To the tune of 'Fado' - 7 days in Portugal
High on everyone's bucket list lately, Portugal is indeed a fantastic country to explore. I was lucky enough to have traveled through central and northern Portugal with a Portuguese friend, who hosted me (and another friend) in her house near Porto and drove us around. Portugal is incredible to explore on the road!
This has been an exceptional trip even because, for one day, we left the car on the side of the road to hop on a motorbike to experience Portugal from a different perspective.
Come with me and my two friends Isa and Marco on a 7 days long road trip from Lisbon to Porto while visiting beautiful cities and natural landscapes - always accompanied by the tune of fado.
Day 1 - Lisbon
Marco and I arrived in Lisbon in the late afternoon, so the first day of the trip to Portugal was relatively short. We met up at the airport with Isa, and went to our hostel for the check-in. We decided to stay in the touristy neighborhood of Belém, so we could visit Lisbon on foot.
After leaving our bags at the Terrace Lisbon Hostel, we began exploring the city! And there is no better way to learn about a place's culture than to eat the local food. We found a traditional tavern very close to our hostel: with high reviews, very affordable prices, and a promise of delicious food, we didn't think twice and sat at the table of the Taberna dos Ferreiros.
We ate, chatted, laughed, and drank: this trip in Portugal couldn't have started on a better foot.
Day 2 - Lisbon
Morning, for me, is synonymous with breakfast (and coffee), and if you are in Lisbon, there is one place you need to be: Pastéis de Belém, the oldest (and best!) pastry shop in the city. Opened in 1837, this historic venue prepares and serves the traditional pastéis de belém following a super secret recipe that, it's said, is known by only five master pastry chefs! Whether this is true or not, the pastéis are truly magical with their deep sweetness and mix of a crunchy outside and a soft and rich filling inside.
Pastéis de Belém, Lisbon, Portugal
With the taste of the pastéis de belém still in our minds, we began exploring Lisbon.
The city is divided into various neighborhoods, and the most traditional ones are Baixa, Chaido, Bairro Alto, Alfama and Belém. Each one has its own unique essence and many beautiful attractions to see.
Belém is home to some of Lisbon's most important monuments, and we couldn't miss them! We firstly head to Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Jerónimos Monastery), a religious building designed to commemorate the return of the explorer Vasco da Gama from his travel to India. The religious complex is formed by the Church of Santa Maria, which has a truly unique architecture: a single nave held up by six sculpted columns that give the impression that the church goes on forever. The church houses the tomb of Vasco da Gama, and it has annexed a beautiful two-story cloister. The Jerónimos Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its presence shaped Portuguese identity and culture.
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Lisbon, Portugal
After visiting Jerónimos Monastery, we followed the road towards River Tagus to reach the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries). This towering monument was built to celebrate the Portuguese's maritime history. Walking up close, the monument discloses sixteen carved figures portraying people who took part in the overseas exploration of the 15th and 16th centuries.
Padrão dos Descobrimentos, Porto, Portugal
The pavement of the square in front of the Monument to the Discoveries is decorated by a gorgeous compass rose 50 meters wide and a world map 15 meters wide, showcasing the routes that the Portuguese caravels and carracks followed in their overseas travels. The floor designs were created from beige, black and red limestone and are truly spectacular!
A few steps away, there is one of the most iconic monuments of Lisbon, the Torre de Belém (Belém Tower). Built between 1514 and 1520, the tower was used to defend the city. Years later, it was transformed into a lighthouse and customs house. The tower's imposing structure silhouettes against the blue of the Tagus River, so vast that it looks like a real sea rather than a river. The Belém Tower is indeed one of the jewels of Lisbon's landscape! Our favorite part? Its western façade with a curious gargoyle in the shape of a rhinoceros.
Torre de Belém, Lisbon, Portugal
We left Belèm district and headed to another Lisbon neighborhood: Chiado. Known for being the city's bohemian neighborhood, so peculiar to be usually compared to Paris' Montmartre, the main attraction to see in Chiado is Rua do Carmo street. Here, we explored the ruins of the Igreja do Carmo (Carmo Convent), destroyed by a devastating earthquake in 1755. The roof of the church completely collapsed, and what's left of the original structure are the external walls with their gothic arches leaning out to the blue sky.
