Portugal Itinerary - Summer 2017 — Tuljak! Travel Blog

Oh, Portugal, you are a land of mystics and charms. To say that this is a trendy destination nowadays is an understatement. Perhaps it is due to its geographical location or the nascent boutique dining scheme, but Portugal is also one of the most budget-friendly countries outside of Eastern Europe. With merely $350 RT from New York at the height of the summer travel season, it is too tempting to let the opportunity pass by. With only ten days, we decided to forego venturing to outer regions such as Alentejo, Algarve, or Braga. Also, given the proximity of Portugal to North America, we always assume that we will be back, and that took some ants out of missing sights here or there.

Portuguese pavement at Padrão dos Descobrimentos. — Portuguese pavement at *Padrão dos Descobrimentos*.

Lisbon and Porto are the natural points of entry and departure for any short visit to Portugal. It became a matter of connecting the dots between the two major cities. The historical cities of Coimbra and the beach town of Nazaré are great home bases for exploring various smaller towns, such as Alcobaça, Fatima, Batalha, and Tomar. These towns are dominated by one attraction and are perfect for stringing them together between Nazaré and Coimbra. The highways in Portugal are among some of the best we ever encountered, but it could be costly (hey, you get what you pay for). Alternatively, frequent and affordable trains lace together Porto, Coimbra, and Lisbon hourly. For those who are hesitant to drive with a stick (me included), sticking to the three major cities is a good idea for our first visit to Portugal. I can assure you that Portugal is intoxicating.

Day 1 - New York - Casablanca - Lisbon

Although I am usually excited to try out a new airline, our experiences with Royal Air Maroc left much to be desired. Despite their brand new 787 Dreamliner, the crew was among the rudest I have encountered thus far. We were quite thrilled as this was technically our first time setting foot on the African continent, albeit confined to the airside of the terminal. That novelty quickly wore off as the aging terminal of Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca was hardly a pleasant environment for our five-hour layover. Thanksfully, the Lisbon airport is situated close to the city center. It took us no time to arrive at our rented apartment on the majestic Restauradores Square.

Monumental avenue of the Baixa District.

When we settled in, the sun began its slow descent in the crisp blue sky. I was keen to quickly stroll toward Baixa, central Lisbon's ‘lower town.’ The grid-like streetscape combines the charm of old-world Europe with the efficiency of modern urban planning. Before long, we reached Praça do Comércio, the city's grand plaza on River Tagus. For the first time since we left New York, we felt relaxed and ready to take in the intoxicating atmosphere of Lisbon. We took a casual stroll to the TimeOut Market, which has recently become a mecca of the city’s gastronomy. I took the chance to indulge in my first Pastéis de Nata at Manteigaria. From there, it was just a short walk to our dinner at Restaurante Vicente.

Day 2 - Lisbon - Cascais - Lisbon

While Brian was still soundly asleep, I got an early start to the day to visit Almafa, the oldest neighborhood of Lisbon. Perched on a hilly slope, it escaped the ravage of the 1755 earthquake and tsunami. Most often described as the last authentic historic neighborhood in this rapidly gentrifying city, Alfama is a labyrinth of tangled streets and terraces. At the foothill sat the rather diminutive-looking Lisbon Cathedral. I had a quiet moment alone in the cathedral before a busload of tourists arrived. I began to make my way back toward the apartment. Along the way, I passed up many of Lisbon’s classical monuments, such as Elevador de Santa Justa, which connects Baxia and Bairro Alto, the upper town of central Lisbon.

I met Brian and had an early lunch at El Rei D'frango. It was our first taste of bacalao, and we were amazed by the great value we could find in central Lisbon. Afterward, we walked through Bario Alto to check out many local landmarks, such as the ruins of Convento da Ordem do Carmo and Bertrand Books And Music, the oldest continuously operated bookstore in the world. We also did some early souvenir shopping at Cork & Co and A Vida Portuguesa. After downing another Pastéis de Nata at Manteigaria, we took the commuter rail out to the suburb of Cascais.

Cascais is located at the mouth of River Tagus and is one of the most upscale communities in Portugal. But what drew me here was Eduardo Souto de Moura’s Casa das Histórias Paula Rego. Besides the striking architecture, the works of Paula Rego are inspiring. Afterward, we visited the nearby Fortaleza da Nossa Senhora da Luz, a former fort that has since been transformed into a creative and art complex. The town of Cascais itself was adorable. After a visit to Mercado da Vila Cascais, we strolled along the sandy beaches toward Estoril. We wrapped up our busy day of sightseeing with a cozy dinner at Cantinho Lusitano.

