We recently traveled to Portugal for the second time, this time focusing on Southern Portugal and the world-famous Algarve. It was a fantastic trip seeing a part of Portugal that we haven’t seen before! We loved every part of this vacation, from seeing Lisbon again to spending a few days exploring the incredible southern coast.
We could have easily spent more time enjoying all that the Algarve has to offer, including the incredible golf, beaches, and towns. It was overall a wonderful trip, and we hope you’ll gain some inspiration for planning your next perfect vacation! Before we get into the itinerary, a few tips:
- Download the Travel to Europe App and fill out the pre-registration for entry into Portugal. This will make getting through passport control so much faster and is absolutely worth it.
- Lisbon is very hilly, so be prepared for walking up hill!
- There are a ton of great towns to stay in the Algarve and it’s hard to go wrong with any of them!
- Portuguese tiles are insanely beautiful, and there are a few shops in Lisbon to go to including Arte Rustico (you can even order online!). Otherwise, Porches has several ceramics shops that are awesome!
Now let’s get to the itinerary!
Table of Contents
Day 1 – Lisbon
Our first day in Portugal we landed at the Lisbon Airport at 10:30 in the morning. Thanks to changes to the entry system across Europe in early 2026, the lines to clear passport control were absolutely crazy! Thankfully we downloaded the Travel to Europe app ahead of time and preregistered our trip which gave us a QR code that allowed us to go through the e-gates. This easily saved us 45 minutes to an hour! As of May 2026, only 2 countries allow preregistration – Portugal and Sweden.
After clearing passport control and picking up our checked bag we caught an Uber – very easy process with a clearly marked pickup area – for the 30 minute drive to Urbano FLH Hotels Lisboa. We absolutely love this hotel and stayed here the first time we visited Lisbon in 2022 as well. It is in a perfect location in the Alfama neighborhood, has excellent room sizes, and a delicious breakfast (included).
After dropping our bags off we went for a coffee and light lunch at Hygge Kaffe Baixa. This little shop was just around the corner from the hotel and the food was very, very good, however the iced matcha latte was honestly pretty bad. We still recommend getting a quick bite to eat here though! Another option is Portela Cafes which was very close to the hotel as well.
After our quick lunch we walked another 5 minutes to Arco da Rua Augusta in Praca do Comercio. This is one of the most iconic landmarks in Lisbon, built to commemorate the city’s reconstruction after the devastating 1755 earthquake. Initially designed as a bell tower, it was eventually transformed into the beautiful arch we see today.
We continued away from the hotel for another 12 minutes to see Pink Street, something that always comes up as one of the best things to do in Lisbon. This street is famous for the bright pink road and is known as a party hub in the city. We thought it was pretty overrated unless you are there specifically to experience the nightlife.
One of the main things to do in Lisbon is to shop for beautiful Portuguese tiles, and there are a few stores that are definitely worth popping into. These include D’Orey Tiles, Arte Rustica, and Santa Anna Tiles. While pricey, the artwork is absolutely beautiful and we were extremely tempted to buy so much of it.
We then walked to Rossio Square, the bustling heart of Lisbon. For centuries the square has been the meeting place for Lisbon natives, a tradition that continues to this day. The tile ground and the purple spring trees are absolutely worth seeing in this charming little square.
At this point we began to make our way over to the meeting point for our walking food tour. Along the way we walked uphill past the Cathedral of Lisbon, originally built in 1147 which makes it the oldest and most significant church in Lisbon. It beautifully anchors the historic Alfama district and is a landmark that should be seen at least once during your visit.
We booked an incredible walking food tour of Lisbon through Viator which started at 4:30pm. The tour was 4 hours long and included 18 different food and drink tastings throughout the Alfama District of Lisbon. This was actually the second time we did this exact tour and we have loved it both times. The food is absolutely delicious and it is a super informative tour!
After the tour we ended the night with a glass of wine at our favorite viewpoint in the city – Quiosque das Portas do Sol. We fell in love with this overlook our first time in the city and it was no less amazing this time. This is an absolute must do in our opinion.
