Palácio da Pena, Sintra

The enchanting UNESCO World Heritage landscape of Sintra is an understandably popular destination. Although it’s less than an hour from Lisbon, it’s a world apart. We’re talking forested hills filled with fanciful palaces, romantic gardens, centuries-old castles and convents, all contained within a natural park fringed by beautiful beaches. InRead More →

Sao Jorge Castle and Baixa, Lisbon. Par of a 14 day Portugal itinerary

You can see quite a lot of the country without a car on this 2-week Portugal itinerary. The focus for this Portugal trip is on the areas around and in between Lisbon and Porto and there’s plenty of variety including some off the beaten track highlights as well as theRead More →

Pescadores beach Ericeira

When thinking about things to do in Ericeira, a small coastal town just 35km northwest of Lisbon, what immediately comes to mind are surfing and beaches. However, although Ericeira has the distinction of being Europe’s first world surfing reserve and surfers travel from far and wide to enjoy the wavesRead More →

Green Porto road sign over highway.

When planning a trip to Portugal, many people look at Lisbon and see that the second largest city, Porto, doesn’t seem very far away. In fact, the distance from Lisbon to Porto is 197 miles by car, 170 if you fly, although that’s not the best way to travel fromRead More →

Lisbon sightseeing by sailing boat. Lisbon boat tours

Taking a Lisbon boat tour will open your eyes to a different perspective of Lisbon. As well as the cool breeze, which is more than welcome on hot days, being on the water allows you to escape from the noise and irritations of busy streets. The wide waters of theRead More →

Lisbon skyline. Best place to live in Lisbon

Over the past decade, Lisbon has become one of the most popular destinations for expats in Europe. Perfect weather, vibrant culture and stunning scenery, especially alongside Portugal’s liberal visa policies make life in Lisbon appealing for people from all backgrounds. So where are the best neighbourhoods to live in LisbonRead More →

Azenhas do Mar village, cliff and beach

Picture a collection of whitewashed cottages perched on a cliff overlooking a sandy beach and rocky coastline and you’ve got the village of Azenhas do Mar. In fact, you may already have seen images of this charming village within the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park – it’s very photogenic.  Mike and IRead More →

View along Sesimbra castle walls

The picturesque fishing port of Sesimbra is a mere 40 km south of Lisbon and still retains much of its fishing village atmosphere. It has the added bonus of being right next to the Arrabida Natural Park and its hidden coves and monastery, adding more to the potential things toRead More →

Portinho de Arrábida, Serra da Arrábida, Portugal

You really don’t have to go far from Lisbon to find stunning landscapes and some of Europe’s most beautiful beaches. Simply take a day trip south across the River Tagus to the Serra da Arrábida Natural Park and you’ll find white sand and turquoise waters backed by greenery and limestoneRead More →