Travel itinerary portugal. Algarve. The sea and the best beaches in Portugal! Features of Portuguese cuisine

The main attraction of Portugal: Wine! (this is written by me, a non-drinker).

If I were a man, I would start this post like this: Countries are like girls. There are those who immediately blow their minds with their crazy views, bright colors and you want to come and conquer, while getting drunk with delight and submitting too. But there comes a moment when all the mysteries are solved, the views are photographed and there is nothing more to do here, it's time to move on ...

Portugal is not like that at all. She modestly lives for herself somewhere near the Atlantic Ocean, so that you come and figs you swim here - only if you surf, otherwise you can die in this water. There are no bright colors and no head-spinning beauties.

Started: June 2017, last updated: September 2018.

Portugal is a country that quietly and leisurely draws in and becomes home. And you don’t feel like going anywhere else, because you already know all the best surf spots in this icy ocean and they are really one of the best in the world. Because, waking up after dinner, after a sleepless night of festivities, you go out onto the balcony to the greetings of your personal family of seagulls, who meow and speak your already language .. In general, you drag on trifle after trifle and find that you already live together , you got hooked - that's it.

However, why lyrical digressions here, because you can't wait to find out the most, most interesting places in Portugal and the city of Porto. So let's go. Only these will be my personal soul spots discovered through painstaking searches and experiences, lived through the super moments of my life, and not a list of top attractions that you can find on 100,500 other sites.

Useful information: how to come to Portugal, visa, weather, where to stay

Portugal in my head for a long time was somehow very far away, it is not clear how to get there, there is no information, but simply because I was not looking for it. It turned out that coming here is very simple and generally inexpensive. I tell you how.

Visa to Portugal: what Schengen to get and how

For a trip to Portugal, of course, the easiest way is to get a Spanish Schengen. Get it in Moscow (and visa centers other cities of Russia) is now quite simple, I described in detail my process of obtaining

Plus Spanish Schengen in case of travel to Portugal that:

• The simplest getting
• quickly give a visa and can give for 1-2-3 years,
• to fly to Portugal, you still have to take tickets to Barcelona (or Madrid), that is, the flight will be in the country of the visa - Spain, and this is very good for the visa history.

Life hacks for obtaining a Schengen visa: Before receiving, I highly recommend that you follow my link and read about my experience and all the detailed information (list of documents and how to get them) about how easy it can be, where to get free hotel and flight reservations, and where it is better to buy insurance:

Life hack with the Portuguese national visa. How to live in Portugal longer than 3 months in half a year? This is possible, for this, when entering Portugal, you must immediately apply for a national Portuguese visa, which is given for 3 months. Thus, you can spend 3 months on a Schengen visa, then stay for 3 months on a national visa and then, without leaving, continue living on an automatically renewed Schengen visa (if its duration allows). As a result, you can live in Portugal for 9 months without leaving Europe.

I will be able to describe this process in more detail only when I go through it myself, a little later. I can only say that for national visa you need a contract for renting a house, a certificate of availability of funds from the bank, all kinds of patience and other pieces of paper)

How to get to Portugal from Russia, cheap air tickets

Secondly, of course, you will need a plane ticket. Unless you're hitchhiking, of course. As I already wrote, it will be cheaper to buy a ticket from Russia to Barcelona, ​​for example, and from there to Porto or Lisbon. For example, it's the end of September and I (for once I have such far-reaching plans!) I take a Moscow-Barcelona ticket for 4 thousand rubles and Barcelona-Porto for 2 thousand rubles!

See in advance, but even in 1-2 weeks you can buy inexpensively and even without independent connections.

The advantages of this path:

• It is cheaper to fly to Portugal via Spain than directly from Russia to Portugal,
• you fly into the visa country - Spain, which is good for the visa history.

Search for cheap air tickets need of course

Where to stay in Portugal: apartments, hotels

If in the city that I am flying there are no friends waiting for me with open arms, then first of all I look at the room or apartment. ⇐When registering through my link on this service, you get a bonus for the first booking, so seize the moment, register, the bonus is saved :)

Or in the booking system of hotels, apartments and hostels, if you need to stay for a short time:

Lisbon: what to see, where to go

Lisbon is fun to just walk around. My personal list interesting places in Lisbon is still quite small, but not pop.

Lookouts in Lisbon

• Nossa Senhora do Monte. Viewpoint, where it is beautiful, but too crowded. I keep it on the list only because getting to this site you can see a lot of beautiful streets and graffiti: 38.719193, -9.132789
• Miradouro das Portas do Sol Observation Deck. My favorite view point, where it's more authentic and there are beautiful azulejos and sometimes there are live musicians: goo.gl/maps/HikuYjMeKKT2
• observation deck, very cool place: goo.gl/maps/1M8o6K8G31m
• Cool view from the former abandoned Monsanto restaurant: goo.gl/maps/ZZY1SML5CTM2

LX factory. A small street with all sorts of interesting establishments.

Rda69. A strange place, a kind of community of like-minded people who gather, play and sing, watch films and discuss them, eat vegan food: 38.726710, -9.135859 Guys website: rda69.net

Nearby place with live music: 38.725123, -9.132425

Abandoned Monsanto Restaurant One of the most grandiose abandoned places of my life is a restaurant in Lisbon. Now it has been opened for visits and it is no longer as interesting there as it was during the days of illegal climbing. You can view the report

The abandoned palace of the garbage king. A grandiose place near Lisbon, but you have to manage to get there and climb through. Full report

Others, more popular places: For fans of more familiar entertainment, they say Porto has an excellent oceanarium and early in the morning it is worth a ride on the popular tourist tram number 28, but only early in the morning - then there are a crowd of people and you won’t see anything.

Where to eat in Lisbon, Portuguese cuisine, the best non-touristic places

I am writing here purely Portuguese authentic grandiose places, where there is a lot of delicious food and Portuguese people and which are not yet in guidebooks and excursions (I will try not to hand over to the Chinese):

• About Batista, the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and is full of Portuguese and various local food, I didn’t even know how varied the Portuguese cuisine in Lisbon was until I got here: goo.gl/maps/BkdyqAB8x8T2
• This is generally a demolition of the brain and an overflow of the abdomen, no matter what diet you are on. You only need to go here if you are very hungry, for 18 euros you can take everything and in any quantity:

Sintra, a city of ancient castles near Lisbon

Algarve. The sea and the best beaches in Portugal!

