Portugal was not high on my travel list, even though I know more people who’ve gone there in the last few years than anywhere else in the world. When my sister mentioned her husband and another couple were planning a trip there, we asked to tag along! Portugal might be one of the most Instagram-able places I’ve ever been. It’s full of breathtaking photo opportunities. We opted to visit during the end of September when the weather was still much warmer than we’re used to, but not at the height of summer heat. Here is our list of my favourite things to do in Portugal: a 14-day itinerary.
Itinerary
Lisbon – 1 night
Bus to Nazaré – 4 nights
Bus back to Lisbon to rent a car
Drive to Caroveiro – 6 nights
Return car in Lisbon and fly to Madeira – 3 nights
Fly back to Lisbon 1 night
Portugal is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. While all of Europe is scenic in its own way, Portugal has incredible landscapes like I’ve never seen before. I’m coining the term ‘sponge toffee cliffs’ because there are so many rock faces that literally look like layers of pillowy sponge toffee for both their colour and texture. In other places, you’d swear it was a lunar landscape, or maybe Mars. There are so many hiking trails to choose from throughout the entire country. We only did a few hikes ourselves, but they were truly incredible with breathtaking views and top tier photo ops.
Lisbon
Pro Tip: Because of constant flight delays and cancellations, I try not to make important plans, or buy tickets for anything on day one of a trip. This proved to be the right call yet again as we experienced a 3 hour delay that had us missing our connection from Frankfurt to Lisbon.
We chose to book airbnbs so we could have a kitchen to prepare some meals, and also have access to laundry. After unpacking in our first accommodations, we set about to explore our neighbourhood, Alfama, the oldest neighbourhood in Portugal. It’s the perfect mix of old world charm and modern conveniences you expect when visiting Europe. We had the good fortune of booking a place that was close to the water, but this also meant that everything we would want to go to was up, up, up. There are lots of choices for places to eat and places to watch the gorgeous sunsets.
The next day, we had about 4 hours to do some sightseeing before heading to our destination. We actually covered a lot of sightseeing ground in that time just walking. After grabbing a delightful breakfast at the Copenhagen Coffee Lab (highly recommend), we set about exploring Alfama.
We saw the often photographed Pink Street. In my opinion, it’s not worth going there as a destination on its own. If you happen upon it, or it’s on route to where you’re going, sure, take it in. It’s a small section of street which is only really pink if you get there when it’s been freshly washed or painted. There is a small section of rainbow umbrellas overhead which can make for a cute photo, if you manage to get there at a not busy time. We also visited the Praca do Comercio, Praia do Municipio and many little shops along the way. More in Lisbon further down when we returned a little more than a week later.
Nazaré
We actually hadn’t planned on visiting here but because of a looming Air Canada strike, we were able to bump our tickets ahead so we didn’t risk losing our vacation. Rather than trying to change all our accommodations and travel plans, we just added on another city which was Nazaré. We caught a Flix bus at the train station just outside the airport in Lisbon, of which there were several options to get around the county. It was an affordable ticket and the travel time was not too long. The bus was also clean and comfortable.
This seaside town in the north of Portugal is mostly known for its record breaking waves. It’s only a few times throughout the year where you can see waves like this, generally following a storm. This sleepy little beach town was absolutely gorgeous and I’m sure it’s bustling during the busier summer months.
We stayed in a charming second floor apartment that was just minutes from Praia da Nazaré. It was miles of gorgeous beach with an incredible view of the cliffs around you. It served up the most magnificent sunsets every night. This beach looked straight out of a movie set with it’s large cascading rocks. The water this time of year was frigid, but the waves were small and manageable. The sand here is more like teeny tiny pebbles than soft powder you find in the Caribbean. The beach was the perfect spot to watch a picturesque sunset every night.
On day two, Tyson and I grabbed an Uber to the next town over to explore the Mosteiro de Santa Maria. It was an incredible gothic structure built by monks in 1178. We spent a few hours exploring all the rooms before heading to the convent pastry shop that I was VERY excited to visit. I found out about it in someone else’s blog and hope mine will also inspire you to go check it out! This place featured treats that were steeped in the history of the monastery, and all heavily involved almonds. We spent half a day exploring Alcobaço, but you could easily do a full day.
The next day, we walked up the hilly coast to visit Praia do Norte. Along this walk, you’ll find a rope swing that looks over the beautiful coast line of the beach area, and makes for a very memorable photo. Praia do Norte is where you will find the iconic large waves during the stormier season. This is in part due to an interesting geological feature below the ocean creating the perfect conditions for monster waves. There’s also a neat museum here where you can learn the history of the area and the record breaking waves and surfers who dare to ride them. On the other side of the point, there was a much less populated beach than praia da Nazaré. Partly because it has a MUCH rougher surf.
