Our Portugal Adventure

We just returned from a multi-sport adventure in Portugal, where we hiked, biked, surfed, and explored a small part of this beautiful country. We found a screaming deal on Left Lane Sports for a small group tour through KB Tambo Travel, so we jumped on it. It had been a while since we had been to Europe, and neither of us had been to Portugal.

As it turns out, Portugal is one of the safest countries for tourists. Its cuisine is characterized by simple dishes made with fresh, healthful ingredients, lots of fresh seafood, and pastries to die for! Its culture bears influence from Spanish, Italian, and Moorish civilizations, but blends them and adds so much more to create a unique flavor like nothing you will find anywhere else on Earth!

This trip focused on actively exploring the country and connecting with other people, but I will throw in a few historical elements here and there for context. The country is relatively small and manageable, and I recommend visiting it for yourself! Portugal has it all-beaches, mountains, big cities, medieval villages, castles, and great food.

FOMO versus Regret

On one hand, Vuong and I try to avoid FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), because we realize that one cannot do everything when visiting a place. If you feel pressured to see everything, you won’t really see anything! We like to hit a few touristy spots, major sites, or highlights of a place, but try not to plan every moment of every day. Some of our best experiences are the unplanned ones that just happen while wandering back streets off the beaten path.

On the other hand, the biggest regrets we have are the experiences we miss out on. For example, after hiking the Inca Trail for 4 days to Machu Picchu, we had a chance to hike Huayna Picchu, the conical mountain you see in every photo of Machu Picchu. It was all me… I had heard it was really scary, and I was tired from four days on the trail, so I told Vuong I didn’t want to do it. I regret not taking that hike. So, if a unique or interesting experience presents itself, TAKE IT!

Flight and Arrival

We had wondered if Premium Economy on American Airlines was worth the extra cost and, in this case, it was. We both flew economy for the domestic legs and premium economy for the international legs of the trip for just over $2900. The premium economy cabins felt like domestic first class and came with larger seats, amenity kits, the use of noise-canceling headphones, and elevated meal service. It was absolutely worth the extra expense of around $500 per person.

The tour we purchased on Left Lane Sports cost $1699 per person and included:

• Accommodations
• Breakfast days 2 – 7
• Transportation during the tour
• Airport transfers
• English-speaking guide services
• All hiking, two bike tours (can upgrade to e-bike on day 5 at no charge), one surf or SUP lesson/outing
• Unlimited phone and email support

Our first night in Lisbon was spent in a hostel. We did this for you, dear reader, so we could share our experience and give you an idea of what hostel living is like. I had stayed in hostels in Europe back in my late twenties and it was fun. At this point in my life, I probably would not do it again, but if you are young and/or single, it is a great way to meet people and travel on the cheap. In most hostels, you can choose either a private room or simply rent a bed in a dormitory-style room. In most countries, the dorm bed is way cheaper, but that was not the case in Lisbon when traveling as a couple.

We paid around $70 per person for a bed in a room with 6 people, which came out to about $140 total. We could have stayed at a full-service hotel with our own bathroom for that. In the hostel, there was no private bath, instead we shared two bathrooms (toilets and showers) with 12 people total, and there was an open area with 2 sinks for those same 12 people. Shower flip-flops are an absolute necessity.

We stayed in the Selina Secret Garden hostel. Check-in staff was very friendly, and the hostel had a cool vibe, with open-air gardens and courtyards filled with plants and local art. The rooms were clean and the beds comfy, with surprisingly nice linens and privacy curtains. Inside your little bed cubby was a lock box and a small table with plugs and a reading lamp. There was a restaurant, a pool, and a rooftop terrace, and the hostel arranged for lots of activities and meet-ups.

The location was great, within walking distance of the Barrio Alto district of Lisbon, which is where all the cool kids hang out. We had dinner near this district and watched large groups on pub crawls and lots of twenty-somethings out partying. After dinner, we walked down the main street in this neighborhood and felt like we were a Mardi Gras in New Orleans…

If you are into the backpacker scene and looking for an opportunity to meet international singles, staying in a hostel is the way to do it. You can find beds in Lisbon for $35 and up, and private rooms in a hostel are closer to what you would pay at a full-service hotel. In Asia, you can find beds for as little as $5. Check out www.hostelworld.com to read reviews and find hostels wherever you are planning to travel.

