Dublin--Scilly--Betanzos--Porto--Vigo--Lisbon
Sep 27th, 2017, 04:30 AM
#1
Dublin--Scilly--Betanzos--Porto--Vigo--Lisbon
I'm posting on the Europe Forum because I received help here on all the ports.
We sailed on "Windsurf" from Dublin to Lisbon. A 600 ft. sailboat with 300 passengers and 200 crew, the experience was fantastic, the service outstanding. I can see why our cruise was 48% repeat passengers.
Dublin-----we had been to Ireland several times before but never Dublin so we booked a few days before the cruise. O'Callahan's St. Stephen's Green Hotel was in the perfect location to walk everywhere in the city.
St. Stephen's Green----beautiful oasis in a busy city. A lovely way to spend an hour or so walking among the unusual trees, flowers, & ponds, or just sitting in the sun on a bench people watching.
Temple Bar----good photo op for the quaint buildings loaded with flowers. A bar for everyone if that's your thing.
Dublin Castle----interesting architecture in the middle of the city.
Grafton Street----good street entertainment, 1 walk down is enough.
St. Stephen's Green Mall----huge with all the same stores you see in every city.
Powerscourt Center----much better shops & restaurants. We had lunch at the French Bistro balcony cafe of Farrier & Draper which was excellent. Tried to get a reservation at the inside dinner restaurant which had stunning decor but no go.
Millstone restaurant----unable to get in another place, they suggested Millstone down the street. I would recommend this place to anyone. Outstanding food & service.
Beeftro restaurant on Balfe St----exhausted after long travel day, we wanted something lite for dinner. Salad & very good hamburgers fit the bill. Friendly service. Steaks, etc. on surrounding tables looked top knotch.
Much more to see, so I guess we'll have to return.
Sailing on to Scilly Islands.............
We sailed on "Windsurf" from Dublin to Lisbon. A 600 ft. sailboat with 300 passengers and 200 crew, the experience was fantastic, the service outstanding. I can see why our cruise was 48% repeat passengers.
Dublin-----we had been to Ireland several times before but never Dublin so we booked a few days before the cruise. O'Callahan's St. Stephen's Green Hotel was in the perfect location to walk everywhere in the city.
St. Stephen's Green----beautiful oasis in a busy city. A lovely way to spend an hour or so walking among the unusual trees, flowers, & ponds, or just sitting in the sun on a bench people watching.
Temple Bar----good photo op for the quaint buildings loaded with flowers. A bar for everyone if that's your thing.
Dublin Castle----interesting architecture in the middle of the city.
Grafton Street----good street entertainment, 1 walk down is enough.
St. Stephen's Green Mall----huge with all the same stores you see in every city.
Powerscourt Center----much better shops & restaurants. We had lunch at the French Bistro balcony cafe of Farrier & Draper which was excellent. Tried to get a reservation at the inside dinner restaurant which had stunning decor but no go.
Millstone restaurant----unable to get in another place, they suggested Millstone down the street. I would recommend this place to anyone. Outstanding food & service.
Beeftro restaurant on Balfe St----exhausted after long travel day, we wanted something lite for dinner. Salad & very good hamburgers fit the bill. Friendly service. Steaks, etc. on surrounding tables looked top knotch.
Much more to see, so I guess we'll have to return.
Sailing on to Scilly Islands.............
Oct 29th, 2017, 12:14 PM
#3
I started this TR a month ago and there were no responses so I dropped it. Didn’t seem anyone was interested.
thurs....can,t seem to type your name without it autocorrecting.
Scilly was great. A small open boat picked us up at our sailboat and took us to Tresco Island. Not the best weather though. Not cold, but gray with a sprinkle here and there. The tour of Abbey Gardens was excellent regardless of the weather.
Our guide was knowledgeable and passionate about his work in the Gardens.
Such a variety of gorgeous plants, many still in bloom. IMO, not to be missed if you are in the area.
