World Tourism Day is this Wednesday, 27th September. ITTN’s Shane Cullen is celebrating it at the 50th edition of ABAV Expo – the key event for promoting and learning about Brazilian travel and tourism. Shane joins journalists from across Europe travelling to Brazil with host, TAP Air Portugal.
ABAV Expo – Rio de Janeiro
The 50th Edition of ABAV Expo is being held in Rio de Janeiro. The conference runs from 27th to 29th September. Ahead of this, our group of European journalists has a few nights in Brazil to experience the country, culture, cuisine, accommodation offerings and some spectacular sights, so stay tuned.
André Ferreira de Serpa Soares (TAP Air Portugal) is our guide for the stay in Brazil. TAP Air Portugal “fly more than any other airlines between Europe and Brazil” explains André. It is not just for Portuguese but for all Europeans travelling to this South American country!
Getting There
The itinerary includes a short flight from Dublin to Lisbon followed by a 10-hour flight onwards to Rio de Janeiro. A 10-hour stopover allowed all journalists to congregate together in Lisbon but with a little time on my hands, a short bus journey to the city gave me a few hours to enjoy truly one of my favourite cities.
Lisbon, Like an Old Friend
Departing Dublin on Saturday morning for the first flight of the trip, a 2 ½ hour flight brought me to a favourite city of mine, Lisbon. This place is always friendly and welcoming. I have travelled here for summer holidays and weekend breaks, long before I worked in the travel industry and often since. It has everything I want, need and like, plus the Euro stretches that little bit further.
I highly recommend wandering the winding city streets as they rise up the hillside to enjoy the spectacular view of the Tagus with the Vasco de Gama Bridge stretching across the river’s breadth. Take the train for the twenty-minute journey to Cascais just along the coast to stroll the coastline, swim in the sea, savour fresh seafood or stand in awe of the 19th-century villas lining the Atlantic’s edge.
I have travelled to this fabulous part of the world for sun, seaside, surfing and spectacular architecture. The food is fantastic, the locals are warm and friendly and the weather is terrific. For something special, stroll or stay at the Citadel Palace looking over the marina.
If you have time (and I’d suggest making time), explore the Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais – a real wonderland of turrets, embankments, castles and palaces.
While not a golfer, André gave me another reason to travel to this part of the world – Portugal proudly received the World Travel Awards distinction of being the World’s Leading Golf & Villa Resort in 2022.
Just 15 Minutes and €2 to the Heart of Lisbon
Knowing and having loved all this, it was an easy choice to spend my few hours in Lisbon out in the city, soaking in the bustling life of the area. I left the airport and hopped on a bus into the centre of Lisbon which is just €2 and takes just over 15 minutes.
Free Stopover in Portugal
Sharing my brief escapades in the city with our rep, André Ferreira de Serpa Soares explained that TAP Air Portugal is offering a free stopover in Portugal. This can be for 1 to 10 days and you can opt for this stopover on an outbound or returning flight – for more stay tuned to ITTN or visit https://www.flytap.com/en-ie/stopover.
Tomorrow, read Shane Cullen’s interview with André Ferreira de Serpa Soares to find out more about this offer, how it works and some travel inspiration, twin-centre destinations and why TAP should be considered.