I have been to many beaches in the world, but the beaches of the Algarve! It is impossible to really swim here for those who are not amateurs. cold water, but this beauty is beyond.

→ You can get to the Algarve by bus from Lisbon, Porto, and apparently any city in Portugal. Sometimes flying by plane is cheaper () than by bus if you find tickets in advance. And you can leave by bus on the same day / hour.

→In the Algarve itself, it is better to rent a scooter or a car, because the territories are huge and you want to go everywhere.

→ In winter it is even somewhat better here than in summer: it is not so hot and there are almost no people.

Soon I will write more information about the Algarve, but for now, just a few photos and my recommendation to come here is a must.

Doro Valley, motorbike trip from Porto

Other interesting places in Portugal

Monsanto Village

Quite a touristy village, but well worth a visit. Located between Lisbon and Porto, closer to the border with Spain. Photos and how to get there you can see

Mysterious village in the misty mountains

I stumbled upon this village by accident and I have no report on it. But the place is really fabulous. And the photo here is just an example: what you can see if you travel through mountainous Portugal. There is a place near the Sierra de Estrella.

Sierra de Estrella and an abandoned radar station in the mountains

The Serra da Estrela Park is located in the area mountain range Where is Serra da Estrela located? highest point continental Portugal, Mount Torre with a height of 1993 meters. Above Torre in this country is only the Pico volcano, which is located on Azores. You can get here by bike or car. I have written a detailed report on the place

Abandoned resort in the mountains of Portugal

Surfing in Portugal

Pinish and Baleal for surfing

Surfing in Lisbon and Porto

In Lisbon full of schools and excellent surfing, though in the city and not far from it in summer it is not very pleasant to surf, as there are a lot of people on the beaches. You can go to places like Costa de Caparica and surf there.

To Porto the same situation - in summer the public beaches are full of people, but some schools are taken away for more deserted beaches. In fact, I still love to surf in Porto the most. Here good waves, lessons are cheaper and I like Porto more than other places.

My favorite schools in Porto:

If you're not yet an airbnb user, you can sign up with mine for your first booking.

to be continued…

Portugal is a wonderful climate and wonderful nature, swimming in the ocean, walking through the medieval quarters of modern cities, tasty food and quality wine.

To get to know this country, several travel options are possible: a beach holiday in the Algarve, a trip to cities and fortresses as part of a group or on your own by car, and a vacation trip to the island of Madeira. These notes will tell about the journey through the cities of Portugal as part of a group.

There are pros and cons to a group trip compared to a private car tour. The main advantages are: lower costs compared to individual costs, the opportunity to get from a good guide, a huge amount of high-quality and interesting information, not a mandatory knowledge of the language. And the main disadvantage is the inability to be in the place you like for as long as you want. The main requirement for those who choose group tour, is discipline and tolerance. For those who choose a car, it is best to use the stories of Igor Pitovsky on www.ayda.ru. You can also recommend the reports of Yulia Ilyina and Anna Kozenkova on www.ayda.ru.

Information

It seems to me that the months of May-June and September-October are best suited for traveling in Portugal. Then this beautiful country can be seen in all its splendor. In addition, it is not too hot at this time. The flight time on the route Moscow - Lisbon is 3.5 hours.

When arriving in Portugal, you must set the clock back 3 hours.

Passport control takes quite a long time, at least an hour, or even an hour and a half. The Portuguese border guards are polite but very slow. After the flight, this is a little annoying, but perhaps this is the last thing that can cause unpleasant emotions.

The airport is located 10-15 minutes from Lisbon. You can take a taxi for 5-6 euros. But a bus is waiting for us and delivers in 25 minutes to the city of Estoril, where we are accommodated in the Saboia - 3 * hotel.

The cities of Estoril and Cascais are located along the coast and are resorts where wealthy people go in anticipation of the hot summer. You can get there from Lisbon in 30 minutes by a comfortable train, reaching the Cais de Shudre station.

Estoril and Cascais have sandy beaches. So, if you came to Lisbon in the summer, then after exploring the city in Estoril, you can come to swim and dine in Cascais overlooking the ocean.

Anyway, I swam on April 29th. It feels like the water temperature in the Baltics at the end of June.

In Estoril, surrounded by a beautiful park, there is the largest Casino in the country. But the most remarkable thing is the walk along the sea along the promenade towards the city of Cascais.

Cascais is one of the most popular resort towns near Lisbon with several good beaches, a large marina and promenade for walking.

Our first excursion took place in the city of Evora, which is located 120 km. from Lisbon. The roads are excellent, the guide tells a lot of interesting things, time flies by. Évora is a small pretty city, the streets of which are pleasant to wander, getting into the past, then into the present. 2 - 2 and a half hours are enough to see the sights of the city. The most interesting objects to see: the remains of the Roman temple of Diana, the park with the Vasco de Gama monument, in which peacocks walk, the Cathedral built in the early gothic style and of course the Chapel of Relics, the inner walls of which are lined with several thousand skulls.

I will talk more about Portuguese cuisine, but I will note that in Evora we ate a local dish - the meat of a black pig.

After visiting Estoril and Cascais, we moved along the Atlantic coast and after a while stopped at a lookout overlooking the ocean. But that was only a prelude. Then, along the serpentine, we climbed up to the westernmost point of Europe - Cape Roca. Cabo da Roca is located at an altitude of 140 meters above sea level. Waves beat against the rocky shore below and America is located 5000 km away. Crowds of tourists wander around the rocks, who, like me, strive to capture themselves against the backdrop of magnificent views. There are at least a hundred rockers near the lighthouse, for whom Cape Roca is a favorite hangout place.

The next city to visit is Sintra, the residence of the Portuguese kings. The city is located 40 km from Lisbon. You can get there both by car and by train. To explore Sintra, in a good way, you need a whole day. Unfortunately, we did not manage to see everything, partly because of the huge number of tourists and, of course, lack of time.