We didn’t have a ton of time in Lisbon this trip, so if you have more time than we did and want ideas for how to spend another full day:
- Walk through Alfama up to the Monastery of Sao Vicente de Fora and see inside
- Walk 10 minutes over to the National Pantheon
- Then hike up to see Sao George Castello, see peacocks wandering. Open 9:00am-9:00pm
- Get a light lunch Miss Can for canned fish Open 11:00am-7:00pm
- Uber to Belem to see the Tower of Belem and then Jeronimos Monastery- by Belem tower
Some restaurants to try in Lisbon:
- Neighborhood- breakfast burritos
- Quest – known for their cinnamon rolls
- Tomorrow at 9- brunch
- Portela Cafes- we loved their coffee and tarts
- Confiteria Nacional- the oldest Bakery on Lisbon
- Augusto – brunch in Alfalma
- A Brasileira- pretty coffee shop
- The Ivens Hotel, Restaurant Rocco – Beautiful interior for Italian, but requires you to put down a credit card for reservations
- Vicente by Carnalentejana – Portuguese restaurant
- Maria Catita – We got dinner there on our first trip
- A Nossa Casa in Bairro Alto – Brazilian Cuisine
- Taberna Sal Grosso – Very highly rated, authentic Portuguese in Alfama
- Faz Frio – Good Portuguese food and chocolate mouse for dessert but you can’t make a reservation for 4 people or for past 6:00pm
- Arca Bitstro – Portuguese food and Basque cheesecake
- Restaurante Cabacas – Cook meat on hot plate
- Time Out Market – Food market with many different options featuring local chefs
- Miss Can – Famous for canned fish
- Lupita Pizzaria – Known for good Napolean Pizza
- Toca da Raposa Bar – Cocktail bar
- Oficio – Michelin star restaurant
- Solar Da Madelena – Authentic bifana (pork sandwich)
- As Bifanas do Afonso – For pork bifana sandwich
- Potato project for french fries
- A Valenciana – for peri peri chicken
- Bonjardim – for peri peri chicken
- Prado Wine Bar- Natural wine
- Java Rooftop – Rooftop cocktail bar with view of river
- Pomme Eatery – Tapas and wine bar
- By the Wine- Wine Bar with great ambiance and delicious dessert
- La Verde Gelateria – Highly rated ice cream in Alfama
- Fabrica de Nata – Known for pastel de natas
- Manteigaria – Delicious pastel de natas
- Tapisco – Spanish tapas and Portuguese petiscos, rated in Michelin guide
- A Taberna do Mar – 10 course tasting menu for €35 (as of 2026)
Day 2 – Sintra
We began our first full day in Portugal with a delicious breakfast at the hotel before our day trip to Sintra. We walked 15 minutes from the hotel to Rossio Station to catch the 9am train, which took about 45 minutes to reach Sintra. Tickets are very cheap for the train, but you also can Uber there which takes about 40 minutes as well.
From the train station we Ubered 25 minutes to Pena Palace, which cost about $12. This is another reason why it might make sense just to Uber directly to Pena Palace from Lisbon. Whatever you do, we don’t recommend walking from the train station to the palace. It’s not too far, but it’s very uphill and will tire you out before the rest of the day’s explorations.
Tickets for Pena Palace need to be bought in advance online. The tickets are €20 per person and give you entry during a specific period, which for us was between 10-10:30. Make sure you aren’t late as they might deny you entry! The ticket time is to get inside the palace itself, not just the front gate.
Pena Palace is one of the most well known landmarks in Portugal and is definitely worth a visit thanks to its iconic beauty. Originally established as a monastery, Prince Ferdinand transformed the ruins in the 19th Century into the gorgeous building we see today. There are bathrooms and cafes inside the palace grounds in case you need them!
In total we spent about an hour exploring the palace before exiting and walking 10 minutes down the hill to the Castle of the Moors (aka the Moorish Castle). Originally built during the 8th and 9th Centuries during the period of Moorish rule of the Iberian Peninsula, the Moorish Castle was a key strategic point for Christian forces once Lisbon was liberated in the 12th Century.
