Hey travellers,
It's been a month since I left home and started my journey through Europe. Before leaving I hadn't done much research on what I wanted to see, all I knew was Porto was my starting point and I was on my way to Spain by the end of March and here we are are!
I documented most of my journey through Portugal but wanted to share my itinerary, recommendations as well as tips around my venture along the Portuguese coast and how you too can make the most of your journey.
I could never compact all the experience into one blog article but I can highlight my personal take on the trip. I flew into Porto from South Africa via Istanbul and after thirteen hours in the air, to say I was exhausted would be an understatement. I landed late morning at the International airport and took the train directly to Trindade which was near the centre of Porto and the bustling tourist area. I stayed at the Selina hostel for two nights and extended my stay already assured that a day would not be enough.
Porto was a highlight of my trip specifically because of the rich culture and obscure commercialisation of the city. One thing to know about me is I love exploring new areas by walking. I think some of the best observations come with taking on the destination by foot. It costs nothing and you see things from a perspective different than from a bus window. It's a sort of local immersion that allows you to understand the way of life you would otherwise not notice. Most of my time in Porto was exactly that. I spent my afternoons with my camera strung around my neck walking the cobblestone streets and watching the locals go about their day.
Igreja do Carmo, Porto
Porto offers a lot of rich cultural experiences such as wine tasting the traditional port wine along the riviera as well as visiting the cities vast array of historical cathedrals. The river has six prominent bridges which can be seen best on a boat cruise and trams and hop-on-hop-off buses are a great way to see areas that you might miss. Musicians can be found all over the city and the streets are decorated by small cafes selling the famous pastel de nata pastries for prices as cheap as €1! Don't miss the Sao Bento station and Igreja dos Carmelitas Descalcoz jewelled with azulejo which is a collection of unique tiling in Portuguese architecture.
With so many things to do in Porto, a day will undoubtedly limit your time and you may miss some great sights that shouldn't be bypassed! Opt for a two to three day stay int Porto to get the most out of the city.
Steak n Shack, Porto
First city ticked off and the next destination was Obidos. An uncommon medieval Portuguese town a mere hour or so North from Lisbon was a unique stop on my journey. A day or two to spare before my booking in Lisbon allowed me the luxury to choose what town I wanted to stop by before the next city. There are many to choose from and is all dependent on your preference regarding what you want to see but Obidos caught my eye and I ran with it. I stayed in Obidos for two nights but a day trip from Lisbon will suffice if an overnight stay was not to your liking. A small town nestled within the great barrier of castle walls really felt like a scene out of Robinhood. The town is known for its chocolate production and not to my knowledge, but thankfully my timing, I happened to visit during their annual International Chocolate Festival featuring chocolatiers from all over the World to showcase their skills and bless your tastebuds. Ginjinha, a Portuguese cherry liqeur can be found served in a chocolate cup and makes for the towns cultural identity. A walk along the castle wall gives a perfect overview of the towns authenticity and a stunning view of the countryside surrounding it.
Townscape, Obidos
Following my stopover in chocolate paradise, it was time to see the capital. Lisbon was nothing I had expected to be but also proved some presumptions in both a positive and negative way. Now do not get me wrong, Lisbon was great and truly beautiful but my personal perception of the city had knocked it to second place in comparison to Porto. Lisbon is a coastal capital surrounded by small towns and filled with a mixture of traditional and contemporary architecture. The street art scene is huge and the work of famous local artists are scattered all over the city. A street art tour running twice a week is a great way to experience some of the best pieces, although much of it can be seen on free walking tours and self guided trips around the city. The nightlife is a prominent feature of this city and I definitely recommend a guided pub crawl to get the most out of a fun night out and a great way to meet some awesome people. My stay consisted of five nights in The Independente Hostel & Suites which I recommend for its location, common spaces and inclusive breakfast. They also run a lot of activities at budget prices.
