In 2020 me and my husband were planning to have a big trip around Asia, but as Corona hit, it was not possible to do so. Portugal was one of the countries still open for tourism, and we thought why not? And I have to be honest with you, I didn’t have much expectations about Portugal. Somehow it was never on my ‘must visit’ list. Well, I was terribly mistaken. The weather, the culture, the landscape, the food and the friendly people of Portugal made it one of the best and unforgettable journeys of my life. Portugal has forever a special place in my heart and that is why I set out to write this blog, so more people can explore this wonderful country.
Travelling by Car
For our trip around Portugal we decided to rent a car, so we can be very flexible and visit even the smallest villages. We rented our car from Check24 portal. It is an awesome price comparison website in Germany where you can book directly. We rented a small Fiat Panda from a company called Guerin for 22€/day with full insurance coverage.
A small car was a perfect choice for renting as some roads can get very narrow. Also make sure to get full insurance coverage, just in case.
Tip: When picking up your car make sure to record all the damages it has and take pictures of it. When returning your car I heard that they may charge you for the damages that were already there. Luckily it did not happen to us, but it is always best to be on the safe side.
- Renting
- Roads and tolls in Portugal
- Parking
Itinerary
What is great about this itinerary is that you don’t have to do it all. You can choose a city or a region in Portugal and explore nearby!
Day 1-2: Arrive to Faro, explore Faro & Faro Island
Day 3: East from Faro: Tavira, Praia del Tavira & Olhão
Day 4: Quarteira & Albuefeira
Day 5: Caves in Portimao: famous Benagil Cave
Day 6: Busy day – Ferragudo, Portimao, Alvor and sunset at Ponta João de Arens
Day 7: Portimao, Lagos & Sagres
Day 8-9: Sagres & Ceramic shops
Day 10: From Sagres along the coast: Beaches, Bordeira & Aljezur
Day 11: Aljezur & beaches, Longueira
Day 12: Vila Nova de Milfonte, Odemira & wines in Mertola
Day 13: More wine tours in Mertola & Beja
Day 14: Reguengos de Monsaraz, Alqueva Dam, Mourão + a wine tour
Day 15: Monsaraz castle, Évora, Setubal
Day 16: Setubal
Day 17-19: Lisbon & Sintra
Day 20: Peniche & Nazare
Day 21: Batalha, Coimbra & Aveiro
Day 22: Viana do Castelo
Day 23: Guimarães & Braga
Day 24-26: Porto
25 DAYS ITINERARY
Day 1-2: Arrive to Faro, Explore Faro & Faro Island
Faro has a big airport and many budget flights which connects Portugal with many European cities. Therefore it was our first city and a ‘starting’ city for many travellers. It is nice to stay here for a day to relax after the flight and to start exploring the area.
There is a small city centre with many cafes and historical landmarks. The old town is divided into two-areas: Vila-Adentro, the oldest part; and the Mouraria, the area where the Moors settled in the late 13th century. It is very nice to stroll along the Vila-Adentro (or old town known as Cidade Velha), as it is still located within the city walls and you access it through a mediaeval gate Arco da Vila. In the city centre you can also see a 13th century Roman Catholic cathedral – Igreja de Santa Maria. And if you get hungry there is also a Faro Municipal Market, which is a perfect place to stop by for a quick snack or some food to take home (or on your picnic when you are going to the islands).
Directly from the city centre you can take a ferry to the nearest islands. The boats depart from Cais das Portas do Mar, and you can take either a ferry or a private boat taxi. There are in total 5 islands that you can visit from the Faro port: Praia de Faro, Ilha Deserta, Ilha do Farol, Ilha Hangares, Ilha da Culatra.
The boat ferries are the cheapest way to get to the islands. As we only had a day in Faro we chose the closest island – the beach of Faro (Praia de Faro). The ferry took around 15 minutes one way and cost 3.20€ for a round trip. Taking a boat tax (Mar Taxi Faro) is a more private way to get to the islands and prices start at 28€ for 5 people. The further the island is, the more expensive the price is of course.
Praia de Faro was itself nice to visit, it has a long beach you can walk along and several beach cafes. My personal advise is to bring some food with you and make a nice picnic at the beach 🙂
Day 3: East from Faro: Tavira, Praia del Tavira & Olhão
After having a rest in Faro we rented our car and began our car trip around the entire Portugal. On the first day we decided to explore the area around Faro and drove east to the small cities of Tavira and Olhão.
