Portugal in April: Evora, Obidos, Sintra, and a bit of Lisbon

[ahisma]

We're headed to Portugal in April - war, pandemic, and life chaos permitting (and feeling VERY guilty about travel, but that's another issue all together). We are flying into Lisbon, staying two nights in Evora, driving to Obidos via Marvao, two nights in Obidos, and then four nights in Colares, near Sintra. We will visit Lisbon as a day trip, but opted not to spend much time there as we were unsure what COVID would look like back when we booked it.

We have the general bones of the trip planned out, but haven't done nearly as much research as we normally would. We're going with another family and will have 4 adults, and 4 kids ages 11, 13, 13, and 15.

Any tips for the trip? I feel like I'm scrambling on this one.

Thank you!

[marinkitty]

I have thoughts/tips! We have a house in Portugal and I've been going there for decades - you will love it!

Lisbon - i know you aren't staying there, but either reconsider staying one to two nights at the end of your trip (use your Colores nights) or consider two day trips into the city as it is a fantastic place.

For a walking day - either wake up early (this will only work if you stay in town, probably - if not just pick up at the Castle) and get on tram 28 at the starting point (Campo Ourique - take an Uber there) or head over to Alfama and walk up to Castelo São Jorge and see the castle (there are a few other cute stops in Alfama - google Miradouras, there are two great ones and a few little open market stall areas that can be fun to visit) and wande from there to Graça if you have time and get a drink/ice cream at the Miradoura de Graça (by the huge church) and then walk the steps down and back to Baixa. Go up the arch rather than the elevator in Baixa - better views and faster than waiting in the elevator line. Then walk up to Chiado and have lunch at Aqui ha Peixe or Taberna de Rua das Flores or at the snack bar at Miradoura São Pedro de Alcantara and stop at the Covento do Carmo - a ruin of a convent destroyed in an earthquake.

The other cannot miss thing (a separate day) is a trip to Belėm - see the Jerónimos Monastery (inside), grab coffee and pastel de nata from Pastéis de Belém and then walk the waterfront to the Monument to the Explorers and Torre de Belém and then walk back toward city center and see the MAAT (outside a must and walk up on the roof; sometimes they have cool indoor exhibits too). Other nearby things are the stop at LX Factory (shops and dining) or along the docks at Alcantara (dining) - there is a walkway all along the river there so you can walk as far as you want. For an easy lunch in Belém, there is a spot with sushi and pizza (I know strange combo) in the Cultural Center there - can't recall the name but they have outdoor seating and a view of the river and monuments, if you google you'll find it.

Other dining recs - A Cevicheria in Principle Royal and the food court at Time Out Lisbon (fun for lunch, not dinner). Other cool things to see - the Tile Museum (take an Uber, its not super close to anything but its a fun hour walk through) and Palacio Marques de Frontera (another Uber) - both of which are amazing if you are into Portuguese tile work. It's also super fun to take the ferry across the river before sunset and have a drink or dinner at one of the bar/restaurants on the other side. To do this you take the ferry from Cais de Sodre over to Cacllhas and then walk toward the ocean along the docks and you'll hit a few restaurants before the 25th of April bridge (our fave is Restaurante Ponte Final).

In Evora - don't miss going up to the roof of the cathedral - amazing views and just super cool - or visiting the chapel of skulls (morbidly cool). A good spot for lunch in Evora is Páteo - cute outdoor courtyard and both traditional and kid friendly food. Walk all over the old town and through the plazas, see the roman temple and aquaducts. The megaliths nearby are sort of cool if you want to take a drive into the countryside and there are a ton of little towns with cool fortresses or castles nearby (I can recommend a few if you are interested in this). If you want to visit any wineries, LMK and I can recommend a few (with a good tasting lunch too). My favorite of the neaby hill towns is Monsaraz, which can be a bit touristy, but is so charming with amazing views. But there are seriously a dozen and some are hardly visited so just LMK if a tour of fortress towns would be something you guys would like. We've done it four or five times hitting different towns each time as we have kids who are super into that stuff.

Marvao is a quick stop but very cool views and a neat old town area. We spent a night there years ago in the winter in the pousada, which had good food and was a cozy atmosphere.

Obidos, walk the entirety of the walls of the city. Go out to the coast nearby - super dramatic and cool. If you are staying at the pousada you are in for a treat.

Sintra - Must do the moorish castle, pena palace, palace of monserrat, and the gardens at Quinta da Regaleira. If you like hiking, hike from town up to the Moorish Castle - its quite steep and wild - Sintra has its own microclimate and it is quite something. Go the praia da Ursa for sunset one night. Also kind of a cute town nearby is Azenhas do Mar - has a natural salt water pool on the shore and some great seafood dining (there are also fun food stalls). Hit Cabo da Roca (westernmost point in Europe with a lighthouse, cool cliff views and walking paths) and if you have any surfers Guinho beach is great for that and I'm sure you can rent wet suits and equipment that time of year. Downtown Cascais is also cute and worth exploring.

This might be WAY more than you wanted - LOL - but Portugal is so great and I love sharing. Have a wonderful time. I'm hoping to get there at the end of April and for a month this summer depending how the kids' schedules play out.

[ged]

Can't add much -I took a solo trip to Lisbon years ago, and it's an awesome city! Did side trips to Belem and Cascais

[Liziz]

Well Marinkitty is an amazing resource and had so much more helpful info than I could share! We did a trip to Lisbon, Belem, and Sintra and it was amazing. It was my only time in Portugal and I loved it and would love to go back -- you'll have a great trip!! We still talk about the Gardens at Quinta da Regaleiera -- truly unique and *so* fun to explore! I lived and traveled in Europe for three years and ate a lot of European pastries, but Portugal wins for my very favorites, so definitely make plenty of time for pastry stops! : )