Portugal - Sep-2026

Day 1 - September 5

An inauspicious start. The United flight delayed first to 10pm, then to midnight, then returned to the gate with a sick passenger. We finally made it.

After checking into the AlmaLusa in Baixa/Chiado, we grabbed coffee and yogurt and walked the surrounding streets. A brief stop at the Sé de Lisboa — the 12th century cathedral sitting on the hill above Alfama — then back to the hotel for a nap.

Dinner and fado at Fado ao Carmo in Chiado. Both the food and the music were excellent.

Day 2 - September 6

Up at 7:30am. Uber to Belém, breakfast at Pastéis de Belém — warm custard tarts straight from the oven.

Jerónimos Monastery first, the cloister carved with maritime ropes, coral and armillary spheres in the Manueline style. With time before our Belém Tower slot we stopped at the Marine Museum, then the tower itself and the park alongside the Tagus. Then we saw Monument to Discoveries, and had arepas for lunch on the waterfront.

In the afternoon a stop at the Museu Nacional dos Coches — an extraordinary collection of royal carriages — and a walk through the crafts market at LX Factory. Then back to Belém for a sunset catamaran cruise on the Tagus, which turned out to be one of the better decisions of the trip.

Dinner at Mercado de Campo de Ourique — oysters, sardines, fried fish and local white wine at the communal tables of this neighborhood food market.

Day 3 - September 7

Up at 7am. Breakfast at Padaria Portuguesa — good but insufficient coffee.

Tram 28 to Castelo de São Jorge, walked the ramparts, looked out over Lisbon. Back down through the narrow Alfama streets with a coffee stop in a side alley. Then to Geox — new Snake sneakers for Sofia, slip-ons for Leon. A stop at Rossio Station for Sintra tickets.

Lunch at Taberna da Rua das Flores — sardines, scallops, shrimp and grilled cabbage, all good. The service was slow, the room had no air conditioning and the wifi was out. Back to Geox afterward to exchange Sofia's sneakers for a size up. Leon's 20-year-old Geox original Snakes attracted several compliments along the way.

Dinner at Solar dos Presuntos — Ibérico ham, oysters, octopus tentacle and roasted cod. Excellent.

Day 4 - September 8

Early start for the 7:41am train to Sintra. Padaria Portuguesa on Rua Áurea was slow to open so we went straight to Rossio Station and had Starbucks. The train left on time.

A local bus to Pena Palace, then uphill through the park on foot — a deliberately whimsical 19th century royal fantasy of towers, arches and terraces overlooking the surrounding hills. Up further to the High Cross viewpoint and back down through the forest trails. A tuk-tuk into Sintra's historic center, lunch at Incomum by Luis Santos — cucumber and avocado gazpacho, Ibérico ham, octopus. All excellent.

Then Quinta da Regaleira — a late 19th century estate built by a wealthy Brazilian merchant and saturated with Masonic and Templar symbolism. Wells, grottoes, towers and trails. We got somewhat lost. Found the Initiation Well — a 27-meter spiral staircase descending into the earth — and eventually the palace building and the exit.

Uber to Azenhas do Mar — a whitewashed village built into the Atlantic cliffs, waves below. A drink at a beachside bar, a walk along the cliff path. Then to Cascais — Boca do Inferno first, the dramatic sea cave where the Atlantic forces itself through a rock arch, then the harbor and citadel. Dinner at O Pescador — grilled sea bream, simply done. Train back from Cascais, 40 minutes and walk from the station to the hotel another 10.

Day 5 - September 9

We were up before 7am, had a quick breakfast, and took an Uber to Oriente train station to pick up our rental car - little blue Seat Ibiza hatchback. By 9am we were on the road heading north.

Our first stop was Batalha. The Mosteiro da Batalha is a Gothic monastery built in 1385 after Portugal's victory over Castile at the Battle of Aljubarrota — a battle that secured Portuguese independence. The monastery took over a century to complete. Inside, the Founder's Chapel holds the tomb of King João I and his English wife Philippa of Lancaster, lying side by side, hands clasped together, resting there for over 600 years. Nearby, the tomb of Prince Henry the Navigator — the man who launched Portugal's Age of Discovery.

The Unfinished Chapels were the highlight — seven octagonal chapels begun by King Duarte in the 15th century and never completed, left open to the sky. The Manueline doorway leading into them is considered one of the finest examples of stone carving in Portugal — palm leaves, maritime ropes and armillary spheres intertwined in pale limestone.

