Tamara Lehoczky, the second-place winner of the IBS World Tour, won a weekend trip to a European country just came back home. She had a great time there and she shared her stories and experiences with us.

The destination I ended up choosing was Lisbon, Portugal. This city has long captivated me with its vibrant culture, historical monuments, and amazing weather. My friend and I felt that we basically extended our summer by a week.

The first day upon arrival we discovered the beautiful quarter of Belém. Visiting the incredible Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower was my favourite part of the journey, since the architecture was breathtaking. The view of the Tagus river from the Tower was also nice, and the water was blue and sparkling. We visited the MAAT museum in the area which was constructed in the place of a former coal power plant and now houses a fascinating exhibition about green energy.

During our trip, we went to several cathedrals and sites, but the National Pantheon on the top of the famous hills of Lisbon must have been the most memorable one. My friend Laura and I were walking around the cathedral only to realize that we stumbled upon the largest and most famous flea market Lisbon has to offer. We were treasure hunting and wandering around the endless booths before finally entering the church. We climbed to the roof and enjoyed the beautiful view.

On the next day we took the train to the city of Porto and spent two days there as well. Porto was dressed in vivid blue colours and was full of life just like Lisbon. People were really nice to us throughout our journey. We went book shopping for the famous Livraria Lello and walked around the city, discovering buildings and enjoying the beautiful architecture. The Chapel of the Souls was my personal favourite, which is a small church covered with blue and white detailed paintings wall to wall.

On our final day, we decided to walk around the LX Factory area of Lisbon, an area full of bookshops, rooftop cafes, and charming architecture. We were a bit gloomy tapping our metro cards at the metro entrance for the last time when we left for the airport. Overall, it was a trip to remember.

We enjoyed the amazing culture, the hospitality of locals, and I am thankful for the opportunity!