Travel Guide: Portugal
Olá! Here at Everything JB, I catch flights not feelings. As the young kids would say. Another day in the pandemic, another travel guide for your enjoyment. This time around I will be discussing my most recent travel to Portugal. My usual travel companions and I went to Lisbon and Algarve for eight days and it was nothing short of amazing! We picked Portugal because it was on our travel bucket list but also because the flights were soo cheap. So let talk about it.
This is how it went . . .
At Home COVID-19 Test
Travel Guidelines. We are very much still in a global pandemic so starting with travel requirements is essential. Portugal is one of the European countries that is not requiring as much (for now). To get into Portugal, there are not mandatory test requirements or vaccination card passport requirements. However, the airline will require a negative PCR COVID test to board the flight. There are restaurants, typically on the higher end, that require a negative PCR COVID test to dine in. Most of the restaurants we dined in at did not require a test but we carried our negative results with us just in case. In order to return to the states, Delta Airlines requires a negative COVID PCR test. We took an at home PCR COVID test. The at home test is conducted on a virtual call where the health care professional can see you and guides you through on how to take the test. Once you complete the test step by step they will e-mail you your COVID results. The at home test is very simple and straight forward and takes about 20 minutes tops to complete. We purchased the at home test here in the states for about $60 and packed them with us to Portugal. You cannot open the test until you are on the call with the health care professional when they instruct you to do so. This saved us time, money, and energy than having to do it at a site in Portugal. I believe the brand we used was Abbot BinaxNOW but there are other brands that are out there as well. My advice do what works for you. If taking a test at a facility in that country is better for you than, great!
Accommodations. Lisbon (link) - Our accommodations in Lisbon were perfect. Our AirBnB, was apartment style which tends to be very common in Europe. Our AirBnB was recently completely renovated so everything was practically brand new. We were centrally located in middle of Lisbon which made it really easy to get around the city. Ubers are available in Lisbon. I suggest using Uber over take a taxi as taxis run on meters and the Ubers are significantly cheaper. Uber rides anywhere in Lisbon were no more than 12 euros.
Algarve (link) - Our accommodations in Algarve was also apartment style. This AirBnB was older and smaller in style but still nice and quaint. Most apartments in Algarve will be smaller and older in style than in Lisbon. There are very nice hotels and AirBnB’s but they will be a tad more pricy. We stayed in the region of Albufeira in Algarve. Albufeira is near the coast and walking distance to the beach and the Old Town of Albufeira (downtown bar/club area). Uber is also an option here and very cost efficient but Albufeira is definitely a town you can walk around by foot.
Lisbon Apartment (Left) - Algrave Apartment (Right)
Restaurants. Lisbon - Lisbon is one of the most diverse cities in Europe. There are people from all parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa so there is plenty of options food wise that will not disappoint. Here are some of the restaurants we went to while in Lisbon.
Otro Restaurant - Otro Restaurant is a contemporary Portuguese cuisine restaurant. This restaurant was amazing. The drinks and food were both great. The service and people were very friendly. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and for my main course I shared the surf and turf with potatoes and roasted veggies with my friend. Delicious. Otro is a known Portuguese perfume brand that cannot be found in the states. The restaurant keeps an assortment of perfumes in their bathroom for guest to try.
Java Restaurant (Rooftop) - Java Restaurant is a good brunch and night option. Java sits on a rooftop of a beautiful apartment-hotel style building. The restaurant has an amazing view of the city of Lisbon. Even if you are not hungry I suggest going here for drinks and the view. We went to Java for brunch around 1pm and the view was amazing. I ordered the chicken and pancakes which were good not your traditional pancakes in the states but good nonetheless.
Marisqueira Azul (Timeout Market) - The Timeout Market is similar to the ones they have here in the states like in Brooklyn and Chicago. A large mess hall style with many different restaurant options. At Marisqueira Azul we initially went for drinks but ended up ordering some food appetizers as well. For a quick bite this place is perfect to sit outside and enjoy a bottle of wine.
JNcQUOI Asia - JNcQUOI brand is an upscale brand that features a few different restaurants. JNcQUOI Asia tells a story through their food with a variety of Asian and Indian options. The restaurant is interesting and fun decor and the service is great. I ordered the Pad Thai with shrimp which was really good.
JNcQUOI Avenida - JNcQUOI Avenida is slightly more upscale than JNcQUOI Asia that specializes in a culinary experience using fresh and seasonal products. Here we sat at the bar because we did not have reservations and had a few drinks and food. I ordered oysters to start and the Crab Pasta.