The castle is in remarkably good condition and is easily worth a visit during your stop in Sintra. We ultimately spent about 45 minutes walking along the walls and really enjoyed getting this view into history.
After exploring the Moorish Castle we walked about a mile further down the hill to downtown Sintra where we stopped for some lunch. We decided to eat at Tascantiga, a very highly recommended and highly rated tapas restaurant. It was very busy and very delicious, and you can order multiple small dishes if you don’t like any of the sandwich options!
After our wonderful lunch we wandered through the town and shopped in some of the boutique stores. There are some beautiful tile shops here as well! One thing you absolutely must do in Sintra is stop by the window where you can buy shots of ginginja or pastel de nata cream liquor in a chocolate cup (you can’t miss the window, it’s right on the main road!). We loved it so much we stopped twice.
While wandering around we developed a craving for a sweet treat, so we stopped by Cafe Piriquita for Travesseiros – a delicious sweet almond puff pastry – and a coffee. The travesseiros were so good – so sweet, light, and flakey!
One additional thing to do in Sintra which we did not get to was the Gardens of Quinta da Regaleira. The gardens are beautiful and have many very interesting features and sculptures, so we think it’s definitely worth the ~$20 per person if you have room.
We Ubered back to Lisbon for dinner at Vicente by Carnalentejana where we had reservations at 7:30. Dinner was fantastic and the ambiance inside was beautiful. Some of the must try dishes include the bread, the shrimp in olive oil, steak with fries, a side salad, and of course plenty of delicious wine!
After dinner we walked up hill to By the Wine for a night cap and dessert. We love this wine bar! The atmosphere is so cool and they have so many excellent wine options. You can even get half glasses to try more wine and they give good sized pours here. We ordered their trio dessert set to try their chocolate cake, lime pie and a bread pudding. They were all so good but the lime pie was by far our favorite.
Day 3 – Albufeira
We began our morning with another excellent breakfast at the hotel before checking out at 9:15 and Ubering 30 minutes to the Lisbon Airport. We picked up a rental car from Sixt Nissan Qashqai and it was a fairly smooth process.
The rental pick up area was very busy, but there was a refreshingly well organized system where you take a ticket and wait for your number to be called. There were five desks with people working and it moved fast even with the number of people waiting to pick up cars. We were in our car by 10:45 and were on our way to the Algarve.
The drive to Albufeira was about 2 hours and 15 minutes and was super easy. We arrived at our hotel, Hotel Sol e Mar Albufeira, at 1pm. It’s an adults only hotel located on the top of a cliff right along the beach. Breakfast was included, and the main downside was that there was no onsite parking but the city had free parking just a 5 minute walk away.
By far the best part of the hotel is that every room has gorgeous views of the ocean. The hotel also has its own beach with loungers and service for a nice relaxing day on the beach.
After dropping our bags off we began to explore downtown Albufeira to find a place for lunch. We found Cabaz da Praia and were very happy we did! We ordered a full sea bass, seafood cataplana, prawns, mixed salad, and a wonderful bottle of vinho verde. Everything was excellent and the view was excellent underneath a covered terrace overlooking the ocean.
After lunch we explored the streets and shops of Albufeira for a little bit before heading back to our hotel to relax with our amazing view before dinner. Honestly, we were a bit disappointed by the town of Albufeira itself. We expected a few more boutique shops, but it was mostly tacky souvenir shops. One section of the downtown is party central and was not really our vibe. There are definitely nice aspects – like our hotel – but it wasn’t quite what we expected.
For dinner we went to Tres Coroas Restaurant at 7pm. Reservations are highly recommended and you have to call as there is no online portal for booking. The location and the food were both incredible and we can’t recommend this restaurant enough! It’s in a quiet location of town overlooking the ocean and features a beautiful outdoor terrace and gorgeous trees.
