Summer 2022

I spent a week in Portugal in July 2022 with my sister and two cousins. We decided, going into the trip, that we wanted this to be a relaxing trip with the majority of the time lounging on the beach. That meant that we focused most of our time in Algarve vs going to Porto, Duoro Valley, Sintra, etc. We'll save that for a future trip! We met up in Lisbon since we were all coming from different countries, rented a car, then drove down to Lagos. If you're coming from other parts of Europe, you may also be able to fly direct into Faro. There are also options to head south from Lisbon by train, but we wanted the flexibility of having a rental car to check out various beaches. I believe July is considered high season, but things did not feel packed or overcrowded at all. Especially in the Algarve, it felt like a lot of people on family vacations, not the typical "eurotrip" crowd. We opted to stay in AirBnbs (will flag that it was very hot while were were there and most places don't have A/C). We considered splurging for a night or two in a nicer hotel or resort and those were almost all sold out across the board, so if you're going to go that route, you should definitely book something early. 

Aside from flights, we spent about $1200 USD per person on lodging, food/drink, and transportation. Going for Airbnbs over hotels was the biggest money saver - our most expensive expense by far was the car rental which came out to almost $1200 USD for only 4 days. Food and drink will not be your biggest expense. You will eat like a queen without breaking the bank!

More detail below but here is the Google Maps list where I marked most of the spots we went to and also recommendations we got from others -- huge shout out to Mafalda for all her help!! (Side note: I'm still confused why Google Maps has the list function and the map function...feels like two different parts of the same org not talking to one another).

Lisbon

Getting around:

• Ubers are very cheap, especially since there were 4 of us.
• That being said, the bus / metro system is amazing. I took the train in from the airport and it was really easy, even with one connection (though there are stairs so if you have a larger suitcase, maybe reconsider). At metro stations, you can buy a metro card which will make getting on the busses easier (and cheaper than paying the fare in cash). We opted for the 24 hour pass which was ~6.5 euros. 
• Lisbon is also not that big and you can walk across a lot of the city - I flew in on a red eye and had a few hours to kill. Even in the heat, I managed to do ~3 miles along the water, up into Alfama, and back to Bairro Alto. It is hilly though and most of the streets are cobblestone so pack some comfy shoes!

Where we stayed:

• Our first weekend in Lisbon, we had an Airbnb on Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo (it's a small street where a  yellow cable car runs up and down). I think the neighborhood is roughly Bairro Alto. It was the perfect location. We were walking distance from so much and it was relatively quiet at night. 
• The second weekend, we wanted to check out a different neighborhood and stayed in the Alfama neighborhood. We just had one night before we all flew out. But it was perfect because it's a bit closer to some of the best viewpoints which Jacqueline hadn't seen yet.
• Our Airbnbs were both pretty cheap, about $50 per person per night. I will say it was a little hard to find places with space for four, so larger groups may have some trouble (we were okay sharing beds/rooms/bathrooms. 

Food:

• Of course, you'll have to have many, many Pastéis de Nata - Portuguese custard tarts. We really liked the ones at Manteigaria (there are several locations, including in the Time Out Market) but of course also tried some at the original Pastéis de Belém as well. If they're hot and fresh, I'm not sure you'll really be able to taste the difference. In Lisbon, we liked to start our day with one nata and a cappuccino :) Nothing like some caffeine and sugar to get you going. I also bought a 6-pack to bring home, the morning of my flight. I zapped them for 6 minutes in the toaster oven and they were pretty darn good still. We did not find as many natas in the Algarve, so get your fill while you're in Lisbon!
• Throughout the trip, we ate, SO much delicious seafood. One of our favorites was Água pela Barba. Three of us split six of their eight small plates and it was almost too much food. They have so much great ceviche on their menu. It's a small restaurant, so book in advance (via The Fork, or you can message them on Instagram). One note is they only take cash or Portuguese debit cards, so bring some Euros! Before or after dinner, you can catch the sunset at Miradouro de Santa Catarina, right up the street. 
• We also had dinner at  the famous Cervejaria Ramiro. This is another good one to book in advance though they do take walk-ins as well. We loved everything we ate there. We got both the clams and shrimp in garlic (the buttery garlic sauce was great with the bread too). Then we also had the scarlet (tiger) prawns which may not be up everyone's alley (the prawn guts are the sauce) and also the crab. We likely would have ordered more but our waiter told us that was enough and he was right! This is straightforward, fast, and delicious seafood, not a fancy dining experience. 
• There is a vibrant brunch scene but it feels like it's definitely an imported trend so you'll likely be more familiar with the menu and it's not necessarily a "local" experience. We had two great brunches at Comoba and Augusto.
• Lots of restaurants at LX Market but one flag is they almost all close their kitchens between lunch and dinner. We went around 4pm and it was hard to get any real food. Not a must-do (though better than Time Out). 
• The Time Out Market is an easy place to stop if you have a big group with disparate preferences but we found it really crowded and overwhelming so we didn't spend much time here at all. 

