The great www is flooded with Portugal itineraries of all types and sizes. So why should you trust this one? You shouldnt. I think the vast majority of out there are fairly useless to most people, and mine is no exception. I myself dont usually like to look at other people’s itineraries, but do so sometimes at the very beginning stages just to get a general idea.
But since we are asked by many for our itineraries, Mrs Z started posting them on her local Facebook group, so this is mostly just a copy and paste. This itinerary takes into account our pace, love of food (duh!), culture, photography (friends more than us), and variety. A nice mix of cities, villages, cuisine types, and even variety in accommodations. It also means renting a car for part of the trip. In other words, a whole bunch of useless stuff. But maybe you’ll get a yummy meal or three out of this. Every mention of a specific restaurant, hotel, or place, means I recommend. If there’s a dinner or lunch I omitted, it means it was a fail. Here we go…
Day 1 – Fly to Porto
Check into Hotel Catalonia
Explore central area: Rua de Santa Catarina, Mercado do Bolhão, City Hall, McDonald’s (no joke), São Bento train Station, and other sites you want to see nearby.
Francesinha lunch at Cafe Santiago. Not sure if its the best anymore, but its sort of a local legend and close to the hotel. Another good option is Brasão Coliseu across the street but I havent tried it.
Rest
Dinner at O Buraquinho da Sé. Can book via Facebook, try well in advance. Octopus of your dreams.
Day 2 – Porto
Jewish Heritage Tour with Portoalities, or another tour with this agency. You dont need to be Jewish to appreciate the Jewish tour.
Lunch at Taberna dos Mercadores. Tough booking, only by phone, or join the line. Lunch or dinner obviously doesnt matter.
Explore Ribeira area.
São Francisco church and/or Bolsa Palace.
If you still have time explore Vila Nova de Gaia.
Day 3 – Bom Jesus / Guimaraes
Uber to Bom Jesus do Monte (or train via Braga)
Uber or train to Guimaraes.
Lunch at Restaurante Virtudes. For this day I just wanted something in the main square and this did the trick.
Uber or train to Porto.
Dinner at “O Grade”. Booked via google maps. Family place, super popular with tourists. A marginal recco here, not an absolute must. I liked it more 12 years ago.
Day 4 – Douro Valley
Book a day with Igor of Porto Tours and Transfers. Highlights:
Winery (Pacheca), Lunch (O Maleiro)
Town of Amarante.
Dinner, a snack double header: Gazela – the famous hot dog, Congo – Bifana.
Day 5 – To Tomar
Pick up car at Flashrent, a tiny, and I mean tiny, cheap, dependable, friendly private rental owned by two women.
Stop at Aveiro / Costa Nova
A Suckling pig lunch at Rui dos Leitoes
Visit Convent de Cristo in Tomar
Check into Casa dos Ofícios Hotel in Tomar
Medieval theme dinner at Taverna Antiqua
Day 6 – Full day in the Central
Batalha
Alcobaça Monastery
Lunch at Origens in Alcobaça (reserve via email)
Explore Alcobaça
Obidos
Chicken dinner at Casa dos frangos in Tomar
Day 7 – Drive to Evora
Castelo de Vide – See ancient Jewish synagogue and sites
Lunch at Aqui ao lado
Visit Marvão. Do not leave without cookies from Marvao Com Gosto
Continue toward Evora
Check into Convento do Espinheiro
Dinner at Taberna Típica Quarta Feira – family style fixed menu
Day 8 – Evora
Explore Evora: University, Cathedral, Bone church, Roman temple…
Afternoon at the hotel pool
Dinner at Origens
Day 9 – Alentejo country side
Corticarte – cork manufature and tour with David (or the next day if timing doesnt allow).
Visit Herdade do Esporão winery – Book tour and lunch at the tapas bar or restaurant (Michelin) via Email.
Monsaraz
Day 10 – Moving to Sintra
Sanctuary of Christ the King overlooking Lisbon
Grilled seafood lunch at A rampa do Pragal
Queluz National Palace
Check into Quinta das Pedras
Rest, pool, Dinner at the Quinta by the host, book in advance
Day 11 – Sintra
Pena Palace – Get earliest tix
Moorish castle
Lunch at Tascantiga
Relax at the Quinta
Cascais
Seafood Dinner at Mar do Inferno
Day 12 – Sintra / Lisbon
Quinta da Regaleira (Even though I’m listing it here, best time to do this is arrive between 11-1)
Lunch at Casa des Minas (more for the place than food)
Drive to Lisbon, Drop car
Check into BessaHotel Liberdade
Dinner at Cervejaria Ramiro
Day 13 – Lisbon
Explore Lisbon center (Baixa, Chiado, etc)
Lunch at Tapisco
Explore Príncipe Real, Bairro Alto
Dinner at Jesus e Goes (Goan)
Day 14 – Lisbon
Alfama
Chicken lunch at Churrasqueira do Morques (get by Uber)
Belem
Dinner at O Velho Eurico – Tough booking but doable if you book well in advance online.
Fly home next day from Lisbon
Eating With Ziggy 