Nowadays the ruins of Carmo Convent host the Museu Arqueológico do Carmo, an archaeological museum that displays a series of tombs, fountains, windows and other architectural relics from different places and styles.
Igreja do Carmo, Lisbon, Portugal
After visiting the convent and the museum, we walked to Bairro Alto, the neighborhood adjacent to Chiado. This alternative district has streets full of graffiti and good restaurants where you can dine while listening to traditional fado music. Bairro Alto is a dedalous of cobbled streets packed with bars: it is Lisbon's vibrant nightlife center, so we decided to get back here for some after-dinner fun!
We then headed to Lisbon's most central and renowned neighborhood, Baixa. The district has ample avenues dotted by houses covered in traditional tiles. On our way to Municipal Square, we spotted a classic Lisbon tram! After the ritual photo, we stopped for a moment in Municipal Square before arriving at Praça do Comércio.
Tram in Lisbon, Portugal
Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square) is an astonishing square that once housed the Royal Palace. The square overlooks River Tagus and is surrounded by yellow buildings with arches all along the façade. Praça do Comércio was considered the "door" to Lisbon, which is why it was where the commercial ships used to unload their goods.
Standing in the center of the square with the river on our backs, we admired the bronze equestrian statue of King Joseph I. Behind the statue, on the north side of the square, the Rua Augusta Arch is the main entryway to the Baixa neighborhood. The Arch is beautiful, with several pillars adorned with statues representing important Portuguese figures, such as Vasco da Gama.
Praça do Comércio, Lisbon, Portugal
Our busy morning was not over yet! After Baixa, we walked to Alfama, the most picturesque neighborhood in Lisbon, where fado was born! Strolling up and down the narrow streets encapsulated in the white houses where fishermen used to live was one of our favorite moments of the trip! In Alfama you can feel the melancholic emotions that characterized fado: it's a place suspended in time, perfect for breathing the true essence of the city.
Alfama Neighborhood, Lisbon, Portugal
Before stopping for a quick lunch, we visited the old Graça neighborhood. The stunning Igreja de Santa Engrácia - Panteão Nacional stands out on Lisbon's skyline for its colossal Baroque dome and pearl white façade. The Church of Santa Engracia assumed the status of National Pantheon in 1916. If you have time, we suggest you go inside to admire the pink marble and gilded ceilings before taking the elevator to reach the top of the dome and marvel at the breathtaking 360-degree views of the city.
Igreja de Santa Engrácia, Lisbon, Portugal
After lunch, we decided to spend some time inside the Jardim Botanico da Ajuda, Portugal's oldest botanical garden. Opened in 1768 as the Royal Botanical Garden, it has over 5,000 species of plants native to Portugal and its former overseas territories. From the Jardim Botanico you can also admire a charming view of the city and the Tagus River!
Jardim Botanico da Ajuda, Lisbon, Portugal
Day 2 in Portugal ended in the best way possible: we did an Italian-style aperitivo sitting on the Tagus River bank, right beside the Monument of the Discoveries, as we watched the sky dyeing with the hues of sunset. And with the night on us, we made our way back to the Biarrio Alto to experience the lisboeta nightlife.
Tagus River at sunset, Lisbon, Portugal
Day 3 - Sintra, cabo da roca, azenhas do mar
I'm not gonna lie, Day 3 was something special: we embarked on a motorbike tour of Lisbon and its surrounding areas, including the magnificent Sintra, Cabo da Roca, and Azenhas do Mar.
We meet up with our tour guide Sergio Lopez from 2RidePortugal and with Haig Conolly (from rambling.cafe) for breakfast. After a lovely chat, we got on the bike, started the engines, and hit the road for a wonderful experience!
Are you curious to know what we did? Check out the full article at REVnTRAVEL: https://revntravel.com/one-day-ride-out-of-lisbon/.