The city of Sintra consists of a lower part and an upper part. In the lower part there are gardens where you can find plants of the rarest species, state palace, narrow streets with 2 - 3-storey houses and souvenir shops, as well as small cozy cafes. And in the upper part of the city are the Pena Palace and the Castle of the Moors. From there, a magnificent panorama of Sintra and its environs opens up. The upper part can be reached by taxi or on foot for about an hour, making an excellent walk.

For vacationers in Sintra, a special park de Marandes has been created where, while enjoying a walk, you can have a bite to eat under the arches of trees at special parking lots. If you are in Portugal for more than two days, be sure to visit Sintra.

Lisbon

The capital of Portugal is the city of Lisbon. It takes three full days to see it.

Story

Lisbon was known to the Phoenicians, who called it Alis-Ubbo, which means "magic haven". In the Middle Ages, the city was a powerful fortress, the Arabs tried to capture it. In 1147 the city was conquered from the Arabs by Afonso Henriques I.

After 100 years, the city becomes the capital of Portugal. At the time of the great discoveries, Lisbon was considered the richest city in Europe; he amazed his contemporaries with luxury and magnificence.

However, in 1775, an unprecedented earthquake for Europe occurs here. It destroyed most cities and claimed about 40 thousand lives. It seemed that the beauty and glory of Lisbon had faded forever. But there was a man of amazing abilities and energy - the Marquis of Pombal, who managed to rebuild Lisbon and in many ways restore its former brilliance.

Lisbon is very beautiful city! Old houses, narrow streets, black and white pavements. Black and white stones are laid by hand according to a certain pattern, the whole city is paved with them, while the patterns are different everywhere. In the light of the sun, Lisbon changes, it is very difficult to perceive it holistically, it simply amazes with its diversity and inconsistency, dazzles with matte pastels of houses and bright red tiled roofs. A web of steep and narrow medieval streets it can lead you simply to a dead end, or it can lead you to quiet idyllic corners where canaries sing and water murmurs, where you simply forget about the noisy bustle of a large port city.

Conventionally, there are several particularly attractive areas in Lisbon:
Castle of St. George and quarters of Alfama;
sq. Commerce, pl. Rossio and others
Beleni district
Nations Park (aka EXPO-98).

Castle of St. George - a fortress, conquered by King Afonso Enriques from the Moors, rises with its mighty walls above the city. The fortress is located on a hill in the east of the city and is especially clearly visible from the central part of the city from the Praça de Figueira square, where a monument to King Joan 1 is erected.

You can get to the fortress on foot through the old, Moorish district of Lisbon Alfama, all the while climbing up the steep picturesque streets that take us to a completely different era.

You can stop at the medieval Cathedral, which was built on the site of a former mosque as a symbol of the victory of Christianity over the Moors.

Antique trams run in the Alfama district - they are also used locals and tourists. Route 28 is especially popular, climbing the streets of Alfama, between numerous churches and beautiful old houses, the entire facades of which are lined with colored azulejo tiles. From the observation deck of the fortress of São Jorge, one of the best views of Lisbon opens.

Commerce Square (Praça do Comercio) is the triumphant entrance to Lisbon. It was here that the very first harbor of Lisbon was located. In the center of the square is a monument to King José and a triumphal arch. From here begins the central pedestrian street Rua Augusta.

Passing the triumphal arch and walking along the central pedestrian street Augusta, we get to Rossio Square, where heretics were once burned and bullfights were held (the palace of the Inquisition was on the site of today's National Drama Theater before the fire). Boutiques, shops and cafes are located on Augusta Street.

We are moving up and on the left in the direction of travel we turn to the openwork metal tower of the Santa Justa lift, from which great view to the city. The Santa Justa lift allows you to go up to the Bairro Alto area. After walking just a few meters, we find ourselves at one of the public buildings, which is guarded by guardsmen with sabers. At 18:00, the changing of the guard ceremony takes place here with the lowering of the flag, a trumpeter, etc. Curious spectacle.

Belen area

The main objects of inspection include: the monastery of Gironimos, the Belen tower, the monument to the Discoverers. Ideally, you can add the Presidential Palace, the Maritime Museum and the Carriage Museum.

Monastery of Gironimos most impressive architectural structure Lisbon was built at the beginning of the 16th century, in honor of the discovery of the route to India by Vasco da Gama. It is made in all the splendor of the Manueline style. The spacious courtyard of the monastery, flooded with sun, is decorated with beautiful fountains and exquisite stone carvings - all pillars, balconies and walls are covered with fragments from the Bible or statues of saints. In one of the halls there is a historical kaleidoscope illustrating the history of the monastery from the date of its foundation in 1500, in parallel with the history of Portugal and world history. In the marble pantheon of the monastery, you can see the sarcophagi of Vasco da Gama and Manuel I.

Monastery of Jeronimos, included in the list of UNESCO monuments. In front of the monastery are gardens leading to the Monument to the Discoverers. This monument was built in our days and is a tribute of contemporaries to their great past. In front of the monument is a square on which a map of the world is engraved directly on the stones, indicating the places and dates that were discovered by the Portuguese, mainly in the 15th - 16th centuries. Not far from the monastery, on the banks of the Tagus River, is the Belem Tower, built in 1515 to guard the harbor of Lisbon. Once upon a time, caravels departed from here on distant voyages. In honor of this event, sea regattas are organized on the Tagus River.

The tower is another masterpiece in the Manueline style. It is hard to imagine that this openwork white castle on the water served simultaneously as a guard fortress, customs and a prison.

You can climb the tower - it offers wonderful views, especially of the April 25th bridge and the entire Belen area.

Along Belem street you can walk to Presidential Palace, the residence of the President of the Republic and visit the former royal arena, which houses the collection of the Carriage Museum.

Tram number 15 runs from the Belen district to the center. At each stop there is a sign indicating where the transport should go. The most famous museum in Lisbon is the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum. The collection covers exhibits ranging from the Egyptian, Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. This is followed by a magnificent exhibition of Islamic art; Chinese and Japanese halls and, finally, European art.

