📖 Reading
Last summer, Maria and her brother Tom went on holiday to a small village in Portugal. They did not want a big city with lots of noise and traffic. They wanted a quiet place near the sea, so their parents found a little house close to a beautiful beach.
Every morning, they walked to the beach before breakfast. The water was cold, but Tom loved to swim early in the morning. Maria preferred to walk along the sand and collect shells. In the afternoon, they often visited the small market in the village. There, they bought fresh fruit, bread, and cheese from friendly local people.
On their third day, it started to rain, so they could not go to the beach. Instead, they decided to visit an old castle on a hill near the village. The castle was hundreds of years old, and a kind guide told them stories about kings and queens who lived there long ago. Maria took many photos because she thought the castle was more interesting than she expected.
On their last evening, the family had dinner at a small restaurant by the sea. They ate fish and watched the sun go down. Tom said it was the best holiday he had ever had, and Maria agreed. Before they left, they promised to come back to the same village next year. They were already planning their next trip home on the plane!