The sand here was actually tiny rocks, and a beachcomber’s paradise. We spent HOURS collecting sea glass and shell souvenirs. The constantly crashing waves continually churned up new treasures as the day went on. Watching the waves here was an awe-inspiring activity on its own, but it was definitely not safe to swim. There’s no lifeguard or any sort of water authority on this side – very much a ‘go at your own risk’ sort of place, and there was definitely a lot of risk. Also note, there are no restaurants or washrooms close by here. We knew we were going for a few hours so we packed ourselves lunches and had a picnic on the beach in the shade of the cliffs. There are also a few neat shallow caves to explore here, but beware, they also double as a restroom apparently.
Pro tip: The buses you catch from the Lisbon airport were not running on time. However, the bus we took early morning from Nazaré back to Lisbon was actually ready and waiting when we arrived 5 mins before departure time and left immediately upon us boarding it. The bus took us back to the Lisbon airport where we would pick up our rental car for the next leg of our trip.
The Algarve
We rented a car to drive down to the Algarve where we’d be spending six days. Renting a car from a company that was not located at the airport was less expensive. It involved a short shuttle van from the airport to the rental office, but it was worth the price difference in our opinion. We did wait a little longer than expected for the shuttle though.
There is a direct highway route (A2) to our destination in the Algarve, but decided to take the seaside route and stop at a few more towns along the way. Our accommodations check in wasn’t until 5pm so we had time – I highly recommend this. The small towns are very enjoyable, even for just a quick stroll. There are a lot of blogs that have road trip suggestions for this route!
Caroveiro
We stayed at a place recommended by friends in a town called Caroveiro. We loved it here! Our airbnb had a beautiful terrace over the Main Street and a roof top terrace as well. We used both daily for drinking our coffee in the morning, or relaxing glass of wine as the sun set over the beach.
Caroveiro was busier than Nazaré was but equally as beautiful. We were once again in the downtown area, and there was a beach just minutes from our airbnb, Praia do Caroveiro. This beach was much smaller than the one in Nazaré. Much like Nazaré, the sunsets over Caroveiro are truly stunning. Definitely plan to try and catch at least a few. There are several viewing areas along the cliff with benches.
Day one we drove to Lagos. You can find free parking here, and it’s easily walkable. We explored Sao Gonzalo de Lagos which was a beautiful clifftop walk along boardwalks. There are a few beach stops along the way but be warned, there are a lot of stairs down to the beach and back up. You will get to see neat tunnels through the sponge toffee cliffs that connect various little beach inlets. There were so many gorgeous photo opportunities along this walk. It eventually leads to a lighthouse, but you can also keep walking the cliffs all the way to the next town.
Albufeira
We planned to spend a day in Albufeira but ended up only spending an evening. We had a delightful dinner at Tres Coroas which was quite hard to find but worth the trip. Sitting on the balcony, enjoying a gorgeous views of the ocean while we dined on delicious food. I highly recommend checking them out, but you may want to make a reservation in advance. More on the food in Portugal below!
After dinner, we explored the Old Town area which was actually a lot like a European Vegas Strip. There were so many neon lights and loud music in this area, it was surprising. We were also there during an important UK Football match so many places were full of rowdy sports fans. The actual Albufeira Strip is literally like Vegas. There are a lot of rambunctious people here, again with lots of neon lights and nightlife. Definitely wasn’t a destination for us but great for people watching if that’s something you’re in to. In retrospect, I’m glad we decided to visit this town rather than stay here, as we’re not nightlife people.
The Seven Hanging Valleys Trail draws tourists from all over. From start to finish, this trail is about 12 kms, which was longer than we realized, and longer than what Google maps said. We began in Caroveiro along the boardwalk and it keeps going until you hit Marhina Beach. I can understand why it’s so popular. The viewpoints and landscape are unbelievable.
Parts of the trail are easier than others. It involves a lot of stairs, and some steeper rock faces. We began it early in the morning which I highly recommend. It was much cooler then, and there were many stretches where we had the trail to ourselves. As the morning went on, we would see more and more people. By the time we got to the end mid-afternoon, the trail was quite crowded.
There are beaches and restaurants along the way you can stop at, but I highly recommend bringing your own water and snacks with you just in case, as it’s quite a physically exerting walk. Once we reached Marhina beach, we stayed and swam for awhile, stretching and cooling off. We also opted for an Uber back to Caroveiro rather than walking the 12 kms back.