We started with the almond and honey goat cheese served with bread and the Tres Coroas salad which had lettuce, chickpeas, corn, avocado, tomato and purple cabbage with a balsamic dressing. The caprese salad looked incredible too. Emily ordered the prawns spaghetti in a rose sauce, her dad got their grilled squid, her mom got their peri peri chicken, and Matt got their steak. Everything was excellent. We ended the night with splitting the lime mouse which was perfectly light and creamy. It is a pretty popular restaurant so get there early or make a reservation.
Here are several more places to eat in Albufeira:
- Calixto’s Beach bar – highly rated between Albufeira and Lagos
- Sugar Rabbit Kaffe – great smoothie bowls
- Mercearia Saul – for codfish cakes and sardines
- Rutz- acai bowl
- Rivera cake shop for Portuguese doughnuts filled with custard (aka bola de berlim)
- Sal Rosa Bar – for cocktails
- Prime sushi – closed Monday
Day 4 – Golf, Beach, and Carvoeiro
Matt and Emily’s dad booked a tee time at The Royal Course at Vale do Lobo. The course is about a 30 minute drive from Albufeira and was fairly expensive but it did let us book rental clubs and a cart in advance.
We really enjoyed the course and the rental clubs were brand new and near the top of the line. The downside is that the driving range only went up to 150 yards so warming up was a bit tough. The course is also narrow with lots of houses running the length of the fairways, and the wind can make it even more difficult. But it is a very beautiful course and was a ton of fun!
Meanwhile, Emily and her mom spent the morning relaxing on the beach at Praia do Peneco. They were able to rent towels from the hotel to take onto the beach, and then the hotel also had loungers and umbrellas that were just €20 per set of 2 chairs and umbrella (cash only). There is a restaurant and gelato shop right on the beach, and the restaurant offers chair side service of food and drinks for all your needs!
The golfers returned around 1:30 and we all went to get a light lunch at Rutz. We each ordered acai bowls and bagel or croissant sandwiches and everything was delicious. For a lighter, quick lunch it is hard to beat Rutz. We walked around a bit before returning to the hotel to shower and get ready for the evening.
We left the hotel around 4:30 and drove to Porches, a city known for pottery in the Algarve. Our first stop was at Porches Pottery which is one of the more famous shops in the region. The store features all sorts of beautiful hand painted pottery, though unfortunately we didn’t see a tile mural like we were hoping for. They did have plenty of gorgeous plates, bowls, and vases but it is a little on the pricey side.
After enjoying the pottery we drove on to Tivoli Hotel in Carvoeiro. This is an incredible, super highly rated hotel that we thought about staying at but ultimately decided not to as it’s a bit on the expensive side. It is very nice and has unbelievable views over the ocean. There is a nice covered area to enjoy drinks or food, and a rooftop terrace that would be nice after the heat of the day has passed. The drinks were very expensive but the view was amazing. Now that we’ve seen it we would probably stay there the next time we visit the Algarve.
For dinner we drove to ABoneca for our 7pm reservations. We loved this restaurant due to the super unique atmosphere – the restaurant is located in the middle of rock structures right along the cliff. There are a good amount of stairs to reach the restaurant, and there are areas along the cliffs to explore so we recommend getting there early. The food was good as well – we ordered the peri peri chicken, seabass, and salad along with green wine, all of which was yummy.
Our waiter, Greg, was excellent! We happened to sit next to the manager of Quinta do Santos and struck up a conversation with him. We had wanted to go there for dinner at some point, but reservations were booked more than a month in advance. He ended up inviting us to come there one night, and we gladly took up the offer another night. It was such a wonderful experience!
After dinner we drove back to Albufeira and went to Sal Rosa for a night cap. This was a cool bar with a nice sea view (probably better during the day), but the drinks and ambiance were just average.
Day 5 – Winery Tour
We began the day with breakfast at our hotel, an excellent breakfast with a great view of the ocean!
At 10 we were picked up for our winery and Silves tour. Our first stop of the day was at Quinta do Frances Winery which was wonderful and had some truly delicious wines. The views are beautiful, and our guide led us through the entire wine making process at this vineyard. We liked this winery in particularly because the owner is French, so the wines have some French influence. We tried 5 different wines here then bought a few to take home.