From Batalha we drove to Tomar for lunch at Restaurante Bela Vista by the Nabão river. We ordered the carne à Alentejana — cubed pork with mussels and potatoes in a white wine and garlic sauce, one of Portugal's most classic dishes — and a lamb dish that arrived with an unusual combination of cabbage, beans and bread. The service was slow, our waitress disappeared at some point and never came back - not the best experience overall. I guess some classic Portuguese dishes are best understood in their regional context.

After lunch, the Convento de Cristo — the legendary Knights Templar fortress on the hill above town — was closed due to a plumbing problems, possibly connected to the 17th century aqueduct that supplies it.

We made our way instead to the old Jewish quarter and visited the Synagogue of Tomar — one of the best preserved medieval synagogues in Portugal, sitting quietly in a narrow street. Built in the 15th century, it served as the heart of Tomar's Jewish community until 1496 when the Jews were expelled during the Inquisition. Over the following centuries it became a jail, a barn, a cellar, and a grocery store before being donated to the Portuguese state in 1923.

From Tomar we drove north to Coimbra — Portugal's university city and former capital. Our hotel, the Oslo, is plain but sensible — right in the city center. After checking in we walked along the Mondego riverfront — big trees, a wide river, bridges crossing to the other side.

Dinner was at Solar do Bacalhau — a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant steps from the hotel. The service was unremarkable but the food was decent. I ordered the arroz de polvo — octopus rice, a loose soupy preparation with tender chunks of octopus in a rich broth, the kind of dish that tastes entirely of the sea. Leon had bacalhau — cod, Portugal's most beloved ingredient, prepared in the house style.

Before turning in we stopped at the hotel rooftop terrace, where the University of Coimbra sits illuminated on the hill above the city — one of the oldest universities in the world, founded in 1290. A good way to end the day.

Day 6 - September 10

We started the day with a generous buffet breakfast at the hotel, the university hill visible through the windows above the city.

The first stop was the Joanina Library — and it was completely unexpected. Hidden inside an austere 18th century university building, you push through a door and find yourself in one of the most ornate rooms in Portugal — three interconnected chambers stacked floor to ceiling with ancient books, every surface covered in gold leaf, exotic hardwoods and painted trompe l'oeil ceilings. The contrast between the plain exterior and the gilded interior inside is startling. The library has been in continuous use since 1728 and a small colony of bats lives inside, emerging at night to eat the insects that would otherwise damage the books.

Before the library we visited the Academic Prison — where students were locked up for breaking university rules until 1834. Small whitewashed cells, the walls bare and plain, a sobering contrast to the grandeur of the library just steps away.

From there we walked through the university complex — the Chapel of São Miguel with its extraordinary baroque organ, outsized and elaborate, dominating the small space entirely. We also saw the Sé Nova (New Cathedral) and the Sé Velha (Old Cathedral) — the latter a 12th century Romanesque fortress church built immediately after the Christians reconquered Coimbra from the Moors, austere and powerful in exactly the way the Joanina Library is not. The Science Museum rounded out the morning — 18th century scientific instruments, anatomy wax models, and natural history specimens collected during Portugal's Age of Discovery, including taxidermy of a jaguar and a tigrillo, animals brought back from the Portuguese colonies in South America.

Lunch was the highlight of the day. Maria das Sardinhas — all you can eat grilled sardines, cold beer, two hours at the table. Simple, generous, completely right. The kind of lunch that happens by accident and turns into the meal you remember most.

After lunch we went back to the hotel for a rest and a nap — necessary after a full morning and a long lunch. In the late afternoon we walked through the Botanical Garden, founded in 1772, exotic trees from Portugal's former colonies shading the paths, very peaceful after the busy university morning.

From the garden we crossed the Ponte de Santa Clara over the Mondego river to the other side. The afternoon was fresh and clear — and the streets were full of students in black academic capes hazing new arrivals dressed in red. Groups gathered on corners, and in the distance we could hear students chanting something, the words unclear. One of those scenes that belongs entirely to this city and nowhere else.

Dinner was at Santos — roasted suckling pig with a black pepper sauce, rich and deeply flavored, a Coimbra house preparation rather than the strict Bairrada tradition. A warm, unhurried end to one of the most pleasant days of the trip.

Day 7 - September 11

We left Coimbra around 9am and drove north to Aveiro, arriving just after 10. The city sits on a lagoon and moves at a different pace — flat, quiet, threaded with canals. We took a 45-minute moliceiro boat ride through the waterways, the boats painted with the traditional scenes that have decorated them for centuries.

The fish market was closed, so we wandered instead toward the salt flats on the edge of the lagoon — wide, flat pans of shallow water catching the morning light, windmills in the distance, egrets picking through the shallows.

