PORTUGAL – ROADTRIP

Portugal is a great country to discover by car. You will see beautiful cities, lonely beaches, eat great seafood and, of course, find tasty Portwine. Boam Viagem!

 

 

LISBON

 

The capital gets a page of its own here.

 


CASCAIS

 

Stay:

  • Hotel da Vila. (Was closed unfortunately – flamingos keep researching.)

Eat:

  • Mar do Inferno. Walk along the sea to the restaurant and enjoy fresh seafood.
  • O Viriato. Comfortable little restaurant with an atmospheric original feel.

Do & See:

  • Praia do guincho, praia grande is a nice beach.
  • Cabo da Roca. The westernmost point of continental Europe with steep cliffs.
  • Sintra. A UNESCO World Heritage Site not far from Cascais. The gardens up to the palaces are very nice.

SETUBAL

 

Stay:

  • Ha mar hao luar. It is a memorable experience to sleep in an old windmill. Breakfast is brought to your door in the morning, > 100 EUR per windmill and night. They also have rooms < 100 EUR. You can book it here.

Eat:

  • Taste grilled Sardines on Avenida Luísa Todi.

Do & See:

  • Take a walk along the port of Setubal (pronounced "Stobal").

VILA NOVA DE MILFONTES

 

Stay:

  • Patios da Vila. Affordable boutique apartments close to the beach, >50 EUR per apartment and night. You can book it here.

Eat:

  • Tasca do Celso. Portuguese restaurant with rustic interior – if you are not cooking yourself in the apartment.

Do & See:

  • Praia do Malhao, a picturesque nearly empty beach.

VARGOS

 

Stay:

  • Casa dos Vargos. Gorgeous building with charming rooms. Pilar is very helpful and keeps a shy dog called Zuka who is wandering around. Breakfast on the terrace, < 100 EUR per room and night. You can book it here.

Eat:

  • Os Maias, Pé de Cão in Torres Novas. Local restaurant with big steaks.

Do & See:

  • Tomar: Convento de Cristo. A former templar stronghold with beautiful courtyards and Manueline decorations (Portuguese late gothic style).
  • Aqueduto dos Pegões. Impressive aqueduct which served the Convento in Tomar.

LAMEGO

 

Stay:

  • Quinta de Marrocos. Cesar, his wife and dog live and work on the picturesque vineyard at the river Douro. Stay a night, take a tour with Cesar around the vineyard and taste some original port wine. <100 EUR per room and night. You can book it here.

Eat:

  • Pinhão: a nice village at the Douro 20 minutes from Quinta de Marrocos. Veladouro at Rua Praia is a convenient place for some food and port wine in Pinhão.

PORTO

 

Stay:

  • Vera Cruz. 2* hotel, > 50 EUR per room and night. Do take a room with bigger balcony. You can book it here.

Eat:

  • There are many small restaurants at the river and the backstreets around. 
  • Café Majestic. Belle Epoque style cafe at the shopping street of Porto.

Do & See:

  • Vila Nova de Gaia, the city across the river and the city of port wine production. You can visit wine cellars and do some tasting. A good way to cross the river is walking on the upper level of the bridge Ponte Dom Luis but you can also take a gondola (ca. 8 EUR return ticket).
  • Museum of Photography. Located in a former prison.
  • Igreja de Sao Francisco, Rua do Infante D. Henrique. The church with the golden interior.
  • Livraria Lello, Rua das Carmelitas 144. A beautiful bookshop with impressive staircase inside. 

FOZ DO ARELHO

 

Stay:

  • O Facho Guest House. Hotel right at the beach, take rooms facing the sea and have a drink in the bar.

Eat: