Diana Coza: LisbonInsideOut Interview

Interview, Lisbon, LisbonInsideOut, Portugal

All pictures provided by Where Two Go To

Interview LisbonInsideOut: Diana Coza, a Romanian Brand Manager

What is LisbonInsideOut?

LisbonInsideOut is a new interview series that I’ve created to learn why foreign people (who live or have lived in Lisbon) chose this city, and what they love about it.

This week I’m introducing you to Diana Coza, a Romanian Brand Manager who decided to do her master’s internship in Lisbon and never looked back since. It’s been almost six years, and she continues to be in love with the city as well as her Portuguese husband and her lovely dog Asta, who you will often spot on her Instagram feed.

Who is Diana Coza?

I came across Diana’s blog, Where Two Go To, a while ago, and she was actually one of my inspirations to start this blog. Finally, I had the opportunity to meet her in person last week in one of my favorite Lisbon cafés, Fábrica Lisboa.

I had been exchanging messages with her in English the whole time, so when she greeted me at the metro station with perfect Portuguese I was completely taken by surprise!

She’s super nice and very humble 🙂 It was thanks to her Berlengas article that I ended up doing scuba diving there! And her post about the art in Lisbon’s metro stations is one of my favorite ones so far. Honestly, I could go on and on about how her articles inspired me to go to new places and try new things, so you might as well check it for yourself!

What made you move to Lisbon?

I am from Romania, but at the time I moved here, I was doing my master’s degree in Denmark, and after one year, I decided to do an internship as part of the university program. This time it had to be a warmer country (I’m a huge vitamin D craver). So I picked Portugal, Lisbon. Back then, I knew very few about this wonderful country.

How long have you been here?

Almost six years.

What do you do/what is your profession?

Brand Manager (Marketing).

What is your favorite place in the city and why?

It depends on the time of the year and on the light. If I had to pick just one, then Miradouro da Graça, because I used to live in Graça in the beginning and loved to go there to drink a coffee (morning) or a Ginger Ale in the evening, while gazing at the city.

If you could take something from Lisbon home, what would it be?

The warm weather, the fish, the coffee and of course, my Portuguese husband haha:)

What is the one thing you miss about Romania?

My family and the mountains.

Senhora do Monte viewpoint

When did you decide to create your travel blog?

I don’t recall the “exact” moment. I remember we had worked on the blog five months before we finally published it in December or so.

Tapada das Necessidades

Any other interesting facts worth mentioning?

Yes, a curious fact. Though it is widely known and claimed that the word “saudade” exists only in Portuguese, it exists in Romanian as well. It’s called “dor”. We are two profoundly connected countries 🙂

Where can you follow Diana’s adventures?

Between Romania and Portugal, you can find Diana’s captures on her Instagram account @dianacoza and read all about her adventures on her blog, Where Two Go To. Make sure to check the About Us section and have a look at her Wes Anderson inspired photoshoot taken by Be-Light.ro. I promise you will fall in love!