A journey to Portugal isn’t complete without visiting either Lisbon (Lisboa) or Porto (Oporto). If you can, do both! Our visits there were in October. The shoulder season. If you have to choose one, we would use the criteria of whether you are also visiting the Algarve region. If so, Lisbon is a natural choice because of its international airport and proximity to the Algarve. Otherwise, Porto has a lot of reasons to go there.
For our first big city journey we visit Lisbon. Portugals largest city.
Lisbon is a port city built upon the banks of the Tagus River (Tejo River). It is also referred to the city of 7 hills. The hills include;São Roque, São Jorge, São Vicente, Santo André, Santa Catarina, Chagas and Sant’Ana. The mention of these hills leads you to the conclusion that this is a hilly city.
Lisbon is a beautiful city. It is clean and its people are hardworking, hospitable and generous. There is much to do and see within the city and also day trips to surrounding towns.
Our stay in Lisbon was much too short and I can say with confidence that our next journey there will be longer.
Determining where to stay will ultimately depend on your financial and time budget. We decided a hotel stay in the city due to time constraints made the most sense. We chose The H10 Duque de Loule Boutique Hotel. The H10 is a smaller boutique hotel. The rooms are large and the upper floors have fantastic views. The staff we found to be super attentive and friendly. After checking in, we went for a short walk and upon returning to our room we discover they had brought up a bottle of champagne and 2 glasses. Nice touch! The hotel also boasts a roof top indoor/outdoor bar with unparalleled views of the city and waterfront.
Honestly, considering the amenities, luxury (very comfortable bed and well appointed bath) and not to mention superb location the room rate was quite affordable.
The hotel could not have been located better. It not even a block from the beautiful tree lined, park like boulevard, Avenida da Liberdade. This boulevard is considered one of the most expensive streets in Europe. It is quite something. Both sides of the avenue are lined with trees, benches, ponds, cafes, restaurants and many expensive shops. The H10 is located midway from the main plaza on the waterfront to the top of the hill where the park “Parque Eduardo VII” looks out over the city.
Getting around: Our main mode of transportation was walking. However, we did on occasion use Bolt (ride share). There really isn’t a reason for a car in the city regardless of the hills, it is quite walkable.
What to do and see in Lisbon. Most likely yo will start heading to the waterfront. There is always a lot going on down there and in the plaza, Commerce Square. The walk down (and up) the Avenida Liberdade is the way to start. This avenue will take you along a wide boulevard separated by greenspace. Take your time to admire the thoughtfulness that went into the design of all the elements. Including the prestigious shops.
Once you get further down to the waterfront you will see many of the tuk tuks, cable cars (funiculars) and hop on hop off buses for hire to give you a tour of the town. Tourist activities we recommend would be to hire a tuk tuk for an hour or so. They mostly are operated by local guides, which is a great way for conversation and get a local perspective. English is widely used, so no worries. There are also options to do a river cruise, which is a lovely on a sunny day to take in the views of the city from the water. The hop on hop off buses are also an option. We wouldn’t say not to do those while in Lisbon but after having done those types of tours in many cities, the hop on/off buses in Lisbon were not impressive. The narratives were prerecorded and failed to match up to the landmarks along the route. It was nice to have the ride, but that was about it.
If you don’t mind crowds and waiting, ride one of the three funiculars. They look like cable cars, but are considered lifts. The most photographed and famous is Gloria. Viva Viagem cards can be purchased and allow access to the trams and other public transportation. If you don’t want that you can pay the driver directly as well.
Lisbon is a cosmopolitan city and the food scene mirrors that. What to eat will depend on what you want. They really have it all, including traditional Portuguese restaurants.
We were excited about finding and experiencing Lisbon’s famous, heaven sent, Pasteis de Nata. Having originated in Lisbon at Pasteis de Belem. We were determined to try one of these small, round, creamy baked custards with light as air pastry shells. We of course found the shop and dove in. Wow. Bliss. Thereafter, it was my personal mission to taste test all the pastel de nata’s I could find. Noteworthy contenders for fabulousness are Fabrica de Nata and Pasteis de Nata Manteigaria. All were amazing.
The other noteworthy tourist thing to try is a visit to Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau. This is a beautiful shop offering white port and bacalhau. They present the glass of port and cod cake on what looks like a small artist palette, which is yours to keep. The glass included! You won’t find any local folks partaking. It was fun and the port and cod cake were both really good. They have it set up where you can watch the chefs making the cod cakes and upstairs is set up nice with seating.
We really needed more nights in Lisbon to explore more of their dining options. As it were we had lovely upscale dinners at Cervejaria Liberdade (Portuguese), Forno d’Oro (Italian) and authentic Indian at Royal Spice.
If you also want to expand your evening a truly Portuguese experience is Fado music. The establishments that offer Fado shows can be reserved ahead. Fado music is Portuguese folk music. Storytelling sung. The oldest spot is Tasca do Chico, however, the highest rated is O’ Corrido.