Food Tour

We like to do a food tour on day one of our trips. It is a great way to get oriented to a city and try the most common dishes. Not only that, but if you arrive during the day, it is a good idea to stay awake until nighttime to minimize jet lag. We were tired, but we powered through!

We found Rodrigo on www.withlocals.com and met up with him at Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, which is a park with a panoramic view of the city. Here, he pointed out major points of interest and gave us a little history of the city.

On All Saints’ Day in 1755, a massive earthquake rocked the capital. The churches were packed with worshippers and lit candles, so the earthquake caused multiple fires all over the city which lasted about five days. The earthquake then caused a tsunami! Over one-third of the population was killed during this triple-whammy of disasters, and many of the churches and other sites were left in ruin. You can still see many of those sites and get some small idea of the devastation that the people of Lisbon suffered.

Portugal joined the European Union in 1986 and received funding which helped revitalize the city. In 2020-2021, COVID left its mark and caused the closure of many businesses and restaurants, as with everywhere else in the world, but Portugal’s cities are making a comeback. We found Lisbon packed with a young, strangely attractive crowd that packed bars, clubs, and restaurants.

The Food

With Rodrigo, We tried two popular Portuguese sandwiches, Bifana and Prego no Pau, at a corner bistro in the Chiado district called “O Trevo,” made famous by Anthony Bourdain. Bifana is actually made with thin, marinated pork cutlets. Prego no Pau means “Garlic nailed steak-” They pound whole garlic cloves into thinly sliced, marinated beef and brush it with butter. These sandwiches were so simple but so delicious. partially because of the warm, fresh-baked bread. We later discovered a better place for this signature sandwich with Jorge. Try the sandwich at Rui dos Pregos on the Lisbon waterfront instead!

At the second stop on our food tour, we sampled several small plates at Casa de India. Not an Indian restaurant, it was actually named after an organization that managed foreign trade and serves traditional Portuguese food. We had snails, clams, octopus salad, samosas, and sardines. All were delicious and paired nicely with Portuguese green wine– the wine is not actually green in color, but its name refers to the fact that it is a very young wine. It was a little tart and acidic for our palates but was crisp and refreshing.

We stopped into a cute little cafe tucked into a corner, Ginginha do Carmo, and tried Ginginha, a traditional Portuguese liqueur made from ginja berries (sour cherries) and served in a chocolate cup which is eaten after taking the shot.

The last stop on our tour was Manteigaria in the Baixa district, where we enjoyed fresh pastéis de nata, or Portuguese egg custard tarts. Have them fresh! It is a different experience when the pastry is flaky and the custard warm. If you would like to try the original Pastéis de Belem, you must go to the original bakery. As I understand it, the difference between the two is that Pasteis de Belem are the original iteration of this popular Portuguese treat. The recipe is, and always has been, carefully protected. Pasteis de nata are similar, but recipes vary. We tried several and did detect the difference. Pasteis de Belem were definitely superior, and all were waaaay better when served warm with a shot of espresso.

We visited the oldest bookstore in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records, Bertrand Bookstore, in the Chiado district. We walked by the Elevador de Santa Justa, in the Baixo district, but did not go inside. This is known as Lisbon’s Eiffel Tower, as it was designed by one of Gustav Eiffel’s students, Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard. There was a long line and we had heard from multiple sources that it was not worth it, so we did not go up. It looks really cool from the outside and leads to a platform with a great view of the city. You can access that viewpoint from across the street and avoid the line, or visit one of Lisbon’s many other viewpoints.

Overall, the food tour accomplished what we wanted it to, and this is a great introduction to a city. This time, we used www.withlocals.com. Other food tour providers we have used in the past include Culinary Backstreets and Tours By Locals.

