly ornate interior and peaceful atmosphere. The Time Out Market became a favorite spot, offering fresh local produce and a communal dining experience where we coincidentally met fellow travelers from near our Tennessee home.
A ferry trip across the Tagus River to visit an old neighbor in Trafaria revealed a more livable, local beach community away from Lisbon’s tourist centers. This experience suggested that Portugal might have more to offer in areas we haven’t yet explored, particularly Porto and the northern regions. We’re looking forward to giving the country another chance in the future, as our brief visits were primarily timed to wait for warmer weather in the British Isles, our next destination.
Our journey continues in the next installment, beginning with our arrival in London.
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