After our first winery we were taken to the historic town of Silves, the former capital of the Algarve. We first toured the castle on the top of the hill before having free time to explore the town. While meandering we found a local spot named Nova Mesquita where we stopped for lunch. The food here was very good and the portions were huge for a very reasonable price. The only difficulty was ordering as no one in there really spoke English, but we liked that as it felt more like a local place!
After lunch we searched for and found a gelato shop where we got some delicious lemon sorbet. Afterwards we were picked up by our guide and driven 10 minutes to the second and final winery, Paxa. Our guide Carlos (who was excellent!) stopped along the way at a large cork tree to explain how cork is harvested which was fascinating.
At the winery we sat outside under a nice covered pavilion that offered a great view over the vineyards. We tasted 4 of the wines here as well and they were very good, but overall we liked Quinta do Frances a bit more.
Wine making in the Algarve is still a relatively new industry with just ~40 wineries in the region, but it is growing and we think there is a ton of potential here. We can’t wait to see what it looks like in 10-15 years! Two other highly rated wineries that you could potentially go to, if you have time and the means, are Adega do Cantor and Morgado do Quintao.
We returned to Albufeira around 5:30 and meandered through town before our 7pm reservation at Staar. We really liked this restaurant as well! It doesn’t have a view or anything, but the food is amazing. We ordered the tuna tartar and scallops starters, the shrimp pasta, steak with fries, and grilled veggies. And, of course, we had to end with the lime pie!
Day 6 – Lagos & Quinta do Santos
This morning we got breakfast at the hotel one more time before checking out and heading towards Lagos. It’s only about 45 minutes to Lagos, but we stopped by Porches again to buy some items we had passed on the last time. By 12pm we had arrived at our hotel in Lagos, Hotel Marina Rio.
We were very lucky to be able to check in right away, as check in doesn’t officially start until 2pm. We loved the hotel and thought it was absolutely perfect with a beautiful view over the marina. It also was just a 10 minute walk to the Old Town. If you drive, like us, there is a small parking lot just next door that is only €3 for an entire day. We absolutely would stay here again and would highly recommend it as well.
After dropping our bags off we wandered through Lagos Old Town. Our first major stop was the iconic “Green House“ that you must take a picture in or you didn’t actually visit Lagos. This is a building that is completely covered in beautiful green tiles that are not only decorative but very functional as they help regulate the temperature indoors.
For lunch we went to Barbosa, a highly rated restaurant in the Old Town. It’s more of a tapas bar, so we ordered a bunch of small plates including oysters from the Algarve, tuna tartar with guacamole, flaming chorizo, and delicious prawns. All of the food was delicious and we’d get it all again, especially the tuna tartar. We also ordered some orange wine (not our favorite) and some phenomenal rose.
We stopped at Padaria Central for some delicious pastel de natas before walking outside of the castle walls to Praia de Estudantes. Praia de Estudantes is famous for having a “Roman Arch” – which is not really Roman but is leftover from a destroyed 17th Century fortress – which connects two large rock structures. In order see it you have to walk down a set of steps and go through a really cool natural tunnel.
This is one of the most photographed spots in the Algarve and is definitely worth seeing. We wouldn’t recommend actually beaching here though because there are no amenities (like chairs for rents or bathrooms) and the beach is fairly small and very crowded.
From Praia de Estudantes we walked back into Lagos Old Town and stopped at Oak Berry for an incredible acai bowl. This is a chain from all over the world but it’s absolutely delicious and very refreshing.
We explored Old Town a bit more before heading back to the hotel and picking up the car. We left the hotel at 5:30 for the 30 minute drive to Quinta do Santo for dinner. We are so fortunate that we were able to get in for dinner because it is amazing! It is absolutely gorgeous with a view over the vines and a large olive tree in the middle of the restaurant. The food is ridiculously good, though it is on the pricier side compared to everywhere else we had eaten.