Our Small Group Tour

On this trip, we spent three nights in Sintra, five in Lisbon, and one in Porto. Six days were led by our guide, Jorge, a Portuguese American man who owns his own travel company. He and his wife Marina provide curated travel experiences in Portugal and in several other countries. Check them out here- https://worldtravelersassociation.org

We really lucked out on our tour group! There were two other couples, and I think we will remain lifelong friends! Danica and Austin are a young, professional couple in the early stages of their relationship, and Leslie and Brad are around our age and at a later stage in life. Leslie and Brad live near the boundary waters in northeast Minnesota, a destination that has now been added to our “to-do list.” We ended up hanging out with them in the evenings after our scheduled activities were over.

Jorge arranged for our days to begin around 10:30- 11:00 am every day, and our activities were over by 4:00 or 5:00 pm. This allowed adequate free time to explore our own, and he provided great suggestions for food and other activities. We slept until 8-8:30 each day, had breakfast, and then were collected by our fearless leader. He had rented a spacious, comfortable, air-conditioned van and most days had no more than an hour or so of driving.

We hiked three days, biked two days, and surfed one. Our activities were finished around 2:00-3:00 each day, and then Jorge would take us to a local restaurant for lunch. Back to the hotel to shower by 4:00-5:00, then evening activities began around 7:00 or so. The Portuguese dine late, stay up late, and sleep late. This is a bit of a different schedule for us, but we adjusted. The schedule worked great for us, as some of our best experiences are unplanned!

We hiked to the Moorish Castle, which towers above the town of Sintra at 412 meters above sea level and is often shrouded in mist. You can hike all the way to the Pena Palace and visit the castle on your way back down, but the hike to the castle was enough for us! Jorge recommended not prioritizing the palace, as our time was limited and we had lots of activities planned. Check out details of the entire loop here https://thehoppyhikers.com/sintra-palace-and-castle-loop/

Sintra-Cascais Natural Park

This large natural park provided a great spot for an orientation to the area we would be exploring over the next few days. At the pinnacle of the 3-4 mile trail known as Pedra Amarela, or the Yellow Rock, we could see the extent of the park and many of the sites we were going to explore. We could see the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace of Sintra, the coast of Cascais, and the Cabo da Roca, Europe’s westernmost point. We could see the cities of Lisbon, Sintra, and Cascais, the three points of the triangle that defined the extent of our tour. Interestingly, there are actually genet cats here. They are feisty little felines who originated in Africa. Other animals who call Portugal home include foxes, various nonvenomous snakes, one or two species of venomous snakes, deer, and wild boar.

Sintra

Accommodation

We stayed in a quaint, newly renovated Bed and Breakfast, The Green Chalet. It is located on a side street within easy walking distance of downtown Sintra. The rooms are small but clean and well-appointed, with personal touches that truly make you feel like a guest in the owners’ home. The linens are high quality, and there are blackout shutters over the windows. The showers are spacious and the bathrooms are outfitted with towel warmers.

The common areas invite interaction with other guests, and we enjoyed every evening there with our new friends. An honor bar is fully stocked with beer, wine, and various spirits, including Ginja. There is an indoor area where breakfast is served and a lovely outdoor courtyard. Every evening after dinner, we met up here with our friends from the tour for great conversation. We met a sweet couple from Ireland, Ellie and Callum, who are amazing storytellers.

Ellie and Callum live in Ballycastle, Northern Ireland. She is a college student and he is a tour guide. We were enthralled by Callum’s tale of the Giant’s Causeway. The Giant’s Causeway is characterized by a series of polygonal basalt columns whose origins are volcanic, if you want to believe science… More likely, these were stepping stones for the giants.

A Scottish giant known as Benandonner, challenged the Irish giant Finn MacCool (full name=Fionn Mac Cumhaill) to a fight (why? Who knows… maybe giants just like to fight?). Finn MacCool built a causeway, which is a path or road over water, so he could walk over the North Channel to Scotland.

