PORTUGAL
Lisbon:
Anything with a *, I highly recommend.
Getting there:
Direct flight from NYC to Lisbon on TAP Air Portugal.
Where we stayed:
Lisboa Pessoa Hotel* - Located in the Chiada neighborhood (in the city center) and walkable to just about everything we did. Gym and a spa (with a great indoor pool), plus a refined top-floor restaurant/bar with a terrace that overlooks the city. Breakfast is not included.
Where we ate and drank:
Bairro do Avillez (Taberna)* - Next block over from our hotel. Grabbed lunch after we checked in. It’s several restaurants under one roof created by chef José Avillez. We had cheese/charcuterie, beef croquettes, crispy cod, prawns w garlic and chile, coffee + wine.
Sala de João Sá* - We did the five course tasting menu (110€ + 70€ for wine pairing) which was INCREDIBLE. This was our splurge meal as we were celebrating Scott’s 50th. Definitely a little more on the stuffier side when it came to the vibe but everything we had from chef João Sá was absolutely delicious.
Toca da Raposa* - Located on the back side of our hotel, this was a great find! Small, dark and very cool vibe, they only allow a limited number of people in. All of the drinks are named after animals and were all so good! We had the Beaver and the Polar Bear.
Merendinha - Stumbled upon this for breakfast. We both had avocado sandwiches and coffee. Solid.
Cais das Colunas - Right in the heart of it. We had the black paella and clams.
Da Noi* - Our favorite meal of the entire trip and the vibe was perfect. It was a nice walk from our hotel through parts of Lisbon that we may not have discovered on our own and was located on a residential street. Drinks were GREAT, food was amazing and the lighting was so good. We had the pickles, halloumi, tuna taco, scallops, white beans, shrimp pappardelle, tomato salad, and the potato terrine. Do not miss this spot and definitely make a reservation.
Vago* - Recommended from our server at Da Noi, Vago is an “underground cave bar.” We got there on the earlier side (post dinner) and got seats at the bar. Drinks were great and it’s a really cool space. It definitely started to fill up as the night when on and can very much turn into a scene from what we were told. There was also a DJ.
Side Bar - Gay bar in Barrio Alto at the welcoming festive "corner of the world", where you meet people from everywhere. Small, festive gay bar where you grab a drink and stand out on the street. It was pretty fun.
Casa Dos Pescados - Located right around the corner from our hotel, we stopped in for a wine or two as our final night cap for the evening. We probably didn’t need the second glass. LOL
Lisboa Pessoa Hotel - Breakfast on the top floor of our hotel. Was buffet style and cost $51 for both of us.
Padaria Saloia - Bakery were we had lunch in Sintra. We split a veggie pizza and it was good.
Amorino Gelato - Needed an afternoon pick me up. Solid gelato.
Las Dos Manos* - We only had a drink here as we had a reservation somewhere else but it looked amazing! Japanese - Mexican fusion and the space was really cool.
The Decadante* - Cool space that had both indoor and outdoor seating. Definitely a shared plates vibe and everything we had was delicious: sourdough with smoked butter, smoked corn, Decadente’s fried chicken, cured horse mackerel, Iberian black pork, and Old Fashioned to drink.
Federico’s* - Located inside The Palacio Ludovice hotel, we stopped in for a nightcap….or two. Beautiful space. We had a Manhattan, Paper Plane and then ended the night with some delicious wine.
Caffe di Marzano* - Had a delicious breakfast at this charming eatery that serves food all day. We had the eggs Benedict, halloumi + scrambled eggs and lots of coffee. Great last meal in Lisbon.
What we did:
Strolled to the famous Pink Street (Calle Rosado)
The Time Out Market - Tons of food vendors, etc.
Shopping - We did a lot of shopping - small boutiques, bigger chains we have in the U.S. but with different items. So many hidden gems tucked in to the streets of Lisbon.
Castelo de São Jorge* - Walkable from our hotel and the walk was great. Cute shops, cafes and restaurants lined the streets. You do need tickets but we bought them on the spot. A great place to wander around, kill a few hours and the view from the top is absolutely worth it.
Sintra and Pena National Palace - Everyone said we had to go, so we did. Located in small, charming town that’s around a 30 min drive from Lisbon. We took an Uber there (note: make sure you put in that you are going to Pena Palace and not just the town) and took the train ($3.25) back to Lisbon. The locals aren’t thrilled with the boom in tourism as traffic. We were very hungover when we went so it wasn’t our favorite thing. We just did The Palace (tickets were like 17€ plus $5 to take the bus up, you can walk), which is painted bright primary colors, which gave us access to walk through the palace. It was quite crowded the day we were there.
