It’s always interesting arriving somewhere completely new, especially when you don’t know much about it. For the more popular destinations, information is everywhere, and chances are someone you know has already been there. Places like that rarely feel like a mystery.

A few years ago, Lisa and I visited Portugal for the first time, and like many first-time visitors to the country, we spent our time in Lisbon and Porto, the most popular places to visit. Lisbon was everything we expected, but Porto was a different story. It wasn’t that the city wasn’t what we expected; it was that the weather conditions for our time there were less than ideal.

Returning to Lisbon, I felt a familiar excitement. A first visit often feels like an introduction to what’s possible. Everything is new, but within a few days, you begin to understand the city’s rhythm, its distances, its opportunities, and even its quirks. Four years later, I was back with a different perspective.

Lisbon is vibrant, photogenic, and full of character. It’s also incredibly popular with visitors, and it’s easy to see why. Getting around Lisbon is easy, and while you can absolutely explore much of Lisbon on foot, be prepared: Lisbon’s hills are no joke.

When you first plan to visit Italy, the cities that are commonly suggested are Rome, Florence, and Venice. Fantastic choices, and they are all great cities to visit. For Portugal, the must-visit cities are Lisbon and Porto.

I’m wrapping up my time in Portugal. I’ve got one more full day here in Nazaré, then a final night in Lisbon before heading home. It somehow feels like I’ve been away for a month, in the best way. It’s been an incredible trip, but I’m ready to reset and settle back into home life.

Concluding five days in Lisbon, I am now in Coimbra. The second stop on my Portugal trip. It will come as no surprise that I consider travel to be one of life’s perks, and I take every opportunity I have to go somewhere new.

Starting tomorrow, I’m heading to Portugal for 15 days, my first of what I hope will be two trips across the Atlantic to Europe this year. I don’t have any plans yet for the second trip, but I always try to travel at least twice a year, as time and budget allow. Planning this trip to Portugal involved more back-and-forth than I expected.

I’ve been wanting to plan my next adventure for a while. Over the winter, especially, the idea of warmer destinations and better travel timing was hard to ignore. I started jotting down ideas: cities I wanted to visit, then ways to connect them and make the most of my time across the Atlantic.

Travel is amazing. It’s a chance to step into places you’ve never been and see things you may never see again. Each trip is a brief window to explore and pay attention in a way that’s hard to do at home. Even if you spend a month in one city, that’s still a tiny slice of your life, which is exactly what makes it feel so special and fragile.

Embarking on solo travel can be frightening to some. The idea of going somewhere alone, so far from home, can be an undertaking and a stress some may not want to undergo. It is a lot to consider, and for most, it’s not just about leaving home and enjoying a new destination; there are financial considerations and responsibilities, things that can’t be ignored or delayed.

I’ve always considered myself a frequent traveller and a travel photographer, though the term can be a bit misleading. I don’t make a living directly from the images. Still, those photographs, the ones I share on social media or here on my site, play a quiet but meaningful role in connecting people to my work, sparking conversations, and occasionally leading to income in unexpected ways.

As I look out of my home office window and see the first signs of snowfall on the ground, I realize that the long winter is ahead; it’s just getting started. For me, this is a challenging time to stay motivated with my photography. A significant factor for me is where I live.

In a city like Malaga, particularly Old Town, you are fortunate to encounter many narrow streets that create fascinating patterns of light and shadow throughout the day. Even midday, when the sun is high, awnings and building overhangs allow for intriguing compositions.

I’ve had the opportunity to travel regularly for some time now. I am very fortunate to have been able to do so. Over the years, through travel to many destinations, I believe my photography has improved. And that’s not just how the photos are presented, it’s the mentality I have going into these photographic situations.