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Curated itineraries, local tips and inspiration for your next adventure in Portugal.
In Estremoz, the gadanha is the pastry that defines the town, and Pastelaria Formosa has been making one of the best since 1961. A café crawl around Rossio Marquês de Pombal, with everything worth ordering at the counter.
In Estremoz, marble is on the pavements and the café counters. From the Art Nouveau splendour of Águias d'Ouro to the sheep cheese queijadas at Pastelaria Formosa, these are the cafés worth stopping at, and what to order at each one.
May brings long days, peak-green forest and waterfalls running at full volume. From Caldeirão Verde to Ponta de São Lourenço, these are the walks worth lacing up for, with the new €4.50 fee and mandatory booking since 2026.
In May, Lisbon's sunset lands around 8:15pm. At the right viewpoints, away from summer crowds, the city puts on a show of light over the Tagus. Here are the ones worth the climb.
Tapada Nacional de Mafra packs 819 hectares of forest, 300 fallow deer, wild boar, and red deer roaming free inside 18th-century walls. Add the Iberian Wolf Recovery Center in nearby Gradil and you have one of the best nature days within half an hour of Lisbon.
Bordalo II's owl is gone from the Colégio das Artes, but Coimbra's walls keep talking. From the Quebra Costas steps to the student república facades, this is the street art trail no conventional guide gives you.
Arrábida doesn't work as a rushed beach day. With two days, the right strategy, and willingness to wake up early, you get mountain trails, uncrowded beaches, and Setúbal's best fried cuttlefish without the queues.
In Arrábida, choco frito is a religion, Queijo de Azeitão is eaten with a spoon, and Moscatel de Setúbal deserves far more than a tiny post-lunch glass. A route through the dishes that define the region, from Setúbal to Sesimbra.
Serra da Arrábida offers near-empty roads, climbs reaching 500 metres with 13% gradients, and turquoise beaches as your reward. From the gentle Setúbal-to-Figueirinha coast ride to the 90 km grand loop through Palmela and Sesimbra, there's a route for every pair of legs.
Between the fresh cuttlefish at Mercado do Livramento and the oozing Queijo de Azeitão at the monthly fair, the Arrábida region offers one of the best food days near Lisbon. An opinionated guide to what's worth buying, tasting, and leaving behind.
Queijo de Azeitão oozing onto the plate, 20-year-old Moscatel in the cellars of José Maria da Fonseca, and crispy choco frito at a Setúbal tasca. An evening itinerary for those who take food seriously.
Torre de Moncorvo sits 200 kilometres from the sea, but Transmontana cooking doesn't need the ocean. Artisanal alheiras, wood-fired kid goat, and fresh-pressed olive oil with rye bread: the interior eats better than you think.