[TRAVEL]: Portugal
Portugal was a beautiful country — with a vast array of sightseeing opportunities, outdoor activities, and thriving tourist/service industries, the country was one where each new city was a new adventure. Not to mention the food! While some traditional Portuguese cuisine was on the heavier side, the fresh seafood and pastries we had throughout the trip were to die for. Beverages were a whole other story; Portugal is the world’s 8th largest producer of wine and 1st largest producer of cork, supplying over 50% of the world’s cork. When talking to friends who had visited, many raved about the green wine, Port wine, and Cherry liquor — all of which were super affordable and accessible at restaurants and at grocery/convenience stores. One of my favorite takeaways of the trip was how friendly Portuguese people were— almost all of our servers were honest about food portions and recommended us order less items if they believed we wouldn’t finish, and/or talked to us about nearby sightseeing destinations or other famous food stalls that they personally love. Even one of our Uber drivers had a conversation with us about real estate in Portugal —we learned that it’s possible to receive a citizenship through home ownership, and rental prices have been gradually rising although most apartment buildings in downtown Lisbon are old and not very spacious.
In general, it seemed like Portugal was a country where historical preservation and eco-consciousness were high, as many of the older, larger cities (like Lisbon in particular) were full of older residential buildings, some decorated with historic painted tiles that had been worn out over time. We visited a variety of cities during our 9-day trip in the country, and I have listed my recommendations and thoughts below:
Porto
Porto is a coastal city famous for its port wine production — I really enjoyed our time here because of how beautiful the city was. Lined with cobblestone alleys and a beautiful Douro river walk with frequent boat tours, we spent the day walking around, shopping at boutique stores, and visiting family-owned restaurants and cafes. We also visited the Porto Cathedral, which is a must-see in Porto! The city is also famous for the francesinha sandwich, a multi-layered sandwich doused in cheese, with ham, sausage, and beef patties.
Restaurants to Check Out:
Brunch - Zenith (Brunch and Cocktails Bar),
Cafes - Mercador Cafe, Esquires Coffee Porto, Lado B Cafe (Coliseu)
Dinner - Dona Francesinha, Gazela
What to Do:
Thrifting - Mon Pere Vintage
Sightseeing - Igreja dos Clerigos, Porto Cathedral, Ponte Luis I Bridge, Palacio da Bolsa
Wine Tasting
Lisbon
Lisbon is Portugal’s coastal capital city. Stretching far east to west, there are a ton of government, religious, historic, and modern buildings in Lisbon as it has quickly become a popular tourist destination over the years. Although the city looks run-down, it was recently mostly destroyed by a severe earthquake, and much of it has not yet been rebuilt entirely. It’s is full of hills, cobblestone alleys, and trams that still function as public transportation throughout the city. Old-fashioned cafes and shops line the streets, and many more modern restaurants and museums have since also made its way into Lisbon’s bustling downtown area. We spent a day and a half exploring city center, walking from Av. da Liberdade (where most luxury goods shops are located) all the way down to Arco da Rua Augusta (a plaza near the water). We also spent a few hours in Belem, a city nearby where we visited the MAAT museum!
What to Eat:
Lunch/Brunch: Dear Breakfast, Time Out Market Lisbon, As Bifanas do Afonso
Dinner: Time Out Market Lisbon, Bono Lisboa, Mankooche
What to Do:
Thrifting - Humana Vintage
Sightseeing - Museu Arqueologico do Carmo, Se de Lisboa, Arco da Rua Augusta, Tower de Belem, MAAT, Tram 28
Aviero
Aveiro was a very cute town set along a lagoon. Known for its canals, colorful boats and as a fishing hot spot, we actually stumbled upon 2 bachelorette parties and one wedding at the cathedral downtown. The buildings in the city center area were beautiful, and had a mix of modern tourist attractions in addition to historic buildings and residential areas. Aviero is also nearby many popular beaches; we went to Praia da Costa Nova for a beachside dinner and evening stroll.
