Travel

The direct train from Lisbon to Sintra runs every half hour and lasts between 37 to 41 minutes. It’s the last stop on the green line (Linha de Sintra), so you can’t miss it.

Although I picked it up from the Oriente station, there are about 17 stops along the way. Some other central stations you might want to grab it from include Braco de Prata, Roma-Areeiro, Entrecampos, and Sete Rios. A ticket to Sintra costs €1.90. You’ll need the Viva Viagem card, zapping it on a card reader before getting on the train and again when you get off. Keep in mind that you cannot buy this ticket in advance like you would a long-distance train with Comboios de Portugal. (For more detailed information on the Viva Viagem card and everywhere it’ll get you in Lisbon, click here.)

This story was produced in cooperation with Tourismus NRW. As always, all opinions are my own.

Bergisches Land refers to Berg Country, a region of low mountain ranges situated between the Rhine and Ruhr rivers in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Berg here is not to be confused with the German word of the same spelling, meaning mountain. In this case, we’re talking about a duchy (European for ‘territory’) that dates back to the 12th century.

Like much of European history, you can drown yourself in all the details of events that have taken place since that time. You’ve got your Neanderthals over 35,000 years ago; your typical, general awfulness of the Middle Ages riddled with conflict, war (though they escaped any major battles of the Thirty Years War) and the plague; the industrial revolution; Napoleon popped in for a bit to claim it for himself before Prussians took it back with the help of Russian Kosaks and it grew to become one of the largest economic centers in the German Empire of the late 19th century only to be destroyed in the Second World War. Post-war, the Bergisches Land Nature Park was founded (1973) and tourism has since become a focus for the region. That about brings us up to speed.

And like most corners of western Europe, it’s difficult to imagine the conflict and plague that ravaged these lands when you’re standing in a place like the Bergisch countryside, surrounded by woodlands, grassy meadows, streams, and lakes. But for me, that’s what defines this slice of Germany; that and––drumroll please––its mills.

This story was produced in cooperation with Dortmund Tourismus. As always, all opinions are my own.

“Harte Arbeit. Ehrlicher Lohn.” That’s, “Hard Work. Honest Wage.”

So read the white block letters on the wall at Bergmann Brauerei’s Stehbierhalle (standing beer hall) in a formerly industrial corner of Dortmund’s Hörde neighborhood. The Stehbierhalle harkens back to a tradition of grabbing a quick beer someplace affiliated with your favorite brewery. It was part of everyday life 100-plus years ago, strategically placed next to major public transit stations and market squares.

The Bergmann Stehbierhalle of today might seem familiar to craft beer aficionados from the U.S., accustomed to heading out to the sparsely populated corners of the warehouse district where some enterprising brewers have grabbed cheap, disused factory space. If the beer is good, drinkers will follow, and soon the food trucks aren’t far behind.

That’s the Bergmann of the 21st Century, with a pack of lycra-clad cyclists out front, replenishing their calories post-ride, and thirsty tourists trickling into the cube-shaped building for a local brew.

“By day Lisbon has a naive theatrical quality that enchants and captivates, but by night it is a fairy-tale city, descending over lighted terraces to the sea, like a woman in festive garments going down to meet her dark lover.” — Erich Maria Remarque, The Night In Lisbon

Portugal has gone from the Spanish neighbor with a chip on its shoulder to the top of international travel wishlists. The naive, theatrical quality is that it’s a city built for tourists. It has everything most want out of an urban European vacation. Scenic, walkable streets, street art, and a smattering of enchanting ruin porn to excite Instagram audiences. The food, the drink, and the music keep people around the Portuguese capital for an extra couple of days.

Filmmaker Fabio Petronilli covers the danger in Lisbon overly embracing its newfound tourist reputation in the brilliant documentary short You’ll Soon Be Here. Watch it here. I implore you to do so before booking your trip. If you follow one tip in this post, make it that one.

Everything I’m recommending here is based on personal experience, including only what I’d recommend to a friend. If you’re the kind of traveler who tries desperately to ditch crowds in a popular city, but also understands that some things are touristy for a reason, then I suspect some of these tips for things to do in Lisbon will be helpful. Boa viagem.