Portugal

Introduction

While Tim had been to Southeast Asia back in 2012, I had never set foot outside of the United States before our trip to Portugal. He is a surf nut and I love history and culture, so Portugal felt like a good compromise. To this day, it remains my favorite country to visit. From the warm, sunny weather to the custard tarts (pasteis da nata) to the stunning architecture of the cities and natural beauty of the beaches and parks, Portugal has something for everyone.

Getting Around

We flew into Lisbon on a direct flight from Philadelphia International and rented a car, since Tim was planning to surf at one of the nearby beaches. We rented a car for the entire trip. While most cars in Portugal (and Europe generally) are manual, if you know how to drive stick, you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting around the cities or on the highways by car. Traffic is manageable in the urban and residential areas, and the highways are well-maintained.

Where to Stay

A word of advice to anyone booking a hotel room in Europe: pay attention to the square footage on the booking site! European hotels often have tiny rooms, and our Lisbon accommodation literally fit a queen bed and nothing else. I made the mistake of focusing on price, which meant we barely had room to fit our suitcases. Our luck was much better in Figuera da Foz and Porto. In Porto, we stayed at Eurostars das Artes. It had a parking spot, good breakfast and was only a few minutes walk from the action.

Fun Activities

The first full day I am in a new place, I book a city tour. It’s the best way to get the lay of the land and discover sites and activities I can return to later. I also get to pick the brain of the tour guide, who is usually a resident of the city. I recommend Lisbon Walking Tour.

• Sintra

Two nearby towns are definitely worth exploring. Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and features fairytale-like castles and an adorable village with narrow cobblestone streets, shops and restaurants. Cascais is a holiday beach town with traditional Portuguese homes and stunning views. See both on this small group tour.

• The Algarve

Many expats are attracted to southern Portugal, and it’s easy to see why. Sunny beaches and lovely towns dot the coast all the way to the mouth of the Mediterranean. We decided to check out Lagos. On the way, we went to the Lagos Zoo, and got lost driving around on dusty roads in very rural Portugal. The Zoo was more like a petting zoo, but with wild animals. Random lizards, birds and mammals wandered around freely, some without dedicated pens or cages. I was almost eaten by a giant pelican—when I inched too close, it lunged at me!

• Figueroa da Foz

Figueroa is a sleepy beach town halfway between Lisbon and Porto, which is why we chose it to stop for a night and hang out for the day. There is a long promenade with restaurants, shops, and the widest beach I’ve ever seen. You can also rent bikes.

• Porto

Porto was hands-down my favorite town or city we visited in Portugal. It lacked the sleekness of the capital Lisbon, but was equally beautiful in its grittiness. The first afternoon we were there, we saw school children leaving class in capes, and I immediately knew where JK Rowling’s inspiration for the Harry Potter series came from. Whether you are a Harry Potter fan or not, check out Livraria Lello, one of the world’s oldest book stores, where Rowling was a frequent customer as a Porto resident in the early 1990s.

While in Porto, we took a day trip with Oporto Adventure Tours to Geres National Park. We hiked, swam in water holes and water falls, and ate a traditional Portuguese lunch at a spot with spectacular views. Our small group included two friends from Turkey and a young couple from Germany, and it was fun to spend the day with them and learn about other cultures.

Running

If you like running, it’s an ideal way to explore a new place. In Lisbon and Porto, I rose before dawn, grabbed an espresso from a nearby coffee shop and logged a couple of miles through the streets. As a female tourist, I felt perfectly safe running alone early in the morning in both cities.

Lisbon’s Eduardo VII Park has a nice loop with a hill and gorgeous views of the water. Porto has some intense hills, but really interesting, winding streets as well as a promenade along the river.

Surf Spots

Food

Portugal is not world-renowned for their food, but they do have incredible pastries like the pasteis de nata. You can find them at any bakery or cafe. Eat these delicious custard tarts with a mid-afternoon coffee.

Seafood is a staple of the Portugese diet, however, restaurants there douse everything in olive oil, so be aware that your fish may be literally swimming.

Mercado Bolhao is an iconic two-story market in Porto. Make sure you check it out for items like meat, cheese, dried fruit, nuts and other goods. It’s open Monday-Friday from 7am-5pm and Saturdays from 7am-1pm. The centenary market is undergoing modernization, so the link I provided is for the Mercado Temporario.

Recovery Meetings

Here is the list for English speaking meetings in Portugal. Many expats have settled in the Algarve so there are more English-speaking meetings in that area. We enjoyed the Estoril English Speaking Meeting while staying in Lisbon. We also brought the Joe & Charlie tapes with us to listen to as we drove from Lisbon to Porto.