Road Tripping in Portugal

Day 1 + 2: Lisbon

No trip to Portugal is complete without a stop in the capital, Lisbon (or Lisboa). We stayed at the gorgeous Palácio das Especiarias in the Chiado neighborhood of Lisbon. The location was very convenient and centrally located. The hotel itself is superb and we could not get over the charming decor and warm hospitality of the staff. The breakfast is not to be missed nor is the Fado dinner performed twice a week at the hotel. The hotel provides wine, cheese and snacks in the afternoon along with complimentary wine!

The garden terrace at Palacio des Especiarias. You can enjoy your afternoon wine and cheese on the terrace while relaxing with a glass of Portugese wine.

We missed out on seeing the inside of the Jerónimos Monastery due to massive lines. Although the outside provided some sense of the magic that lies inside. I highly recommend buying tickets in advance. We were silly enough to believe that we were ahead of the summer throngs, but we were sadly mistaken.

The monastery is a short walk to Belem tower and you can easily visit both in one day.

Although we missed out on the monaestary, we opted for a lesiurely afternoon lunching and shopping at LX Factory.

Day 3: Sintra and Overnight Stay in a Windmill!

We picked up our rental car in Lisbon and drove to nearby Sintra. Many travelers take the train for a day trip to Sintra. Since we were continuing north, we opted to drive so we can enjoy the countryside and have the freedom to stop when and where we wanted. We stopped in Cascais, the heart of the Portugese Riveria, for lunch and enjoyed the beautiful seaside resort.

Cascais, Portugal.

Our first stop in Sintra was the famous Quinta de Regalaria. We walked through the famed initiation well. The architecture is out of a fairy tale and you will feel the mystery and romance in the design.

We also visited the Palace of Monserrate. The grounds at the Palace are stunning and I would have loved to enjoy a leisurely day drinking wine and nibbling cheese on the grounds.

After leaving Sintra, we drove about an hour to our windmill Airbnb in Peniche.

The windmill was such a unique place to stay and we loved it! The decor was rustic but charming and even better was the hand delivered breakfast the next morning.

Day 4: Porto Day Trip and Douro Valley

On day 4, we drove the 2.5 hours from Peniche to Porto. Porto, like Lisbon, is a city that is swelling with tourists. There was also a lot of construction in the city center while we were there. We enjoyed a stroll through the city and a stop in the famous train station before heading down to the banks of the Douro River. The weather did not cooperate for our day trip and we made it back to the car just in time for massive downpours.

From Porto we drove another 2 or so hours to our farm stay in the Douro Valley. This was one of my faveorite stays ever via Airbnb. The farm is charming and Maria, the owner/operator, is a gem. Her sunset wine and tapas tour was a highlight of the trip.

Two of the furry residents at our Airbnb.

The home of the chickens and the sheep!

Day 5: Scenic Train Ride, Michelin Lunch, and Sunset Wine Tour

We had booked a river wine tour for the day, but that was cancelled last minute the night before. In lieu, we ended up taking the scenic train ride. The train takes you practically to the border of Spain and there is nothing at the end of the line, but the train itself is charming and there are plenty of locals enjoying the ride as well.

The view from the scenic train cannot be beat! The river will be on the right side of the train as you head north, so be sure to try to secure a seat on that side.

We were able to get a table at the famous Castas e Pratos located next to the train station in Regua for lunch. The desserts were fantastic. This was my chocolate "egg".

Following a post lunch siesta, we met up with our Airbnb host, Maria. She showed us the winery that was purchased by her father.

Maria took us up to the vineyards that surround her property and we finished off with homemade tapas served in her dining room. It was truly a treat!

Day 6-7: Leaving Douro Valley for the Beach!

We drove sourth about 3.5 hours to the beach town right outside of Lisbon called Caprica. To be honest, the town itself is somewhat run down and as were not there in high season, there was not much to do. However, we stayed in a lovely apartment right by the beach with a massive outdoor terrace.

The next day we drove about an hour south to the beach town of Comporta. Heraleded as the "Hamptons" of Lisbon, the town is small yet tasteful and the shops and restaurants reflect the upscale taste of its visitors.

We opted for a daybed at Comporta Cafe, located on the beach. The daybed cost E200 but E100 went to food and drink. It was quite windy but very sunny. I could imagine Comporta being quite the scene during the height of the season.

Day 8: Return Home.

The Lisbon airport is small and the car return was located on site. We flew TAP air to Madrid and had to change terminals in Madrid. It takes about 20-30 minutes depending on the bus schedule (which are quite often) and traffic.