Try to include a day trip, if possible, to Sintra and Cascais. You can find great tours through Viator or GetYourGuide if you can’t or don’t want to drive. It would be great to spend a full day at each, however, it is totally doable to see them both in a day. Sintra is known for its dramatic scenery and even more for the Pena Palace and it is truly a wonder. Cascais is a gorgeous seaside village with its beautiful beaches and town. If you choose to take a tour, we highly suggest the smaller the group the better! Sintra’s Pena Palace is wildly popular and CROWDED. So make sure your tour pops you to the front of the line.
Lisbon, now on to Porto!
After Lisbon we journey to Porto. If you read our blog about the Algarve, you have learned about the devastating earthquake and subsequent fires that ravaged the southern part of Portugal. Including Lisbon, Algarve and the northern part of West Africa. Porto and its surrounding area was spared from that devastation. Thus, Porto, hosts so many historical monuments, buildings, cathedrals and art that some date back to the time of the Moors occupation.
Porto, also known as Oporto is a city built up along the banks of the Douro River. It is not only known for its Port wine production, but also for its bridges. The most famous being the Dom Luis Bridge which boasts a double deck. The bottom deck is used to walk the span between Porto, across the Douro River to the opposite side of Vila Nova De Gaia.
The city, much like Lisbon is set against hills, looking down upon the river. There are six bridges in total crossing the Douro river and it is indeed a beautiful city.
Our trip here to Porto we are joined by family and decide to incorporate beach time as well as city time. We found a large condo in Vila Nova de Gaia, right on the ocean. This area we happily found it is ideal for not only exploring the city but a great base for other day trips. We discovered some really neat advantages to staying there. We really enjoyed the wooden boardwalk that followed along the beach for miles. We were close to every amenity we needed. Restaurants, grocery stores, clothing stores and bars. Our biggest bump in the road was 2 of the 5 of us got sick. Fortunately they were not sick with Covid, but it did put a damper on some of our activities. We did have a rental car to use for day trips, but for venturing into the city we used Bolt, which is a ride share. Uber is also available and both are affordable and plentiful.
Where to eat in Vila Nova de Gaia? This first restaurant, we can’t recommend it enough. A Cozinha do Portugues. This restaurant is near our condo on the beach of Vila Nova de Gaia. The seafood platter (shareable) and the prawns wee out of this world. Our other recommendation is the restaurant at Graham’s. Located at the Graham’s port location.
Vila Nova de Gaia is also known for where the production of port happens as well as many port caves to explore! That sounds mysterious, but port caves are actually tasting rooms that the port producers have available. Think wine tasting in Napa or the Willamette Valley. All the big hitters for port are located here as well as many small batch producers.
Plan a full day or half day afternoon and evening to explore some of the port caves located there. Even if you feel you don’t like port wine, give it a try! A fine port can be extraordinary. Here you can see, try and experience the different types of port available. We found some really wonderful white ports! If you decide you don’t like port, you will have learned so much about the origin and history behind how port came to be.
In Porto there are many things to do. We started with a tuk tuk tour of the city. What a great way to see a city. They are relatively open air and fun. Doing a city tour, by any means, allows you to get the feel of the place and a sense of where landmarks are located. Our tuk tuk guide was a local and was very knowledgeable about the historical significance of the buildings, tiles and landmarks. There are so many tours going all the time, so check out GetYourGuide or Viator for good recommendations. Our tour was great, but wasn’t knock our socks off.
As mentioned earlier the Dom Eduardo VII lower deck is a walking bridge which is not only a great workout but a great chance to see the views from the bridge. A river cruise is also a highlight to see the city from the water.
Many folks put the bookstore, Livaria Lello on their must see list for Porto. If you haven’t heard of it, it has been rumoured to be the inspiration for JK Rowlings, Harry Potter. (She used to live in Porto while working as an English teacher) Personally, we preferred to see the exterior and admire the pictures. It is not a bookstore where you can peruse books leisurely and admire the architecture. Instead, it is lined with people waiting to get in.
They purport that up to 4000 people a day go through it. You should purchase your admission time beforehand and then wait. They supposedly book 50 tickets per 30 minute time slots. It is a stunning bookstore and every other blogger may tell you it is a must see. That’s up to you. Plan on being there a few hours and actually in the bookstore for a fraction of that time.
So these boomer bloggers will throw out our must do while in Porto. A day trip up the Douro River into the Douro Valley. We did the Douro Valley and Wine tour and although it turned out great. We waited too long to book a tour and found that there were not many of our choices that had room for 5 people. So book ahead for highly ranked tour. There are a few to choose from and most pick you up in Porto and drive you up the valley to Pinhao. From there a 1 hour river cruise is provided. The valley is stunning and the Douro Valley itself has UNESCO designation. It really is 100% worth the time. The history of their wine and ports and the sight of the tiered vineyards rolling up from the river and hills is explained during the trip and at the wineries you visit.
If by chance you have the time for an additional day trip or overnighter, Braga and Guimaraes are two northern cities with distinct history, culture and architecture. Braga is known for religious importance and events and Guimaraes is known for its castle and has a very French vibe. Both are surreally beautiful.