Day 3 - Lisbon

Today, we tackled one of Lisbon’s most popular neighborhoods: Belem. After a relatively slow morning start, we jumped on Tram 15E to take us the right to the front door of Belem’s Jerónimos Monastery. I timed our visit to the supposedly free day at the monastery. But in exchange for free admission, we would have to suffer through a two-hour queue in the blazing Lisbon sun. Since time is a precious commodity, we visited the nearby Monument of the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos). This beautiful memorial to the Portuguese explorers features a splendid observation platform, offering a splendid view of the monastery.

With lines into the monastery still out of control, we opted to take an early lunch at 1300 Taberna at LX Factory. Nestled under the 25th of April Bridge, this creative hub hosts many of Lisbon’s most interesting boutique shops. In particular, the chocolate cake at Landeau Chocolate was to die for. If not for all the Belem attractions waiting for us, we could have easily spent a few hours here.

After lunch, we got right back onto the tourist trail. The first stop was the National Coach Museum, housed in the old Royal Stable and a modern museum across the street. With many of its coaches bordering on absurdity, the museum is one of Europe's most fascinating coach museums. Our Belem visit continued to the Church of Santa Maria, the main monastery church and the resting place of great Portuguese like Vasco da Gama and Portuguese royal families. We finally got to the monastery after a quick stop at the nearby National Naval Museum. Sure, it was beautiful, but it was quite a letdown, given that we somewhat organized our day about this visit.

Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology.

By the time we finished the monastery, we were exhausted. For a little pick-me-up, we stopped at the much venerated Pastéis de Belém, which is said to have the best Pastéis de Nata in the country. To finish our day in Belem, we visited the MAAT Museum, Lisbon’s main contemporary art museum, followed by a relaxing dinner at the elegant yet affordable Decadente Restaurant & Bar.

Day 4 - Lisbon - Sintra - Lisbon

Today, we tackled another must-do side trip from Lisbon. The town of Sintra was an hour away on the community train from Rossio Railway Station. Upon arrival, the €5 Pena circuit bus took us around Sintra’s most celebrated sights. Our first stop was Pena Palace, the fanciful palace/fortress constructed by King Ferdinand II. Even though I had seen countless images of the palace, this wonderful architectural creation is still a stunner. Besides the meticulously preserved interior, the vista from the palace was outstanding. Another of Sintra's star attractions is just fifteen minutes on foot away: Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros). This heavily restored castle ruin was a far cry from the ruin Rick Steves described decades ago.

For lunch, we returned to Sintra’s petite old town and had lunch at Restaurante Hockey Caffee, one of those uninspired tourist-oriented cafes. Just steps away was the Sintra National Palace. A royal residence for centuries, the palace was particularly impressive because of its Moorish architectural characteristics. Given our limited time, we made just one final stop, which was also my favorite: Quinta da Regaleira. This modestly sized noble palace is actually a theatrical fantasy landscape dotted with architectural follies and a grotto. It was even believed that the series of underground passageways and helix-ramp wells were used for the initiation ceremony of the Knights Templar.

We returned to TimeOut Market in Lisbon for a nice dinner. While we did feel slightly silly just how often we came here for dinner, the diversity and quality of food offered here are just unrivaled, and we are ready to declare it has been our favorite dining space during our years of travel. To wrap up our busy day, we took the infamous Tram #28 to Largo Portas do Sol, the prime vista point of Alfama. A nightcap at Quiosque Cerca Moura and a moonlit night at Libson were a delightful way to spend our last night in Lisbon.

Day 5 - Lisbon - Óbidos - Sao Martinho do Porto - Nazaré

This morning, we are finally leaving our beloved rented apartment. I woke up early to visit Parque das Nações, home to the 1998 Lisbon World Exposition. While a perfectly nice neighborhood on its own, the reason that drove me here was two of Lisbon’s modern architectural edifices: Gare do Oriente by Santiago Calatrava and the Portugal Nation Pavilion by Álvaro Siza Vieira. Afterward, we checked out of the apartment and dropped our luggage at the storage locker at Rossio Railway Station. It allowed us a few hours before picking up our rental car at Lisbon Airport. Unsurprisingly, we picked TimeOuit Market again for our last meal in Lisbon.

Lisbon’s Estação do Oriente by Santiago Calatrava.

Our first stop today was the fairytale town of Óbidos. A town of 3,100 today, this little walled town is the best-preserved medieval city in the country. It is one of those picture-perfect places that seems almost too perfect to be authentic. While several noted attractions are within the town wall, the best experience is walking along the top of the medieval fortification. By the time we were ready to leave town, the clouds had begun to gather, and it seemed like our luck with the crisp blue sky had run out.

On our way to Nazaré, the destination for the day, we made a brief stop at the resort beach town of Sao Martinho do Porto. One of the American ex-pats we met in Lisbon recommended this place as the upscale alternative to rustic Nazaré; we only spent about ten minutes on the beach since it reminded me too much of Coney Island. Fortunately, Nazaré was only twenty minutes away further north, and we were relieved that the charm of this town was captivating. It combined the charm of a working seaside village with an emerging tourist industry. Our hotel for the next two nights was the ultra-modern Hotel Magic, which is nestled within the narrow lane of the old town.