Tavira is only a 40km drive from Faro. It’s a small, but beautiful and very atmospheric city on the Algarve coast. It has many lagoons and sandy islands that are worth exploring for a day. The historic centre of Tavira is lined with traditional tiled houses and small, narrow lanes. You can also walk along Ponte Romana de Tavira (a 16th century bridge) for beautiful views of the town.
You can also visit Castelo de Tavira for beautiful views of the town from the mediaeval castle walls.
From Tavira you can also take a ferry to Tavira Island (Praia del Tavira). It is a great beach with 11 km of white sand. I even heard that the island attracts flamingos, although we have not seen them. 🙂 They have several food stands there and even tables where you can enjoy your own picnic food. If you are looking for a nice day off at the beach, then make sure to check out the Praia del Tavira.
Ferries depart regularly from the centre of Tavira (Rua Jose Pires Padinha). The journey takes about 20 minutes and costs around 3€ for a round trip. There is also an option of a boat taxi and prices start at 20€ for 5 people for a one-way trip.
Olhão is only a 10km drive from Faro and 30km drive from Tavira. It is a charming, historic fishing village and you can definitely feel it’s traditional flair. I think this is one of the best little villages to visit to get to know Portuguese culture. The village has a very busy fishing harbour and a fisherman’s quarter (Bairro dos Pescadores). Make sure to check out Mercados de Olhão for fresh seafood coming directly from the boats. From the market you can directly explore the city centre of Olhão filled with adorable shops and unique white houses. I don’t want to spoil it for you but the entire city centre is decorated with cute little fishes 🙂
Day 4: Quarteira & Albuefeira
After Olhão we decided we should definitely visit more fishing towns. That is why the next day we were heading West of Faro to the city of Quarteira.
Quarteira is a more touristic part of the Algarve coast, and you can already see more big hotels lined along the coast. But on the western end of town you can find Quarteira’s harbour, which was once the heart of the fishing village.
There is a promenade and a pier where you can walk along and see the busy fishing port life. I was honestly so amazed by the atmosphere: a port bustling with life, with boats coming into the port every few minutes, unloading the fresh fish and delivering it to the market. And of course hundreds of seagulls trying to get their fair share of fish. Just sit down on the Pier and watch comings and goings of the fishing boats with seagulls following them. Trust me, it is quite a view 🙂
As you move down along the coast you will reach Albufeira – one of the most touristic towns along the Algarve coast. It was actually once a fishing town before it turned into a travel destination in the 1970s. But despite that it has big hotel chains and even an elevator to the beach, it still has its charm and is definitely worth visiting. We also stayed here overnight as the next day we wanted to head to the Benagil Cave.
Albufeira has a very nice historical old town, lined with white buildings decorated with beautiful blue doors and azuleijos. And in the new Marina you would find very cute colourful houses. There are also a lot of restaurants in town and even night-clubs. There are also many entertainment and tour activities offered for the tourists at the beach such as diving, dolphin-watching, paragliding and boat trips. And of course there are long white sandy beaches of Albufeira, which are very famous amongst the tourists. But to be honest I would skip the beaches and only explore the old town. For me the beaches were too overcrowded and if you are travelling in Portugal by car you will find nicer, more secluded areas.
However, above the beach there is a nice look-out platform (Observation deck Albufeira on Google maps) that has nice views of the town and the beach. You might also notice there are several cats and cat food on the platform – this is a registered colony of homeless cats. I got a chance to talk to one of the volunteers who looks after the cats and I really wanted to share about this organisation here. They are doing a great job and feeding over 400 homeless cats a day. If you get a chance, don’t skip this spot and talk to one of the volunteers as well. And if you don’t see them you can always donate online here: Agacatcharity.com.
Day 5: Caves in Portimao: famous Benagil Cave
One of the most known activities on the Algarve coast is to visit the caves in Portimao. The most famous being Benagil Caves. You can either rent a small boat, kayak or a paddle board. Big boats also visit the caves although they are not allowed to go inside, therefore the experience is not the same. We opted for a kayak and I highly recommend it. We could paddle at our own pace and spend as much time as we wanted. We rented a kayak for 3 hours and were able to cover around 5 different caves in this time.
Cost: 30 € for a 3 hour kayak rent
I recommend to have a full day visiting the caves and to come early in the morning. Aim to come 9am at the latest. We parked our car near the Benagil Beach (Praia de Benagil) and rented a kayak directly there (it was actually cheaper than all the online offers we saw). We finished kayaking at around 12 and we were really grateful that we came early, as the beach and the caves got crazy crowded by lunch time.
After kayaking we decided to explore the caves from the top. You can hike on top of the cakes directly near the parking at the Benagil Beach and walk for several kilometres exploring the caves. You can look down the famous Benagil caves or just enjoy the amazing cliff views from the top.
We finished our journey at Marinha Beach, which is around 20 minute walk from the Benagil caves. It is a large beach with beautiful cliffs and rocks with absolutely stunning views. Unfortunately the water was too cold to swim, but it was still nice to lay on the white sand surrounded by the gigantic cliffs.
Overall, I think it was my personal highlight of the trip and I forever fell in love with Portuguese caves and cliffs.
Day 6: Busy day – Ferragudo, Portimao, Alvor and sunset at Ponta João de Arens
I was so in love with the caves that I was not ready to move on, so we spent the next day exploring more caves and towns along the Algarve coast.
We drove to Ferragudo and its beach Praia da Angrinha. At the beach there is a castle which make unforgettable instagram pictures 🙂
We then headed to explore the town of Ferragudo, which is one of the prettiest villages on the Algarve coast. It has whitewashed houses, azuleijos flowers and hillside streets that are perfect to get lost in. Head to the church Igreja de Ferragudo for nice views.
Only 20 minutes away from the city centre there is a charming lighthouse Ponta do Altar standing on one of the cliffs. It is a great walk along the cliffs with breathtaking cliff views. You can also spot local fishers here. Yes, they are really fishing from a huge cliff 🙂
Afterwards we headed to Portimão, which is the second largest town in the Algarve region, Portugal. It has a big promenade to walk along and a city centre with lots of shops and restaurants. To be honest, the city was not very special, but it is great for an overnight stay as it has many hotels and air-bnbs and it’s close to a lot of beaches.
Afterwards we drove to the next town of Alvor, which was a very nice, small seaside village. Here you can relax at the port and watch the ships or visit Igreja Matriz church. Interesting fact: the church was rebuilt after the Lisbon earthquake in 1755. Overall, it is a nice city to stop by for a couple of hours.
In the evening we got a seafood pizza from ‘Mediterraneamente’ and watched the sunset at Ponta João de Arens. Just imagine sitting on the edge of the cliff, eating the best pizza and watching the sun set over the cliffs and the sea. This was definitely an unforgettable moment and one of the best picnics we have ever done!
Day 7: Portimao, Lagos & Sagres
Next on our itinerary were the city of Lagos and its beaches.
Lagos itself is a more touristic town, but it is understandable why. From here you can easily get to the most beautiful beaches in Portugal. There are also lots of hotels to stay in, as well as restaurants and shops to explore. We didn’t stay here overnight, but we stopped for a couple of hours to explore its city centre. Surprisingly, it still had a lot of very cute traditional houses with blue and yellow doors. In the old town you will also find a church Igreja de Santo António. But in my opinion you should use the proximity of Lagos to all the beaches and go to as many beaches as possible.
Praia dos Estudantes, Praia de Dona Ana, Praia do Camilo, Ponta da Piedade were one of our favourite beaches to visit. Long beaches with perfect white sand and gigantic cliffs. You can also have a great cliff walk between the beaches to see the panoramic views Algarve has to offer. Praia do Camilo is especially great for starting your cliff walk.
Near the Praia do Camillo is actually a very nice secret beach. It is hard to spot and you have to walk along very steep rocks to get to it – but it is definitely worth it. It is actually named as ‘Secret Beach’ on Google maps and you can find it at Praia Dona Ana, 8600-500 Lagos, Portugal. When walking from Praia do Camillo you should look out for the ‘FKK’ sign and just follow it down to the beach. It is actually a nudist beach, so it might not be for everyone, but you are swimming right between the cliffs so the views are just amazing. But you can just walk along the cliffs and go down to every beach that you like and enjoy the views, the sea and the sun.
Day 8 – Day 9: Sagres & Ceramic shops
After our days at the cliffs we were headed to Sagres. Did you know that Sagres was before officially ‘the end of the world’? Before America was discovered people thought that the world ended at Sagres. So be prepared for unforgettable sunsets and gigantic cliffs. Sagres Fortress is a great place to relax and watch the sunset.