Lunch came together by accident. We were looking for roasted eel — the local specialty — and found Salpoente, a Michelin-rated restaurant housed in a former salt warehouse on the Canal de São Roque. The building still has its original wooden beams and A-frame roof, now set against white walls and a polished dining room. The crowd was dressed for the occasion. We were in sport shorts and t-shirts - a bit underdressed, but fine.

We ordered oysters from the Ria de Aveiro lagoon, smoked eel with potato salad, and octopus, followed by a double espresso and a Portuguese egg dessert, rich and luxurious.

From Aveiro we drove north to Porto, arriving at the Pestana Vintage Porto on Praça da Ribeira. Getting to the hotel required calling ahead to get directions to the parking — then rolling our bags uphill through the cobblestone streets to reach the entrance. Porto's Ribeira is packed, loud and unmistakably touristy.

After checking in and unpacking we walked over to the Palácio da Bolsa — the 19th century stock exchange a few minutes from the hotel. The exterior is restrained neoclassical stone. The interior is not. The Arab Room took 18 years to build and is covered floor to ceiling in 18 tons of gilded stucco in intricate Moorish geometric patterns, Arabic inscriptions running along the walls. Built as pure decorative fantasy — Portugal had no particular trade relationship with the Arab world — it is one of the most elaborately decorated rooms we have seen.

Back at the hotel to change, then we drove north to Matosinhos for dinner at O Gaveto. Not a fishing village — wide shopping streets running parallel to the ocean, more suburban Porto than anything else. The restaurant itself is a serious shellfish operation. We ordered lobster — live from the tank, weighed at the table, grilled simply.

Some of the other customers were colorful. A man in a baby blue see-through shirt, diamond necklace, and the unmistakable aura of someone who expects to be recognized arrived with a woman in high heels carrying a Versace purse. He nodded across the room to another table — a man in a full linen suit, deeply tanned, with the same quiet confidence. Staff swarmed both tables immediately. We ate our lobster and watched. A good way to start three nights in Porto.

Day 8 - September 12

We started with the Clérigos Tower — 225 steps to the top, the city spreading out below in every direction, the Douro river and Dom Luís I Bridge visible from above. From there we walked to Livraria Lello — the famous neo-Gothic bookshop with its elaborate carved wooden staircase and painted ceiling. Then São Bento Station, which functions as a real working train station despite looking more like a museum — the main hall covered floor to ceiling in 20,000 azulejo tiles depicting scenes from Portuguese history and rural life. Among them the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385 — Portugal's decisive victory over Castile that secured independence — and the conquest of Ceuta in 1415, Portugal's first overseas conquest and the opening move of the Age of Discovery.

We walked to Rua das Flores — Porto's pedestrian shopping street. Not particularly impressive, the shops unremarkable. But we stopped at Ag Jewels on Rua Infante Dom Henrique, steps from the hotel — a proper filigree jewelry shop with a genuinely good selection of handmade gold and silver pieces.

By this point we were running late for Taylor's port tour and tasting in Gaia. The walk to, across the Dom Luís I Bridge, and through narrow Gaia streets was more confusing than expected and we ended up delayed by 10 minutes. The cellars themselves are impressive — dark, cool, barrel-lined corridors that have been aging Port wine since 1692. The tasting covered several styles and the standout was the dry white Port — served chilled, closer to a fino sherry than the rich sweet Port most people expect, and significantly stronger than wine. Sofia got a bit buzzy.

From the cellars we made our way to the WOW complex and straight to Subenshi — a sushi restaurant using fresh Atlantic fish. Portugal's cold Atlantic waters produce extraordinary fish — swordfish, amberjack, bluefin tuna, and more, everything except salmon which has to be imported. The bluefin tuna was exceptional — clean, deeply flavored, nothing like what passes for tuna sushi elsewhere. By the time we left I had already replanned the next day around sushi.

Back across the bridge to the hotel for a rest and a nap. In the early evening we came out for a stroll and some shopping before dinner.

Dinner was at Terreiro in Ribeira — and it was a disappointment. Sofia ordered white bean stew with octopus and received a red Goya bean stew with what can only be described as shreds of octopus. Our cat gets more protein for dinner. A lesson in not trusting waterfront restaurants in tourist areas.

Day 9 - September 13

The night before, a notification arrived from the hotel — a half marathon starting at 8am, routes running directly through Foz do Douro and along Avenida do Brasil. Leon planned the escape route and we were up before 7, dressed and out the door with coffee from the hotel restaurant — the ill-tempered waiters making clear they had better things to do at that hour.

The streets were not yet closed. We took a roundabout route avoiding Foz entirely and drove straight to Matosinhos beach, arriving to wide Atlantic waves and an empty Sunday morning coastline. We walked along the shore, the ocean running all the way to the horizon without interruption.

