Earlier this year I went on my first press trip for work to Paris, spending three days with Haier and Dreame, and then two on my own. And last month I had the incredible opportunity to visit Portugal, for the very first time, with luxury rug brand Ferreira de Sá.
So, I thought that I would share what I got up to on here. I already shared a few snapshots and a dedicated Reel over on my Instagram. But as a blogger, I always like to have these blog posts to look back on. So, here's what I did over the days that I was in Portugal, both as part of the press trip and on my own...
Day one: Silvalde and Porto
The day started at 5am, after an early wake up to catch the bus from Glasgow to Edinburgh. And if you've not yet heard of the ember bus before, I could not recommend it highly enough. In less than an hour I was dropped off at Edinburgh Airport before flying to Porto, where I met the rest of the group. As it was approaching lunchtime, we hopped in the waiting cars that took us to lunch at Aquario. And going from it being 9 degrees in Scotland to eating lunch by the beach was such a surreal moment. It was also a great opportunity to meet the Ferreira de Sá team and chat with the fellow journalists, who ended up hailing from France, Spain, Germany and the UK.
Then it was time to visit the HQ in Silvalde, where the brand has been based for 80 years. After a tour of the factory, in which we even got a chance to try rug tufting ourselves, it was so incredible to take in what are actually works of art, instead of your typical rug or floor covering.
After that, it was back in the cars, this time to head to Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia for cocktails and canapes. And what a view it was. We also got a chance to see some of the Ferreira de Sá rugs, that had been designed specifically for the hotel, as we walked through. It was definitely one of those days where I was pinching myself that I made my teenage dream of being a journalist be what I do for a living.
Day two: A morning at HQ and an evening
Day two started with us shuttling between the two factories, where we first heard from one of the designers, who'd worked on some show-stopping pieces for luxury retail, hotels and personal clients, before getting a chance to see the Portugese hand-knotting and looms in person. If I thought that the tufting was impressive, this was on a whole different level. The amount of work and time that goes into each piece truly is so impressive, and when you see the final result, it's easy to see why Ferreira de Sá are one of the best in the business.
After a fantastic lunch at HQ, we then jumped in a minibus to begin the journey from Porto to Lisbon. And you best believe I spent it listening to my latest audiobook. Then it was time to check into the newly opened The Cloud One Lisbon, for a quick change before heading to what was the main event of our trip.
Set at Palácio do Grilo, where the DISQUIET collection was photographed, we were taken through the palace to see and experience each of the rugs in person. And each and every one of them blew me away. From now knowing what went into crafting each one, to the colours and different textured, we were all wowed.
Not only that, but the whole experience was a proper spectacle. As I say, I hopefully managed to capture some of it in my Reel, but each and every piece outdid the next. My favourite had to be Wander, which had a beautiful subtle sparkle thanks to the strands of lurex throughout. But I also adored Orpheus and the showstopper Opium.
Then it was time for dinner, and just look at table setup! That's all hand-knotted yarn cascading across and down it.
Day three: exploring Lisbon
While everyone else headed to the airport, the next direct flight back to Edinburgh wasn't until Sunday, so I decided to book myself into a hotel for two nights and get out and see Lisbon. And that's exactly what I did.
Just five minutes walk from our hotel, which worked out nicely, was my home for the next two nights: Evolution Valbom. I've already done a little roundup on my Instagram, but I had the best time there. And after checking in early and dropping my bags, I headed out to explore.
It was 29 degrees, with the sun beating down on me, so after grabbing an ice cream and only really feeling like I could briskly walk from one end to the other, instead of leisurely taking my time, I headed back to the hotel for some air con and a rest. I also took the chance to check out the rooftop, which was such a gorgeous space.
Once it had cooled down a bit, I ended up finding a little underground shopping mall nearby, which was such a bizarre, if interesting space underneath what used to be a bullfighting arena! Like, how crazy is that? It also apparently hosts concerts and conferences and had bars and restaurants up above, too. After having a wander around the shops, I grabbed some dinner and snacks from Pingo Doce (my new favourite holiday supermarket), and had a little movie night back at the hotel.
Day four: LX Factory and Praça do Comércio
I had a packed itinerary for day four and it started with a trip to LX Factory. Basically, I'd seen it all over social media. But I was mainly interested in visiting the iconic Ler Devagar bookstore. And it did not disappoint. I might not have left with any books, as my bookshelves are already overflowing, but I loved seeing what they had stocked and taking it all in.
LX Factory itself is also well worth a visit, with lots of little shops, cafes, restaurants and even a market the day that I was there.
Next, I jumped on the bus to Praça do Comércio, which is where one of the big Lisboa signs is, as well as the famous square and harbour. There's even a tiny beach, if you want to head down to the water. Yes, it was very busy and really felt like a touristy spot, but I still enjoyed checking it out.
I then headed up towards the world's second largest and rather iconice Zara, which again had been all over my FYP, before grabbing lunch and having a good stroll around. The buses were not in my favour that day, with three not turning up, and me and about 30 other people standing for over 40 minutes. But it did give me a reason to try riding the metro, which was so easy and had the bonus of air-con, taking me back to the hotel.
The rest of the day involved exploring the streets some more. Lisbon is 100% one of those cities where you could happily just walk and walk and discover so many beautiful spots. Then it was time for dinner and I ended up walking that off at another little mall. I did good and didn't buy anything, but I was very much drawn to the shops Women's Secret and Normal! whenever I stumbled upon them.
Day five: a slow start and plenty of wandering
With my flight in the late afternoon, which was then delayed by almost 2 hours, I made the most of being in the hotel until checkout at midday, before dropping my bags at reception and heading out to enjoy my last few hours in Lisbon. As the Jardim da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (Garden of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation) was literally steps from Evolution Valbom, I headed there first. And it was such a serene and quiet little park with a few people reading books and enjoying their lunches.
Then, as it was considerably cooler than that first day, I headed back to Parque Eduardo VII (Eduardo VII Park). Let's just say, I must have been struggling with the heat and sun beating down on me, since I didn't even notice the incredible viewpoint (see the photo at the very top of this blog post) and landscaped gardens. So, it was nice to take my time and see everything without feeling like I was going to pass out, that's for sure.
The El Corte Inglés department store was also just minutes from my hotel and the park, so I had a look in there too. And it was giving Selfridges/Macys/Harrods a serious run for its money. With 13 floors, comprising a cinema, food court floor and supermarket, you honestly could have spent hours, or a full day, there and not seen and done everything. And after grabbing lunch at the food court, I ended up back at the hotel for an hour or so with my Kindle in hand and a comfy seat on the outside terrace.
Another great thing about the hotel's location was that it was only about 15 minutes by car from the airport. So, instead of navigating the metro with a case and heavy backpack, I hopped in a Bolt taxi, which was less than £5 and dropped me right at the front door.
As I say, my flight was delayed, and the EES lines were non-existent, so I headed through to the gates, grabbed a table and ate my make-shift Pingo Doce treats and finished my book before heading home.
So, that was how I spent 5 days in Portugal, on my very first visit. I'm already looking forward to visiting again sometime next year. Maybe I'll even do a few days by the beach in Cascais, too.
Have you ever been to Porto or Lisbon? Or is it somewhere on your list of places to visit one day? And what do you think of what I got up to?
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