Lisbon and Porto, city stops
For those of you who have given up on city destinations, it's time to reconsider your choice!
Because Lisbon like Porto are at the gates of the ocean, at the mouth of a river.
Two cities of Portugal that breathe the spray!
In one stroke of a bike along the Tagus or the Douro, you are on the coast.
The icy waves, the warm sand and the beach bars are yours.
Faced with the recent craze for the great outdoors and open spaces, the hotels in Porto and Lisbon are charging very attractive prices.
So do not ignore these two oceanic cities and come breathe the sea air in the city!
Read also: Portugal, Italy ... Southern Europe is reopening to the French, where to go for weekends and for your summer vacation?
In the same day, you can visit a museum, a convent, stroll in a concept store palace, have a drink on a rooftop, dine with a starred chef and go to the beach.
What other capital in Europe, apart from Stockholm, has as much sea foot as Lisbon?
Ultra ventilated in summer, Lisbon sends you fresh iodized air in large swirls.
In the evening on the terrace, drunk with spray, we will bundle up in a blanket to watch the sun set over the Tagus or the Douro.
WHERE TO PUT THE SUITCASES
In Lisbon
Pestana Palace
, Rua Jau, 54. Tel.
: +351 213 615 600. From € 201.
Casa do Barão
, Rua da Emenda, 84. Tel.
: +351 967 944 143. From 147 €.
Memmo Alfama
(designhotels.com)
,
Travessa Merceeiras, 27. Tel.
: +351 210 495 660. From € 200.
Read also: Our 10 favorite hotels in the heart of Lisbon for less than 150 euros per night
In Porto
Pestana Palácio do Freixo
, Estrada Nacional 108. Tel.
: +351 21 040 7600. From € 189 per night.
Read also: In Portugal, ten charming hotels along the Douro
Sintra, jungle bath
You can't miss the Pena National Palace, a must-see in the Sintra region.
Jose Ignacio Soto / Adobe Stock
You could easily spend a whole week in Sintra without getting bored, as it is an exceptionally rich universe! At the rate of 8 classified sites; between flamboyant palaces, exuberant gardens and bewitching forest, each day can be devoted to a unique exploration. The Serra de Sintra (which rises to 529 meters) is a bubble of tropical and dreamlike jungle just 30 kilometers from Lisbon. A world apart, which continues to exert an intact fascination on the traveler for more than two centuries.
First, the Serra de Sintra enjoys a microclimate conducive to mysteries.
Full of water and springs, Sintra emerges from the mist.
In summer, the temperature is a good ten degrees cooler than in Lisbon.
The Lisbon nobility, to escape the heat of the capital, came to go green here.
The city loved artists and free spirits, each one coming there to pursue their dream, to build a palace or a madness, to plant a garden of rare and exotic essences.
Sintra is the result of a multitude of visions and dreams.
To stay there is to enter into a powerful imagination with a high chlorophyll content!
WHERE TO PUT THE SUITCASES
Lawrence's Hotel
, the oldest hotel (1764) on the Iberian Peninsula, is also the guesthouse where Lord Byron stayed.
The deliciously old-fashioned charm of an establishment light years away from a boutique hotel.
Rua Consiglieri Pedroso 38. Tel.
: +351 21 910 5500. From € 151.
WHERE TO DRINK A GLASS
Raiz Sintra.
A small, hidden bar with a terrace and stunning views of the Sintra National Palace.
Live concert under the stars of bossa nova, reggae and other DJs.
Volta do Duche n ° 2.
Phone.
: +351 219 243 521.
TO VISIT
8 historical monuments and parks to visit in the heart of nature, listed on parquesdesintra.pt and regaleira.pt.
Read also: Five charming getaways less than an hour from Lisbon
Serra da Estrela, Portugal at the top
The village of Cabeça, in the Serra da Estrela, one of the least populated regions of Portugal.
Luis Pedro Duarte da Fonseca / Adobe Stock
Of course, Portugal is oceanic.
And in this narrow country, the sea is never far away.