After breakfast at a cafe on the beach, we walked along the shore some more, stopping by a small fort now housing an exhibit of one of Portugal’s commando regiments. On the way back to our car, we stopped by and watched beach tennis tournament for a bit - never knew such a sport existed! Somewhat similar to pickleball, but much harder because ball can’t bounce off sand and has to always be hit in flight.

From there we reparked and walked down to the Piscinas de Marés — the tidal pools designed by architect Álvaro Siza Vieira in 1966, cut directly into the Atlantic rock formations at Leça da Palmeira. Minimal concrete walls follow the natural contours of the rock, creating calm seawater pools while the Atlantic breaks on the outer side. The pools have weathered over sixty years to match the grey of the surrounding rocks.

Lunch was at Sushiaria in Leça da Palmeira — a sushi restaurant specifically recommended for its fresh local Atlantic fish. The fish was fresh but the portions felt skimpy.

After lunch we walked up to the lighthouse and along the coastal path to the Boa Nova Tea House — Álvaro Siza Vieira's 1963 building sitting directly on the Atlantic rocks, now a two Michelin starred restaurant. The building hugs the coastline as if it grew there rather than was constructed. On the way back we passed O Gato Surfista and stopped in for coffee and a red berry gelato.

Then we took a scenic drive to Foz do Douro — where the Douro river meets the Atlantic. The Jardim de Passeio Alegre sits at the river mouth, the Forte de São João Baptista on the rocks at the water's edge. Leon, demonstrating either exceptional bravery or poor judgment, walked into the cold Atlantic waves at Praia do Carneiro — a small beach right at the river mouth.

Back at the hotel by 5pm. We changed and went out for dinner, officially on the grounds that Leon wanted the wagyu burger at Subenshi — the sushi restaurant at the WOW complex where we had lunch on Saturday. In truth we simply wanted their fish again.

The original Subenshi Porto location on Praça de Parada Leitão next to University of Porto was a different space from the WOW branch — decorated with cherry blossom motifs, red carpet and creative azulejo tile work that mixed Portuguese and Japanese traditions. Leon had the wagyu burger. We shared an XL sashimi set — very good, the fish as fresh as we remembered. A better ending to Porto than the previous evening's bean stew debacle at Terreiro.

Day 10 - September 14

We left Porto after breakfast and drove east into the Douro Valley.

The valley reveals itself gradually — the road climbing above the river, the terraced vineyards appearing in tiers on both sides, dropping steeply to the water below. The Douro is wide and still here, dammed into a series of long reservoirs that reflect the hillsides above them.

We stopped at Mirador San Leonardo and several other viewpoints along the way, pulling off the road to look out over the river bends and the patchwork of quintas on the slopes. At Pinhão, lunch plans fell through because most restaurants were closed and we ate simple salads at a cafe instead.

In the afternoon we visited Quinta das Carvalhas for a vineyard tour and wine tasting — a large estate owned by Real Companhia Velha, founded in 1756. That’s 20 years before the United States! The tasting included cheese and charcuterie from the estate, we got to customize the tasting experience with our private tour, but the highlight was tasting different grapes off the vines in the terraced vineyards.

From the quinta we stopped at the Miradouro do Coração do Douro — the Heart of the Douro viewpoint — before continuing to Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta for the night.

The hotel sits high above the valley on its own estate, an edge pool overlooking the terraced vineyards and the river below.

Dinner at the Cantina de Ventozelo was good. The standout was the simplest thing on the table — tomatoes grown on the estate, served with nothing but salt and olive oil.

Day 11 - September 15

We started with breakfast at Ventozelo — fresh eggs with roasted tomatoes, views over the vineyard terraces and the valley below. On the road before 9am.

The drive south was straightforward — good highway, no traffic. We decided to skip Evora and take a more simple and quick western route, avoiding back roads.

First stop was lunch at O Cave in Fátima — grilled local tuna, fresh and simply prepared. After lunch we walked to the cathedral and around the main square. Fátima is one of the most significant Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world — in 1917 three shepherd children reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary here, and the shrine that grew around the site draws millions of visitors annually. The esplanade is vast, pilgrims moving slowly along the marble pathway toward the Chapel of the Apparitions.

Three more hours of driving and we arrived in Lagos. The Editory By The Sea is a modern, well-designed hotel — we had reserved an ocean view room but were given one without because they were all out.

We walked to the nearby beaches — the golden limestone cliffs and turquoise water of this stretch of Algarve coastline are immediately striking even on a quick first look. We also walked around Ponta de Piedade with its magnificent cliffs.

