Tourism

This is a curated list of the stuff me and my wife have personally fallen in love with since living in Lisbon. Think of it like opening a menu with a friend who already lives here and asking, "what should I get?"*

Portuguese food is usually described as "simple and fresh," and that's pretty accurate, but it's also very meat-and-seafood-forward. Vegetables play a supporting role. Salads exist, but they're almost always a sad little afterthought, such as lettuce, onion, carrot, tomato, a splash of olive oil. Expect basic salads when ordering here.

The way the Portuguese get their vegetables is...

My wife and I have lived in Lisbon since 2022, and we host a lot of visitors.

Friends, family, friends of friends who got my contact info from someone. Most of them are great. A few have made me wince.

This is the conversation I wish I could have with every fellow American before they land, so they have a good time and the people who actually live here don't roll their eyes when they hear the accent.

None of this is about being perfect. It's just about not being the person locals talk poorly about after you leave.

Tipping

Most American visitors fly into Lisbon, spend a few days, maybe pop up to Porto, and head home.

That's a great trip. But Portugal is small (about the size of Indiana), and the country opens up significantly once you get out of the two big cities.

Each region has its own food, its own pace, its own kind of person who lives or vacations there. This is a quick overview to help you figure out what fits your style.

Coimbra

Coimbra is Portugal's third largest city and home to one of the oldest universities in Europe, founded in 1290. The...

This is the boring stuff. Trains, ATMs, taxis, SIM cards, etc. The questions visitors text me that they probably should've sorted out a week earlier. None of it is hard, but they're the kind of tips designed to save you a few potential headaches.

Trains

Portugal has a national rail company called CP (Comboios de Portugal), and most of the routes you'll care about are run on two types of trains.

The "Alfa Pendular" is the modern one. Wifi that mostly works, smooth ride, comfortable seats, the kind of train you can actually get work done on.

This is what...

Porto is its own thing. People will tell you it's "like Lisbon but smaller," but they're wrong.

The food is different, the wine is unique, the hills are somehow steeper, and the weather can flip on you in the span of one afternoon. This is a guide to eating, drinking, and getting around without burning a day figuring out the basics.

The Weather

Porto is in the north, which means it's noticeably cooler and rainier than Lisbon. Even in summer, expect a few cool evenings and the occasional cloudy stretch. From October through March, rain is a real possibility on...

My wife and I live in Lisbon, but we’ve also learned a decent amount about other Portuguese cities, towns, and regions. Feel free to ask any questions you might have. We’re always happy to help!

The Weather

Firstly... it’s basically California weather. Warm and pleasant most of the year with the occasional heatwave from July until September. There is no snow in the winter, but you can expect rain from October to February.

In "typical winters", it rains for 1-3 days and then you get a break for good weather, but admittedly both of the last two winters have been...

Best Viewpoints

Lisbon's on a bunch of hills, which means there's a ton of great viewpoints. Anytime you see a sign with the word miradouro, that means it's probably worth going out of your way to take a peek. Most of them have a little kiosk where you can buy an Aperol spritz, glass of wine, beer, or coffee.

Famous Miradouros

These are popular, partly just because they're easy to find and you'll be likely to walk past them without going out of your way. That said, they are beautiful and highly worth stopping at.

Miradouro de Graça - Debatably...