While the views you get from the clifftops of the trail are not to be missed, neither is exploring the caves beneath. There are several ways to do this. You can take a private boat tour, a small boat tour, a large boat tour or kayaking tours. We chose a small boat tour of 10 people and loved it. These smaller boats got RIGHT into a lot of the caves and the views are truly spectacular. The waters are the most unbelievably shades of turquoise and each cave is so different. We also went first thing in the morning which I also recommend. There were a lot less boats on the water and less congestion getting in and out of the caves. As the tour was winding down to a close, there was a lot more traffic on the water.
Silves
The following day was spent exploring Silves – the town of tile. Each town we visited is just a little bit different. Silves did, in fact, have a lot of tile buildings and tile decorations on display. After stopping for another delicious coffee and pastry, we went on to explore the Castelo de Silves. The walls had impressive views of the surrounding town. We enjoyed learning about the history of the area, and beautiful sculptures within the castle grounds.
We spent our last day in the Algarve visiting Praia do Falesia, which was voted the best beach of 2024. It’s a gorgeous beach. Not the powdery sand you might be used to, but still amazing. We unfortunately had a very windy day, but the beautiful cliffs and miles of beach to walk still made for a great experience.
Madeira
Back to the airport to catch our next flight to Madeira. This island off the coast of Portugal is a vacation all on its own. I’d also highly recommend this place if you’re into hiking, waterfalls, or being in nature in general. The landscapes here are SO different than other areas of Portugal we visited. It was giving notes of villages and tiered cliffs in Peru but also the lush jungles of Hawaii.
A car is definitely a must to explore Madeira. There is public transport around the main area of Funchal, but it would be much harder to explore the different coasts without a car of your own. Our goal was to cover the entire island over the 4 days we were visiting, so we tackled a quadrant per day.
I found this great blog if you’re keen to do lots of hiking while here. Unfortunately for us, a lot of the areas we hoped to visit were closed due to forest fires that happened earlier in the year. However we made the best of it. The first order of business was a sunrise mountain hike up to Pico Do Arieiro, an elevation of 1810 meters at the top.
The drive up here in the morning was actually insane. We became bottlenecked on a particularly steep section of road up the mountain because another car got stuck trying to ascend the incline too slowly. Yes, it was THAT steep.
As we tried to figure the situation out, our transmission also struggled, and we had to reverse part way down the hill until we found a driveway we could pull into. I’m not going to lie, it was a bit nerve-wrecking and I’ve never experienced anything like it before. The roadway was eventually cleared when a local came out of their house and got in the driver’s seat of the offending vehicle and got it safely up that part of the road. Did I mention this was 6:00 in the morning..? The lesson to learn is, DO NOT stop your vehicle on this drive up until you hit semi-level ground, and leave even earlier than you think you should.
We worried this delay would cause us to miss the sunrise, but thankfully we JUST made it. I can’t put into words how wild it was to be driving above the clouds on the windy road up to the viewing point. The colours of the sky were richer than I’d ever witnessed, and I’ve seen a LOT of sunrises.
If you get to the mountain early enough, you can actually drive all the way up to a small parking lot right at the top. If you’re not lucky enough to make it that early, there are officers that block the road once that area is full, and redirect you to a parking lot also has a great view, with the option to continue walking up the remainder of the way.
You can also book tours where buses will take you right to the top as well if you don’t have your own vehicle, or just don’t want to make the drive. If you’re able to make the walk up, it’s definitely worth it. The view of the sun coming up over the horizon was a million dollar view. As the light spills over the rest of the landscape, the views of the mountain tops are also not to be missed.
You have the option of continuing your hike across narrow trails to the second peak. We opted not to do this part of the hike, but continue exploring the other side of the mountain on the way down. The road out winds down such incredible lush greenery and tall beautiful trees. There are also some of the largest peonies I’ve ever seen growing along the roadside the entire way down. If you check out Google maps, there are multiple viewing points along the way. There are also multiple camping kitchen and water spots we also noticed. If you’re an off grid camper and hiker, you would definitely love Madeira.
We made our way to Santana, a lovely village that has traditional Portuguese houses set up in a tourist area. As you drive out of the town there are more stunning coastal views and actual viewing points.
One thing I will note is that they make very different croissants than the rest of Portugal. Their croissants were actual bread in a croissant shape as opposed to layers of pastry. Maybe that’s something that’s important to you! I didn’t enjoy them as much – sorry Madeira! It’s hard not to notice when the Portuguese pastries are SO good.