The April 25 Bridge, 2300 meters long, an outstanding achievement of modern engineering art, was built in 1966. It connects Lisbon to the opposite bank of the Tagus River. On the high bank of the river, on a massive pedestal, there is a statue of Christ the King with with outstretched arms. He seems to embrace and bless the inhabitants of the city. Exactly the same statue exists in Rio de Janeiro. In 1988, another bridge was built for the World Expo 98 - Vasco da Gama Bridge, which is considered the longest in Europe. Its length is 17 kilometers. The end of this bridge is not visible. The bridge surrealistically goes beyond the horizon, merging with the silver-gray surface of the water. The Park of Nations (Expo 98) is the youngest area of ​​Lisbon.

Shopping is possible in the center of Vasco da Gama. Shops here cater for all tastes, from inexpensive C&A to boutiques. But mostly people come here to take a walk among the spacious alleys, fountains, and most importantly visit the Oceanarium, which is home to 450 species of flora and fauna from different seas. The park also serves as a venue for cultural events. Various exhibitions and concerts are held in modern pavilions, and, finally, the park is simply conducive to a pleasant pastime in restaurants and in the commercial area.

A funicular runs over the entire territory of the Expo. It offers a breathtaking view of the entire Expocentre, especially the Vasco da Gama bridge.

One of the evenings in Lisbon we attended a folklore evening with fado. Fado is traditional Portuguese music. The word itself means "destiny". Lyrical, slightly sad songs are performed to the accompaniment of a 12-string guitar. The main thing in fado is not the voice, but the spiritual breakthrough, so familiar to the Russian heart.

From Lisbon we moved north towards the city of Quimbra.

For some reason, we did not stop by the city of Mafra, which is located 20 km from Sintra. The guide notes that the city lies in a crevice between the hills and its main dominant is a majestic monastery with an area of ​​40,000 m2. But on the other hand, having traveled further north, we visited the city of Obidos. Obidos - medieval city- a fortress built in the 12th century. It is a picturesque complex of whitewashed houses with red tiled roofs and narrow medieval streets surrounded by fortress walls. On the walls you can get around the city around. Souvenirs are sold on the streets. Cherry liqueur, which can be purchased after tasting, is especially interesting. It takes one and a half to two hours to inspect Obidush.

Further, our path lay in Alcobaça, where you can see the monastery of the 12th century. We didn’t get inside, because it was May 1 and it turns out that not all were open state museums. I managed to see a very interesting design museum with wax figures and contemporary clothing collections. In principle, Alcobas is an alternative object for inspection.

Batalha

In Batalha is the Monastery of Santa Maria da Victoria, a masterpiece of the Portuguese gothic architecture, built by King Joan 1 in memory of the victory over the Spaniards in 1385. This monastery is a striking example of the Gothic architecture of Portugal with Manueline elements. On the occasion of May 1, we also did not manage to examine the inner courtyard. But the monastery is majestic and outside. It takes an hour and a half to see it.

At dawn

Declared in guidebooks as a fishing village. Nazare is a strategic place. Surely, if you rest in the Algarve province located in the south, then you most likely will not be able to see Portugal. And in Nazar you can swim and sunbathe on the sandy beach, and if you rent a car, you can go around many beautiful and interesting places. You can live in Nazar in apartments, eat seafood in numerous beach cafes and restaurants.

We climbed to the upper part, on the rock, and examined the chapel in honor of the Holy Virgin, who, according to legend, saved the horseman, who almost fell off the cliff in pursuit of a deer. Interesting is the altar part, where you can go (!) And see the figurine of the Holy Virgin Mary, carved according to legend by Joseph.

In the square, colorful old fisherwomen in colorful clothes sell dried fruits. From the top of the mountain there is a view of sand beach and the ocean.

Fatima

A small town is located east of Batalha. It is a world-famous center of Catholic pilgrimage, where, according to legend, three local children witnessed the apparition of the Holy Virgin Mary. In the center of the city are the Church of the Holy Virgin in Fatima, a chapel and a tree under which the Holy Virgin Mary appeared to the children, as well as huge area, much larger than St. Peter in the Vatican. Services in the church and organ music are broadcast throughout the square. True believers on their knees overcome the path to the Temple along a special marble path. Tens of thousands of pilgrims come to Fatima with requests and gratitude. Numerous processions take place here. Even if you are not religious, this place is worth a visit, it will not seem boring. For those who like pilgrimage tourism, it is worth visiting www.Fatima.org.

Quimbra

Since we arrived in the evening, we spent the night in a decent Almedina 3 * hotel.

The main attractions of the city: the University, the monastery of Santa Cruz and "Portugal in miniature". 1 day is enough to visit Quimbra.

The University of Quimbra is one of the oldest in Europe. Its history begins in the 12th century. The university was moved to Lisbon, returned back, and in 1537 it finally settled in Quimbra. There are several museums inside the building, and a beautiful panorama of the city and the river opens from the terrace. The library is especially impressive. Lectures are held in a building with a long history.

The whole life of Quimbra is concentrated around the university, and students still define its appearance. Many of them wear traditional black suits and black cloaks with colored ribbons. It is very similar to the fact that J. Rawlings, when writing "Harry Potter" used the image of Quimbra and her students.

"Portugal in miniature" is a small park in which all the main styles of Portuguese architecture are collected in a reduced form. You can climb into toy houses or take pictures next to them. It is believed that this is mainly entertainment for children, but adults will also enjoy the walk.

From Quimbra we went towards the city of Porto, but on the way we stopped at a few more places.

At the beginning of the Portuguese "calvary". Similar can be found in Spain and Italy. A picturesque place in which you need to climb the stairs all the time. You can stop at "stations" with images of the Calvary suffering of Christ. When the stations end, the most difficult climb begins, but it lies next to the fountains, and the church crowns the path, where the faithful rest and pray a little. Everything was easy for us. Instead of going up, we went down.

30 km from Coimbra is thermal spa Luso with source. A little higher is the magical park and the Busako estate. It seems to be a place marked by special grace. The palace is currently a 5* hotel. This is where you need to go at least for 2-3 days, if you do not spare money.

These places are famous for the fact that in local restaurants(nowhere else in the country) are prepared for lunch or dinner leitau da barada (suckling pig). We were served it with Spumante. The taste is "spicy". You can swallow your tongue.

Porto

This is the second largest city in Portugal, the birthplace of the famous Henry the Navigator. It takes at least 2 days to see it. The city was not destroyed by the earthquake, and houses not only of the 18th, but also of the 17th and 16th centuries have been preserved there. Surprisingly, people still live in most of them. Historical Center from the waterfront it is a real medieval city. To understand the city, you must definitely walk around it on foot.