Artur Bordalo Street Art, Lisbon
Lisbon being the large city that it is, has its tourism area and its standard city structure. The Alfama, Chiado and Belem districts are prominent for travellers and closest to the highlights of Lisbon tourism. My period spent in the city gave me a comfortable time span to see the city and all its charm. I wouldn't suggest you need to stay longer if you don't want to as most of the highlights can be seen within three days with a packed itinerary. I think it is important to do some prior research to establish what you want to prioritize but I suggest choosing an area a day and venturing its sights during that split as there is a lot to see in each.
An overview of things to do is visit the Tile Museum for an affordable €5 and the LX factory, an old textile factory from 1846 provides trendy vibe with restaurants and shopping. The Belem Tower is a unique visit as well as the Jeronimos Monastery which can both be seen from the outside, personally there is no need to pay extra to enter and they are located near one another. Try pastel de natas at Pastéis de Belem, where the original recipe is still used and not any more expensive than when bought elsewhere. The Timeout market is a great place to eat out and affordable compared to pricey restaurants in the city centre.
Tile Museum, Lisbon
A short train ride from Lisbon you can visit Sintra. For €5 a roundtrip, you can visit the beautiful town jewelled with historical palaces. It is a culturally rich town and worth a day visit. Avoid my mistake and try go early in the morning to get the most of your day to not rush the visits. There are a few different castles and best to check online to decide which ones you would like to see, and I suggest buying online tickets in advance. Pena Palace is the well known option but overcrowded, therefore missing it will not be a waste of your trip there although being beautiful nonetheless. The Monastery is very unique and much quieter with a cheaper entrance fee of €8. The palace bus line is split into two routes and a day ticket pass of €12 can be purchased for a hop-on-hop-off feature to visit any of the palaces throughout the day for no additional transport cost.
Monseratte Palace, Sintra
Halfway through my trip I was tired of cities and was eager to reach the warm coastline and visit the Algarve. The Algarve is a renown coastline for surfers and tourists wishing to enjoy pristine beaches and clear waters as well as the unique rock formations which you can find all along Souther Portugal. The Benagil caves which is the most commonly known, are a must see but I would suggest not to limit your trip to just that as it is not the only beautiful sight to see. Stop by Lagos, a surfers paradise where you can walk along the coastline and between the rock formations to Ponta de Piedade. The town is trendy and social and the beaches are beautiful and relatively quiet depending on the season. I spent five nights at Bura Surfhouse, a surfers hostel with lots of activities and a fun vibe.
Praia do Camilo, Lagos
After Lagos, I caught the regional train to Portimão which in my opinion was too quiet with limited things to do and there are more worthwhile stops. Albufeira was shortly after, a few stops later on the same train. Albufeira was a whimsical town with a Western charm. The tourists were predominantly English and the food experience tailored to Western taste. Although being a great town for a day or two, it is one of the less culturally influenced towns on the Algarve. There is a lot of water sport including kayak and Stand Up Paddleboard trips to the Benagil caves and surfing experiences making for enough to do in a short time. I booked the Kayak trip through Get Your Guide using Sea Algarve as the tour provider which I highly recommend!
My last stop of the Algarve was Faro. Faro has an international airport and an exit point if you follow the typical North to South route. Faro has a unique town centre with a lot of activity but most of its attractions lie along the coast. Praia de Faro is a beautiful surfers beach to spend the day and watch the sunset. It is a disconnected portion of Island accessible with a ferry trip and worth the visit. Just note the ferry schedule, but buses run till later from the bridge connecting faro to the the island. There are one or two other islands including Ilha Deserta, Culatra as well as Farol, although they are very quiet and personally I find Praia de Faro more beautiful.
Palacete Belmarco, Faro
To end off this guide I just want to share some additional things to note overall. Most of the destinations allow for exploring via foot which I still recommend although public transport is very accessible and affordable. Secondly, prior research is always commendable to have a rough idea of the sights you want to see as the larger cities have an array of things to do and it is naturally impossible to fit them all in a short time span! Take note that a lot of the sights can be appreciated from the outside and it is not necessary to enter every beautiful building and rather use that money for a fun activity or day trip to unique neighbouring towns.
Happy traveling,
Taz x
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