Cabo de Sao Vicente is another view spot to stop by. They also have a hotdog stand there named ‘Letzte Bratwurst vor Amerika’, which literally translates to ‘The last sausage before America’. They even issue you a certificate after you eat your hot dog 😀
On our way to Sagres we actually discovered something amazing on the road – a shop full of handmade ceramics. As we learned later the area near Sagres is very well known for its ceramics manufacturing. People all over the world go here to bring something special back home. One of the best shops on our way was Ceramica Paraiso. This shop is like a dream come true for any porcelain lover and it is just hard to not buy everything. There are a lot of colours and pieces to choose from and the prices are just unbeatable. I think we got like 3 bags of porcelain plates, bowls and cups and we were yet about to figure out how to fit it all on the plane with us.
We stayed in sagres two full days, but to be honest one night would have been enough.
Day 10: From Sagres along the coast: Beaches, Bordeira & Aljezur
After Sagres we decided to explore the Northern beaches on the Atlantic coast of Portugal. Here the water is usually colder and the waves are larger, which makes it great for surfing. That’s why here you will see a lot of surfers and camper vans, and way less big chain hotels tourists.
Along the coast there are several different beaches to visit, you can choose one or several depending on how much time you have. If you have more time you can rent a surfboard or even join a surfing school. Here are the beaches we visited:
- Praia da Cordoama – a beach with white sand, cliffs and natural park.
- Praia da Ponta Ruiva – huge sharp, black cliffs.
- Praia do Castelejo – white sand and huge sharp, black cliffs.
All the beaches had free parking nearby and we could always find a spot (sometimes it looked very full at the parking lot, but as the beaches are so large it never felt crowded at all!).
After the beaches we visited the small town of Bordeira and Aljezur, where we stayed overnight.
Day 11: Aljezur & beaches, Longueira
We stayed in Aljezur overnight and had a nice breakfast in the old town the next day. In Aljezur you can stroll along the old town, visit the church Igreja Nova or climb the castle Castelo de Aljezur for the nice views. Next to the Igreja Nova there’s actually a main square where you can get a nice affordable breakfast. We had ours at Cafetaria da Maria. The old town is actually divided by a river so the houses are built along it, which looks very cute.
From Aljezur you can also easily get to many surrounding beaches. Here were some of the ones we visited:
- Praia da Amoreira – this was one of our favourite beaches, as it is located between two cliffs which are separated by a small river that flows into the Atlantic ocean. We actually parked at the opposite side of the beach by the Taberna do Gabriel II. From here you get an amazing view down to the beach and when the tide is low you can just walk over the river to the beach. On our way back there was a high tide and we had to swim through the river and carry our bags on top of our heads to get back to our car 🙂 Here you can swim then both in the ocean and in the river.
- Praia da Zambujeira do Mar – breathtaking views of the town built on top of the cliff rising above the beach. There is also a 3 km-long trail between Zambujeira do Mar and Porto de Pesca that can be walked or biked.
- Praia do Brejo Largo – the beach is located in the landscape of the National park, with cliffs, waves and white sand. It is relatively hard to get to, but it is usually very empty so in the morning you can feel like you are on a deserted island. Isn’t it just perfect?
In the evening we stayed at an Airbnb in Longueira. It is a very small, local village and here you can find one of the most local, empty beaches. We watched the sunset and had a picnic at Praia dos Picos beach (Praia do Brejo Largo is also not far away ) and it was just perfect as it was only the two of us alone sitting on a cliff and enjoying the views. We drove with our car to the beach, but the road leaves much to be desired as it has a lot of sand and holes, but it was definitely worth it.
Day 12: Vila Nova de Milfonte, Odemira & wines in Mertola
In the morning we explored a bigger town along the coast – Vila Nova de Milfontes.
We had breakfast at Pâtisserie & Bakery named Pão Café E Companhia, Lda. We can really recommend it – the cakes here were just perfect and they also have a small shop with all the local delicacies. In fact we liked it so much that we managed to eat here twice in only one day. We ate breakfast at the pier next to Praia da Franquia.
We then drove to Mertola as we wanted to explore the wine from the Alentejo region. On our way we stopped by the city of Odemira. It is worth stopping by in this city only to try the local chocolates at Chocolate de Beatriz. The owner has moved from the Netherlands to Alentejo and makes really great hand crafted chocolates, hot chocolate and coffee. You can enjoy the chocolates either inside or on a lovely wooden terrace with nice views of Odemira. We only regret that it was so hot outside and we couldn’t take some Chocolate as a souvenir back home.
