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Trip Report
Lisbon and Porto Itinerary
Favorite stops of a 2 week road trip through Portugal. There are also so many things to see between Lisbon and Porto. Dive in!
EuropePortugal9 days / June 2021
Highs & Lows
Pastel de Natas, Port wine and beautiful sunsets
Our trip fell in one of the rainiest summers in Portugal.
Itinerary Overview
Over the past few years, Portugal has become an increasingly popular tourist destination within Europe, for a reason! Located on the southwestern tip of the European continent, it offers an amazing combination of beautiful coastlines, endless surfing opportunities, uncrowded beaches, hidden bays, warm sunny weather, absolutely beautiful cities with stunning architecture, sweet cafes and food restaurants. delicious (Tapas, Port, Pastel de Natas… what more could you ask for?). It is also a place which has many fun plans to do
In 2021 I took a road trip with my best friend from Porto to Lisbon and I will share my highlights about these cities below. They both have an amazing atmosphere, great universities that keep the cities young, and provide plenty of opportunities to do fun things. This goes wonderfully with the historical architecture of the towns, influenced among others by the neoclassical Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo.
We started our trip in Porto and immediately fell for the charm of this city.
Not only is Porto really pretty, also its locals were really welcoming and the streets are paved with amazing restaurants, cafes, bakeries, street art as well as some concept stores.
Apart from visiting specific spots, take some time to simply wander around Portos beautiful little alleys and absorb its special atmosphere.
Find some of my favorite spots in the following.
Fuelling a day for a city trip with coffee is always a good idea and one of the most stunning Cafes I’ve ever been to is C'alma Coffee Room, the historic building it is located in is one of a kind and they definitely take their Coffee business serious.
If you feel like getting some quiet time away from the city center, take a walk to Crystal Palace Gardens. The beautiful, well maintained garden is overlooking the Douro River, close to Porto's centre, you will be rewarded with an amazing view, beautiful plants as well as peacocks wandering around.
In the evening, take a walk along the river Douro, watch street artists performing their shows and cross the bridge Ponte Dom Luís to get to Jardim do Morro. Here, lots of young people gather in the evenings to have a drink (bring your own), listen to music and enjoy the stunning panoramic view and sunset above Porto.
Lisbon is indeed the oldest city in western Europe and you can definitely sense that it is better known than Porto. You can tell that the city is more touristic but also it is one of the most beautiful cities across Europe so it is definitely worth taking the greater crowds.
Our favorite breakfast or brunch spot has been at Fauna & Flora, we loved it for their vegan friendly food as well as jungly-urban vibe. It even has a small terrace allowing you to take in some sunshine whilst waiting for your treasures.
Even though it does not match the cliche of Tapas and wine, we really enjoyed the food at Yallah. They serve middle eastern street food and the flavors as well as the vibe of the place were amazing. In the evening, head to Calçada da Graça for a fabulous view and sundowner, have a drink from the nearby kiosk if you like and enjoy this postcard moment.
Unfortunately, Lisbon was still in a soft lockdown due to Covid when we visited, so clubs were closed and no parties took place but if you get the chance, definitely enjoy a night out in this magic city.
Q & A
What would you have changed?
nothing, everything went amazingAnything go wrong during the trip?
anything, I loved this placeRestaurant recommendations?
- Yallah Lisbon - Flora & Fauna - Heim Cafe Obío Organic Café C'alma Coffee Room Kind KitchenTransportation Tips?
Within the two cities, anything can be walked by food. Indeed, walking makes you explore the most beautiful alleys. At nighttime though, we sometimes chose Uber to get home.Booking details?
We booked everything individually. We highly recommend checking AirBnB for nice accommodations.