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 →

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 →

What to see and do in Ponte de Lima

If you’ve never been to Portugal, you’re in for a treat. You might even fall a little bit in love, especially if you know what to expect. My insider Portugal travel tips can help you prepare and make your first trip go as smoothly as possible.  Knowing a little aboutRead More →

Man hiking. Pico Ruivo and Pico do Areeiro mountain peaks in Madeira, Portugal

As a leisure activity, hiking in Portugal has become much more popular in the last few years. When I first moved here, it was mainly foreigners who went for long walks just for fun. Nowadays, there are more Portuguese hikers out and about and lots of visitors are keen toRead More →

N2 Portugal road trip with passport and map

Portugal’s longest road, the N2, (or Nacional 2), runs from Chaves, just below the northern border of the country, all the way to Faro on the south coast. Given that it’s Portugal’s most epic road trip, the N2 is often referred to as the Portuguese Route 66. Built in 1945,Read More →

Road trip through Arrábida Natural Park

I’ve lost count of all the road trips in Portugal that I’ve done over the years. While I certainly enjoy car-free city breaks and day trips, I’m usually keen to explore further afield in order to get to know a particular area. Given the limited public transport in rural areas,Read More →

Sunglasses on blue desk. Travel insurance Document

Note: I originally wrote this article about travel insurance for trips to Portugal in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic. Testing and quarantines are not the daily norm any more in Portugal but Covid-19 is still at large. I’ve updated the article (October 2023) to reflect the current situation.Read More →

Dictionaries and resources to learn European Portuguese at different levels.

Do you really need to learn European Portuguese if you’re coming to Portugal? The short answer is yes. Even if it’s only how to say please and thank you. How far you go beyond the basics in Portuguese will depend on many factors but if you’re planning to spend anyRead More →