Odemira itself is actually a very nice town to explore. Head to Miradouro do Castelo for the best panoramic views of the town.
Mertola is also a small town with a castle, which is perfect for trying local cuisine and wine. You can also book several river tours here to enjoy the beauty of the region. We stayed at a hotel with a pool overlooking the Castle of Mértola which was really great.
In the evening we enjoyed a meal at Restaurante Tamuje. We tried a local Alentejo dish Migos (it is actually bread fried with spices and sausage, but it is so delicious) with Iberian black pork. The meal was great and I recommend everyone to try as this dish is nearly impossible to find in Lisbon or Porto.
Day 13: more wine tours in Mertola & Beja
A bit about Portuguese wines: Actually before coming to Portugal we have never tried a Portuguese wine, as they are not that popular in Germany. So we didn’t know what to expect. We researched on different wine regions in Portugal and decided to do several wine tours in the Alentejo region.
Alentejo wine offers quite unique wines with distinct flavour profiles. The wines are usually dry and have a high percentage of alcohol (15% is a regular wine), because it can get extremely hot here. The red wines are extremely popular and they are usually made of local grapes such as Aragonês, Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira. If you want to find out more about the wines, we really recommend booking a wine tour. You can simply google the vineyards near you and write or call them. But here is the list of our favourite vineyards:
- Monte da Ravasqueira (7040-121 Arraiolos)
- Vinho de Talha Natural | Honrado Vineyards (Vidigueira, Beja PT, R. Gen. Humberto Delgado 17, 7960-446 Vila de Frades)
- Adega da Figueirinha (São Brissos)
- Quinta dos Termos (6250-161 Carvalhal Formoso)
- Jose de Sousa
- Herdade dos Lagos
- Herdade da Bombeira
Our wine tour at Adega da Figueirinha:
Most vineyards also offer their own olive oil and almonds. They are definitely worth trying and bringing home as a souvenir. And if you don’t have time to visit the vineyards you can buy an affordable bottle of wine to share in nearly every restaurant in Portugal, because they love their wine. My personal tip, ask for the ‘Vino de Casa’ (wine of the house). House wine usually turns out to be the best one chosen from the owner. What we actually did is we tried a wine in the evening in the restaurant and if we liked it we just drove to the vineyard the next day.
We then came to the town of Beja and explored the city. Beja is actually the capital of Alentejo region and it was actually Julius Caesar who made Beja the regional capital. But don’t expect a big, touristic city. Beja actually has a charming medieval flare, cute cobble streets and narrow lanes you can get lost in. Must see in Beja are Castelo de Beja, Igreja Matriz de Castro Verde, Museu Rainha Dona Leonor and Convento de Nossa Senhora da Conceição.
In the evening we had the most amazing evening meal at Taberna A Pipa in Beja. It is a family business and the owner himself welcomes the customers. We felt as if we were visiting a friend’s house, even though we could not speak a word of Portuguese and had to use Google translate. We once again had Migas with Iberian black pork and a nice bottle of wine, and ahh that was so good. Whenever we return to Portugal we will always drive past Beja to have this meal again.
Our road:
Day 14: Reguengos de Monsaraz, Alqueva Dam, Mourão + a wine tour
After Beja we drove across the river to the next town of Mourão, which of course also has a medieval castle Castelo de Mourão to explore. Castelo de Mourão has also great views to offer and it is completely free to visit.
Castle Price: Free
On the way there we also stopped by the Alqueva Dam, but to be honest there was not much to see there (well unless you are intrigued by water dams).
Later we drove up to the town Reguengos de Monsaraz visiting some vineyards on our way. In Vidigueira we visited Jose de Sousa Vineyards (mentioned above in our list) and booked us a tasting set of Alentejo’s cheese, salami and wine for 30€.
Day 15: Monsaraz castle, Évora, Setubal
In the morning we visited Monsaraz Castle which has breathtaking views of the area and all the lakes. It is a very hot and dry region, so the nature and the views are completely different than in other cities. The castle is built on the hill and it dominates a small village, which still has the old city walls in place. The main entrance to the village is through Porta da Vila and walking through the old city you feel like in the medieval ages.
Monsaraz Castle Price: Free
Afterwards we headed to Évora, where we had about 3 hours to explore the city. Évora is actually the capital of the Alentejo region and a UNESCO Site steeped in Roman and medieval heritage. And this Roman history you can see through out town, for example Évora Roman Temple is one of the oldest Roman monuments Portugal has. Evora also has Agua de Prata Aqueduct, which is a roman water aqueduct built in the 16th century.