We did see several hotels plus self catering options available in a brochure we picked up.
One of the questions asked of our guide was if they ever get bad weather. He said yes, about every 20 years. When then asked where they were on that scale, he said about 19 years so they were wondering when it woul come......
You probably heard about the hurricane that hit that area recently. I wonder if it hit Scilly with great force. I’ll have to check on that.
thurs....can,t seem to type your name without it autocorrecting.
Scilly was great. A small open boat picked us up at our sailboat and took us to Tresco Island. Not the best weather though. Not cold, but gray with a sprinkle here and there. The tour of Abbey Gardens was excellent regardless of the weather.
Our guide was knowledgeable and passionate about his work in the Gardens.
Such a variety of gorgeous plants, many still in bloom. IMO, not to be missed if you are in the area.
We did see several hotels plus self catering options available in a brochure we picked up.
One of the questions asked of our guide was if they ever get bad weather. He said yes, about every 20 years. When then asked where they were on that scale, he said about 19 years so they were wondering when it woul come......
You probably heard about the hurricane that hit that area recently. I wonder if it hit Scilly with great force. I’ll have to check on that.
Oct 29th, 2017, 12:39 PM
#4
Thanks TPAYT. I think a lot of people go year after year to the same place, plus I need a single. I would love to take the overnight train from London and then the ferry...
I found this on line but no damage reports:
http://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cor...ornwall-637919
I found this on line but no damage reports:
http://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cor...ornwall-637919
Oct 29th, 2017, 04:02 PM
#5
I enjoy your trip reports. I was in Spain and didn't see the report. Did you get hit by that storm on the Irish sea?
Was the construction still a mess in Dublin? I love the luas so will be worth it but it has been going on for so long.
Was the construction still a mess in Dublin? I love the luas so will be worth it but it has been going on for so long.
Oct 30th, 2017, 06:16 AM
#9
Now that there is some interest I’ll continue.
We were supposed to sail out of Dun Laoghaire but the seas were so high they were docked in Dublin Harbor. From Dublin we were scheduled to go to Waterford but that was cancelled so we stayed in Dublin Harbor overnight. No loss as we’ve been to Ireland twice before.
In the morning we sailed for Scilly. After Scilly we had a day at sea and what a day and night it was.....18 ft. seas, What fun actually. We were lucky to be amidships on a lower floor, very stable. Many of the people in the high end, higher up, forward and aft cabins didn’t show up for dinner or sleep so well. My husband wanted to walk the decks but I said, “Great, and I’ll end up in jail when you go overboard....the one who benefits always gets accused of pushing them off!”
Brest in Brittany was our next stop. I was looking forward to an all day tour to Pont Aven and Concarneau. Unfortunately it was a light rain all day. Both towns were lovely but would have been better with sun....gray photos.
We did have a lovely lunch in Concarneau at La Coquille just outside of the old city walls. The wine was flowing and since the weather was bad we all indulged.
I have to say that the Windsurf was fantastic. Small enough that the staff knew you within a day or 2. The food was excellent, the cabin very comfortable with lots of storage & closet space. 2 speciality restaurants for dinner but we actually preferred the main dining room. Breakfast & lunch were buffets also with a menu to order from. Eating out on the deck was preferred as we got farther south and the weather improved.
Finally sun......El Ferrol, Spain. We took a half day tour to Betanzos. Our guide for the town was exceptional. Funny, well spoken, and very knowledgeable. After the tour we had time for a coffee and shopping. I bought a few scarves, beautiful and higher priced than my usual. Also 2 pieces of pottery.
Next up. Vigo, Spain. Quite a large town. We skipped a tour today and walked around by ourselves. Very hilly, good to walk off some of those calories. Pretty views from up high.
We were in Vigo until 9pm so this was the night of our deck BBQ. Absolutely fantastic food, warm weather, and gorgeous harbor at night. They lit up the sails after dark as we sailed away while dancing on the deck.....memories are made of nights like this.
