Portugal Roundup

Portugal was the first new country for me on our big trip. It was the jumping off point of Big Trip 2.0 (the second half of our trip after my emergency surgery in Bangkok). I’d always had this vision of me sipping sangria on the beaches of Portugal, which ironically never happened on this trip, but what I didn’t expect was to fall head-over-heels for this country. I loved so much about it. I found some of the most welcoming and hospitable people in Portugal, the food was delicious and the cities and landscapes are insanely beautiful. Keep reading for more tips, insight and info in this Portugal roundup!

QUICK PORTUGAL ROUNDUP

Days Spent in Portugal: 15 Days
Cities Visited: Sintra, Lisbon, Porto, Lagos and Faro
Average Daily Cost: $101.77 for two people, so $50.89 per person
Places Stayed In: 5 guesthouses. All with private rooms, but only one with a private bathroom.
Preferred Method of Travel: Train. Always the train. Although we only took the train to and from Sintra and Lisbon it’s still just my favorite way to travel. However, the buses in Portugal are very easy to use and are very efficient as well.

MY TOP 5 FAVORITE EXPERIENCES IN PORTUGAL

CELEBRATING MY BIRTHDAY IN SINTRA EXPLORING ALL THE CASTLES

Sintra was just one of those places where everything seems wonderful. There are four, yes FOUR, castles in this one tiny town. It was a fairy tale destination for celebrating a birthday. We explored all four castles, had a pastry in the town, enjoyed wine + lunch in town and soaked up all of the Sintra magic!

EXPLORING LISBON’S OLD TOWN

Lisbon totally blew me away. I knew I was going to like it, but I instantly fell in love with it. I loved the windy maze of streets that were lined with colorful building with tile facades. It was really amazing. I loved catching cable cars and eating delicious Portuguese delicacies.

TASTING PORT FROM THE SOURCE IN PORTO

I’ve always been a Port-lover. Although I didn’t buy bottles all that often, if it was ever offered or I was celebrating something where Port was available I would definitely partake. Now, after visiting both Croft and Cockburn’s Port Cellars, I’ve come away with a much more extensive knowledge and appreciate for this delicious drink. We’ve enjoyed it even more (and more often) since taking these tours in Vila Nova de Gaia

VISITING THE BOOKSTORE THAT INSPIRED THE HOGWARTS LIBRARY

I’m a MASSIVE Harry Potter Fan. It’s my biggest nerdy obsession, so when I found out that J.K. Rowling lived in Porto and that this beautiful 102-year-old bookstore inspired the Hogwarts Library it instantly jumped to the top of my list! You’ll be totally blown away by all the details in this ornate shop: the twisted staircase, gorgeous stained glass and the rows + rows of books.

EXPLORING THE BEAUTIFUL BEACHES IN LAGOS

I’ve historically never been a beach-lover, but every now and then, when the landscape is just something totally unique and spectacular, I have to call myself a beach-lover. Lagos is just so lovable. There are beaches upon beaches separated by massive rock formations and sea arches. The vivid teal waters make the reds, yellows and tans of these gorgeous formations pop even more. We hiked 10 miles to all these beaches, caught sunrises + sunsets and collected seashells all over this gorgeous area. It’s a must-see for anyone visiting Lagos.

Honorable Mentions: Visiting the Bone Chapel in Faro and the Secret Food Tour in Lisbon

MY TWO FAVORITE PLACES WE STAYED

SERRA E MAR – This guesthouse offers up the essence of Portuguese hospitality. We stayed in a private room with a private bath. The bed was comfy, they provided a kettle with tea and coffee to enjoy in our room and breakfast is included. They don’t skimp on breakfast: we had breads, cakes, fruits, yogurts, juices and coffee! It was truly delicious.

Our hosts were just above-and-beyond amazing. There weren’t any Ubers available one night, so they drove us to Lidl to get some things for dinner. Then, after we finished our meal, they refused to let us wash our dishes, took care of them for us and then gave us a little cake for dessert. Seriously, they’re wonderful. It’s about a 20 minute Uber ride from the train station to this Guesthouse, so I really really recommend staying here if you have a car. However, the Uber rides weren’t that pricy if you’re wanting to stay out of the town.

C&O GUESTHOUSE LISBON – This guesthouse sits just outside of Old Town Lisbon. It was about a 40 minute walk to the heart of Old Town or you can very cheaply hop on one of those iconic yellow cable cars and ride into Old Town in less than 10 minutes. In fact, they stop right in front of your guest house! The room we stayed in was incredibly spacious, the bathrooms were always clean and there was a large kitchen fully equipped with anything you would need to prepare yourself a meal or two.

PORTUGAL QUICK TIPS

WHEN YOU GO OUT TO EAT THOSE OLIVES + BREAD ON THE TABLE AREN’T FREE: When you eat at a sit-down restaurant, your sever will often bring out olives, bread, cheese, etc. These are delicious little appetizers that are typically fairly cheap, but they will be added to your bill. I do highly recommend eating those olives, though…

UBER IS KING: If you haven’t already, download Uber before you go. It’s the fastest, easiest and cheapest way to get around Portugal. We took a cab when we couldn’t get our data to work and they charged us double what the Uber ride would’ve been.

USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO GET FROM CITY TO CITY: The buses, trams and trains are super easy to use and incredibly cheap! Buying tickets same-day worked out really well for us (we were there in March, so I would maybe book at least a day ahead in peak season).

TRAVEL IN OFF-SEASON: July and August are Portugal’s busiest, most-expensive and hottest months. If you avoid these you can have entire beaches to yourself! We went in March and everything was super peaceful, but it was cooler and rainy. I’ve heard traveling in May, June and September are still warm but significantly less busy. Although, we still had a fabulous time in March.

Our two weeks in Portugal were absolutely amazing and left my dying to get back and explore even more. It’s a country filled with incredibly hospitable and friendly people, gorgeous natural sites, stunning cities and so much more to offer. It’s a destination that I would (and plan to) return to again and again!

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