It is also definitely worth visiting the Cathedral of Évora, which is a Roman Catholic church built in the 13th century. The building itself combines Gothic, Romanesque and Baroque architecture, which makes it a fascinating place to visit. For a small fee you can go up to the roof gardens and enjoy the panoramic views of the city. For more history you can always head to Museu de Évora or just stroll along Évora’s old town still protected by the Roman city walls.
The old town is filled with historic whitewashed houses, with iron balconies and azulejos decorations. There is also a big choice of cafes and restaurants where you can try the local dishes. We tried some local deserts at Pastelaria Conventual Pão de Rala, which we loved.
We actually really enjoyed exploring Évora. We were sad that we had only a couple of hours there, next time we would definitely stay overnight.
Day 16: Setubal
After exploring the hot, dry wine region we were ready to drive back to the coast and we headed to Setubal. And oh god, there are no words to describe the landscape in Setubal. Sometimes I wish I was a poetic writer, and then I could for sure describe in words the beauty: gigantic cliffs rising above the ocean filled with jungles of trees. And the water was so pure blue that you wanted to jump in it immediately. For me that was love at first sight and I knew Portugal would forever have a special place in my heart.
We were lucky to stay at a great Airbnb in Setubal and the host gave us a lot of local tips on what we can explore around the area. So now I can share the route with you.
From Setubal take N-10 road in the direction of Forte de Albarquel. Your first stop will be Forte de São Filipe. It is free to enter and you can enjoy the views and a magnificent hidden church filled from the bottom to the ceiling with blue and white azulejos.
Afterwards continue on the N-10 road and then take a left turn to go on a smaller N379-1 road. Your second stop would be Forte Velho do Outão. At the entrance you would see the gates, but you can just drive past them until you reach the Fort. It is actually abandoned, but it offers one of the most amazing views.
From here you can drive further to Miradouro do Portinho da Arrábida. This is one of the highest points on the road and you can park your car on the side. From here you can also enjoy stunning views of the area. You can either meet the sunset here or return to the beach and enjoy a meal or a Sangria at Rockalot Praia bar directly at the beach.
We also explored the town of Setubal itself, but to be honest you can skip it and just enjoy the beautiful nature that surrounds the city. When you have more days in Setubal you can also drive around to the other side and visit Sesimbra, Reserva Natural do Estuário do Sado or Comporta. Setubal lagoon is also popular for dolphin and whale watching and you will see a lot of tours offering it. When you have time I think it can be a very memorable event if you are lucky to see the whales (usually you need around half a day for such tour). We will definitely return here.
Day 17-19: Lisbon & Sintra
On the next day we drove to Lisbon (the capital of Portugal), but on our way we managed to stop on the beach Praia da Lagoa de Albufeira-Mar for one last swim. In Lisbon we gave our car back for the days that we explored the city. We had two full days to explore Lisbon. On the 3rd day we rented a new car and headed to explore the castles of Sintra.
To find more about Lisbon, what to see and what to eat check out this article. As there are so many things to mention about Lisbon & Sintra that I am afraid you will not get to the end of our ‘24-days Around Portugal’ by Car blog 🙂
Lisbon & Sintra article
Day 20: Peniche & Nazare
After exploring Lisbon & Sintra and getting a new car we were ready to explore Northern Portugal and headed to Peniche.
On our way we stopped by Azenhas do Mar, which is a small town built on the hill right above the sea with a natural pool built within the cliff. It makes a great little stop and nice Instagram pictures.
Afterwards we stopped at Foz do Lizandro beach. There are also other beaches on the way if you have time: Praia do Giribeto or Praia Azul. Foz do Lizandro is a beach break that is formed by a river mouth. It has perfect white sand and perfect waves for surfing, so don’t be surprised to see surfing schools here. We also stopped several times along the way to enjoy the scenic view (as for example in this spot: 39.0214469,-9.4232382).
Peniche itself is also a larger town, but if you follow N114 road you can drive around the Peniche coast and stop at different points and enjoy the beauty of the cliffs and caves. We even managed to find a secret ladder that allowed an access to one of the caves. Let’s see if you can find it on your way? Here you can also visit Fort of Peniche, which used to be a prison for political prisoners in the past. It is free to visit and there is interesting information inside explaining the past of this prison, which is also available in English.
After driving around Peniche we decided not to stay here overnight and headed to Nazare.
