Week in Portugal
I’ve just finished the final leg of my Never-Ending-Summer-Vacation, a sentence I very much doubted I’d be using in 2020. Yet there you have it; with a little caution, many a mask, and a whole lot of hand sanitizer, I’ve managed to leave not only Rome this summer but also Italy. As numbers seem to have suddenly gone up in nearby countries like France and Spain, I have a feeling that my travel window will be shutting again, but in the meantime, I’m pleased and grateful to have been able to move around a little this summer.
Portugal – seemingly overshadowed by arguably showier Italy, Spain, and France – was a country I’d been wanting to visit for a while, for its promise of perfect weather, beautiful beaches, and, duh, great food. With both ticket prices and covid cases in Portugal low, it seemed like a smarter alternative to our originally planned trip to Puglia, which seems to have attracted most of Italy this year. I’m happy to say I wasn’t disappointed.
So! Before I get to the good stuff, here’s a bit of information that might be useful to you if you’re planning on visiting Portugal, as well as just my plain old observations:
-The Portuguese receive top marks when it comes to social distancing and mask wearing; bravi!
-Portugal is very, VERY hilly; bring sneakers and expect most of your time there to be somewhat of a workout.
-Taxis and ubers are fairly cheap; public transport costs more than in Rome (2-3 euros per one ride ticket) but, unlike Roman public transport, runs smoothly.
-Portuguese sounds a bit like Spanish’s lazy, sleepy cousin. Also, the Portuguese word for chicken is frango, which I find delightful.
-The Portuguese people are some of the nicest I’ve ever come across; a little old lady who spoke no English approached us on the street when she saw us looking confusedly at our map, eager to help, language barriers be damend; a taxi driver was eager to give us his restaurant suggestions (dos and don’ts); shopkeepers, waiters, bus drivers, and everyone else we came across were warm, generous, and helpful.
So! With no further ado, here’s a little on the cities we visited, i.e Lisbon, Coimbra, and Sintra, as well as the most important part of all, what we ate (spoiler: pasteis de nata up ahead).
LISBON
Let’s start with the capital city of Lisbon, shall we?! There are lots and lots of sites to see here – many a palace, church, and museum, and monastery! – so I thought I’d break it down and give you my favorite sites. First up: Castelo São Jorge, a castle which dates alllll the way back to 1st century BC (!!!) and eventually served as a royal palace, a military barracks, the home of the Torre do Tombo National Archive, and nowadays, a national monument and museum; the Convento do Carmo i.e a gothic-style church that was semi-destroyed and left roofless by a 1755 earthquake, making it simultaneously haunting and beautiful; Monastero dos Jerónimos, a church-turned-monastery that used to provide assistance to seafarers and hosted explorer Vasco da Gama and his men before they departed on their famous expedition to the Orient in 1497, also a UNESCO World Heritage site; down the street, another UNESCO World Heritage site, i.e the Torre de Belem, a 16th century fortification built during the Portuguese Renaissance that acted as a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon and a point of arrival and departure for Portuguese explorers. On this note as well: not far from the tower you’ll find the Monument to Discoveries, located along the river where ships departed to explore and trade with India and the Orient. The monument celebrates the Portuguese of Age of Exploration during the 15th and 16th centuries, and portrays not only famous Portugese explorers but also mathematicians writers, painters, and missionaries. Pictures below!
COIMBRA
I studied in Bologna, Italy for a year – you may remember it from this post here! – and Coimbra sort of felt like its Portuguese cousin. Like Bologna, Coimbra is a University town, complete with one of Europe’s oldest universities (founded in 1290!) and the stunning, Baroque-style Biblioteca Joanina, a library dating back to the 18th century (have a look at the photos below – truly looks like something out of a fairytale). Fun fact: the library basement used to house an “academic prison,” i.e a place where students who were late to class, stole, or overall misbehaved could be held from anywhere up to a few days to six months (!) Prison library aside, we also had a look at the Coimbra royal palace and Saint Bartholomew Church nearby. On a more unrelated note, we also visited the slightly bizarre but nonetheless charming Dos Pequenitos park, half educational museum/half mini representation of all of Portugal’s best sites (hard to explain – see pictures below). Bottom line: While Porto and Lisbon may be the more obvious Portuguese cities to visit, Coimbra is definitely worth a stop. Suggestion: visit Kabra Velha in Coimbra for great wine, cheese, meat -- the owner, Bruno, is also wonderful and great to chat to.
SINTRA
Ahh, Sintra! Ranked as one of the best places to live in Portugal, Sintra is known for its 19th-century Romanticist architecture, historic villas, gardens, and numerous royal palaces and castles; it is not surprising then that it has been classified as UNESCO World Heritage site. Since we were only in Sintra for a day, we decided to focus on visiting the Palacio Pena and Parque Pena, as well as the neighboring Castel dos Mouros. Perched way up on a hill (it was a trek to get there) Palacio Pena is a sight to behold, an Alice in Wonderland-esque clash or different colors in styles with everything from vault arches to both Medieval and Islamic elements. It was the home of King Ferdinand and Queen Maria II of Portugal, and is absolutely stunning. The surrounding park is quite easy to get lost in – winding stone paths, lots of green and flowers – and boasts a lake with swans, geese, and ducklings (as well as a lot of walking). Last but not least, Castel dos Mouros! Built by the Moors in the 8th and 9th centuries and miraculously still standing, the castle is part of the Sintra’s Cultural Landscape, making it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The views from the highest points of the castle are downright breathtaking.