Dinner was at O Camilo in Lagos center — Leon had sardines, I had two small freshly caught sea bream, grilled simply. After dinner we looked around the local shops, found some nice silver jewelry, and walked back to the hotel.

Day 12 - September 16

Breakfast at the hotel, then drove inland to Alte — one of the most picturesque villages in the Algarve on paper, though considerably more touristy in reality than expected. The church was closed. The waterfall was pretty but crowded.

Silves was a different story. The Moorish castle — red sandstone walls rising above the town, built when this was the capital of al-Gharb and one of the most important cities on the Iberian Peninsula — is impressively preserved. Standing on the ramparts looking out over the orange groves and the Algarve interior it's easy to understand why the Moors held it for so long.

Lunch at Gaivota Branca at Meia Praia — very good food with views over what is genuinely a spectacular beach — extraordinarily wide, long and pretty. Also extremely windy today. We ate, walked the beach. The water was too cold to go for a swim.

Back to the hotel for the afternoon, time at the pool.

Dinner at Marisqueira O Perceve — the owner runs the front of house and it's all quite chaotic. We ordered tiger prawns. At some point the owner stopped talking to us entirely — apparently having concluded we were not his favorite customers because we did not order lobster. The prawns were good regardless.

Day 13 - September 17

Morning boat tour out of Lagos Marina — the caves at Benagil and others along the coastline were spectacular, the limestone grottos opening into cathedral-like chambers accessible only from the water. The speedboat ride to the caves was fun.

After the boat we drove to Meia Praia — less windy than the day before, the water clear and sparkling. Leon went for a swim several times. We had lunch at Gaivota Branca, same table as yesterday, and stayed on the beach until around 3pm. Back to the hotel to change, then drove west toward Sagres.

Significantly colder than Lagos and very windy. The Sagres Fortress sits on a flat exposed promontory jutting out into the Atlantic, the walls leading to a long walk around the full length of the cliff with nothing between you and the ocean in three directions. Henry the Navigator used this fortress as the base for Portugal's Age of Discovery in the 15th century — ships departing from here reached Africa, India, Brazil. From the fortress we drove down to Praia do Martinhal — kite surfers and windsurfers working the Atlantic wind — where we stopped for drinks, gin with lime syrup and basil. Then Praia do Tonel, dramatic waves breaking against the cliffs below, surfers’ paradise.

The day ended at Cabo de São Vicente — the southwestern tip of continental Europe. We caught the sunset, the light turning the cliffs pink and orange before the temperature dropped sharply. Pretty colors, a certain melancholy — the vacation is ending. As Sofia says to Baikal, tomorrow is another day.

Dinner at A Tasca in Sagres harbour — very good grilled sea bream.

Day 14 - September 18

Checked out of The Editory By The Sea and drove northeast — our last driving day of the trip.

Our destination was Évora, the walled Roman city in the heart of the Alentejo. The Roman Temple — first to second century AD Corinthian columns still standing in the city center, remarkably intact. The convent that once surrounded it has been converted into a hotel and restaurant, an odd but effective combination of ancient and contemporary.

Lunch at No Tacho — quail and black pork in a shaded courtyard. Simple, rustic food, good setting.

After lunch, the Igreja de São Francisco — a beautifully decorated 17th century Franciscan church with a large meeting space and an impressive wooden table at its center. Off to the side, the Bone Chapel (Capela dos Ossos) — walls and ceiling covered with the skulls and bones of approximately 5,000 people, arranged into decorative patterns. The inscription above the entrance reads: "We bones that are here await yours." Macabre and odd in equal measure.

After the church we walked to the Praça do Giraldo — the sunny main square with its marble fountain. Stopped for an iced coffee, then back to the car and on the road to Lisbon.

In Lisbon we returned the car, took an Uber and checked into the Hotel do Chiado — modern and spacious. Our room has a large deck with panoramic views of Lisbon. We found out the flight home tomorrow is delayed by a couple of hours.

Dinner at Prado — located in a nice hip modern tiled space with small plates. I found it too fussy and not particularly satisfying, though the fatty tuna was exceptional. They gave us a double portion of sardines by mistake. We ended the evening with ice cream and later in the rooftop bar of our hotel enjoying Porto spritz and night views of Lisbon below.

Day 15 - September 19

With our flight delayed until almost 1pm, we had time for a walk around Chiado and a relaxed breakfast at Vitaleggmina - eggs Benedict and Turkish eggs. Then back to hotel, finished packing and took Uber to the airport. Checked in our bags, mailed WiFi device, and completed necessary procedures for sales tax rebate.

Bye Portugal, until next time!