As previously mentioned, there’s a lot of tunnels to drive through on Madeira. We counted on the day we drove the furthest. We drove threw over 30 tunnels on that one trip alone! Some are just a few hundred meters while others are 10+ kilometres long.
The views in Madeira are truly unmatched. When you drive through the clouds the first time, it’s surreal. Or watching as clouds descend down from the mountains in mere moments. One minute, you can see the peak clearly, and then the next, it’s gone – engulfed by cloud.
A point to note, the weather can change rapidly on the island. I had read before we went that you can drive in one tunnel and come out to totally different weather on the other side. That was true! It’s wild! Be sure to wear or have layers with you because you’ll probably need them!
A definite highlight of this visit is the many volcanic pools you can visit and swim in. They range from very natural to partially man made. It’s a good idea to look through your options and see what works for you. Our favourite was Porto Moniz in Seixal. They were natural pools with a few walkways between. They weren’t busy when we went there mid afternoon, which was a huge bonus. They’re like natural infinity pools that go right up to the ocean. You do have to be careful being on the edge closest to the ocean because large waves do come up over the wall.
There was one restaurant here as well as a change room. This was easily one of our favourite experiences on Madeira. It was like having a luxury experience to ourselves that was completely free. It was a steep walk down to the pools from the road, and of course, back up afterwards. As we went further into Porto Moniz, there’s another set of pools right in the town, but these weren’t as nice in my opinion. They’re far more engineered, and much busier. Plus we noticed some garbage around the water which we didn’t see at the other place we went.
Another interesting feature of Madeira is its black sand beaches. We visited Praia do Porto do Seixal. The sand is dark and soft, and there’s also a small waterfall here great for taking photos with. Like I said – one of the most Instagram-able places I’ve ever been.
It’s almost great if you have no plan when driving through the windy roads of Madeira and can just stop and look around when ever you feel like it. There are so many viewing points and beautiful photos ops along every road. You quickly go from the shoreline to the mountain tops, that you blink and miss something incredible. But don’t worry – there will be something else right around the corner.
On our last day in Madeira, we were fortunate to catch the local farmers market in Funchal. I love visiting farmer’s markets and this was no exception. The building was open air where you had two floors of covered space, and then an open area in the middle that let all the light in. It is full of vendors with colourful tables of fresh fruit, dried fruit, flowers and hanging strands of every variety of pepper you can imagine. There’s also lots of cork products, fresh flowers and trinkets. You can also find a lovely little cafe here where we grabbed lunch before heading out for more exploring.
Next we rode the gondola up to the Jardim Monte Palace. We didn’t have time to do the actual palace but had just enough time to explore the botanical gardens, which were truly amazing! The Japanese gardens were my favourite, but there are many more features. Like one of the most incredible rock mineral displays I’ve ever seen. There’s also beautiful architectural features throughout the garden, like little bridges, waterfalls, and archways. Also flamingos and swans!
There’s also a very unique way to get back down the hill that’s not taking the gondola; it’s riding in a wicker toboggan basket being steered by two gentlemen in white suits. I kid you not. The pavement these baskets travel down is actually worn as smooth as sheet metal from the many trips these baskets make daily. When we got to the place where you buy your ticket to go down, I was shocked by how many baskets there were, and how many drivers waiting. Plus one guy who was steadily maintaining the wooden skis the baskets glide down on. It’s funny because you can distinctly smell the faint aroma of wood burning from the friction of the basket on the pavement. It was a wild experience that I highly recommend!
Back To Lisbon
Then we were back to Lisbon for our last 48 hours in Portugal. I would have liked to spend a little more time in Lisbon as there’s SO much to see and do, but it’s a lot more expensive in the capital city which is why we decided to limit our time here.
After unpacking in our unique accommodations (a third story loft style apartment that was more like a McDonald’s play area made of wood instead of plastic), we ventured uphill to find some food we could enjoy while taking in another epic sunset. With some delicious artisan pizzas in hand, we took up residence on the steps of Miradouro Sophia De Mario Breyner Andersen, and enjoyed the spectacular colours spreading over the city scape.
We had a packed agenda for our last full day. Fuelling up with coffee and pastries yet again, we set out on a walking tour that included Ross square, Augusta Street, and atop the Carmo Convent in Santa Maria for beautiful views of Lisbon. You can take the Sant Justa elevator up for a price, but it was just as easy to walk up and around to get to the viewing platform.
We also took in the Castelo de Sao Jorge which happened to have a festival going on at the time. There were period actors within the main court of the castle. A forger, an armour maker, someone making chainlink by hand, and a falconer. The displays were incredible and interactive. From the walls of the castle, you got 360 degree views of the entire city.