FYI: The best way to visit this very, very, hilly town is via tuktuk (think of them as hardier golf carts); it costs 5 euros per person per ride, and saves you a lot of time and energy throughout the day.
WHAT WE ATE!
Okay, now that we’ve gotten all the sightseeing out of the way, on to the best (and surely most important?) part of any travel, i.e: what we ate (saving the best for last here). Restaurant suggestions below. With no further ado, here are a few of the many edible highlights from Lisbon in particular:
PASTEIS DE NATA – Manteigaria, Rua do Loreto 2, Lisbon
Ahh, pasteis de nata! These are the pride and joy of Portugal, a blessed trinity of crisp pastry, cinnamon-y custard, and burnished, caramelized top. Do not bother going to Pastelaria Belem – the one in all the guidebooks, I think – for good pasteis de nata. The place seems to have become somewhat of a tourist trap, and not surprisingly, the pasteis were less than fresh, on the chewy/soggy side. Go instead to Manteigaria, where pasteis are turned out all day and are usually served still warm and fresh from the oven. Swoooon.
CHEESE, LOTS OF CHEESE– Queijaria Cheese Shop, Rua do, R. Monte Olivete 40
I know, I know! Portugal isn’t exactly what comes to mind when you think of cheese – France or Italy seem to take that honor – but Portuguese cheese (it rhymes!) is delicious in its own right. We visited Queijaria cheese shop in search of azeitao – melty, creamy, sheeps milk cheese we had sampled at Barrio Avillez, see below! – and ended up finding not only this but also a tangy Portuguese goat cheese (we took home a hefty wheel) and a sharp yet buttery cows milk cheese. Cheese glorious cheese!
CONSERVAS DE PEIXE – Conserveira de Lisboa, Rua dos Bacalhoeiros 34
While you might be familiar with canned tuna or sardines, Portugal takes the tradition of canned fish to another level, preserving everything from mackerel to anchovy to octopus to eel to mussels (in all different sorts of oils and sauces, to boot). This industry started in Portugal in the 1850s and is still going strong nowadays, with canned fish officially holding a treasured place in Portuguese cuisine. We visited Conserveira de Lisboa, a family-run business (we were waited on by the founder’s grandson) which is the only place in Portugal where you can find three top-quality brands: Tricana, Minor, and Prata do Mar. Not so much of a seafood fan, I opted for the Conserveira’s tuna, while my travel companion went a little wild and bought a jar of their preserved mussels (very good served on untoasted focaccia, we were advised). Extra points for great service and decorative cans and gift wrapping. Bonus: Conserveira also ships to Italy, if you’re interested: http://www.conserveiradelisboa.pt/en
BIFANA – O Trevo, Praça Luís de Camões 48
A bifana is a kind of traditional Portuguese sandwich made with thin slices of pork marinated and simmered in a sauce of white wine, garlic, and paprika, then served on rolls with plenty of mustard (the cheap, yellow kind – fancy mustards need not apply). The best ones in town are at O Trevo, a blink and you miss it, hole-in-the-wall kind bar. The sandwiches were as delicious as promised and cost nothing, making for a delicious and wallet friendly lunch (wni win!)
A few more restaurant suggestions, if you’re visiting Lisbon anytime soon: Sala’ for a more gourmet, haute cuisine experience (their 5 course, 75 euro tasting menu is the way to go); Barrio Avillez for great wine, cheese, meat, sandwiches, and small plates; Chocolateria Ecuador for chocolate tastings and wine pairings (yes you read that correctly); Dear Breakfast a small breakfast place in the center with lovely croissants; TimeOut market, a sort of super fancy, refined food court with stands from some of Portugal’s best chefs (the croquetas, were to die for).
A note on wine: I don’t know much about wine (one interest I haven’t inherited from my Dad!) but it would seem that wine in Portugal is very good and not all that expensive, if you want to drink well for less.
A note on bacalhau: Portugal is known for its salted cod (bacalhau) so if you’re there, definitely give it a try! Fish and seafood aren’t really my thing, so though I could tell that the dish of this was done well, it’s not exactly my thing and I can’t go in to more detail than that.
Phew! Portugal definitely merits another visit – Porto and Setubal (dolphin-watching!) are on my list next – but in the meantime, I’ll be here trying to figure out how to make proper pasteis de nata. I’ll be back soon with some more Fall-appropriate recipes and the latest post in the blog’s Pasta Series….! Here are a few more from the trip, including (as always) the pups of Portugal as well.