On the way we stopped at Óbidos, which is a small town filled with white houses with bright yellow doors. If you have more time here you can also visit the castle Castelo e Conjunto Urbano da Vila de Óbidos and the church Igreja de Santa Maria.
On our way we also found a beautiful beach, Praia da Foz do Arelho. The beach was actually really different from the ones we saw before and it had a lot of sand dunes. If you have ever been to Denmark, then you can picture the sand dunes. It was great to sit down, read a book and watch the sunset.
We also stopped by at Praia de São Martinho do Porto, which is another small beach for a quick stop. To be honest we could have had an extra day in the area to enjoy the beaches longer. We felt a bit rushed, but in the evening we reached Nazare and still managed to have a great dinner.
Nazare:
Nazare is very famous for its waves. In fact, in winter times it has one of the highest waves in Europe reaching 30 metres in height. Just imagine, in the photo below you can see a red lighthouse and in winter the waves can reach it. The pure enormous scale of waves is fascinating. You can watch the waves from the famous viewpoint Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo.
Nazare consists of three neighbourhoods: Praia (along the beach), Sítio (an old village, on top of a cliff) and Pederneira (another old village, on a hilltop). Praia and Sítio are linked by the Nazaré Funicular, so you can either walk up or take a short funicular ride. The funicular departs every 15 minutes and costs €1.50 for a one-way ticket or €2.90 for a round trip.
In Praia, stroll along the beach and head to Avenida Manuel Remígio, where you can see traditional fishing boats and women fishmongers drying fish, a long standing tradition of Nazare. In Sítio you can stroll along the old village and visit the viewpoint Miradouro do Suberco, from where you can see the town, the ocean and the cute little funicular. Nearby there is also a nice church to visit – Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré. In Pederneira you can visit the viewpoint Miradouro da Pederneira, where you can also see the downtown. There is also Igreja da Misericórdia da Pederneira, a church built in Mannerism style with side altars in gilded wood. As we had limited time we only visited the Sítio and Praia part.
On the promenade and in the city centre there are plenty of restaurants, but in my opinion they had more of a ‘tourist’ cuisine and a higher price. After searching for hours for a more local restaurant we ended up at Sitiado. We actually had to wait for an hour to get a place as we hadn’t booked, but it was sooo worth it. Here we had one of the best dinners in our entire life and of course as karma has it, mine and my husband’s phone died out of battery. The dishes here are meant to be shared, so I recommend taking at least 2 dishes per person and then sharing everything together. And of course don’t forget to ask for the house wine to accompany your meal 🙂
Day 21: Batalha, Coimbra & Aveiro
We continued to travel up north and the first city we stopped by was Batalha. Batalha is a small city with around 15000 inhabitants, but surprisingly it has one of the most beautiful cathedrals we have seen on our way – Mosteiro da Batalha. Monastery of Batalha is a UNESCO heritage site built in 1385 to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese over the Castilians. It is a very impressive Gothic architecture and definitely worth a stop.
Price Mosteiro da Batalha: free for praying, €6 to visit the chapel and two cloisters
We then stopped by to have lunch and explore the city of Coimbra. Coimbra used to be Portugal’s capital and it is built around the Mondego River. The city still has a well-preserved medieval old town, which is perfect for exploring. You can enter the town through Almedina Gate, which was one of the old entrance points to the city once ruled by Moors. In town you can visit several churches like Igreja de Santa Cruz, which is a beautiful monastery decorated with blue and white azulejos. Not only is it beautiful, but it actually has a big historical significance. The first two kings of Portugal were buried here and the monastery was granted the status of National Pantheon. If you are hungry, check out Pastelaria Penta, Lda. – they make the best cakes and also have options for lunch, such as Portuguese toasties.
It is also recommended to visit Coimbra university, which is the first such institution in Portugal and it was built in the former Royal Palace. As it is based on top of the hill, you can enjoy really nice views of the city and the river from Coimbra’s Botanical Garden that belongs to the university. For more city views head to Miradouro do Penedo da Saudade to enjoy nice city and river views.
There are actually many other things to do in Coimbra, so I recommend staying here overnight if you have time. But as we didn’t have time we actually drove to Aveiro, where we stayed overnight.