Sights:

• It was 90+ degrees when we were in Lisbon so instead of going to see the sights ourselves (which you can definitely do given how easy it is to get around), we decided to do a tuk tuk tour. I don't think you have to prebook anything - we found Ricardo, our amazing guide, by the Baixa Chiado metro station - there are also tour guides around any of the main tourist areas (Mirador Sol, Time Out Market, etc.). The tours seem to be priced per tuk tuk (vs per person) and I think the biggest ones can sit 6-8 people. We did a half day, 4 hours, tour which was 250 euros. If you want Ricardo's number, let me know - we loved him. Otherwise, he was with this company. 
• Through that tour, we basically hit all the main sights. It was the perfect balance for us because we learned a lot and moved quickly. If you want more time to explore (esp some of the churches, museums, or the monastery in Belem), you might be better of doing a self-guided tour or a full day tour. 
• The classic viewpoints are: Miradouro das Portas do Sol and Miradouro de Santa Luzia (pretty Bougainvillea here for photos). Fun fact - the bridge you see that looks like the Golden Gate Bridge is basically...the Golden Gate Bridge. 
• Mosteiro dos Jerónimos in Belem is popular - we didn't wait to go in but did walk into the church (and of course had the natas down the street). 
• We stopped at the Museu Nacional do Azulejo (national tile museum) one afternoon mainly to get out of the heat. It was nice but not a must-do. 
• There are a few museums on the stretch between Lisbon/Belem that I might check out if I have the chance to visit again. The Portuguese are of course famous for ruling the seas so I feel like the Maritime Museum would be cool to see. 

Drink:

• My main recommendation is to try the "vinho verde" or green wine. It's "green" because it's made from young grapes. I found it to be easy to drink, paired well with seafood and the scorching temps, and it sometimes was bubbly which is fun. I'm not a huge white wine drinker usually, but I really enjoyed this. 
• The Pharmacy Museum is a nice spot to grab a drink (right by Miradouro de Santa Catarina) if you can sit outside. Mama Shelter also has a rooftop if you want something more lively (a bit more crowded, seems like there is often a DJ, etc.). 
• You can also try a ginjinha shot - it's cherry liquor and sometimes comes in a little chocolate cup. 

​Algarve (Lagos)

We chose to stay in Lagos as a home base. It has a cute old town with lots of shops and restaurants, which was walking distance from our Airbnb. Each day we explored a different beach - we got a lot of recommendations (everyone has their favorite beach) and based on our experience, it doesn't really seem like you can go wrong. If you want to surf, then it's probably good to check to see which beaches are best for that (and good surfing spots often mean the ocean is a bit rougher than you want to just wade). Every beach we went to had a bathroom and restaurant on site. Most of those restaurants also rent out beach lounge chairs and umbrellas (2 chairs for 16 euros for the full day, 10 euros for a half day). Bring your own towel though!

• Comporta - we stopped here on the way from Lisbon. It's not really on the way, but it was recommended by a friend as a pit stop. During COVID, wealthy people from Lisbon started going here more, so there are some pretty high end boutiques and hotels here. The town itself though is really small and probably not worth the stop unless you're staying here. We did have a GREAT meal though at São João - their seafood with rice is amazing (see photo below). It's soupier than a paella/risotto but not as soupy as a porridge. Highly recommend! We like it a bit more than cataplana which is what the copper pan is called that some dishes are served in. You can't really go wrong with that either, the rice just had some more flavor. 
• Lagos - so we didn't end up going to Meia Praia which is the main beach in Lagos. Our Airbnb host told us it gets windy in the afternoon - it looked really nice though! We tried to go to Praia do Camilo which is a small, very secluded beach surrounded by steep cliffs (lots of steps to get there). Unfortunately we did not look at the timing of high tide so there was a tiny sliver of beach to sit on and there were lots of sand flies so we only stayed a few minutes before relocating to Praia de Porto Mós. We had a late lunch at Campimar which was really delicious (I got the cod) and the wait staff were incredibly friendly. It was highly recommended by our Airbnb host. There is a more casual outdoor section of the restaurant that serves a more limited menu, but if you have time, go inside and get some real seafood. A few other recs in Lagos (see the Google Maps list above for more spots our Airbnb host recommended):
  • GeIícia for gelato - their menu changes so grab an extra scoop of your favorite flavor while it's on the menu
  • Pepperino - solid pasta/pizza. We wanted a break from seafood and this hit the spot
  • Kohinoor - solid Indian food, satisfied our craving for some asian flavors
  • Mar - restaurant along the coast. Our host recommended it for a sunset meal. We didn't end up going, but it looks nice!
  • Mar d'Estórias - lots of home goods and other "made in Portugal" items. Great for gift shopping. They have a rooftop restaurant/bar but it didn't really have any views!
  • Olaria Nova - very cute pottery 
• Odeceixe - really cute beach (see photo below). There is a river that connects to the beach so it's easier to swim here since that part doesn't have any waves. After the beach, we went to the center of town and got a snack (great toast and juices) at Ao Largo. It'd also be a good breakfast spot too if you want something in the morning. For dinner, we ate at Taberna do Gabão which was on a really quiet residential street. It has a modern vibe without being too over the top. 
• Sagres - We started at the Sagres Fortress which is cool to see, mainly for the views. You probably only need 30-45 minutes there. We had lunch at Laundry Lounge which was really good (and you can actually do laundry - wash and dry! - if you want). They seemed to have live music in the evenings. Great to get some veggies for the first time in awhile. We spent the day at Praia do Martinhal. No surfers here - the water was too calm for that which means it was easier to swim in (though cold!). We had dinner at A Tasca which overlooks some docks - a great spot to watch the sun set with a glass of cold sangria! We lucked out and were able to get a table without a reservation but they did start to turn people away, so I'd recommend booking in advance. There were a few things on the menu that you also had to pre-order (i.e. lobster).