While studying abroad in a central European city like Paris, a weekend in Portugal during a cold snap is the perfect way to extend the summer feeling as we move into the fall. With only one full day there, my friends and I prioritized the beach, sights, and, of course, the food. 

The photoset is chronologically organized, starting with a photo taken from the plane window overlooking an illuminated Lisbon at night. I then included a shot of my friend at the fruit market as we prepared to visit Praia do Tamariz, a beach about forty minutes outside Lisbon. 

Taken from my plane window around eleven at night; the way I could see the whole city without seeing the city at all really stood out to me. I also thought of it as the beginning of an adventure. 

My friends and I stopped at a fruit stand before heading to the beach. It was a very local area of Lisbon, and the fruit was very fresh and delicious. I saw my friend standing in the doorway and thought that it looked really cool with the fruit in the background. 

The beach is featured in a series of three photos taken throughout the afternoon: the first is a panoramic view of the beach, and the second is a close-up of the water. 

The contrast of the light blue sky and ocean against the white sand really stood out to me. The castle in the background adds to the photo as I thought it was unique because I have never seen something like this before. 

I really wanted to get photos of all aspects of the beach. I often don't take photos of water up close, but I think that the sense of moving water is really captured here. 

The photos then transition to our evening out in Lisbon, including one of my friends walking up a hill to dinner and an image of the Portuguese flag. The second to last photo highlights Portugal’s popular pastéis de nata (a sweet and creamy egg tart in a flaky crust). 

Hills and cable cars, this photo was taken on our way to dinner one night. I noticed that my friends' outfits matched the surroundings, and the cable car track was made prominent in the photo because Lisbon is known for its cable cars. 

I noticed the Portuguese flag flying on top of a building and thought I should add it to the photo story so that the theme of Portugal is tied together. I really liked how the wind was perfectly blowing the flag so that one can see the Portuguese emblem and both colors. 

Pasteis de nata is one of Portugal's most famous deserts. It is a sweet egg tart in a flakey crust. I bought it from a small bakery near the harbor. 

The photoset concludes with a stunning sunset over the Sanctuary of Christ the King, which overlooks the port of Lisbon. 

I thought a sunset would be the perfect end to the photo set to symbolize the end of the trip. The sunset behind Christ the Redeemer was one of my favorite moments from the trip and it was such an interesting landmark.