The Clerigos Tower offers panoramic views of the city. Climbing on it you can see how to build a route correctly. Se Cathedral resembling a fortress, Bishop's Palace, a pompous stock exchange building, a private church of the Franciscans striking with inner wealth, You can walk along the charming embankment. It overlooks boats loaded with port wine and picturesque facades of medieval houses with linen fluttering in the wind.

During our excursion, a historical film was filmed on the embankment. Full immersion in the 18th century. No decorations needed. If you are in Porto and have a chance to walk along the promenade, then moving towards the funicular, look at the last institution in the direction of travel (located closest to the funicular). In the cellar you will be offered a wonderful sausage, which, judging by the advertisement, has been produced for 500 years, and you will drink it all with port wine and wonderful Portuguese wine. And then, when the devil himself is no longer your brother, you can take a boat trip along the Douro River. The route will lie under 7 bridges connecting Porto and the Gaia region, where the famous port wine storages and cellars for tasting are located.

Personally, it seems to me that Porto is somewhat similar to the capital of Amber ("Chronicles of Amber" by R. Zelazny).

Portugal - Porto - Port wine. Consonant, one-root words. In our country, port wine has a bad reputation. Many people remember "Agdam", "Three Sevens", a drink affectionately called "portveshok", bought as an alternative to vodka mainly for women during the Soviet period. Connoisseurs will remember the Crimean Port, which has a good taste, but still is not actually a noble Port wine, since the grapes for its production must grow in a strictly controlled area.

Vinio de porto (port wine) is used as an aperitif or for a good conversation. Despite the fact that fortified wine is drunk port wine easily, the head does not hurt after it.

In fact, we started our acquaintance with port wine back in Domodedovo, having bought a bottle for 19 euros. Everything that I then tried on the route was worse for my taste. And only a tasting in the cellars of Gaia partially restored the "status quo". In a nutshell, either you need to buy a drink of great years of aging: 10, 20,30, 50 years, or "vintage" when good year for vintage and port ages right in the bottle. Port wine can cost from 15 to 100 euros and more. From the city of Porto we went to Guimarães and Braga.

Guimaraes

It is located 50 km north of Porto and is considered the "cradle of Portugal". The first king Afonso Henriques 1 was born in this city. The city has picturesque streets, a medieval castle - a fortress. Oliver Square is a museum of private collections. The most interesting thing seemed to me the exhibit depicting the Holy Trinity. God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit were depicted not on canvas (which is quite common), but in sculpture.

Braga

It seemed to us that the best thing in Braga is the garden "Santa Barbara". Beginning of May. We've just got some weed. There are still few flowers, even field ones. And in Santa Barbara, the rose garden is in full bloom...

We had to fly to Moscow from Lisbon. Porto, Braga and Guimaraes are the northernmost points of our trip. Returning to Lisbon, we stopped in the city of Tomar.

Tomar

For Tomar, I would have been ready to sacrifice Guimaraes and Braga, but fortunately this did not have to be done. Tomar was the residence of the Templars. The Templars, expelled from France, settled in Portugal. We were only a couple of hours, we need at least four, and even better to spend the night downstairs in the old part of the city, and in the morning we go up to the fortress of the Knights of the Cross. The order was one of the richest in Europe and competed in wealth with the monarchs. You understand this when you get into the fortress. It is graceful, beautiful, huge, and inside it there are monuments of world significance: a window in the Manueline style and the central hall - a temple into which the knights entered through the gate right on horseback.

We traveled by bus 1400 km, on roads with lush forest vegetation, very picturesque places in Portugal. We did not see landfills, construction sites, we did not meet smoking chimneys and not a single industrial enterprise along the entire route. But of course, that was not all that the beautiful country of Portugal has to offer.

We have not been to the Portuguese bullfight, which is different from the Spanish one, which, according to other travelers, is held near Lisbon in the village of Alcochete on the opposite bank of the Tagus River on Saturdays. We weren't on safari. 120 km from Lisbon, in the western part of Alentejo, Badoka Park is located, where you can admire the life of wild animals: giraffes, crocodiles, tigers, as in Africa. And 15 km from Fatima are the caves of St. Antonio. The guidebook says that each cave is a palace created by nature and hidden deep into the earth.

There are others wonderful places, reviews of which can be found at www.ayda.ru . And there is a reason to return to Portugal again.

Information

The Portuguese are hospitable and friendly people. It is worth learning just a few phrases to show at least minimal politeness.

Bon Dia (bon dia) - Good morning(until 12.00)
Bon Tarde (bon tarde) - good afternoon (after 12.00)
Obrigado (obrigado) - thank you, thank you (if a man speaks)
Obrigada (obrigada) - thank you (if a woman speaks)
Fasch favor a conto (fash favor a conto) - please, account.
Suko del orange naturale - natural orange juice.

The Portuguese are great food experts. Portuguese cuisine is a combination of meat and fish.

On the route, we were fed mainly dishes from the provinces where we were. Sometimes it was an "unforgettable culinary experience". Sometimes it was just delicious, and sometimes (much less often) just satisfying. But the principle has always been observed: eat and (surprisingly) drink as much as you can. Red and white wine for lunch (dinner), however, like the food itself, was always offered in unlimited quantities. A typical Portuguese lunch includes: cold appetizers (sausage, olives with soft bread), first course (usually mashed soup), main course, dessert, coffee (sometimes fruit)

And on your own, dishes, for example, from seafood, are best tried in establishments with the indication "Marisqueira". ("Gambosh" - king prawns.)

Portuguese wine is light and rich. All wines are of very high quality. Even among inexpensive table wines there are no sour tastes. But if you are afraid to make a mistake, then buy wines from the province of Alentejo.

Everyone writes about baking and confectionery. Indeed, this is some fantastic yummy. Moreover, the freshest pastries could be tasted in any places along the entire route. When you see a pastry shop, go in and try the Portuguese pie. This is a puff pastry basket sprinkled with powdered sugar and ground cinnamon. In Portugal, very tasty and juicy oranges (kg costs 1 euro). Moroccan oranges are no match for them. Good cheeses and very tasty bread.