On to Oporto, Portugal and a a Tuk-Tuk tour........
We were supposed to sail out of Dun Laoghaire but the seas were so high they were docked in Dublin Harbor. From Dublin we were scheduled to go to Waterford but that was cancelled so we stayed in Dublin Harbor overnight. No loss as we’ve been to Ireland twice before.
In the morning we sailed for Scilly. After Scilly we had a day at sea and what a day and night it was.....18 ft. seas, What fun actually. We were lucky to be amidships on a lower floor, very stable. Many of the people in the high end, higher up, forward and aft cabins didn’t show up for dinner or sleep so well. My husband wanted to walk the decks but I said, “Great, and I’ll end up in jail when you go overboard....the one who benefits always gets accused of pushing them off!”
Brest in Brittany was our next stop. I was looking forward to an all day tour to Pont Aven and Concarneau. Unfortunately it was a light rain all day. Both towns were lovely but would have been better with sun....gray photos.
We did have a lovely lunch in Concarneau at La Coquille just outside of the old city walls. The wine was flowing and since the weather was bad we all indulged.
I have to say that the Windsurf was fantastic. Small enough that the staff knew you within a day or 2. The food was excellent, the cabin very comfortable with lots of storage & closet space. 2 speciality restaurants for dinner but we actually preferred the main dining room. Breakfast & lunch were buffets also with a menu to order from. Eating out on the deck was preferred as we got farther south and the weather improved.
Finally sun......El Ferrol, Spain. We took a half day tour to Betanzos. Our guide for the town was exceptional. Funny, well spoken, and very knowledgeable. After the tour we had time for a coffee and shopping. I bought a few scarves, beautiful and higher priced than my usual. Also 2 pieces of pottery.
Next up. Vigo, Spain. Quite a large town. We skipped a tour today and walked around by ourselves. Very hilly, good to walk off some of those calories. Pretty views from up high.
We were in Vigo until 9pm so this was the night of our deck BBQ. Absolutely fantastic food, warm weather, and gorgeous harbor at night. They lit up the sails after dark as we sailed away while dancing on the deck.....memories are made of nights like this.
On to Oporto, Portugal and a a Tuk-Tuk tour........
Oct 30th, 2017, 07:12 AM
#11
Both stairs & elevators.
Windstar Cruises has 3 sailboats and 3 motor yachts.
We’ve been on Windsurf (300 passengers) twice and Windspirit (125 passengers) once, next we’ll try one of their motor yachts.
Windstar Cruises has 3 sailboats and 3 motor yachts.
We’ve been on Windsurf (300 passengers) twice and Windspirit (125 passengers) once, next we’ll try one of their motor yachts.
Oct 30th, 2017, 11:37 AM
#13
Scilly Islands
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/england...sles-of-scilly
18 ft. Seas were quite unusual and of course as we got further south toward Spain & Portugal the seas were calm, the weather warm and beautiful.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/england...sles-of-scilly
18 ft. Seas were quite unusual and of course as we got further south toward Spain & Portugal the seas were calm, the weather warm and beautiful.
Oct 30th, 2017, 05:21 PM
#17
I love Dublin but have my parts of town that are my fav and it isn't temple bar.
18ft seas. I am married to a retired submariner and he always picks the middle of the boat lower deck. We do fine.Scilly islands look nice.
18ft seas. I am married to a retired submariner and he always picks the middle of the boat lower deck. We do fine.Scilly islands look nice.
Oct 30th, 2017, 05:58 PM
#18
The Tuk-Tuk tour in Porto was a barrel of fun. I didn’t like the way it started out, too much traffic. The 4 seater electric car sped right along though.
Once we got into the smaller, old town streets it was more fun. Some hilly streets seemed only big enough to walk or bicycle but up we went. We made several stops for photo ops. The best stop was way up high with a view over the river, several bridges, and whole city. Our guide was very entertaining and knowledgeable plus I think she knew every local in Porto. So many people were talking to her from the sides of the streets.