We started by each getting a beer or wine flight, then ordered the cheese with honey and almonds and some codfish cakes. We then had the lobster ravioli, sea bass with potatoes, ribeye with chimichurri sauce, and of course the chicken peri peri. That was easily the best chicken peri peri we’ve ever had and by far the best one on the trip. We also tried each of their desserts and we loved them. The menu changes with each season, but we know it will be incredible!
Restaurants in Lagos:
Breakfast:
- Padaria Centrale – A bakery that is cash only and closed on Sundays. Known for the pastel de nata
- Black and White – brunch
- Twin Fin – brunch
- Pom Pom Bagels
Lunch/Dinner
- Casinha Do Petisco – Very popular Cataplana, but must go when it opens to put your name on the list. It could be overhyped
- Travia – Natural wines & food
- Barbosa- Iberian cuisine
- Casa do Prego – Modern Portuguese
- OLI wine & dine
- Ciuccio – Italian
- Gorilla – Asian fusion
- Restaurante Pateo Velho – highly rated has a rooftop that looks like Santorini
Beaches around Lagos:
- Praia dos Estudantes – known for the iconic Roman arch
- Praia Dona Ana
- Praia do Camillo – famous for its wooden stairs and panoramic views
Day 7 – Golf, Beach, Farraguda and Portimao
This morning Matt and Emily’s dad had their second round of golf at Boavista, a nice course just 10 minutes from the hotel. This course was much wider and easier than the previous one, and also was a bit cheaper. The only downside is that the range was closed, so they weren’t able to warm up at all.
They teed off at 8:30 and were done in less than 3 hours. Overall it was a really fun round and they would definitely recommend it as a great option for golfing in the Lagos area.
Meanwhile, Emily and her mom started the day with breakfast at the hotel – which was pretty good and included eggs, beans, sausage, yogurt, good fruit, etc. – before leaving at 9:30. From the hotel they walked 30 minutes along the marina and boardwalk to Praia Dona Ana, which they loved! There are lounge chairs for $10 per person, bathrooms, and a restaurant right on the beach that allows you to take drinks and food to your chairs.
Matt and Emily’s dad finished golfing and were back at the hotel by 12:20 where they changed into their bathing suits and drove 6 minutes to the parking lot to meet Emily and her mom on the beach. They were down in the chairs by 1pm. We all got a light lunch at the restaurant on the beach – we shared a grilled chicken baguette and an Aperol spritz of course!
After about 1.5 hours we left the beach and drove 5 minutes further up down the road to the parking lot for Ponta Da Piedade – one of the most iconic landmarks in the Algarve. The area can be explored along the cliffs or via a kayak tour. It is a stunning landscape of dramatic rock formations and often choppy water that’s absolutely worth taking some time to appreciate. The walk to the stairs down to the water took about 5 minutes, and the stairs are certainly not too difficult to get a better view.
After exploring the area a bit we made our way back to our hotel to shower and get ready for the evening. We left the hotel at 4:45 and drove 30 minutes to the town of Ferragudo to explore a bit before dinner. The town is very small, and it’s definitely a fishing town with no real tourist draws, but it’s adorable to spend some time walking around. We stopped at Doce Gelado e Crepes for some incredible ice cream, specifically the pistachio and white cholate – so good! We went back to the hotel at 3:00 to shower and get ready for the evening.
If you are there during the day you can explore Forte de Sao Joao do Arade and Castelo de Ferragudo. After serving as extremely important fortifications for centuries, today the castle is owned by a Portuguese businessman who often stays there with his family. It is an absolutely beautiful castle and makes for an incredible picture.
After quickly exploring Ferragudo we drove 25 minutes (with traffic!) to the neighboring town of Portimao. We arrived around 6:45 so we parked in the Praia da Rocha area to see this famous, beautiful beach from the cliffside boardwalk. We also checked out some of the shops along the way and really enjoyed this quaint area.
At 7:30 we made our way to Meshua for dinner. This was a phenomenal restaurant that is absolutely a must in the Algarve, especially if you love sushi and steak. The food and service both were amazing. We shared the Meshua Experience, the Truffle Salmon Sushi board, and the picante steak with roasted pineapple that allows you to cook the steak to your liking directly in front of you. The sushi was probably the highest quality we have ever had!