Now, Finn MacCool was a pagan hero who had grown in legend to over 50 feet tall to become a giant. He skulked over to Scotland and got a look at Benandonner, who was over 150 feet tall! When he saw how BIG Benandonner was, Finn MacCool ran back home to his wife who always kept a cool head. She ordered him to get into the baby’s cradle. He did so… then Benandonner came knocking on the door, and the wife distracted him with tea. Benandonner remembered why he had come and took a look around the house. When he saw the “baby” in the cradle, he thought to himself that if the baby was that big, the daddy must be huuuuuge! So, he fled back to Scotland, destroying the majority of the causeway behind him. Evidence for this is the identical set of basalt columns on the Scottish side…

Another item added to the “to-do list!” That list just keeps growing…

Sites and Activities

Jorge, our guide, gave us a tour of the retreat that he and his wife, Marina, have created in Sintra. They offer yoga and meditation retreats in this serene space tucked away in the fairy forest of Sintra. The guesthouse has two bedrooms, a peaceful living space, and a gourmet kitchen. Winding trails lead to a huge gong and spacious yoga studio. Visit Jorge’s website if you are interested in joining one of their retreats. https://worldtravelersassociation.org

The Moorish Castle

Purchase tickets for the Sintra Palace and the Castelo do Mouros before you go. The lines can be very long and no one wants to wait in line.

The hike up to the castle took us about 45 minutes and was uphill all the way. The first part winds through town, and many segments are paved or have steps. Various water features and beautiful vegetation line the trail, and I would say it is moderately difficult. Take plenty of water. If you prefer, you can drive, take an Uber, or catch a tuk-tuk.

Along the trail, you pass through the outer set of walls and continue on past lookout towers, granaries where legumes were stored, and the tombs. There is a historical preservation site where you can see various items such as fragments of pottery, spearheads, and even a cheese strainer that have been excavated from the site. You can see remnants of an oven, stables, and several silos. The castle was built in the 10th century when the Moors occupied the Iberian Peninsula. It has passed through many hands and excavation began in 1976. Walking the parapet to the uppermost part of the castle and taking in the sweeping views of Sintra and the coastline beyond was one of the highlights of our trip!

You can see the multicolored Pena Palace from the castle. This is one of the top tourist sites in Sintra, but we did not have time to tour the inside. Again, we try not to be dictated by FOMO and will see it next time we visit!

Quinta da Regaleira

The Quinta da Regaleira consists of a palace with manicured grounds directly surrounding it, and natural gardens merging into forest with radiating trails more peripherally. This is a mysterious place designed by a freemason and a set designer, which has a magical air about it. Read more about the mystical aspects of the palace here.

Down circuitous trails, you encounter whimsical nooks and crannies, with scattered moss-speckled ponds and fountains. The Initiation Well is sort of like an inverted tower in a cave. While its purpose is unclear, it is clearly not a well! It is thought to have been used in initiation rituals used in Tarot mysticism, Rosicrucianism, or the Knights Templar… or maybe… the Lizard Illuminati! You walk down the nine levels of spiral stairs and into the underground tunnels, which eventually spit you out under a waterfall. The line to enter may be long, but it moves quickly and you must see this!

The chapel and palace are partially open for tourists, and you can appreciate the stonemasonry and intricate wood carvings of the doors, walls, and ceilings. We enjoyed walking around and relaxing a bit in the gardens, and exploring tunnels and alcoves.

Dining in Sintra

We dined at four restaurants while in Sintra, and I can honestly recommend them all!

Lunch after our hike on the first day was al fresco at Taverna des Trovadores. Vuong had Arroz de Pato, or duck fried rice, which was delicious. I had the Polvo Grelhado, Portuguese grilled octopus. I had had octopus before, and it is often tough and chewy. It is typically served chopped into pieces… not in Portugal! I was served the entire octopus with a side of potatoes. The tentacles were tender, with a crisp pop to the outside. The body was interesting… The skin/subcutaneous tissue was tender, yet firm. Cutting into this part of the animal and discovering the organ mush made me realize how little I knew of octopus anatomy and, as a pathologist, anatomy is kinda my thing.