Day 4 - Óbidos and Nazaré
After another incredible breakfast at Pastéis de Belém, we checked out from our hostel and made our way to Northern Portugal.
After 1 hour, we made the first stop at Bacalhôa Buddha Eden, Europe's largest oriental garden. The place is incredible! The Bacalhôa is divided into different areas, and our favorites were the palm forest that houses African art, the bamboo forest, the Xian terracotta warrior army, and the space dedicated to the giant buddha statue!
Bacalhôa Buddha Eden, Portugal
If you are looking for a place to spend some hours taking fun photos with your friends and family, then you cannot miss paying a visit to the Bacalhôa Buddha Eden!
We spent 2 hours inside the garden, and we were back on the road - but only for 20-ish minutes as we decided to stop in the picturesque town of Óbidos. This well-preserved medieval town is surrounded by impressive defensive walls, and to enter Óbidos, you need to walk along them. Once inside the town, we were immediately fascinated by the cobbled alleys and the whitewashed houses decorated with strips of yellow and blue, bougainvillea, and hand-painted tiles. We spent some time getting lost here and there, taking many instagrammable pics, and stopping for a quick lunch and a cold beer.
Óbidos, Portugal
We couldn't leave Óbidos before having drunk some Ginjinha, the delicous Portuguese liqueur made from sour cherries and spices. In Óbidos, the ginja cherries are locally-grown, and in the town, the drink is served in a tiny chocolate cup. We walked up and down Rua Direita and stopped in many different Ginja bars - you know, just to find our favorite…!
It was then time to hit the road again, but before arriving in Porto, we decided to make a quick stop in Nazaré, the surf paradise in the Costa de Prata. The best place to see up close the so-called "big waves", that can reach the high of 30 meters, is the 16th-century fortress of São Miguel Arcanjo, on the promontory overlooking Nazaré.
While we were there, the weather was not great - and if you ask me, it was pretty cold-, but Marco decided to jump into the ocean anyway!
Nazaré, Portugal
Unfortunately, we couldn't stay long in Nazaré as it was already late afternoon and 2 more hours of driving were between us and our final destination: Porto.
Day 5 - braga, Guimarães, ponte da lima
A shot of coffee, a tosta mista, and we were ready to explore Braga! Our first stop was the splendid Santuário de Nossa Senhora do Sameiro (Shrine of Our Lady of Sameiro). Sitting atop a hill, the church offers a breathtaking view of the city of Braga.
Santuário de Nossa Senhora do Sameiro, Braga, Portugal
One church done, many more to see! If you are in Braga, you cannot miss visiting the stunning Santuário do Bom Jesus do Monte. The sanctuary stands, imposing, over the surrounding hills. At its foot unfolds a Baroque staircase which you can climb to get to the sanctuary. If you are not much of a walker, you can opt for the funicular railway - which is also one of the oldest in the world!
Santuário do Bom Jesus do Monte, Braga, Portugal
We then headed to the city center. Braga is a university town, so there are plenty of restaurants serving excellent food at low prices. Before lunch, we walked around and visited Sé Catedral de Braga (Braga Cathedral), Jardim de Santa Barbara, Arco de Porta Nova (the medieval stone door that leads to Braga's main street), and the Palacio do Raio, with its elegant blue and white baroque tiles.
After so much walking, we were starving! We stopped in the central Rua do Souto for lunch. In the afternoon, we hit the road again for 30 minutes to reach the gorgeous town of Guimarães. This town has an important past as it was the hometown of Portugal's first king, Afonso Henrique. Strolling down the maze of cobblestone streets and squares is like taking a trip back in time. Unmissable is the Castelo de Guimarães (Guimarães Castle), the symbol of the town. The medieval fortress welcomes visitors with a bronze statue of the king, and I'm sure the castle's exterior will impress you with its magnificent seven towers.
Castelo de Guimarães, Braga, Portugal
After visiting the castle, we walked back into the town's center to admire the granite terraces and loggias, wrought-iron balconies, and cloisters that line the downtown streets. We stopped in a cute little square for a beer while enjoying the late-afternoon sun and a local band playing traditional music.
