We had a 12-night itinerary planned to include visits to Lisbon (5 nights), Evora (2 nights) and Algarve (5 nights). Hector, my travel agent, worked tirelessly with me to select the best itinerary patiently suggesting lodging and excursions that fit with my family interests which included biking, hiking, kayaking and experiencing the local culture.
Lisbon:
-Tuk-Tuk tour to learn about the neighborhoods and history of the city.
-Tile Museum - enjoyable and self-guided. Get timed tickets. We arrived for 10 AM tour (first tour of day) and there was a line of people waiting that had not purchased tickets.
-Restaurant Sancho - walking distance to our hotel. We ate here 3 times. Octopus is fabulous!
-Sintra - Loved this guided walking tour to Pena Castle...yes, walking tour! Honestly, it was not difficult. Paul, our awesome guide, had so much history to share which included history back to the 1100's through current day. He made a lunch of all local foods. At the beginning of the tour, he purchased pastries for us to try which were delicious! He tailored the speed of walking based on our needs. Although we had timed tickets, we opted not to tour the inside the rooms of the castle because we would have still had to wait in lines.
-Nazare - we returned to Lisbon prior to returning home so had a rental car. We went to Nazare the location of the tallest waves in the world. There is a small surfing museum at the Forte De S Miguel Arcanjo viewing site worth the euro to walk through. We also took beginner surf lessons at SURF4YOU school. Anna was our private (group of 3) guide for the 2-hour lesson. She successfully had us all riding the waves by the end of the lesson and has a bright and engaging personality. I highly recommend her.
Evora:
-Cork and Castle Tour - 3 hour private guided tour that I highly recommend. The tour guide, Joao Matos, a PhD student of history, was our guide for this tour. He was a wealth of knowledge including current and long ago history.
Lagos:
-Cascade Wellness Resort - great place to stay with a wonderful breakfast buffet. This was a 2 bedroom apartment living with washer/dryer which was perfect since our son joined us for the last week of the trip. They have several pools and gym and was a relaxing place to unwind in the late afternoons. It is within walking distance (~ 1 mile) to the historic town which we walked to and from for dinner each night.
-Lagos & Ponta da Piedade Bike Tour - We rented e-bikes and biked approximately 25 miles mostly away from traffic. Loved the ride and a nice change up from walking. Highly recommend. John was our guide and not only had fun in mind but safety. He would stop along the way and brief us on what was coming up in the next couple of miles insuring everyone was comfortable at the speed and distance of the trip.
-Algarve Kayaking Trip to Benagil Caves - Equally loved this trip, although more crowded. Once you are on the water you don't feel so overwhelmed with people. There are many tours going on at the same time. Raphael, our guide, was funny and engaging.
-Hiking - 1. Fisherman's Trail hikes above the Benagil Cave and along the coast. Many people do this hike. 2. Route of the Seven Hanging Valleys (All Trails App) was gorgeous and less traveled. The second trail was our favorite if you only have a choice of one.
Tips:
-Driving: Portugal is a right-side of the road driving. You need to get an International Driving License (which is easy to obtain). It would be best to review Portuguese road signs before traveling...while universal...there were many signs not frequently seen in the USA.
-Helpful to have Euros upon arrival: We primarily operated on credit cards but there are times you need small bills (5 euros and 1 and 2 euro coins for tipping). Review tipping guidelines in Portugal...they are very different from USA.
-MPC App - Mobil Passport Control App: this is worth downloading for your return to USA. It is an easily downloadable app that allows you to complete a short 6 question survey to get through customs into the USA. It allows you to add up to 11 people traveling in your party to expedite going through customs. It does not cost anything and there is a separate line when you enter customs area to fast-track you through customs.
-Trip Plans App: This was the first tour I have taken where my entire itinerary was at my finger tips in an app on my cell phone. It was amazing to have including phone numbers to contact the guides directly and a chat function that was invaluable to ask questions or communicate changes in the itinerary. For example: our surf lesson time was changes to coincide with low tide. The travel guides communicated this information in real time and immediately updated the itinerary on my phone to reflect the changes. It was perfect and reassuring to know I had someone to reach out to for guidance.
I highly recommend this company for travel plans to Portugal. They were great to work with. Thank you, Hector, and the team of people that supported us throughout our journey.
Activity Reviews
Surf the Big Waves of Nazaré
Portugal
Never did I think I would be able to stand on a surf board and ride a wave in at age 62 but this surfing outfitter succeeded in insuring the three of us taking a lesson did just that! The outfitter was well-organized moving a group of us to the beach, insuring we were warmed up, and knew the steps to standing on the board before we got on the water. Very organized while keeping it fun.
Quality of Experience
It was a first time attempt at surfing made fun by the instructor.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Anna was an amazing and encouraging guide. She successfully got all of us standing on the board and riding the wave to shore.
Algarve Kayaking Trip to Benagil Caves
Portugal
The tour operator was organized and had us set up for kayaking quickly. The beach launching the kayaks is a choke-point with numerous tour operators all negotiating getting their guests launched. It appears that each group going had a scheduled time of launch because although the operators were competing for clients, they all worked together to provide a good experience for all kayaking and enjoying their time on the water.
Quality of Experience
Raphael, our guide was great! He was funny but very attentive to safety which is important on the water.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Raphael was excellent and funny!
Scenic Algarve E-Bike Experience
Portugal
E-bike operator was organized and timely with getting the trip started. We biked ~25 miles that morning spaced with time for rest (if needed), stop for beverage and visit to beaches.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
John was kind and easy to converse with. We enjoyed riding along the beaches and cresting a hill to see 360 degree views of the area.
Évora Cork and Castle Tour
Évora
This was our second tour with Joao Matos and it was as interesting and engaging as the first. He is local to the area so adds in his personal experience growing up. His passion for the area is clearly felt as he speaks about the best aspects of Evora. It is obvious, Joao has experience with guiding as he seems to have great repoire with all the staff in the buildings we visited.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Cannot say enough about Joao Matos. He was knowledgeable and attentive to our questions.
Transport
Our guide and driver had a very good repoire. We ended our trip on a hillside watching the sunset.
Guided Visit of Évora
Portugal
Joao Matos is a PhD student with the local university studying history. He utilizes his educational background to provide details of Portuguese history. He is kind and will tailor his speaking points to your interest. I found him to be open to discussion on topics both current and historical.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Joao Matos is amazing guide!
Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets
Portugal
We chose to hike to the Pena Castle through a series of beautiful trails in park-like setting hidden from the crowds. Paul, our guide, was exceptional tailoring conversation and information to our interests. The lunch he prepared for the hike was made from all locally grown and prepared breads and vegetables and he even purchased pastries to sample on the trail.
Quality of Experience
Appropriate length of hike.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Paul was so knowledgeable, approachable and friendly.
Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour
Portugal
Picked us up at hotel and was a great way to begin our trip to Portugal.
Guides, Drivers and Staff