So, here is a brief primer on octopus anatomy. This varies by species but in general… The large bulbous part is the mantle or body. It is also called the “visceral hump,” which is the most descriptive since this is where the organs are housed. A small nubbin off the front of the mantle is the head, which has a BEAK, two eyeballs, and a brain. Octopuses (this is the proper pluralization, rather than octopi) are cephalopods, meaning literally “head-foot,” so their “feet” (tentacles) come off of their head. The internal cavities of the head and mantle are continuous so, after cooking, all of the organs sort of mushed together. So the organ mush I discovered (and sampled) was brain, GI tract, salivary glands, etc…

Passione Pizza was close to our B&B. This is a family-run restaurant that serves authentic Italian pizza and has amazing service. We had two pizzas between us, one with meat and the other with arugula and tomatoes, along with a bottle of red wine. Our waitress, Rya, was a Ukrainian refugee of Indian origin and was such a sweetheart. This place has a warm, vibrant atmosphere and I think most people skip over it en route to the busier parts of town. Give it a try!

InComum is a fine dining restaurant in downtown Sintra. The menu is a modern interpretation of Portuguese cuisine and focuses heavily on seafood. The atmosphere was upscale but relaxed, and the service very attentive.

I had seabass with basmati rice and vegetables, which was perfectly prepared. The outside was seared and crispy, while the inside was smooth and buttery, melting in my mouth. Vuong had the shrimp green curry with exotic risotto. We really did not detect green curry, and it seemed that “exotic” meant “coconut milk.” But, it was nice. The dessert was delicious and creative. I had Baba Beirão w/ Coconut Sorbet, which was sort of like rum cake, and was very good. Vuong had Olive Oil Pudding, Pineapple Sorbet and Carpaccio, and Azores Cheese… this sounded very strange but somehow worked. The olive oil pudding was mildly sweet and the cheese a bit salty. The carpaccio was actually thinly sliced pineapple.

We enjoyed a fresh, light healthy lunch of salmon and tuna salads and sandwiches at Raiz. this was a nice break from all the rich, heavy cuisine. The setting in a charming courtyard was idyllic.

Cabo da Roca

A short drive from Sintra took us to the touristy spot which contained Cabo da Roca. The little pointy rock is the westernmost point in all of Europe. Hi Mom!

We took pix, then headed across the street to a 1.5-2 mile (each way) trail down to a beautiful beach known as Praia da Ursa. The trail was a bit treacherous, having several areas where we had to scramble down rocks and, at one point, we even had to use a rope. It was hot and there was little shade, so if you take this route, bring lots of water!

The beach was breathtaking! The sand was soft and warm, the waves tumultuous, and the rock formations dramatic. The water was too rough for swimming, but we got our feet wet and relaxed in a natural cove for a while. There were a few nudists and topless sunbathers, and several backpackers camped out in one of the other coves. This was one of my favorite places we visited in Portugal.

Cascais

Sites and Activities

Cabo da Roca and Praia da Ursa were near Cascais. There are numerous other hikes in the area, particularly in the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. Biking is also a popular activity here, and we participated. We rented bikes from Scooters na Linha. The first and last parts of the bike ride were a bit hairy for me, as we had to drive in pedestrian areas and in traffic. We stopped off to see the Boca do Inferno, or “Mouth of Hell,” which is a stone arch through which waves crash violently.

The majority of the 12-mile ride was on a dedicated bike trail that paralleled the beach. It was a gorgeous day, if a bit warm. We pedaled about 6 miles and stopped at Guincho Beach, where we sipped drinks under umbrellas and watched the surf roll in. On the ride back, the guys got their testosterone pumping at an outdoor gym and knocked out a few pull-ups and muscle-ups.

Dining

After the strenuous hike down to the beach and back up, we stopped at Marisco na Praca in Cascais for a seafood feast! There were display cabinets and aquariums where you could choose your victims- crustaceans, bivalves, fish, and many others. We chose a humongous lobster, barnacles, razor clams, mussels, and massive shrimp. The preparation was simple and the presentation included bread, olive oil, vinegar, and piri piri, a very spicy sauce served in Portugal and many African countries.

After the bike ride, we had yet another seafood feast at Baia do Peixe. Here, you could opt for the all-you-can-eat option. There are rules, so pay attention! The seafood was fresh and simple. We tried whelk for the first time, and the last… it was very chewy and too firm for my taste. The crab dip was delicious, and the oysters were some of the best I had tasted.