The absolute highlight for our day, or maybe our trip, must be our dinner at Restaurante Rosa Dos Ventos, recommended in Rick Steve’s guidebook. The small seafood restaurant is nestled within the narrow lanes of Nazaré. The food was delicious, but it was the kindness of the staff that impressed us. When we asked our server where we could find the ATM to pay our bill, she said the ATM was too far away from the restaurant. We could stop by any time tomorrow to pay our bill. Considering Nazarre is a touristy tow, the locals' kindness and trust toward strangers were a testament to the Portuguese’s hospitality. We ended our night with a few drinks at À Deriva Beach Bar and a stroll along Nazaré’s broad sandy beach.

Day 6 - Nazaré - Alcobaça - Batalha - Nazaré

After a quick breakfast, we drove inland to the town of Alcobaça, which is only 20 minutes away from Nazaré. Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, built a church in the mid-twelfth century to commemorate his triumph against the Moors in the town of Santarém. Over the centuries, the church has grown into a massive monastic complex. The monastery remains the most important center of religion and culture throughout the Middle Ages. It also retained a close association with the Portuguese monarchy and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Across from the monastery is Pastelaria Alcôa, which specializes in various ‘monastery pastries’. And according to many experts, they also serve Portugal's best pastéis de nata.

Our next stop is the nearby Monastery of Batalha, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Less than half an hour from Alcobaça, the town of Batalha is like a mirror image of Alcobaça, as the town is also dominated by a massive monastery constructed to celebrate the victory of an important battle. Like the Monastery of Alcobaça, it is also the burial church for the Portuguese royal families. The flamboyant late-Gothic structure is impressive and is often considered the greatest architectural treasure in the country. Ironically, a highlight of the visit for me is the so-called Unfinished Chapel (Capelas Imperfeitas).

We spend the afternoon back in Nazaré. We took advantage of the sun and visited another side of this seaside town: Sitio. Perched high up on the cliff, the village of Sitio is accessible by an iconic funicular (or a twenty-minute bus ride through an inland road). Compared to the lower town, the village has a decidedly relaxed ambiance and offers one of the most impressive views of the Portuguese coastline. Following a light snack at Pastelaria Alcôa & Cafe Porto Bello, we hiked ten minutes down the shore to Farol da Nazaré, the iconic lighthouse from which the largest waves surfed were recorded. Sitio also had interesting sights, such as the Church of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré and a bull ring. We ended our day with a seafood boat dinner at Sitios Restaurante O Luís. Afterward, we watched the sunset from the dramatic viewpoint back at Nazaré; it was truly a memorable experience.

Day 7 - Nazaré - Fatima - Tomar - Coimbra

After checking out of the hotel, we drove fifty minutes to the Fátima. World-renowned for the Miracle of the Sun of 1917, Fatima is a massively popular Catholic pilgrimage site today. To our dismay, much of the history surrounding that inspired the alleged miracle has been bulldozed to create a massive pilgrimage plaza, pilgrim center, and neo-classical modern basilica. However, what the town lacked in historic charm was more than made up by the devolution exhibited by the pilgrims. But just like religious sites elsewhere, it also showcases the commercialization of pilgrimage.

Half an hour east of Fátima is the enchanting town of Tomar, which is home to just another of Portugal’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Convent of Chris. Compared to Alcobaça or Batalha, Tomar’s historic center seems well-developed and has a real live-in feel. A stroll around the town was enjoyable and relaxing. We stopped at Casa Matreno & Casa das Ratas for a lovely contemporary Portuguese fare. Afterward, we visited the Convent of Christ, which is by far my favorite convent building in Portugal. It is a full-on explosion of Manueline details and high Gothic murals. Just steps away, the Tomar Knight of Templar Festival was gearing up. We only wished we stayed here tonight to soak up all the festivities. However, we managed to grab a coffee on the main square at Cafe Pepe.

When we reached Coimbra, it was raining hard, and our first impression of this charming city was less than ideal. After checking in our rented apartment at Sophia Residence, we took a walk along the Rua Visc. da Luz, the main pedestrianized drag of the lower part of Coimbra. Tired and exhausted, we had a light and early dinner at Brutus Kitchen & Bar. We wrapped up our day with a Fado concert at À Capella. While it was a pleasant experience overall, we were probably too tired to enjoy it fully. But our favorite part must be watching how much the audience members enjoyed the performance.

