{"id":1709,"date":"2014-06-08T22:49:54","date_gmt":"2014-06-08T22:49:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/?p=1709"},"modified":"2025-04-22T16:46:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T16:46:00","slug":"a-short-getaway-in-portugal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/a-short-getaway-in-portugal\/","title":{"rendered":"A Short Getaway in Portugal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Portugal in 5 Days: A Whirlwind Taste of Tiles, Trams & Tawny Port<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of my favourite things about living in Europe is how easy it is to change environments in the blink of an eye. If I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m ever in need of foreign food, unfamiliar faces or just a fresh backdrop, all I have to do is hop on a short flight and\u00e2\u20ac\u201dvoil\u00c3\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u201dI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m somewhere completely different. Whether it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a weekend escape or a cheeky couple of days off work, I always come back re-energised and inspired by the scenery switch.<\/p>\n

Over the years, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve taken all kinds of mini-adventures: hitch hiking to Copenhagen<\/a><\/strong>, exploring the Irish countryside, learning to drink vodka in Warsaw<\/a><\/strong>, clubbing in London, wandering Budapest’s hidden corners<\/a><\/strong>… and most recently, sampling Portugal\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s delights.<\/p>\n

\"Portugal\"<\/a>
change of scenery<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Because I wanted to experience as much of the country as possible in a short amount of time, I decided to keep moving. No rigid schedule, just a loose plan and a thirst for discovery.<\/p>\n

DAY 1: \u00c2\u00a0PORTO – A charming start<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thanks to the abundance of low-cost flights, I managed to score return tickets to Porto for less than \u00e2\u201a\u00ac60 per person. Low transportation costs are pretty much non-negotiable when choosing a weekend destination.<\/p>\n

With its hilly cobbled streets, blue-and-white tiled facades, and riverside sunsets, Porto was the perfect place to kick off the trip. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s small enough to explore on foot without that pressure of checking off a list of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153must-see\u00e2\u20ac\u009d spots. You just wander<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Sip some Port\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthe local pride and joy\u00e2\u20ac\u201d while admiring the architecture and sample staples like grilled sardines or, for the brave, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tripas \u00c3\u00a0 moda do Porto\u00e2\u20ac\u009d: a stew made of tripe, beans, pig\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s trotters and offal… I skipped it (guts and feet stew? Not my cup of tea), but if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve tried it, I want to hear about it!<\/p>\n

Evenings are lively: caf\u00c3\u00a9s and bars fill with chatting locals and travellers. The nightlife spills into the streets, with people standing outside drinking, laughing, living.<\/p>\n

\"blue-and-white<\/a>
blue-and-white tiled walls of the Capela das Almas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Port<\/a>
a travel nerd’s dream come true: drinking Port in Porto<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"grilled<\/a>
sardinhas asadas -charcoaled-grilled sardines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Douro<\/a>
the Douro river banks by night<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

DAY 2: TRAIN TO LISBON – Capital calling<\/strong><\/p>\n

Direct trains from Porto to Lisbon run every hour, take about three hours, and cost around \u00e2\u201a\u00ac25 one way. We left after breakfast and arrived just in time for lunch.<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve said it before: I love cities by the sea, and Lisbon is no exception. That ocean breeze brings a cool, laid-back energy to the whole place.<\/p>\n

Lisbon deserves way more than a pitstop\u00e2\u20ac\u201dit’s bursting with history, iconic architecture, picturesque neighbourhoods and a nightlife that doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quit. But for a short stay, it makes for a fantastic taster.<\/p>\n

\"Lisbon's<\/a>
Lisbon’s roofs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"hilly<\/a>
hilly streets<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"LISBON,<\/a>
Port wine, Portugal’s pride<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"LISBON,<\/a>
walking around at night<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

DAY 3: LISBON ON FOOT AND BY TRAM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lisbon is made for wandering. It’s bigger than Porto, so your feet will thank you when you hop onto one of those iconic yellow trams.<\/p>\n

We spent the day exploring Bel\u00c3\u00a9m, picnicking in the botanical gardens, and trying the Pasteis de Nata<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthose legendary custard tarts that absolutely live up to the hype.<\/p>\n

\"LISBON,<\/a>
Monumento a los Descubridores<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"tram<\/a>
tram 28 takes you around the histrocial centre of the city<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"pasteis<\/a>
pasteis de nata from Bel\u00c3\u00a8m<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Bel\u00c3\u00a8m<\/a>
Bel\u00c3\u00a8m Tower<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

DAY 4: DRIVING TO THE DOURO VALLEY<\/strong><\/p>\n

We rented a car and drove north to the Douro Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the<\/em> place for wine lovers.
\nHaving your own wheels is key here\u00e2\u20ac\u201dit lets you roam at your own pace and pull over for as many scenic photo stops (or spontaneous vineyard visits) as your heart desires. Many estates offer tours and tastings, often for free. Pop in and visit one or several estates, most welcome visitors and even have guided tours around the premises, explaining the types of grapes and the manufacturing process. Sampling is of course, part of the learning process… But don’t get too carried away, you still have to drive!<\/p>\n

We spent the night in Amarante, a charming little town tucked into the valley.<\/p>\n

\"Douro<\/a>
Douro valley during spring<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Port<\/a>
learning about Port at a wine estate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"tasting<\/a>
tasting Port straight from the cask<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"road<\/a>
road trip fun<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Amarante,<\/a>
spending the night in Amarante<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

DAY 5: HOME BOUND<\/strong><\/p>\n

We made sure to use a rental company that let us pick up the car in Lisbon and drop it in Porto, which made everything smoother. On day five, we drove straight to the airport and flew home, fully fuelled by wine, sun, and custard.<\/p>\n

\n

TIP:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ladies, leave your heels at home. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m serious\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthese cities are all but heel friendly. Between the cobbles and the hills, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll spend more time looking down than looking around, and that would be a shame.<\/p>\n

Have you been to Portugal?\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The post “A Short Getaway in Portugal<\/a>” first appeared on Travel Cake<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Portugal in 5 Days: A Whirlwind Taste of Tiles, Trams & Tawny Port One of my favourite things about living in Europe is how easy it is to change environments in the blink of an eye. If I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m ever in need of foreign food, unfamiliar faces or just a fresh backdrop, all I have to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1736,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[109,81],"tags":[18,11,30,64],"country":[254],"class_list":["post-1709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-europe","category-portugal","tag-budget","tag-europe","tag-road-trip","tag-short-getaway","post_format-post-format-image","country-portugal"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/phrKJj-rz","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.travelcake.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/FEAT.jpg?fit=1024%2C612&quality=89&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1709"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1709\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4571,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1709\/revisions\/4571"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1736"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1709"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=1709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}