Souvenirs: port wine, portuguese wine, cork wood, pottery with a portuguese rooster.

Privalov Andrey Vladimirovich
17/05/2006 19:43

The opinion of tourists may not coincide with the opinion of the editors.

Portugal is the least affected European country from mass tourist development and its consequences. Here you will feel the national flavor, not yet strongly affected by globalization, you can enjoy your stay in hotels in old buildings, take a car and ride along the Atlantic coast, exploring the reserved bays.
Holidays in Portugal can be safely recommended to those who like to travel to Europe, who have been to many places and are waiting for new discoveries. Here is the architecture and seascapes, and a gastronomic feast every day. Portugal is ideal for those who do not like big hotels, resorts, all inclusive and other elements of communism; Portugal is a country for free travelers. And if you prefer to start your travels with a visit to car rental This country is literally waiting for you. Our articles are written by Russian-speaking authors living in Portugal and will help you plan a trip to this country, based on competent opinion, and not on “tourist reviews”.

5 reasons to go on holiday to Portugal

Scenes from Everyday life and the bustling activity in Portugal's cities are attractions in their own right. Add to this the many historical and cultural monuments and you will get a real tourist paradise.
For a relaxing holiday best suited beautiful beaches coast of the Algarve in the south of the country, they are considered among the best in Europe and are very popular. Dotted with picturesque fishing villages and quaint towns such as Ashtoi, Faro and Monte Gordo, this region is the backbone of Portugal's tourism industry. On the east coast of Estoril, there are many casinos and luxury hotels - this is an exotic and expensive place.
Lisbon- the capital and most modern city in Portugal, the perfect mixture of antiquity and multinational atmosphere. Since Lisbon was named in 1994 cultural capital Europe, the city attracts increased attention. On former territory Expo exhibition and nearby squares are full of waterfront restaurants, concert halls, outdoor cafes, as well as the Lisbon Oceanarium. In the central part of the city there is a Roman Triumphal Arch. The borders of the city merge seamlessly with the coastline and its wooden buildings, which only adds to the attractiveness of the city.
Narrow, cobbled streets of Porto- the second largest city in Portugal - leading to the famous vineyards where grapes are grown for port wine, also deserve your attention.
University city of Coimbra in the north of Portugal is very popular with young people, and its charming open cafes is a great place to sit here in the evening.

How to get to Portugal

There are so few direct flights from Moscow to Lisbon that we will assume that there are none. Enter different dates in the search form, if you suddenly find direct tickets - great. However, it is better to immediately tune in to a ticket with a transfer in some European city. Choose a short transfer, for example, in Zurich, if you are limited in time and want to quickly get to Lisbon. A long parking lot, on the contrary, gives a chance to visit the city you miss, but there is no time to go there on purpose. For example, there are 12-hour connections in Amsterdam. Those who travel around Portugal while driving sometimes fly to Malaga, take automobile and already on it go to Portugal.

Lisbon

Lisbon is the starting point of a trip to Portugal. Stop there for a couple of days on your way there and back. Although, there are lovers who come to Lisbon for the entire trip, and from there they travel around the country.

When is the best time to go to Portugal. bathing season

In most parts of the country, the tourist season lasts March to October, this is probably best time to visit Portugal in terms of weather conditions. Hotel prices in Lisbon are quite high all year round, so whenever you come here, the prices will be about the same. In other cities of the country, hotels offer discounts from November to February. If you want to visit the beaches of the Algarve, when there are no crowds of tourists, come in winter. In this region, the sun shines for at least 3,000 hours a year, so there is never a strong cold here, even in the so-called winter, from November to February.
Officially bathing season starts June 15th and ends September 15th. However, our people are already swimming with might and main May holidays. Here you need to understand one subtlety: the beaches of Portugal are not on the sea, but on the very ocean, with all the consequences. So if a warm and calm sea is critical for relaxation, it is better to choose another country, for example,. Portugal, on the other hand, is ideal for those who love the sea, but are not obsessed with swimming.

Where to stay. The best hotels in Portugal

One of the main tourist attractions travel in Portugal - stay in historical buildings converted into hotels. Here, for example, opened in Cascais in 2012, it is a prominent representative of historical design pousadas. Pouzada is located in a fortress that served as an outpost in the 16th century to defend the entrance to the mouth of the Tagus and protect Lisbon from attack from the sea. Below is an overview of the most interesting places in Portugal, use it when planning your route:

Routes in Portugal

Main route the first trip to Portugal - to get to the westernmost point of Europe, to the cape of Cabo da Roca. In order to get there, it is not at all necessary to rent a car, you can simply buy a ticket from any tourist office in Lisbon. This route is detailed here:

However, even for this rather simple route, it is more comfortable to rent a car. Traffic in Portugal is right-handed, the intensity is low, only those who are on two wheels should be afraid. The traffic police in Portugal are lenient towards tourists, but it is better to try not to abuse this kindness. Take advantage of our comparison of car rental prices from different providers:

After the car is booked, you can plan the route. We have two good pre-made itineraries to travel in Portugal with a rental car, used by hundreds of SmartTrip readers every season:

Madeira

Somehow it happened that this island with unique nature located in Atlantic Ocean, for some reason they consider it a "resort for wealthy pensioners." Firstly, if you combine a trip to continental Portugal with a beach holiday in Madeira (which is a great idea in itself), then the travel budget will not be cosmic at all: Lisbon-Funchal tickets cost standard money. And it’s not at all necessary to be a pensioner: there are enough bars and nightlife in Lisbon, and in Madeira you need to enjoy the silence and unique flora; staying in Madeira is like being in a big botanical garden.

Flying to Portugal and sitting on the same beach is not the smartest option, unless of course you live an hour's flight or drive away. It is worth renting a car already at the Lisbon airport and rush towards adventure. I used the services of Gold Car and was satisfied. This is our third meeting with this European distributor, which is in danger of soon turning into a friendship, growing stronger thanks to the good price and quality of service. This friendship is sometimes trying to break the very worthy Herz or Sixt, but so far without success.

Main points along the route:

Lisbon - Cabo da Roca - Sintra - Vila do Bispo - Sagres - Lagos - Ferragudo - Silves - Lagoa - Albufeira - Lisbon

Only about 800 km. With arrivals at local points - lookouts, beaches and just the places you like - 900 km.