Day 8 - Coimbra

This is our laundry day, so I started the day early at the laundromat and visited Mercado Municipal while waiting for the washing. Once finishing the laundry, we rode the elevator up to Coimbra’s upper town to visit the main attraction of the town: the University of Coimbra. Another Portugal’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, the university is not only the most prestigious in Portugal but also one of the oldest continuously operating universities in the world. As a functioning university, the visit to the historic campus was only available through a guided tour by a student docent. The tour covered many historical spaces, such as Biblioteca Joanina, Royal Chapel, and the Royal Palace.

We headed to the National Museum Machado de Castro for lunch and enjoyed a modest but delicious buffet at its Restaurant Loggia. The museum is housed in the former palace of Bishop’s Palace and houses a good selection of artifacts from Roman times and the Middle Ages. While I enjoyed all the artwork, I could sense that Brian was a little bored. I decided that it was time to go to another museum: the Museum of Natural History. Like many historical universities of Europe, the University of Coimbra holds a massive collection of taxidermy. While it may creep some people out, we thoroughly enjoyed it. Not only did we get to see some curious extinct creatures, but we also got to visit many of the university’s historic lecture halls.

The great seal of the University of Coimbra.

After a quick nap back at the apartment, we spent a few hours wandering the back lanes of historic Coimbra. I also took the chance to visit Pastelaria Briosa Coimbra, one of the premier traditional sweet shops in the city. It offers great Pastéis de Nata and supposedly has the best Pastel de Tentúgal, a historic sweet made with phyllo dough filled with egg custard. It is one of the great gastronomic delights. For dinner, we made a reservation at Lingua, a restaurant specializing in cuisine from the wider global Portuguese-speaking communities. From Mozambique to Macao, it is hands down my favorite restaurant we tried during this trip.

Day 9 - Coimbra - Porto

This morning, we checked out of the apartment and picked up our car from the garage. Our destination of the day is Porto, the second city of Portugal. As we drove on the modern toll road, we were surprised by just how little traffic there was on one of Portugal’s main arteries connecting Lisbon and Porto. Just half an hour north of Coimbra, a large swath of forest was burned out due to a massive wildfire just a few months prior. Together with the empty highway, it was quite an eerie journey. We arrived at Porto International Airport an hour later to drop off our rental car.

As many travelers have said, Porto’s public infrastructure was great. It was a pleasant tram ride from the airport to our home base for the next two nights. We got a nice service apartment by Bnapartments Loftpuzzle right in the center of town. The apartment setup was cool. The entire bathroom and kitchen are compacted into a freestanding module, backlit through the skin of perforated cement boards. It is for sure the most memorable accommodation on this trip.

Porto has such a buzz in the air that I was eager to explore the city. As we enjoyed a light lunch and a glass of port at Pregar, the trajectory of our trip quickly went off the rail. On my way to their restroom in the cellar, I slipped and twisted my ankle. It was one of those WTF moments, and I was wondering whether I may become permanently disabled. Despite being in severe pain, I was not ready to concede to my injury just yet.

Dom Luís I Bridge, the preeminent landmark of Porto.

I slowly limped about the hilly street of Porto and got ourselves to the Riberia, the waterfront district that was one of the warehouses central to Porto. To soak up as much of Porto as I could, we decided to grab a few more drinks from one of the harborside restaurants. Eventually, I was in so much trouble that we hailed an Uber back to the apartment. I spent the remainder of the day until our dinner reservation at Ostras & Coisas Restaurante.

Day 10 - Porto

My agony continued in the morning. To be fair, I felt blessed to stay at decent accommodation. But given my situation, I would have loved a room with a view of downtown Porto or the Douro River. Brian was very sweet and became my caretaker for the day. He went to a local pharmacy to get me bandages and a crutch. Although Brian offered to stay in the apartment with me throughout the day, I convinced him to explore Porto independently. He spent the after visiting two of Porto's main attractions: the Porto Cathedral and one of the many port lodges, Porto Ferreira. Even though I am bedridden, it made me happy that he gets to enjoy Porto. We had a nice dinner at Restaurant Raiz next door to cap a ‘restful’ day,

Day 11- Porto - New York

Although I was glad to get to go back to the United States to see a podiatrist, it was still sad to end our vacation. Since I had so much time the day prior, I spent quite some time researching a place for our last meal in Portugal. Thinking back on all the delicious meals we had on this trip, my favorite was Mozambique and Angolan food at Lingua in Coimbra. After bidding goodbye to the apartment, we took an Uber to Restaurante Campo Alegre /Compadre, a family-run restaurant specializing in Alentejo and Angolan cuisine. It was a fitting end to wrap up this whirlwind trip.

Final Thoughts

Will we do anything differently? No! We got to experience many facets of Portugal and enjoyed the glorious summer weather. Would it be better if I had not twisted my ankle on my first day in Porto and stayed in bed for the remainder of our trip? Sure! But I guess it gives me that additional motivation to revisit Porto and perhaps add on a week for Galicia!

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Portugal Itinerary - Summer 2017