Lisbon & The Azores

Pastries, Wines, Fado Music

Meet your travel co-pilot, Sandra

Book a 1:1 personal travel consultation with travel advisor Sandra to download everything you need to know.

Book with Sandra

Get to know Sandra

Olá! I’m Sandra, a freelance writer born in the Azores Islands and based in Lisbon since 1997. When traveling, I seek local culture and to connect with people and their (always inspiring) stories, even if that means skipping most of the must-see attractions. When I’m not writing about travel, culture, and the people I meet in between, I’m crafting blood-curdling horror stories in Portuguese and in English.

✔️ Lonely Planet writer for almost a decade.

✔️ Wrote an entry on Portuguese Horror Female Authors for Enciclopédia do Terror Português.

✔️ Will travel for a cultural event that’s connected to the destination’s identity. Especially TK.

✔️ Can advise on local cinemas, bookshops, traditional food and fado.

📍 Lisbon, Portugal

  • I was diagnosed with ADHD at 45, which explains why I always felt happier traveling to cities with “controlled urban chaos”—one day I’m exploring on foot, visiting museums, photographing local architecture, hunting down must-sees; the next day, I need to settle down with a book (preferably one by a local author, if I can find an English translation, and recommended by an employee at a local independent bookstore) at a cozy café or a sunny park.

  • It’s hard to pinpoint a single favourite, but in the last couple of years, I’ve been much more curious about women artists, past and contemporary. It takes a while, but I’ve been training myself to question their absence and remember “it’s not because they didn’t exist, it’s because no one thought it mattered to talk about them.” That said, I’ve been very drawn to Paula Rego’s paintings, and how she portrays how society treats women. I’d say the most haunting piece (so haunting it inspired one of my horror short stories) in my mind right now is “Triptych”.

  • Flores, one of the 9 islands of the Azores archipelago (roughly mid-way between Europe and North America, in the middle of the usually merciless North Atlantic Ocean). Gorgeous place, the most beautiful one in the world (I will die on this hill! :D), but too small and isolated for my vivid imagination—less than 4,000 people and, at least, a 3-hour flight away from the mainland. Growing up, my connection to America through family was much stronger than to Europe, which is why I never truly felt European.

  • Because no guidebook or travel blog can match real, honest, and up-to-date advice from someone who knows the destination intimately and puts your interests first. Just one consultation will save you hours of pre-trip angst and research time and give you all the confidence you need to hit the ground running.

  • Our Advisors are savvy, knowledgeable women with unique perspectives on their destinations. From sommeliers and pastry chefs to art insiders and modern historians to sun-seekers and nature lovers, they bring deep local expertise to every trip. And, as women, they inherently understand the importance of safety, authenticity, and connection while traveling

  • Every Advisor in our network is carefully vetted through a multi-step verification process to ensure she’s knowledgeable, trustworthy, reliable, and uniquely equipped to help independent travelers plan their dream trip.

    Want to become one? Book a 15-minute 1:1 call with our Community Manager to get started.

  • Advisor consultations happen in a private 1:1 WhatsApp chat, facilitated by SoloTrvlr. You’ll be added to a chat by our SoloTrvlr number (+44 7457 411378) up to five days before your scheduled consultation. Your Local Advisor will join the chat at the scheduled time, ready to help.

    From there, it’s all about you—ask questions, get advice, and discuss whatever you need for your trip. There’s no set structure; the session is completely collaborative and tailored to your travel plans and interests.

    Once your hour is up, the chat will close. Within 48 hours, you’ll receive a personalized Field Guide + Map featuring all the intel and recommendations from your session, plus a few extra tips from your Local Advisor.

    Have more questions afterward? Just DM us on WhatsApp and we’ll help you book additional time.

    If your privacy settings block group chat invites from unknown numbers, you'll need to save our number (+44 7457 411378) to your contacts or receive our invite via WhatsApp DM.

  • You can ask anything travel-related, from whether (and where) it’s safe to walk alone at night to practicalities like where to buy tampons (and how to ask for them!) Need dining advice? Your Local Advisor will share her go-to neighborhood spots and steer you to a hyper-local Italian cooking class taught by a beloved nonna. She’ll also be quick to jump in and let you know if something you’re considering doing is overrated—and tell you what to do instead.

  • No problem! If you need more time with your Local Advisor, just contact us via WhatsApp or by email and we’ll help you book a follow-up session. 

  • Our Advisors do their best to keep their calendars up to date, however, if you would like to book further in advance (i.e. upcoming months where an Advisor hasn't added her availability yet) or none of the listed times work for you, please email us at support@solotrvlr.com and we’ll work with you to find an alternate time.

FAQs