Aveiro
Aveiro is usually referred to by locals as ‘the Venice of Portugal’, as it has river canals and colourful boats. These boats were traditionally used to harvest seaweed, but now are used mostly as a tourist attraction, nearly like in Venice. 🙂 In Aveiro you can learn about salt production and see the salt baths, that date back to the 12th century. In fact Aveiro used to be a major salt-producing town and it played an important role in its economy. To explore the salt baths head to Marinha Peijota Cale do Oiro. To be honest we expected a bit more from Aveiro and after walking a couple of hours in the city centre we actually wished we spent more time in Coimbra.
Our road:
Day 22: Viana do Castelo
Afterwards we drove to Viana do Castelo, which is one of the biggest cities in the north of Portugal. Here you can take a funicular ride on Elevador de Santa Luzia to reach Santuário de Santa Luzia, which is a beautiful church built on top of the mountain. From here you have picturesque views of the city and can admire the church’s architecture. Unfortunately during our visit the church was closed so we couldn’t see the inside of it.
In my opinion it was not worth driving so long here for only one day. Next time I would have skipped it and headed to the National Park Peneda-Gerês instead. But I heard if you are staying longer in the regions then it is definitely worth exploring the nearby beaches.
Unfortunately it got rainy at the end of the journey so we decided not to go hiking in Peneda-Gerês National Park, but I would definitely recommend having couple of extra days for it.
Day 23: Guimarães & Braga
Before reaching our final destination of Porto we visited Guimarães and stayed overnight in Braga.
Guimarães is a very important city in Portuguese history and is known as ‘the birthplace of Portugal’. The first Portuguese king was born here and Guimarães was a capital city when Portugal struggled for independence. The most popular place to visit is Guimarães Castle, which was built in the 10th century and is now classified as UNESCO World Heritage.
Price Guimarães Castle: free
After Guimarães we drove to Braga – the capital of Northern Portugal’s Minho region. It is actually referred to as Portuguese oldest city. Its history dates back more than 2000 years, when it used to be a Roman city of Bracara Augusta. Nowadays it is actually a fast developing city with many young people and students. Despite it raining all day we actually really liked Braga and its charming streets.
To explore Braga: Enter the old town through old town gate Arco da Porta Nova and get lost in the cobble streets and enjoy Braga’s street music. Visit Braga Cathedral Sé de Braga, which is the oldest cathedral in Portugal. Head to Raio Palace to see amazing 18th century azuleijos. Climb 577 stairs to Bom Jesus do Monte, which is a historic pilgrimage site.
Price Sé de Braga: 2 €
In the evening we enjoyed a pizza on our balcony from Pizzaria Luzzo | Braga and listened to the street music outside.
Day 24-26: Porto
We gave back our car in Porto and spent the last 3 days here before flying back. As Porto has so many things to offer I decided to write a separate article about it here. Check out the article to find what to do, what to see and where to eat in Porto.
Porto article
Oh I feel actually quite sad and nostalgic to reach the end of this blog and our last day in Portugal. Travelling across Portugal by car was one of the best trips in our life so far. The weather, the nature, the food, the wine and the people made this journey unforgettable. And I wish that by writing this blog I can help you to plan your own journey and explore Portugal beyond its main cities. Visit the hidden cities, get on an unbeaten path, visit the local markets and get friends with the locals!
General Tips for travelling in Portugal:
Restaurants: Eat early or book in advance. Good restaurants are always reserved, so make sure to also book in advance. But if you forgot or want to be spontaneous then come to the restaurant at around 19:00. This is the time when most of the restaurants just start to open. Portuguese people usually eat later at 20:00-21:00. So even if a restaurant tells you that they are fully reserve you can ask if you can eat at 19 and leave by 21, usually they will have a free table then 🙂
Shipping Wine: be prepared that you can’t ship wine by DHL in Europe (you need a special licence for it). We didn’t know it so we had to buy an extra suitcase to take back home. And we still drank a bottle of wine a day to finish all the wines we bought 😀
Museums are free on the first Sunday of the month. Also ask if they offer any student or EU citizen discounts. And if not we found that most of the attractions in Portugal are either free or not expensive at all. 🙂
Bread & Olives as a starter. In restaurants you will usually get served some couverts (bread, olives, cheese) which are not free. Usually a small fee of around 1-2€ is charged for them. You can kindly say no or just enjoy it 🙂
Souvenirs: I would say the best souvenirs are wine, olive oil, cheese and salami! The food in Portugal is just incredible.
1 Comment
Silas · January 8, 2022 at 2:20 pm
He Eve,
What a great blogpost. Definitely saving up to go there at one point in the near future!