We then went back to the road and reached Ponte da Lima just in time to watch the town enlighted by the golden hour.
We just stayed there, standing still, until the sun completely disappeared. It was (finally) dinner time, and we spent it in the traditional restaurant Sabores do Lima to taste the town's local specialties.
After dinner, we made our way back to rest and get ready for an exciting next day.
Day 6 - porto
You know the drill: coffee, Portuguese breakfast, and there we were in the car to drive to Porto's city center.
After a challenging 15 minutes to find parking, we began exploring Porto starting with a walk on La Ribeira, Porto's most fascinating district. It lies on the banks of the river Douro and is a succession of steep streets and eighteenth-century houses decorated with the typical azulejos (tiles) with bright colors. We arrived at the end of the piers and then crossed the river on the lower part of the Ponte Dom Luís I (Dom Luís I Bridge), the iconic symbol of Porto. The bridge was built by a close associate of Gustave Eiffel, which is why its iron structure resembles Paris' famous tower.
On the other side of the river Douro, we walked up and down Avenida de Diogo Leite: we weren't in Porto anymore (!), as the street is administratively already part of the city of Vila Nova de Gaia. This bank of the Douro is a true paradise for wine lovers as there are the cellars of all the producers of the famous wine Port. How could we not take a wine tasting?! We opted for Burmester Wine Cellars, where we had a private tour of the cellar and wine company which ended in a fabulous tasting of four different Port wines. Let's just say that drinking Port wine without having had any food yet was not a brilliant idea!
Very light-headed, but impossibly cheerful, we crossed over to Porto again to find a place to eat the typical francesinha, a very caloric sort-of-sandwich covered in a rich and thick spiced tomato and beer sauce. The francesinha is a meat-based dish, but the popular restaurant Dona Francesinha also serves a vegetarian version that I was delighted to try out!
After lunch, we kept exploring Porto's city center, losing ourselves in the Avenida dos Aliados, and then exploring Praça da Liberdade (Liberty Freedom Square), Igreja de São Francisco (Church of Saint Francis), Torre dos Clérigos (Clérigos Church) - the wonderful 75-meter-tall bell tower in Baroque style.
And just like that, it was late afternoon. To watch the sunset, we walked again to the Ponte Dom Luís I to get to the Miradouro do teleférico, from which we enjoyed a breathtaking view of the river, La Ribeira, and the rest of Porto. This panoramic terrace gets pretty crowded at the golden hour, so I suggest you get there before, just to admire the landscape without too many people around.
Miradouro do teleférico, Porto, Portugal
The perfect ending for this perfect day? A bbq at home with friends and family!
Day 7 - Passadiços do Paiva and porto
The last of our trip to Portugal was dedicated to exploring its nature. After the ritual breakfast, we drove for a couple of hours to get to Passadiços do Paiva - Areinho, an incredible natural park located on the left bank of the Paiva River. The hiking trail is 8 km long, and it's of medium difficulty in the first part, as the terrain is rather steep. However, it is absolutely worth the effort, as the trail unfolds in a stunning landscape that inspires tranquility.
The trail touches three river beaches (Areinho, Espiunca, and Vau) which are great to stop by for a refreshing swim. The crystal-clear waters of the Paiva River are so perfect that you won't resist taking a dip!
Passadiços do Paiva - Areinho, Portugal
At the end of the trail there is a bar where you can take something to eat or drink as well as call the park's pick-up service that will drive you all the way back (if you are done walking for today). We decided to have lunch at the park's entrance, in a little mountain hut that offers freshly made sandwiches and burgers.
The afternoon was all about resting - but in a special way! We headed to Porto's harbor and sailed the Duoro River to watch the city from a different perspective.
Porto, Portugal
Our last day in Portugal was almost over, but getting on a plane to go back to Italy would be tomorrow's problem. Today, we were still in the land of fado. With the night approaching, we parked the car in the garage and went inside the house for another bbq with the family.