We tucked into the Lisbon Cathedral which is a highlighted attraction in Lisbon. It’s free to tour the cathedral but you pay a fee to see the treasury and cloister. Churches in Europe are quite the experience, with their ancient stained glass, and beautiful sculptures.
We ended our trip with a fantastic dining experience at Alfama 63. You have to make a reservation as it’s incredibly small and often booked. It’s also cash only. How do I describe this experience – this family run restaurant is like dining at your long lost cousin’s house, if that cousin is a shaggy haired surfer dude who’s very passionate about his country, and the food his Mother is making you in that very kitchen. You don’t want to miss this little gem.
Food In Portugal
I’m going to be honest here, the food in Portugal was good, but it wasn’t incredible, for me anyway. Of course, there’s lots of seafood which Portugal is known for, but it’s not the only thing you’ll get, so don’t let that deter you if you’re not a fan.
A few memorable things I had was the chicken piri piri (a medium level of spice). Also the espetada which is meat cooked on skewers that are hung on your table. Another surprising dish was cod fried with banana which truly sounds like an odd combo, but it was really good together.
I had read some blogs before our trip and made a list of foods I wanted to try as opposed to specific restaurants I wanted to go to. One of the foods listed I didn’t particularly enjoy was limpets. They’re kind of like a tougher mussel, but they were far too chewy for my liking. I did find the mussels in Portugal to be incredible, and a must have if you’re a fan of these tasty little treats. The flavour was fantastic and the size was some of the largest I’d ever seen. Everywhere I had shrimp was also delicious, and I highly recommend trying them.
The pastries in Portugal – I would go back in a heartbeat to eat all those delicious and unique flavours. Portugal is heavy on the almonds so if you have an allergy, definitely beware. I could probably write an entire love letter blog to the pastries in Portugal, and that’s not being dramatic. Every place we went had an almost entirely different line up of delicacies so if you see something you want to try in a glass display, GET IT, because you may not find it again somewhere else!
My favourite is a tie between the pistachio cream croissant I got in Madeira, and the Dom Ricardo in the Algarve. I was over the moon with all the pistachio delights I found. And while the pistachio cream donut tickled my tastebuds, the croissant was truly a thing of beauty.
The Dom Rodrigo is definitely not winning any awards for aesthetics, but there’s something about the taste of it that is a sugar fiend’s dream. It comes in a little tinfoil pyramid package and is a little messy to eat. It’s a little egg shaped cake in the middle covered with all these angel hair pasta type nest and then drenched in a sweet syrup. I know I’m not selling it, but believe me when I tell you, it was one of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever had and I want it again so badly.
Protip: look for a pasteleria instead of a cafe if you’ve got a sweet tooth like I do. They had the best treat counters.
Interesting Points That Didn’t Fit in Another Section
You don’t pay upfront at cafes mostly. You place your order, go eat it, and then go back and pay. Some will have you pay on ordering but not a lot.
No rush to get you the bill or move you out. I’ve never waited so long for a bill in any restaurant anywhere in the world, like we did in Portugal. They are in no rush to flip the table, even if you’re not ordering more drinks. We often had to flag someone down to ask to pay, and that wasn’t an easy task.
Pack earplugs and possibly an eye mask for sleeping. Europeans are up till the very wee hours of the morning, and most airbnbs are surrounded by local hang outs. I’m a light sleeper, and even with earplugs, the ongoing local merriment made some nights a little harder to sleep than others.
Ordering Coffee In Portugal
Ordering coffee in Portugal became a bit of a game. I found a helpful blog on the different kinds of coffees you can order that you can find here. Tyson was a big fan of the galao (pronounced gah-loww) which was essentially a latte. I never found my exact perfect coffee. The galao wasn’t bad but I wanted something a bit stronger. I tried ordering an americano with milk on the side. This worked in some places. Others I tried ordering a Portuguese coffee, and got varying results. Cappuccinos were quite delicious but on the more pricey side of coffee. And quite small from the two cup yeti I’m used to sucking back all morning long.
A Great Trip Overall
We had a fabulous time in Portugal and would head back there in a heartbeat. There are just so many things to do in Portugal. Even with 14 days, we didn’t hit everything we would’ve liked to.The views are incredible, the pastries top notch, and there are some truly unique experiences. If you’re lucky enough to be able to explore more than one city, these were definitely some good ones, but believe me when I say I wish we had gotten to visit even more of them.
If you enjoyed this blog, you may also be interested to read my Greece travel blog. Happy travelling wherever you may roam!
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