One week in Portugal

Portugal, oh what a pretty country to visit! 

It is relatively small, by all means very southern European, a popular tourist destination for all tastes, and rightly so!

This is thanks to its scenic coasts, the rhythm of village life and its outstanding food and wine, not to forget its fascinating history, due to the fact this country has been inhabited by the Celts, Romans, Visigoths, Moors and Christians, who all left their mark on the Iberian nation. Ah, it is also quite cheap, which is definitely a plus!

We went to Portugal the last week of October. No masses of tourists to spoil the fun, but also the temperatures were not as clement as one would wish for.

Our trip basically revolved around these three areas: the southern coast of Algarve, the capital city Lisbon (with a stop at Evora), and Porto, and we were definitely not disappointed. Follow the link below to see what our 8-day trip looked like. 

The first three full days of our trip were dedicated to the southern coast of Algarve, one of Portugal’s favourite spots for tourists. I can just picture what the very same places would look like in summertime, with hordes of sunseekers and party people. It was much quieter during the month of October, despite being half term for the UK, and perhaps other countries too, and that was definitely not a bad thing. 

Here’s our day-to-day schedule:

Day 1: We rented a car in Faro (nothing special to see here) and had a quick lunch in the city centre. We then headed to Ria Formosa Nature Reserve, where we spent about two hours, and to Isla Tavira. Here we enjoyed a stroll on a long, sandy beach which we reached via a bridge. We then decided to have dinner in Tavira: one of the highlights of our trip! The drive was just about twenty minutes long. Tavira is arguably the Algarve’s most charming town, with its old Roman bridge, hilltop castle and . I can't believe that there a still mosquitoes here at the end of October! I can't believe we paid 3.60 euros for a glass of wine at a little, a pint of beer and a packet of crisps at a nice, local café…. Bliss!

Delicious tapas place.... and then head to our Airbnb flat in Quarteira. I have to mention that Quarteira is not a particularly pretty place, and we picked it as it is in a crucial spot in between all the places we wanted to see.

Day 2: Albuferia was our first stop: a typical seaside resort, full of British (and not just!). Nice stroll along the beach, walked up the hill to see the viewpoint (there are several to choose from). We've been blessed with sunshine today. Apart from the beach and coast, Albuferia is the perfect place to party, drink, nightlife and karaoke, if that’s what you're into. We came back in the evening for dinner, I think that's a good stop as there's plenty of choice for restaurants. We went to one called Bistro and were not disappointed, but personally I would have been much more impressed with this town in my early twenties.

Carvoeiro was our next stop. About 30 minute-drive, through bends and beautiful countryside road, we reached this fishermen's village, now a popular destination for sunseekers . Renting a car was a great idea, scenic views along  the way, so, that is something I would definetely recommend to do. We had a nice picnic by the port and beach to avoid eating out all the time and keep an eye on our budget.

It was time for a fantastic walk along the coast, with breathtaking views on the cliffs and ocean. The trail is called Percurso dos Sete Vales Suspensos, and it goes as far as the magnificent Praia de Marinha. The entire walk connects to Praia da Marinham via the beach at Benagil. We could not walk the whole trail, due to lack of time (and energy!), but we sort of did it by boat the following day.

Day 3: we had a 10 am appointment at Centaines for our boat trip of the caves  (22.50 euros for an hour), there are plenty of companies which offer these trips. You’ll get to see amazing sights during this 1-hour-and a half trip, you’ll be truly mesmerised.

Then we headed to Portmao and Praia da Rocha, where we enjoyed a bit of relax on the beach, before Stevey had an accident in the water and unfortunately walked much more slowly for the rest of our trip, and had to use crutches.

He still managed to continue driving to our next stop Sagres (we didn't really visit this town), but went to Capo de Sao Vicente and enjoyed its spectacular views. Then dinner in Lagos, a town I definitely preferred to Albuferia as it felt much more authentic and has a prettier atmosphere.

Day 4 We drove to Lisbon, with a stop along the way to see Evora. This town in an enchanting place, where you really feel like you’re delving into the Middle Ages. Inside the 14^th-century walls, you can visit the Cathedral and cloisters, Roman ruins and a picturesque town square. We arrived in Lisbon late in the evening. No time, nor energy to go out. We’ve decided to keep our energy for the visit next day.

The capital city: Lisbon. It took us two full days to see Lisbon. Was it rushed? Maybe... but I feel we could catch a glimpse of its wonders and we’ve had a good idea of the main sights the city offers. You might want to spend a few more days and take it easy when strolling about. However, you must bear in mind that, first of all, the city is very hilly, so, it is a good idea to pack comfortable walking boots or shoes in your bag. Secondly, two days should be dedicated to Belem, Cascais and Sintra. They are really worth a visit!

Day 5: This day was dedicated to a thourough visit of Lisbon: Here were our highlights: the two quarters of Alfama and Barrio Alto (which I would recommend to visit in the evening or at night, or, I should say, to get lost into), a ride through the city in the tram 28, Praca do Comercio, the Lisbon Cathedral (called Se), the Antiques Market, not far from the Pantheon (that’s on Sundays), the Saint George's Castle.

Day 6: We visited Lisbon's neighbourhood of Belem and the costal town of Cascais (which is about one hour away by train).

Day 7: Day trip to Sintra. With its mountains, verdant forests, exotic gardens and pompous palaces, Sintra is like a page torn from a fairy tale. It's a Unesco World Heritage site and I would strongly recommend not to be fooled like us, who started off visiting the first place mentioned in our guide (and the closest to the station), the Palacio Nacional de Sintra. Rather, you might want to skip this, and head straight to the real highlight of this town, the Palacio Nacional da Pena, and its national park. If you're in search of 'likes', you will be able to take the most instagrammable pictures you can think of.  Don't miss this!

Day 8: last day in Lisbon (catching up on whatever we could not do before) and travel by train to Porto (the journey takes about three hours).

Day 9: full day in Porto: you should visit Porto for its views, for its wine, for its pastries, for its small alleys.... and basically, to get lost in it. That's exactly what we did! We booked a tour at one of the wineries (Graham's was the one we picked), 

and we can definetely recommend it. The tour was interesting and informative and ended with a taste of different types of Porto wine.

Day 10: Bye bye Portugal! It was great to visit you. We’ll be back!