When we got back to the port there was a port wine tasting booth....yuk! I love my wine, mostly white and some red, but port was way too strong for my tastes.
The next morning we said goodbye to the crew and our new found friends on the cruise. All in all we had a great time and can’t say enough good things about our time on the Windsurf. But now it was time to explore Lisbon.
We stayed 4 nights at the Internacional Design Hotelright on Rossio Square. The location could not have been better and we ad a nice view of a fountain in the square from our room.
I must warn you that it was a bit hard to find. The taxi could only get close to it, pedestrian only, and point. The signage was not very good, the hotel lobby nonexistent, really just a front desk & elevator. It had started to rain and we were walking in circles. Finally a restaurant server took us right to the front door. We went back & ate lunch at his place & left him a big tip.
That said, it was a lovely, modern hotel. Each floor had a different smell. The breakfast room was large with many choices every day. The room was large, very modern, but unfortunately hardly amy storage. Two small shelves, a few hangers, & a safe in the closet. Bathroom vanity so small it was almost useless. Still, we would stay here again because of the location.
Lisbon is a beautiful city, very walkable, but very crowded. The first afternoon after it stopped raining we walked down a pedestrian street all the way to the water. Restaurants lined the street with some souvenir shops. The architecture was stunning. At the huge open plaza on the water we heard a Samba type band with an excellent singer. People were dancing and it was a lively scene.
That evening the front desk suggested a street off the other side of the square with many good restaurants. The weather was beautiful so we sat outside. A bottle of Mateus, some melon & ham, tomato & mozeralla salad, broiled cod all very good and at 66 Euros a good deal.
The next day it’s up to the castle.......
Once we got into the smaller, old town streets it was more fun. Some hilly streets seemed only big enough to walk or bicycle but up we went. We made several stops for photo ops. The best stop was way up high with a view over the river, several bridges, and whole city. Our guide was very entertaining and knowledgeable plus I think she knew every local in Porto. So many people were talking to her from the sides of the streets.
When we got back to the port there was a port wine tasting booth....yuk! I love my wine, mostly white and some red, but port was way too strong for my tastes.
The next morning we said goodbye to the crew and our new found friends on the cruise. All in all we had a great time and can’t say enough good things about our time on the Windsurf. But now it was time to explore Lisbon.
We stayed 4 nights at the Internacional Design Hotelright on Rossio Square. The location could not have been better and we ad a nice view of a fountain in the square from our room.
I must warn you that it was a bit hard to find. The taxi could only get close to it, pedestrian only, and point. The signage was not very good, the hotel lobby nonexistent, really just a front desk & elevator. It had started to rain and we were walking in circles. Finally a restaurant server took us right to the front door. We went back & ate lunch at his place & left him a big tip.
That said, it was a lovely, modern hotel. Each floor had a different smell. The breakfast room was large with many choices every day. The room was large, very modern, but unfortunately hardly amy storage. Two small shelves, a few hangers, & a safe in the closet. Bathroom vanity so small it was almost useless. Still, we would stay here again because of the location.
Lisbon is a beautiful city, very walkable, but very crowded. The first afternoon after it stopped raining we walked down a pedestrian street all the way to the water. Restaurants lined the street with some souvenir shops. The architecture was stunning. At the huge open plaza on the water we heard a Samba type band with an excellent singer. People were dancing and it was a lively scene.
That evening the front desk suggested a street off the other side of the square with many good restaurants. The weather was beautiful so we sat outside. A bottle of Mateus, some melon & ham, tomato & mozeralla salad, broiled cod all very good and at 66 Euros a good deal.
The next day it’s up to the castle.......
Oct 31st, 2017, 04:54 AM
#19
Castelo de San Jorge on a beautiful sunny day. We went to a tour kiosk on the square and bought a tram ticket for the day. The trams are such a part of Lisbon and a good way to get all those hills.