Day 8 – Exploring the Algarve
For our last full day in the Algarve we decided to sleep in before walking in to Old Town Lagos for breakfast and coffee. We returned to Oak Berry for an acai bowl for breakfast, but if you want a good sit down restaurant we had heavily considered going to Black and White which was highly recommended. We walked around the corner and grabbed an iced latte and iced matcha latte from Abigail’s Cafe which was super cute and packed!
On our way back to the hotel we stopped by the Original Grater shop. The shop was doing a presentation on how to use a famous grater plate along with recipe recommendations. We decided to buy a medium size and a small size to bring home. The best part is they are dishwasher and oven safe, come with a cleaning brush, and a recipe packet.
For the main activity of the day we drove to Praia da Marinha for the beginning of the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail. This is a scenic 3.5 mile coastal hike (one way) that generally takes 2-3 hours. Most people start at Marinha, end at Praia de Vale de Centeanes, and Uber back to Marinha.
It’s much better to start at Marinha as it’s easier to find parking there. There is a relatively large parking lot with bathrooms, though the parking lot will fill up quickly. If you start the hike in the morning the sun will be at your back the entire way as well. Then, the hike ends at a restaurant whee you can end the day with a nice refreshing drink.
Here are some landmarks to see along the hike:
- Praia da Marinha – where you should start the hike!
- Arco Natural – a stunning natural arch over the ocean
- Benagil Cave from above
- Praia do Carvalho- a hidden gem with an entrance through a tunnel
- Alfanzina Lighthouse
Since we got there in the early afternoon the small parking lot was already full. We drove around for about 10 minutes stalking people going to their cars and finally got a parking spot, but unfortunately there really isn’t anywhere else to park outside of the parking lot.
All in all this was a really cool hike! The views along the entire way are stunning. The only downside is that it is entirely in the sun and in summer it can feel very hot with little shade. We saw a bunch of people doing boat tours and kayak tours through the various caves which seemed really fun too. The highlight was probably seeing the Benagil Cave from above as well!
After seeing Benagil Cave we decided to Uber back to our car, roughly at the halfway point. By then we had already seen several of the major landmarks, were hot from the sun, and were very hungry. Once we got back to the car we drove to A Boneca for lunch as it was so good the first time! We generally liked it more for dinner, but it was still very good for lunch! Just try to sit in the shade as it will get very hot in the sun in the summer.
After lunch we walked through the restaurant to a cave that has an incredible window over the sea. It was really cool to see, but it’s extremely popular now from social media so there tends to be a queue. We only waited a few minutes, but if the line is super long it’s probably not worth it. Just around the corner is Algar Seco Park, a network of caves, pools, and rock formations right along the coast that’s really cool to check out too.
After checking out the sea window we walked along the Carvoeiro Boardwalk all the way to the downtown area of Carvoeiro.This is another really cute downtown, though not super big either. We popped into a ceramic shop where we found a really nice clay boat cooking dish which we’ll use to grill sausage in and then each got an ice cream from a gelato shop.
We then returned to our car via the boardwalk and drove back to the hotel for dinner. From our hotel we walked 10 minutes to Ciuccio for our reservation at this incredible Italian restaurant.
This restaurant is such a hidden gem in Lagos. It has a cute ambiance and delicious pasta. The lemon pistachio pesto pasta is a must get and the truffle pasta smelled amazing. We started with beetroot carpaccio, beef tacos, and homemade tzatziki – all so delicious. We definitely recommend making reservations. This place was packed and we watched them turn away several people without reservations. If you have a group of 4, try to book in advance and choose the table by the window as it can get warm next to the kitchen.
After dinner we took an evening stroll around the marina and down to the beach as well to walk off the delicious pasta. There is a very nice walking path to a much quieter side of town around all the boats.
Day 9 – Setubal and Lisbon
On the morning of our last full day in Portugal we started with a coffee from the hotel before checking out and beginning the drive back towards Lisbon.