Sol Dourado - If you’re looking for a traditional Portuguese restaurant this is it. Sol Dourado is located in the middle of the busy city of Lisbon. Here you can get your traditional Portuguese food. We enjoyed the sangria here and traditional bbq chicken with fries.
Algarve - Albufeira - This region of Portugal is vacation spot frequent by a lot of Europeans and is a party town. There are a lot of restaurants that are on the nicer side and some that are your typical bars.
Sunset Beach Club Restaurant - Sunset Beach Club is right on the beach in Albufeira. Here we had the biggest shrimp I’ve ever seen in my life that were paired with garlic sauce and side salad. The drinks are good and the staff is friendly. This restaurant gets pretty packed because it is attached to popular hotel but tables were seemingly always available.
A Ruina Restaurant - A beautiful restaurant located at the top of the beach giving one of the best views you can have in Albuferia. Here we had traditional Portuguese with a lot of fresh seafood options. At this restaurant you can hand pick out all the seafood you desire. We had a little bit of everything here sangria, salad, calamari, shrimp, red snapper, and more. Definitely think it is worth going to for the view alone.
Excursions/Exploring. Lisbon is a beautiful city with so much to do. Sightseeing and walking around you will be amazed how gorgeous the city can be during the day and at night.
Tuk Tuk Tour - The Tuk Tuk Tour is one of the best things you can do in the city because you get to see all the major attractions depending on how long you want to be on the Tuk Tuk Tour. We did about an hour and half tour with our guide Rory who was a former basketball player that was very knowledgeable about Portugal’s history. You can book this in advance online but I think you may end up paying more because you can talk them down in person. After we went to brunch at Java Restaurant we walked right outside and grabbed a Tuk Tuk without any issues.
The Number 28 Tram - The Number 28 Tram in Lisbon connects Martim Moniz with Campo Ourique, and passes through the popular tourist districts of Graca, Alfama, Baixa and Estrela. For visitors, this is the classic Lisbon tram journey, riding in a quaint yellow tram as it rattles and screeches through the narrow streets of the city. The tram is only 3 euro, give or take $5 USD.
A Day Trip to Sintra - Sintra is about 20-25 minutes outside of Lisbon and easily accessible by Uber or taxi. Sintra is one of the most beautiful and most unique places in Portugal. With fairytale-like castles and the most enchanting gardens, a visit to Sintra is worth your time. Outside of the castles and gardens the town of Sintra is small, calm and pleasant. You could easily spend a day in Sintra seeing everything there is to offer but just be prepared to walk a lot.
Algarve - Albufeira - Algarve is on the coast of the country and will give you the vacation relaxation feeling one may need. If you are into the party lifestyle this is also the place for you. There is a lot to do in Algarve and you can get a bit of everything here. Here is a few things we did.
Morgado do Quintão - A large, restored early 1800's family-owned vineyard estate, offering wine tastings and a boutique farmstay experience. Located between Silves and Lagoa, the winery is about a 20-25 minute ride from Albufeira via a Uber ride. The grounds of the vineyard is absolutely gorgeous. We paid 35 euros which included 6 wine tastings, meat and cheeseboard and alongside some veggies. We were able to talk around the grounds of the vineyard and take some amazing pictures and video. It is extremely peaceful and sincere on the vineyard.
Praia dos Pescadores - This is one of the many beaches located in Albufeira. This beach is the Atlantic south coast of the region of Algarve. This beach is beautiful with both locals and tourist who frequent the beach. The beach is clean and has plenty of restaurants nearby. You can buy chairs and umbrellas for about 15 euros for the day.
Boat Rental - Our favorite part of any trip is boat day. We rented a boat in Faro which is about a 30 minute drive from Albufeira. The boat rental was for 5 hours and went along the coast in the Atlantic Ocean. The boat rental came with two bottles of champagne and a two person staff. We toured the most southern part of Portugal and did some sightseeing of nearby beaches and mountains.
Overall . . .
Lisbon is a beautiful diverse city with people from all over the world. The food is amazing and there are so many options to choose from. The city of Lisbon is a classic city with its mostly untouched architecture but yet also robust and energetic feeling you get from the people. I found the people in Portugal to be the nicest of all the European countries I personally visited. I thought English being spoken would be an issue but just about everyone we came across spoke English very well.
Algarve is a classic traditional town. True to the culture and its people but lively and relax enough to entertain its holiday/vacation visitors. Algarve offers stunning views from many areas throughout the region with amazing beaches. To me, you get the best of both worlds while in Algarve. It is a place to visit and a place to be appreciated.