On the map, our route looks like So :

1. Neighborhoods of Lisbon: Lisbon - Cape Roca - Sintra - Lisbon

On Lisbon you need at least 3-4 days, one of which is worth devoting to Cape Roca and historical Sintra located half an hour away.

Cape Roca(Cabo da Roca) is the extreme western point of Europe and is interesting precisely for its location. Of the attractions - a lighthouse and beautiful views of the coastline. However, the skyline in other places along the route will not be worse.

Sintra- an ancient town, quite nice, although very touristy. It is ideal to come to Sintra in the morning, right after the lighthouse at Cape Roca, before 10 o'clock. Firstly, there are more options to park, and secondly, it will take at least 6 hours to get to the city itself. We watch the palace, the fortress, walk along the winding steep streets and try delicious treats in local confectioneries.

2. The second part of the route - the road from Lisbon to the Algarve

We drive by regional roads N5, N253, N261, N120, N268, N125. We go to the beaches according to the signs and choose “The best of”

Destination number one on the route - Comporta, a winery and a beach in the style of the movie "Knockin' on Heaven's Door". Beach from horizon to horizon, a boardwalk, a huge shaft.
Beach coordinates: 38.381372, -8.802608

Can be skipped Sines if there is little time and immediately move to the side Villa do Bispo is the extreme southwest of Europe. There are several beautiful beaches in the vicinity, but the water in these places rarely exceeds +20, they are interesting from the point of view of wandering around, enjoying the ocean and watching the sunset.

Before reaching Vila do Bispo, we stop at Amado beach - beautiful views, a surfer's beach, but you can swim in summer.

You can spend the night in the town of Vila do Bispo, exclusively as a transit overnight, or you can immediately go to the town of Sagres - the extreme southwestern point of Europe.

Not so much interesting Sagres, How many Lighthouse S. Vicente. Very nice lighthouse and great view coastline, some viewing platforms.

Parking coordinates near the lighthouse S. Vicente: 37.16858, -8.665534

Near the lighthouse on the road to Lagos is the interesting Beliche beach, popular with locals. Not crowded with a good inexpensive restaurant, azure ocean, surrounded by beautiful rocks. (37.02421, -08.99426)

3. Part three along the route - the southern coast of the Algarve, the warmest and favored by tourists of all calibers.

Points of interest: Lagos is a beautiful tourist town with old narrow cobbled streets, promenade and restaurants. There are several beaches and lookouts in the vicinity.

Praia dona Ana - (37.091233, -8.0669761)

The city's longest and warmest sandy beach Maia Praia (37.106858. -8.665534)

Ponta da Piedade, the observation deck from which opens beautiful view on the rocks, from here you can also ride on the local grottoes by boat. (37.08162, -08.66978)

More interesting places:

The village of Ferragudo, beautiful fishing village on a hill, a good place for a photo - (37.125894, -8.52227)

Praia da Roca beach near the town of Portimao

The town of Lagoa is the best place for overnight stays in my opinion, conveniently located 3 km. from the ocean and equidistant from all interesting places. For us, this was the main base for exploring the Algarve coast and historical monuments.

Silves - here is an old Arab fortress, well preserved, you can spend a couple of hours in front of the beaches.

Praia do Marinha (37/090073, -8.412599) is one of the most beautiful on the coast, but swimming is difficult in summer due to black algae blooms almost all over the beach. Great for "sunbathing, drinking wine and enjoying the rocks"

- Senhora da Rocha- Guidebooks report that this is the most photographed beach in the Albufeira area. Probably because there are a lot of hotels nearby... :) The beach is beautiful, but somewhere at the end of my conditional top ten Algarve. Coordinates: 37.09750, -008.38643

- Albufeira. White houses, several beaches in the vicinity make it the most popular town in the Algarve. I would still prefer Lagos or Lagoa for Algarve research.

- Praia do Castelo- our favorite beach in the Algarve, which has been awarded the title of #1 beach, is located between Albufeira and Lagos. There are no hotels in the vicinity, so the contingent is mainly local and independent road travelers. The Pic Nic restaurant is open all year round, overlooking the ocean and bright yellow rocks of indescribable beauty. Coordinates: (37.07354, -008.29812)

4. Road to Lisbon

We return, or rather we fly along the E1 autobahn in 2.5 hours without stops, we enter the city through the most long bridge in Europe Vasco da Gama and spend an unforgettable 10 hours in the city before departure.

P.S. The Algarve is full of beautiful beaches and beautiful places, so the right thing to do is to plan a little more time and just follow the signs at random.

In principle, there is nothing complicated, you need a strong desire to see this beautiful country, which we back up with some technical details and knowledge, and forward towards the fresh wind of the Atlantic, sardines, wine and natural beauties.

As usual, this article is a simple algorithm or step-by-step instruction which is easy to organize travel to portugal for yourself and friends without contacting intermediaries and without leaving the pages of this site. I do not deny the need for travel agencies, often it is they who do a significant part of the organization work for us - for this we pay extra money. But believe me Portugal that country, a trip to which is better to organize on your own and be alone with the most beautiful places extreme west of southwest Europe.

Getting a Schengen visa

We start with the Schengen visa and only then do the rest of the details. If you still don’t have a visa, you can find out how to get it at no additional cost in the article. Schengen visa. Instructions for receiving. And don't forget about insurance. You can fly to Portugal with a Schengen visa of any country. For example, we traveled with a Spanish visa, and the first entry was precisely in Portugal. There will be no questions. From June 11, 2017 citizens of Ukraine do NOT need a Schengen visa to visit EU countries if available biometric passport.

Planning an itinerary for Portugal

Portugal, despite the seeming diminutiveness, has something to offer even to the sophisticated traveler. I traveled through vintage hilly Lisbon with a centuries-old history, which, as if specially turned right on narrow streets well complement the magical landscapes of the coast and Algarve beaches.

Whatever you choose - Algarve, the center of the country with river valleyDouro(Duero, Douro) Porto and surroundings, it is worth to include Lisbon and devote at least two full days to it, and preferably three or four.

