City-Hopping Around Portugal: Lisbon Sintra And Porto Done Differently

Culture Trip brings you City Loops, Done Differently – the trending multi-destination routes for 2020 with a twist. Deep-dive into the culture of a destination and discover how to get the most out of your itinerary, from what to see and do to what to tuck into and where to stay.

Time it right to sidestep flocks of tourists (avoiding July and August), and you can get into the groove of the Portuguese happy-go-lucky pace of life in just five days.

Starting out in Portugal’s capital of Lisbon, getting around this Southern European country can be either a train, bus or plane affair. Expect fado music, port wine and pastéis de nata (Portuguese custard tarts) to make frequent appearances on this trip…

Lisbon

A few things spring to mind with Portugal’s capital: classic yellow tram carriages (known as remodelados), Pombaline architecture (distinguished by a mixture of Classicism, late Baroque and Art Nouveau) and the fado music you come across in so many of its pubs, cafés and restaurants.

1. Soak up art at Calouste Gulbenkian Museum

Museum

A collection of over 10,000 pieces, the works at Calouste Gulbenkian Museum range from European art to Egyptian sculptures, Greco-Roman art to Modernist paintings. Masters such as Rubens, Rembrandt, Monet and Van Dyck are part of this private collection, which is set in the picturesque Gulbenkian Park.

2. Enjoy a drink with a view at the Park Bar Lisbon

Bar, Portuguese

As soon as it hits drinks o’clock, Pink Street draws the crowds. As an alternative to the rowdiness of this watering hole, Park Bar Lisbon in the city’s Bairro Alto area offers a peaceful place to enjoy a pint. Located on the sixth floor, it serves stunning views of the city, too.

3. Stay at Hub New Lisbon Hostel

Hostel

Situated in the northern end of Bairro Alto – meaning you can stumble back after drinks at the nearby Park Bar Lisbon – Hub New Lisbon Hostel is a great place to connect with fellow travellers. With a large projector screen to watch movies, a ‘pool’ filled with 70,000 plastic balls, and an artisanal cocktail bar, it’s all about socialising.

Sintra

A UNESCO World Heritage site for its traditional castles, monasteries and villages, Sintra is a place of romance – so much so that it’s known by many as the Capital of Romanticism in Portugal.

Pena National Palace has a look all its own

4. Explore Pena Palace

Building, Monastery, Park

Palacio da Pena Sintra is set high on a wooded hill and framed by folly-dotted botanical gardens

Sintra’s star attraction, Pena Palace (Palácio da Pena) is the stuff of fairytales. The Romanticist castle, built in the 19th century, is unique for its vivid paint job: saturated red and yellow hues dominate its exterior. On a clear day, look out for it from Lisbon.

Refuel at Harko’s

After you’ve wrapped up exploring, Harko’s is a great place to grab a bite to eat. A Japanese restaurant, it specialises in soup with tofu and leeks, yakisoba yasai noodles and sushi.

Nothing refreshes quite like a Japanese meal after a time in the hot sun

5. Stay at Lawrence’s Hotel

Boutique Hotel, Hotel

In keeping with Sintra’s picturesque feel, Lawrence’s Hotel is a charming establishment with old-world decor that lends an ornate feel to its rooms. Within a mile you’ll find Pena Palace, Moors Castle and Sintra National Palace, while walking trails grace the nearby Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais, which is one of the 13 Natural Parks of Portugal.

Porto

Portugal’s second-largest city, the seaside destination of Porto boasts both classic architecture (like the Palácio da Bolsa) and contemporary art (at the Serralves Museum), along with great wine, being a stone’s throw from the Douro Valley.

6. Livraria Lello

Bookstore

Known within literary circles as a book lover’s paradise, Porto is home to many a bookstore – among them Livraria Lello & Irmão, which Harry Potter author JK Rowling considers her favourite in the city. Rowling wrote the first few chapters of the book while she lived in Porto, and the Art Nouveau bookstore provided much inspiration to the narrative; its interior is similar to that of ‘Flourish and Blotts’, where Hogwarts students purchase their books.

7. Vila Nova de Gaia

Wine Seller, Wine

Porto is synonymous with port; the Douro Valley, just down the road, is recognised as the birthplace of this dessert wine. While in the region, learn all about its production with a half-day tour to multiple wine houses, including cellars from a local guide. Seven wine tastings are on the cards here at the Port Wine Lodges Tour, meaning you’ll be a connoisseur by the end.

8. Stay at 1872 River House

Boutique Hotel

Spend your last Portuguese evenings in the comfort of a trendy boutique hotel. In the Ribeira neighbourhood on the Douro River, this eight-room hotel offers river views, creature comforts like Wi-Fi, a bar and bike rentals, with most rooms featuring partly exposed stone walls and Juliet balconies.

The Ribeira, Porto’s historic centre, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996

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