Our trip
We started our trip to Portugal in the same way as most of my holidays… by renting a car and getting on the road. We flew into Lisbon and drove up the coast to Peniche; a town famous across the world in the surfing community due to the incredible size of the waves crashing onto perfect sandy beach breaks. We went in May which is considered the down season with weaker winds and smaller waves and yet even at the ‘beginner’ beaches had waves which rose well overhead. We chose to stay here for 3 nights which was plenty to wander around the town, try out the best restaurants and get a good few hours of surfing in.
With this being Europe, hiring boards and wet suits was pretty expensive at 20 euros per person per day and lessons at around 30 euros. There is plenty of choice in the area though with surf shops everywhere and in general the staff were very helpful in their knowledge of the area. While it was very enjoyable for us as beginners this will be an incredible place to come back to as an intermediate/advanced surfer. We sat down at Bar de Praia and watched as some of the locals use the waves like ramps to fly into the air or twist and turn along the waves all the way in to the beach. I’d highly recommend this as a spot to relax, enjoy the sun and watch some people who really know what their doing. They have a DJ through the afternoon and evening and serve great cocktails and bites to eat.
After 3 days though we were all surfed out and got back on the road to Sintra; a municipality just outside of Lisbon renowned for its incredible architecture and history. Unfortunately we didn’t get there until after lunch and were pressed for time so we only managed to get around Pena Palace and its Gardens. A castle which feels as if it is straight out of Narnia with bright yellow and red walls perched on top of a hill. There are several other incredible buildings in the area including Quinta de Regaleira, the Moorish castle and the Palace of Monserrat so this day trip is simply a must if your in Lisbon. In future i would chose to come by train though as parking here is a nightmare – especially if you want to be anywhere near the castles.
Once we’d dropped off our car and checked into our hotel we spent the next couple of days exploring the city of Lisbon. In truth there isn’t a huge amount to see here with one or two days certainly enough to see the castelo, Jeranimo’s monastery and Blenem Tower. However the main attraction of Lisbon is the city itself. Lisbon is filled with life with a huge number of plazas, bars and restaurants and an incredible food and party culture. Below are some of my top recommendations in the city!
Where to Eat
– Time out Market is a food market just outside of Bairro alto and is home to several incredible food vendors. Here you are able to buy food from any one of the restaurants which surround the court and eat together on the tables in the center. Meaning a group can go and all eat some of the best food there is from completely different cuisines. The market is incredibly popular though so finding a table around any meal time can be challenging and for this reason we only tried a couple of the different sweet treat places including crush doughnuts
– Praia no Parque is a high end restaurant located in Parque Eduardo VII. Its elaborate interior is decorated with an exotic feel shown best in its life sized giraffe centerpiece which stands over the bar. The food here is very good but it does come at a high price.
– Atalho – My favorite meal in Portugal by far and definitely one of the best steakhouses I have been to. Atalho offers great quality and value for money and if you’re feeling adventurous you can even try their new steak sushi concept.
– Java rooftop is a great place for all times of day; go and enjoy a sunset cocktail on the terrace with views out across all of Lisbon and the sea or dine in fro lunch or dinner. I tried the Grilled Octopus tentacle and is was simple amazing.
Lisbon Nightlife
Lisbon offers fantastic nightlife which is very different from what most of the world has to offer. Rather than queuing to get into a couple of mega clubs spread across the city Lisbon has several entire neighborhoods where every other building is a bar which means that the party escapes into the streets no matter what day it is. We went for a drink on a random Wednesday night in May and it better than most Saturday nights in England. If your looking for a place to party head to Pink street, Rua Augusta or anywhere in the Bairro alto district and you can guarantee at least one will be packed every night of the week.
Top tips
– Skip tram 28! trams in Lisbon now operate far more as tourist attractions than public transport and tram 28 epitomizes this with queues several hours long to get on. If you are certain on riding a tram chose tram 12; it starts just 200m away from tram 28 and follows the exact same route around Alfama. The only difference is tram 28 then extends through Bairro alto – which is better seen by walking anyways
– Reserve tables in advance. Lisbon is known for its food culture and so the best spots become fully booked in peak season. Research and book ahead
– Get on the stair master before you come. Although you don’t actually have to do this make sure you are prepared for the steep hills and staircases around Lisbon. These make 10 minute walks feel like a workout
– Stay close to the water. If you want to save on some of the walking I just mentioned stay in or near the Alfama and Bairro Alto districts as this is where the real life of Lisbon is
-Use public transport – it is very easy to get out of and around the city with trains, uber, ferries etc so make the most of it with day trips to Sintra or the beaches of Costa de Caparica
Should you drive in Portugal?
Portugal is one of the first countries which i have been apprehensive about driving in for a couple of reasons. Firstly i had heard from several people that the locals drive as if lanes do not exist and there are no rules whatsoever and secondly because this was the first time i had driven manual in a left hand drive car; I tend to drive manual whenever i am abroad to make everything a little simpler. In truth I was probably right to be apprehensive because Portugal was the most difficult driving experience I have had abroad so far; this would certainly still not be enough to put me off driving again in the future. My advice here would simple be to maintain a fair distance between anyone else on the roads; specifically on roundabouts. I even had one cyclists riding as if he was trying to get himself hit by swerving back and forth between lanes in front of me just to end up going straight ahead anyways.
My improved Itinerary for my next visit
Day 1 – Fly into Lisbon and drive up to Peniche – spend the evening walking around the marina and checking out some of beaches and surf schools. Grab dinner and a drink at bar de Praia whilst watching some of the bet surfers in the area.
Days 2 & 3 – Spend a couple days recharging by sunbathing and surfing all day long – Make sure to check out Superturbos and Baleal for the best beaches and waves.
Day 4 – Return to Lisbon and drop off the hire car. Spend the afternoon exploring Alfama including the castelo and Praco do Comercio. Walk along the seafront in the evening and grab some food with the locals in Time out market
Day 5 – hop on the the train to Sintra early to avoid the queues for Pena palace and its gardens. Grab a bite to eat and the make your way to Quinta de Regaleira. Hop back on the train to Lisbon and finish the day watching the sunset over dinner at Java rooftop. If you’re up for a night out head around the corner to Pink street and make your way around the bars to find where the best party is tonight!
Day 6 – If you’re knackered from the night before get the ferry across the bay and head to a beach bar at Costa de Caparico. Or, if you’ve got some energy left, cram in a stadium tour or even watch a game at Sporting Lisbon or Benfica before flying home in the evening.