Santini is a great place for gelato, which we enjoyed on a daily basis. With locations in Lisbon and Cascais, the prices are right and the flavors are interesting!

Lisbon

Accommodations

I have already described the hostel where we spent our first night. Upon returning to Lisbon with our group, we stayed at the My Story Tejo Hotel. This lovely hotel. is centrally located and nicely decorated. The rooms were large enough. Ours had a queen-sized bed, a cove with a closet, and a bathroom with a towel warmer and a large shower. The decor was contemporary and minimalist, and the room well stocked with toiletries. The breakfast was honestly not great- the eggs had an odd texture and were cold, as were the other buffet items that should have been warm. The pastries were fine, and the coffee was… hot. But, the location and service could not be beat.

Sites and Activities

I have already discussed several of the neighborhoods. After only one night prior to this, we already felt like we had an orientation to the city. We discovered our favorite neighborhood on our very last night in the city…Alfama. The oldest part of the city, this area is charming and consists of narrow back alleys and Fado houses. Fado is a traditional type of Portuguese music in which a singer pours his or her heart out in a mournful song, accompanied by Portuguese guitars.

Fado

One of our top travel experiences on this trip was our last evening with our group at O Corrido, a small, intimate, traditional Fado House. Make reservations and plan to spend 2-3 hours here. After watching the sunset at Java Rooftop, which was fine but I would not go out of my way to get here, we walked to Alfama.

O Corrido is an intimate venue with amazing acoustics. The menu is fixed, with 2-3 choices for appetizer, main, and dessert. The cover charge is 42 euros, which includes food and music but not drinks. I had the cod, which I cannot recommend. Vuong had the pork cheeks, which was a far better option. Danica had the stuffed sweet potato which was delicious!

The food was good but, of course, the highlight was the music. We had four singers. The first gentleman was not a professional, but he had a wonderful, expressive voice and manner. There were three women- a thin woman in a black dress who poured her whole life into her songs, a larger woman who had a full, rich voice that coated the room with honey, and an older lady who knew how to work a room! The finale occurred when most of the guests had left, and only about fifteen people remained. The three divas positioned themselves around the room and surrounded us with their angelic songs. This was a true cultural experience that must not be missed.

Biking

We biked down the waterfront, which was a bit terrifying for me due to the pedestrians, cars, and overpass… our e-bikes made it even more… interesting. We rented bikes from Boost Portugal, which also rents scooters and does tours. Along our route, we took in some of Lisbon’s major sites including a major square, the Praca do Comercio, the Monument of Discoveries, the Jeronimos Monastery, and the Belem Tower. We finished our outing with the original pasties de Belem and the beef sandwiches, Prego no Pau, at Rui dos Pregos. We had the latter for dinner the night before our flight and found that they were better at lunch. We think the bread was fresher, and the bread was a star.

Surfing

Probably my favorite day of our trip was the day we surfed at Costa da Caparica. This was only about a 15-minute drive from Lisbon, but felt like a world away!

We crossed the 25 de Abril Bridge and stopped by the Cristo Rei (Christ the King) statue. Patterned after Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this statue sits on top of a 269-foot pedestal and stands 92 feet tall. Christ the Redeemer is not that much larger, at 98 feet atop a 26-foot pedestal. Fun fact, we have a similar if somewhat cartoonish version in Eureka Springs, Arkansas- Christ of the Ozarks. He stands 65.5 feet and is perched on Magnetic Mountain. This is a great spot for photos!

The beach at Costa da Caparica is extensive and is paralleled by a paved walking/biking/skating trail that runs as far as the eye can see. We spent a good bit of the day lounging and playing paddle ball on the beach, with a surf lesson from Dr. Bernard’s surf school. Now, a tropical storm had Lisbon in her sights. As the morning progressed and our 1:00 lesson approached, the waves got bigger and the gaps between them smaller. We changed into our wetsuits and had an orientation on the beach. By the time we entered the water, the sea was a washing machine! We struggled to walk out past the breakers and were helped by our teacher. His English was rather limited, so he used brief verbal cues to instruct us on what to do.