But in the north center, in the Serra da Estrela (the “mountain of the star”), the ocean seems to be the end of the world.
Because here we rub shoulders with the mountain, whose highest point is at 1993 m, the highest peak in the country.
Serra da Estrela, classified as a World Geopark by UNESCO, is a territory occupied by shepherds and their traditions.
One of the least populated regions of Portugal.
A few villages remain, often abandoned.
In summer, we dive into its lakes, cool off in its waterfalls, follow the springs and the shepherds' trails.
Notice to hikers!
A paradise awaits you.
A mineral, monumental setting of standing stones and phantasmagorical rocks as if a meteor shower had descended on these wild immensities.
Without forgetting the beauty of centuries-old know-how: the famous queijo da Serra da Estrela (PDO cheese) and the magnificent work of wool.
Finally, the sweetness of family hospitality in small jewel hotels, run by owners who have fallen in love with this ultra-exotic landscape.
Read also: Travel diary in the heart of Serra da Estrela, the path of the stars
WHERE TO PUT THE SUITCASES
Casa da Penhas Douradas
,
at an altitude of 1,500 meters, a mountain-style hotel designed by the owners of Burel Factory, the woolen factory.
6260-200, Manteigas, Tel.
: + 351 275 981 045 / + 351 963 384 026. From € 135.
Casas da Lapa
,
700 meters from the first, a very decorative boutique hotel in restored village houses, which stretches out into terraces with two swimming pools, a lawn under fruit trees, a waterfall and a panoramic view of the massif.
Hike to reach Casa das Penhas Douradas, stay partnership between the two hotels.
Rua Eira da Costa 10, 6270-651 Lapa dos Dinheiros.
Phone.
: +351 911 851 895. From € 145.
TO VISIT
These two essential woolen mills in Manteigas, shopping at the exit of the factory:
Burel Factory
,
Rua de Benguela 4, 6260-028 Manteigas.
Phone.
: +351 913 285 370.
Ecolã
,
Rua dos Amieiros Verdes, 6260-028 Manteigas.
Phone.
: +351 275 981 653 and +351 919 736 720.
Marvão, the last frontier
From the impregnable citadel of Marvão at 860 meters above sea level in the Serra de São Mamede Natural Park, the Spanish lands extend as far as the eye can see.
Adobe Stock
On the other side, it's Spain!
From the impregnable citadel of Marvão (High Alentejo) at 860 meters above sea level in the Serra de São Mamede Natural Park, the Spanish lands extend as far as the eye can see.
You are in the center of Portugal in one of the most beautiful villages in the country, a fierce bastion.
Everything speaks of the struggle of Portugal to defend its border (Raia) against the sworn enemy, Spain!
Along this line, a succession of fortified villages tells this story.
You will choose a sporting, peaceful and unusual experience: pedaling on the old railway line aboard kinds of pedal-powered karts.
WHERE TO PUT THE SUITCASES
Train Spot Guesthouse
, a small hotel in an old train station.
A listed building, dating from the 19th century, for a stay like no other!
Accommodation in double rooms with private or shared bathroom, small apartments for 2 to 4 people.
Largo da Alfândega 4, 7330-012 Beirã.
Phone.
: +351 963 237 402 / + 351 912 576 378. From € 50.
RIDE
Rail Bike Marvão, 15 and 32 km cycle routes.
Algarve, relaxation & surfing
From the Sagres lighthouse, Cape Saint-Vincent, in the Algarve, we think of the great discoveries of the 15th and 16th centuries ... Adobe Stock
The Algarve is a long horizontal strip which stretches due south at each end of the country like an azure ribbon, from Cape Saint-Vincent in the west to the Andalusian border in the east. So from the tonic and stormy Atlantic, to a Mediterranean hinterland with salt marshes, languid islands and lagoons. Two rhythms, two styles. Sporty or idleness. On the Cape Saint-Vincent side, we think of the great discoveries of the 15th and 16th centuries, since it all started here. Portugal's illustrious maritime past inspires respect. On the outskirts of the cape we will pay tribute to this people of sailors by practicing surfing, kite, windsurf, foil, wing and company. Wind and waves at will! We will choose as base camp the Memmo Baleeira, in Sagres, a design hotel for surfers like its owner; Rodrigo Machaz, a man of the sea.His hotel looks out over Cape Saint-Vincent. This is where the swells arrive first. The call of the sea!