For example, independent travel for 10-14 days in Portugal may be like this. 2-3 days in Lisbon. Then we take one day to the tourist, but very much with a stop at the extreme western point of Europe - Cape Roca. Moving south Portugal- V province of the Algarve and week beach holiday in Lagos with excursions to Cape Sao Vincente - the extreme southwestern point of Europe and the surrounding beaches, then moving to the remaining time in Albufeiro and travel along the surrounding most beautiful beaches in the south of the country.

It is worth remembering that Portugal is a country where you need to travel by car, although there are train + bus options. You should not linger in one place, as there are a lot of beautiful locations - then you will regret that you did not see a lot. Portugal is NOT a classic beach holiday country - there are an infinite number of beaches here, but they are all so different and beautiful that it is simply impossible to sit still.

Detail our itinerary in portugal You can see it in the Routes section:

Weather in Portugal: Lisbon and the Algarve coast

winter in Lisbon rainy at a temperature around +12 Celsius, south of the Algarve- comfortable +20 Celsius, of course you can’t swim in January, but walking along the coast is very comfortable. peak season coincides with the vacation period for Europeans and the most comfortable weather for swimming and sunbathing is mid-July-August. In July-August the most high prices And the largest number people - it is better to book accommodation for this time in advance, good options diverge three months before the start of the vacation. The water temperature in July-August is 18-22 depending on the beach. Most warm beach Algarve was found by us in the city Lagos, wrote in detail about the rest in this place in his report.

September is also suitable for swimming, relaxing and traveling, in winter, spring and in the middle of autumn it is very cool to travel around the country - low prices, comfortable weather in the south, it can rain in Lisbon and to the north, but not more often than in our latitudes.

Buying airfare to Portugal

We flew to Portugal from Kyiv. The most convenient way to get there is by such airlines - Lufthansa, Air France or KLM with a transfer, since 2018, WizzAir has been flying to Lisbon without a transfer. In my case it was a flight Kyiv-Paris-Lisbon (Air France) on the way there and Lisbon-Amsterdam-Kyiv (KLM) on the way home. In both cases, I deliberately planned a long connection - 12 hours in order to be able to walk along and Amsterdam respectively. It is also convenient to get to Porto or Lisbon from the cities of Poland, Germany or the Baltic States Ryanair airlines or easyJet. In this case, the flight will cost no more than 100 euros round trip.

We book accommodation in Portugal according to our capabilities

For the first trip, we book hotels or apartments for 3-5 days in Booking.com - Lisbon and 4 to 6 days for Algarve coast . I lived near the city of Lagoa - the place is in the middle coast of the Algarve. Lagoa ideal for radial outings around the area. Many like more party Lagos or Albufeira.

About the hotel we stayed in town of Lagoa I wrote a separate review with photo- we really liked it, the ideal price-quality ratio-location-location-goodwill of the owner. I recommend it to active travelers who like to return to comfortable conditions. I will definitely go back there again.

How to save money on housing in Portugal

Economy option for family or company travelers to rent an apartment. At Booking about 2000 apartment offers in Lisbon .

Booking a rental car

Many do without a car, a matter of taste, but in my opinion, having a car in Portugal makes it much easier to explore the local beauties. If the goal is to lie on the beach and go on a couple of excursions from Lisbon, then you can do without a car.

The car is your transfer from the airport to the place of rest and a place to store and transport luggage. Parking at Algarve coast free almost everywhere Lisbon will cost no more than 10 euros per day. You should not choose expensive underground parking lots, it is better to ask the hotel where the inexpensive private parking is located - prepare a phrase in English and ask for the address of the parking lot. Further on the navigator in a smartphone or a paper map, you can easily find it.

The long and inefficient way to rent a car is to go to the airport website at Lisbon, see which rental offices are located there and choose one of them using the selection method. Briefly and effectively - use the car booking service. It's as simple as renting an apartment or a hotel and can be done on the website rentalcars.com- just select the country and city in which you need a car. Then choose a machine and easily and naturally just like we did.

You can read more about car rental abroad in the article: Car rental abroad

Prices, budget for a trip to Portugal

For those who have more money than time, this item traditionally does not apply. I advise everyone else to read it.

The travel budget consists of the cost of the flight, the cost of accommodation, the cost of renting a car, and the cost of food. We count together and remember about statistical errors, so we add 10% -20% to the amount in case of unforeseen expenses or buying souvenirs.

Airfare to Lisbon- it’s good if the flight costs no more than 150-200 Euros round-trip. You can always look in the calendar of low prices for airline sales.

budget housing costs 30-50 euros per day for a double room, housing is more expensive with a swimming pool - 70-100 Euro per day for two.

Car rent- 30 euros per day, car insurance - another 10 euros per day and depends on the type of insurance, fuel - European prices, we spent about 70 euros in 10 days, driving about 700 km. To book a car, we used the site rentalcars.com- reliable plus good price, but they don’t look for good from good, you yourself know.

Total it turns out about 800-1000 euros, including flights, per person per season, cheaper in winter and spring. Remember that Portugal is good at any time, including the winter months. Nutrition. Breakfast is usually included in the price of the hotel, while lunch can cost from 7 euros to 20 euros per person, including local wine, depending on the choice of location.

The money saved is worth spending on a port or light Portuguese rosé. If you don't like wine, give it to your friends!

Agree, it is unlikely that an organized and not the most intense tour for 10 days will cost less. Freedom is often also quite economical.

Useful Links for Travel Planning

Aviasales- budget flights around the world

Hotels Combined (RoomGuru)- allows you to save up to 20% when booking hotels and apartments as it searches all popular booking sites, including Agoda, Booking.com and others, offering the best deals for the price

Booking.com– a familiar and convenient site for searching and booking accommodation around the world

Airbnb– the world leader in finding apartments and apartments for travel, register using the link and get a cash bonus on your first booking

rentalcars– a site for searching and renting cars around the world with the possibility of free cancellation

You will be transferred from the airport to the hotel and vice versa. The driver will meet you with a sign with your name and take you to your destination. No clarification of the route is needed - everything is done in advance online. Often it is cheaper than ordering a taxi on the spot and very convenient. Knowledge of English is not required.

The best online service for selling insurance services from leading insurance companies

– Misto-travel- this is the only online operator for the sale of online tours that has proven itself well