Luckily, Vuong and I had surfed before. He is significantly more athletic than I, so he was on his own. I got a little more attention from the teacher and had a few good runs. When the teacher started really struggling to get me and the board to a starting point, I knew I was done. I spent the rest of the afternoon lounging on the beach. The day was capped off with delicious paninis at Dr. Bernard’s restaurant.

Yoga

A slightly off-the-tourist activity that we enjoyed was attending a yoga class at the Yoga Room in Lisbon. Jorge’s wife, Marina, led us in a Yin restorative class which was just wonderful.

When we were on our own and wanted to go somewhere outside of walking distance, we used Uber.

Dining

In addition to O Corrido, we dined at many venues in Lisbon. See the section on our food tour for most of them that I recommend. I am not mentioning the ones that did not impress me! One place I did not mention that we happened upon was a sidewalk cafe called Los Chanetes in the square near our hotel, which served ham shaved directly from the leg of a wild boar and served with cheese and bread. This meal was simple and delicious! We went back there before our train to Porto to pick up snacks for the ride.

Porto

We decided that we had enough nights in Lisbon and wanted to see Porto. So, we booked train tickets and a hotel in this lovely city. We chose first-class seats on the high-speed train from Santa Apolonia station in Lisbon to Campanha station in Porto. Our return was from the Campanha station to Oriente Station in Lisbon on the express train. The former was 3 hours and the latter 3 hours 15 minutes.

Other than being very hot, the rides were similar and comfortable. We paid around $300 total for both of us round trip in business/first class. This included a convenience fee booked on Rail Ninja. There was a snack cart and a dining car, and there are snack options in the train stations, but we brought our own food. There is just something fun about bringing your own bottle of wine and fancy snacks- bread from a bakery, and ham & cheese from Los Chanetes. Moreover, the quality of our snacks was far superior to anything else we saw on offer.

We hailed a Tuk Tuk from the train station. This is a motorized three-wheeled taxi that is common in many countries in Asia and Europe. We had a whimsical, fun ride listening to the Doors at full volume with our edgy, brooding driver. We overpaid for this ride at 15 Euros, but it was fun.

Our hotel was a splurge- we used a free night earned on hotels.com to stay at the Eurostars Aliados. We lucked out and got an upgrade to a room with a balcony overlooking the park. This room was luxurious, with a large, pillow-top king-sized bed and a gorgeous marble bathroom. Because we are gold members of hotels.com and booked on the app, we received a free bottle of red wine. We really lucked out there was a free symphony performance in the park, which we enjoyed with a free glass of wine from our balcony.

We explored Porto on foot. Porto is Portugal’s second-largest city and flanks the Douro River. Porto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the namesake of Port wine. It is a very popular city with tourists, and both sides of the river are paralleled by pedestrian walkways. These walkways are lined by cafes with outdoor dining, and vendors peddling cork, jewelry, and various other random items. Street musicians abound, and panhandlers are aggressive.

This is a lovely city that we had little time to explore, but we did check out the Church of Saint Ildefonso, a cool-looking gothic church covered in blue and white tiles. We walked down the Rua de Santa Catarina, a major shopping area packed with tourists. We happened upon a sidewalk cafe called Botequim, where we met our friends Leslie and Brad, for one last dinner together. We enjoyed the Flaming Chourico and a Francesinha sandwich. The former was a sausage served in a small clay cooking dish over a flame. The latter is a staple of Porto cuisine and is a sandwich of meat (it can be ham, beef, or sausage) covered in cheese and served in a tomato/beer sauce.

Trip Summary

This trip was a perfect blend of relaxation, activity, and culinary exploration. We made new friends and shared awesome experiences. Portugal is a great destination for many reasons- it is small, affordable, and manageable. It has a rich history and delicious cuisine. The cities feel hip, young, and full of life, and one can spend time there without breaking the bank.

Do you have questions or comments about our multi-sport adventure in Portugal? Comment here, or contact me and I will be happy to answer!! Are you planning a trip to Portugal or have you traveled there recently? I would love to hear about your experiences.