Read also: Discover the rural and little-known Algarve, a (very) good reason to turn your back on the ocean
Change of scenery 10 km from Faro.
Olhão, fishing port and small white town slap on the blazing sun.
We bask on the roof terrace, we stroll in its alleys, we take fishing boats to reach the islands, tongues of virgin sand placed between sky and sea in the Ria Formosa Natural Park.
WHERE TO PUT THE SUITCASES
Memmo Baleeira
(/www.designhotels.com), Sítio da Baleeira, 8650-357 Sagres.
Phone.
: +351 282 624 212. From € 144.
Luz do Algarve
.
Very nice collection of houses for rent.
So many examples of successful renovations in the historic center that celebrate traditional architecture.
We immediately adopt this infinitely seductive art of living between patios and rooftop terraces!
From 80 €.
Douro Valley, a life of
"
quinta
"
Not far from Porto, we visit the Douro Valley for its vineyards.
Adobe Stock
For many it is impossible to go to Porto without a getaway in the Douro Valley and its vineyards.
In this case, an address is essential: the Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta.
A place apart where we perceive the whole wine dimension of this region.
Because Ventozelo is above all a
quinta
, that is to say an agricultural domain.
Tractors pass under your windows in the morning, we meet farm workers during walks in the vineyards.
It picks, it spades, it sows, it plants in the terraced vegetable garden, a sublime model of the genre.
In short, it is activated!
You are placed at the heart of this activity of which you become the witness and the privileged guest.
The culture of the land is intrinsically intertwined with hospitality.
A real vision with an approach of conservation and education: a museum transmits this terroir, the cellars are lit even at night and you can visit them after dinner.
Read also: Wine tourism: trip to the Douro Valley, departing from Porto
The Cantina restaurant is located in the former canteen of agricultural workers.
Ventozelo is a demanding and ambitious place, with a strong identity, which perpetuates simplicity and a taste for good things.
We will be welcomed in a divine garden of aromatic herbs.
A delicious preamble crowned by the white chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame des Plaisirs, quite a program!
We will go by paths between gently sloping valleys to reach the Douro to take a boat.
WHERE TO PUT THE SUITCASES
Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta
,
5130-135 São João da Pesqueira.
From 170 €.
More information
: Companhia Turística do Douro
Alentejo, ocean rides
From the Herdade da Matinha guest house, a 7 km path leads to the ocean and the Costa Alentejana.
Adobe Stock
“Alentejo” literally means beyond the Tagus.
It is therefore necessary to cross the river, south of Lisbon, to enter this region which extends to the Spanish border.
There is the Alentejo inland and the Alentejo on the sea side, where the beaches are endless, between dunes and cliffs abundantly watered by waves.
The region is renowned for its slowness.
It is in Herdade da Matinha that we will follow the local rhythm, set back from the Costa Alentejana (a 7 km path leads to the ocean) in this wild and rural world made up of vastnesses and small villages.
We have the choice to go surfing or to go on foot or on horseback through fields and forests.
WHERE TO PUT THE SUITCASES
Herdade da Matinha.
This guest house is first and foremost a family story, that of Alfredo and Monica who have chosen to receive their guests and raise their children in the heart of nature in this old farmhouse.
Children grew up spending their lives surfing, riding and diving in the pool.
A program that will be yours!
Alfredo is a painter.
His colorful, vibrant canvases are a reflection of the explosion of joy and peace that this place inspires.
“Alegria e Paz”, one of the house mottos.
755-342 Cercal do Alentejo.
Phone.
: +351 933 739 245. From 152 €.
Prepare your trip:
Portugal Tourist Office.