We left Lagos around 9 for the 2.5 hour drive to Setubal for lunch. Our first time in Portugal we went to Setubal for lunch on a tour and we knew we had to go back! It is a large fishing village where fresh seafood is always the right move.
We went to Casa do Mar for lunch, and it was absolutely amazing. You get to pick out your fish from a case, they weigh it, and then make sure you still want it based on the weight and price. It was a really cool experience! Their oysters, seabass, and seafood pasta was all delicious! Definitely go here if you have time when you’re in Setubal – it’s worth the drive from Lisbon.
After lunch we drove 20 minutes to the Jose Maria da Fonseca Winery for our prebooked wine tasting. But first, we stopped right across the street at Casa Negrito for a torta de Azeitao, a yummy sweet sponge cake filled with custard that originated in Setubal. We were glad we built in some time before the wine tour for a sweet treat here.
We then started our 1.5 tour and tasting of Jose Maria da Fonseca. The tour was amazing and the wine house/museum were so interesting. The guide was excellent and showed us their barrel rooms, including one where they store barrels that have been shipped from Portugal to Brazil to North America and back home to Portugal. The journey speeds up aging thanks to the temperature, salt, and constant motion of the ocean. It’s a really unique ode to the days of the past.
Their gardens are beautiful and the wine tasting itself was very good. We tried 4 total and really liked them all, even though we aren’t big fans of port wine. We highly recommend doing a tour of the winery if you are in the area or even on a day trip from Lisbon!
After enjoying our wine we drove 5 minutes up the road to Azulejos de Azeitao to check out some of their tile art work. They have really beautiful tiles, but it is quite expensive, even more so than the tile shops in Lisbon. Then we drove 45 minutes back to Lisbon.
On the drive back from Setubal to Lisbon you can stop at Cristo Rei, the large statue of Jesus based on the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil. It overlooks the Sea of Straw and the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge which looks almost identical to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
In Lisbon we checked into the Lisbon Old Town Guest House, which was great for a one night stay to save a little bit of money. There is no breakfast option, but it’s still in a very good location just a little further away from Alfama. There is no elevator so you do have to carry your suitcases up several flights of stairs. All in all it is a great option.
One note – there is no parking included. There is a square in front of the apartment but your car will be towed, so instead we parked in the underground garage nearby called Estacionamento da Praca do Municipio. It was just a 5 minute walk away, but was $27 for roughly 18 hours parked there, so definitely a bit pricey.
After checking in we went back to a tile shop we passed on the first day named Arte Rustica, as there was a beautiful tile mural that Emily’s parents wanted to buy. It’s a fantastic sailing ship mural in the traditional Portuguese style.
For dinner we went to a Spanish tapas restaurant just around the corner from the hotel named Meson Andaluz. We were able to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful Lisbon evening, and the tapas and wine here were absolutely fantastic!
After dinner we went back to By the Wine one more time because we loved the wine and lime pie so much. It was just as good the second time!
After our nightcap we walked back over to Alfama to enjoy the beautiful view one last time. It’s our favorite view and has been ever since we saw it the first time in Portugal. This time we decided to walk over to the Monastery of Sao Vicente de Fora and the National Pantheon as we had never made our way over there before. They were beautiful all lit up at night!
Day 10 – Return home
Thanks to the new European Entry and Exit System in Europe, we wanted to make sure we were at the airport 4 hours before our plane left just in case as lines have been outrageously long. That was the plan at least!
However, returning the car was one of the most hectic and chaotic experiences we’ve had. The car return garage is very small and the backup gets intense. It took us almost 40 minutes just to drop the car off. Thankfully there was no line at United to drop our bag off and security itself took about 25 minutes.
If you are hungry make sure you get food before going through passport control. There aren’t good options once you go through and there are so many people jammed in there that the lines can be very long. Thankfully we made it through the morning and boarded our plane without any real issues!
That’s our trip! We had a phenomenal time in Portugal, one of the countries we’ve enjoyed the most. We hope you get some inspiration from these 9 incredible days! Be sure to check out our first trip to Portugal for even more suggestions!