Tavira:
Getting there:
We rented a car near the airport from RecordGo. It did take about an hour to actually get the car, not sure if that’s normal or not. From there it was about a 3 hour drive (with a a few stops) to Tavira. The drive was easy and beautiful through vineyards, olive and orange groves. Hot tip: The service areas have GREAT sandwiches and other bites!
Where we stayed:
Colegio Charm House* - LOVED THIS SPOT. Great location and the space was really beautiful. Manor house turned boys boarding school, it had two pools (some rooms have their own), a beautiful restaurant (the breakfast was AMAZING) and a roof top where you can lounge.
Where we ate:
Restaurante Nó De Gosto* - Right in the town center this was a cute spot that also felt very local. We had the couvert (bread, olives, herbed better, cod spread), smoked ham from Zambujal, vegetables tempura, tuna magnum, scallop and shrimp risotto, and wine. So good!
Colegio Charm House* - I mentioned it above but IT WAS SO GOOD and you got SO MUCH FOOD.
Capelo - Located in the small fishing village of Santa Luzia (the next town over and a short/inexpensive cab ride away) which is known as the “Octopus Capital” of the Algarve. Oddly, they did not have octopus, but we had the couvert, tuna and the sardines…all delicious.
Maria Nova Hotel Nomad Bar
What we did:
Strolled through the town and popped into the local shops and boutiques. It’s small town with a river that runs through it into the ocean and a lovely place to just wander slowly.
Praia da Ilha de Tavira* - Took a ferry (2.5€) from town to Tavira Island for a day at the beach. We found chairs with an umbrella (15€) at Xiri Beach Club where we also got Aperol Spritzes and toasties for lunch.
Maria Nova Hotel Nomad Bar - Rooftop bar at the Maria Novia Hotel Nomad. Incredible views or Tavira.
Carvoeiro:
Getting there:
About an hour drive west from Tavira without stops, which of course we made.
Where we stayed:
Hotel Carvoeiro Plaza - You can’t beat the location. Right off the beach, right in the heart of it all. The room itself was fine. We had a sea room that had a balcony and breakfast was included (it was just fine), and a rooftop bar.
Where we ate and drank:
O Rustíco Restaurante* - We found this on our way to Carvoeiro after we stopped at Praia de Marinha for a few hours. It was so good! So good that we actually ate here twice. We had the white fish ceviche, the octopus (the best I’ve ever had), the tuna tataki salad and wine. Great spot!
Hotel Carvoeiro Plaza Rooftop Bar - Had a drink before dinner. Great view.
Encci*- Such a cute spot! If you can snag a table outside, I highly recommend. We had the burrata di andria, pizza 3 mozzarella, pizza nduja, bicicletta cocktail, and wine. SO GOOD!
Casa Algarvia - Traditional Portuguese food and it felt very local. We had the couvert, Portuguese clams, cataplana, cod fish broa, and, of course, wine.
Tapas de Vila* - Right up the hill from our hotel, great spot overlooking the beach. We had the fish soup, cod croquettes, shrimp with piri piri…all great!
Boneca Bar* - Super cool spot built into the cliffs. Definitely make a reservation. We just did wine and the couvert.
Chef’s Kitchen* - Chef Harald has put together a menu together the most delicious flavors from Europe, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. We had the meatballs, spring rolls, tuna tataki, pork tacos, Old Fashioneds, and wine. Definitely a highlight.
Round Up Saloon Bar - We struck up a conversation with the two women sitting next to us at Chef’s Table, Helena and Sonya, and they invited us to join them at this bar for Karaoke Night which was WILD and apparently every Brit in the Algarve was there.
What we did:
Praia de Marinha* - World-renowned beach in the Algarve with it’s dramatic cliffs, clear water and iconic rock formations. We just did the beach but there’s a lot more to explore - hikes, caves, and coves. The parking was a little….nerve-racking.
Strolled through town to explore the shops, boutiques, etc.
Brotherootz Kayak Tour* - This was AMAZING. The tours are capped at 12 people per group and take about two hours. You get to kayak along the incredible coastline, exploring the caves, including the famous Benagil Cave. Our guide was Caio and he was amazing.
Casa Grade-Artesanatos Grade & Filhos, Lda* - Incredible pottery warehouse. We bought a few things!
Took a big walk along the Caminho dos Promontorios* and Caminho Algar Seco and the Boneca Cave*. Incredibles views! The cliffs along the coast are so dramatic and the Boneca Cave is to fun to explore and climb all over.
Praia do Carvoeiro - Steps from our hotel, crescent shaped beach. We wanted to get a little bit more beach time in before we left.
Getting back to Lisbon
Easy 2.5 hour drive back to Lisbon to head back home and, yes, we stopped at a service area to get another delicious sandwich.