18 July 2024

Two Weeks in Portugal: What I Wish I'd Known

I spent two weeks in Portugal in June — a week in Lisbon, a few days in the Alentejo region, and a few days in Porto. Some things I’d read about; others caught me completely off guard.

Lisbon

The hills are real and relentless. Comfortable shoes are not optional. The tram 28 is charming but extremely crowded; walking the same route is often faster and far more pleasant.

The food I loved most wasn’t in any restaurant — it was a pastel de nata eaten standing outside a bakery at 8am, still warm. Eat these every day. There’s no reason not to.

Bairro Alto was lively but touristy. Mouraria and Mouraria’s edges felt more like an actual neighbourhood. Alfama in the early morning, before the tour groups, is genuinely beautiful.

Alentejo

This was the unexpected highlight. Rolling plains, cork oak forests, tiny whitewashed villages, extraordinarily good wine. Far fewer tourists than the coast. Évora is worth a full day. Stay somewhere rural if you can — the silence at night is remarkable.

Porto

Smaller and more walkable than Lisbon. The bookshop Livraria Lello is worth seeing despite the queue (buy a book so the entry fee counts toward something). The Douro Valley is an easy day trip and completely stunning.

Practical Notes

  • The weather in June was perfect — warm but not oppressive.
  • Driving between cities was easy and inexpensive.
  • Portuguese people are patient with non-Portuguese speakers but light up if you try even a few words.

I’d go back immediately.