What to Eat:
Lunch/Dinner - Canastra do Fidalgo, Faros Gourmet
Braga
Braga was a mainly residential area, immersed in greenery and forests. We choose to add this as a destination because it was the largest city in close proximity to the Geres National Park, which we wanted to check out. Geres is the largest national park in Portugal, extending over the Spain/Portugal border into Spain. We drove all the way to the top, seeing incredible views of the mountain valley, former Roman bathhouses, in addition to a wild horse! The area, formerly inhabited by the Romans, has remnants of Roman architecture and bridges that they used as trading routes and transportation between what is now Spain & Portugal.
Caiscais
Caiscais is a popular beach city destination (we went to Praia da Duquesa and Praia de Ribeira de Cascais) about a 40 minute train ride from Lisbon. We went in the early afternoon, and a majority of other people on the train were also tourists, with beach bags and sunscreen in hand! The beach was quite full with both locals and tourists and was surrounded by beachwear shops, restaurants, and excursion tents. Would be a great place to hangout with friends or family!
What to Eat: Emma, Capricciosa Cascais
Sintra
Sintra is the must-see of Portugal. The multi-colored castle that you’ve seen on your Instagram feed, the Great-Wall of China dupe, that’s in Sintra. The commute was quite far from Lisbon — we set out for Sintra around 6 AM in the morning, and it took us about 90 minutes to reach the National Park of Pena before taking another bus to the very top of the castle entrance. After visiting, however, I can confidently say that Sintra, and the National Palace of Pena, were the most beautiful destinations of Portugal. The vibrantly colored castle atop a mountain and surrounded by parkland and serenity was a sight to see. The castle is a 19th century Romanticist palace, formerly a monastery, that was renovated and turned into a summer palace for the king. I would recommend going as early as possible (by the time we left the castle, the line extended down the path at least a mile) to avoid waiting in line for a large portion of your day. Otherwise, the views were breathtaking from the top and throughout the grounds (monks used to meditate in these forests!) and was a spectacular sight to see all around.
One of the options up the mountain is to take a bus, that takes stops at the National Palace, the Moorish Castle, and in a historic town. I would recommend hopping on and off the bus to check out the historic downtown area; there were wine tasting options, small restaurants, artisan shops, and a lot more!
Coimbra
Coimbra, the former capital of Portugal, was also a riverfront city but far more historic than other cities we visited on the trip. We visited the University of Coimbra during our time there (rumored to have inspired J.K. Rowling in the writing of the Harry Potter series!) and I was enamored by the gigantic buildings that still stood from the 12th century. My favorite building within the university campus was the baroque library (Biblioteca Joanina). We entered through the former academic prison, and into a grandeur noble library that had shelves at least 2 stories high. In it, our guide explained, contains books over 1,000 years old — the room was temperature and chemically regulated to ensure the books’ use life was maximized, and we weren’t able to take pictures inside for the same reason. Next to the university is also a beautiful botanical garden with one of the coolest bamboo gardens I’ve ever been to.
Matosinhos
Matosinhos was a classic beach-town; many guests at our hotel went outside each morning in a wet suit carrying their surf boards. We got a general feel for the area— it seemed like a popular local getaway destination most frequented in the summer. Some popular beaches nearby included Praia de Matosinhos, Praia de Leca da Palmeira, Piscina das Mares, and Praia do Aterro. We spent our first night here, and ate dinner at Casa de Cha da Boa Nova — a 2 Michelin Star restaurant with a tasting menu featuring 24 courses. It was mostly traditional Portguese cuisine with a modern presentation/twist, and our dining experience was absolutely incredible.
Where to Stay:
During our trip, we stayed at both Airbnbs and hotels, as Airbnbs tended to be more affordable in Lisbon, while hotels were more common in the other cities we visited. One of my favorite hotels we stayed at was the Melia Braga, which had a fantastic breakfast/dinner buffet for guests and a spa/pool available as well!
General Tips for Travel:
Bring a pair of comfortable walking shoes because cities are very hilly, ridden with alleyways and lots of unpaved rocky roads that may be hard on your feet if you’re wearing uncomfortable shoes. I brought Birkenstocks to the trip, but even they didn’t have the best traction when walking uphill.
Exchange cash ahead of your trip! Many of the banks in Portugal only service their customers, meaning exchanging money at establishments outside of tourist hubs can be very difficult and hard to find. Try to exchange at your local bank before departing for Portugal to avoid high fees from the airport exchange booths!