Big mistake! We ended up throwing the tickets away. Every tram stop had 40-50 people waiting in line. When the tram arrived they were packed in like sardines. This did not look like a pleasant way to see the city, especially on a very hot day.
A cab happened by and we hopped in. 6 Euros up to the castle. Much better way to go.
Waited in line maybe 15 minutes to enter the castle. Again, a lot of people around, but the grounds of the castle are so extensive that we had plenty of room to explore.
The view over the city to the water is gorgeous. The structure of the castle is fun to poke around and take lots of photos.
You definitely have to watch your footing though. It’s square, round, odd shaped, pointed, very uneven rocks. That adds to the charm but treacherous all the same.
After about 2 hrs. at the castle we headed downhill. Such picturesque streets.
A Fodorite had suggested CHAPITO for lunch. Thank you!
There is a great view from inside the restaurant but we chose to sit outside in the very inviting garden. Tasty food, friendly service, and conversation with travelers from around the globe. A very pleasant lunch indeed.
More walking down through the Alfama, stopping here and there, watching the completely crammed full trams pass us by. It seems like every block has a shoe store on it with unusual styles of tennis shoes/trainers in every color imaginable.
I can understand that as the hills and uneven tiles on the streets call for comfortable shoes. All in all we enjoyed our wanderings around Lisbon.
That evening we returned to the street of restaurants across from the Rossio train station. Lisbon streets are lined with hundreds of outside restaurants but since we had good luck here the other night we thought we’d return to another in the area.
Not a good experience (Sol Dourado) So-so food, terrible service, but we did have a good conversation with a couple from London next to us, 55 Euro. We ended the evening across the street at the good place we were at the night before (Sol dos Bacalhau) for dessert & coffee.
Next up a trip to Sintra, Cabo da Roca, and Cascais.......
Big mistake! We ended up throwing the tickets away. Every tram stop had 40-50 people waiting in line. When the tram arrived they were packed in like sardines. This did not look like a pleasant way to see the city, especially on a very hot day.
A cab happened by and we hopped in. 6 Euros up to the castle. Much better way to go.
Waited in line maybe 15 minutes to enter the castle. Again, a lot of people around, but the grounds of the castle are so extensive that we had plenty of room to explore.
The view over the city to the water is gorgeous. The structure of the castle is fun to poke around and take lots of photos.
You definitely have to watch your footing though. It’s square, round, odd shaped, pointed, very uneven rocks. That adds to the charm but treacherous all the same.
After about 2 hrs. at the castle we headed downhill. Such picturesque streets.
A Fodorite had suggested CHAPITO for lunch. Thank you!
There is a great view from inside the restaurant but we chose to sit outside in the very inviting garden. Tasty food, friendly service, and conversation with travelers from around the globe. A very pleasant lunch indeed.
More walking down through the Alfama, stopping here and there, watching the completely crammed full trams pass us by. It seems like every block has a shoe store on it with unusual styles of tennis shoes/trainers in every color imaginable.
I can understand that as the hills and uneven tiles on the streets call for comfortable shoes. All in all we enjoyed our wanderings around Lisbon.
That evening we returned to the street of restaurants across from the Rossio train station. Lisbon streets are lined with hundreds of outside restaurants but since we had good luck here the other night we thought we’d return to another in the area.
Not a good experience (Sol Dourado) So-so food, terrible service, but we did have a good conversation with a couple from London next to us, 55 Euro. We ended the evening across the street at the good place we were at the night before (Sol dos Bacalhau) for dessert & coffee.
Next up a trip to Sintra, Cabo da Roca, and Cascais.......
Oct 31st, 2017, 05:00 AM
#20
Wow, sounds like Lisbon is now firmly on the tourist trail. A decade ago it was quite peaceful. I usually go more in the off season but the last time, in 2014, the trams were definitely more crowded.
