The area where you stay in a city can often make or break your whole experience, and I think this was a lot of the reason we never warmed up to Lisbon. We had a Wimdu place in the Intendente neighborhood. On the surface, it looked like a great location. It was near popular metro, bus, and trolley lines and within walking distance of the river and the historic part of the city.

However, it was also rundown and depressing.

The view from our room

In my mind, I had expected old world charm, but everything felt lackluster, had little character, and just wasn’t that appealing.

I was beginning to dread having booked, and paid for, a few days until we ventured to the western side of town. Someone had recommended we visit the Campo de Ourique market. When we exited the tram, we found ourselves in front of an absolutely gorgeous park (Jardim da Estrela).

This is where the Lisbon I had envisioned began to take shape.

As we walked through the tree-lined street toward the market, I finally began to appreciate Lisbon. The vibe was so different. Gone were the dilapidated structures and melancholy air. This area felt alive, vibrant, and inviting.

The next day we ventured out to the famous Belem area of the city. Once again this area was enjoyable. There were phenomenal buildings, fabulous restaurants (including the place known as having the best pastel de nata; just look for the place with the blue awning and the long line), and more beautiful parks.

Another downside to the city was the transportation system. While there are metro, bus, trams, and trolleys, it isn’t the easiest system to navigate. The metro only services part of the city. Timetables are difficult to impossible to find. On the trolley and buses we rode (which were the more popular lines), there was no announcement or monitor so you know which stop is coming up.

If I hadn’t been using my map app, we would’ve missed our stop several times.

Often you can just count how many stops you will need, but some of these vehicles make a ton of stops. When we were going to the market, I would’ve needed to keep track of at least 22 stations to exit at the right one.

While riding the old trolleys is kind of quaint, be prepared to get packed in like sardines. There are very few seats, and the ride is not a smooth one. I can’t imagine how miserable it must feel in the summer with all those bodies packed in so tightly.

The buses and trams, however, are much more comfortable.

The transportation issue is a small one, but when you’re already not so thrilled with the place you’re in, it just adds to the whole disappointing package.

As I know a big part of the problem for us was our neighborhood, I can’t say Lisbon isn’t worth visiting based solely on our experience. However, I would encourage people wanting to visit Portugal’s capital city to look for lodging west of the Rato metro station. That side of the city just had such a better feel to it, and I think you’ll enjoy your visit a lot more.

Have you had a similar experience with a city? Where was it?

We traveled by train from Lisbon and arrived in the late evening. It was chilly and drizzling, yet there was something inviting in the air as we stepped off the metro station’s escalator. Even though we couldn’t really see any of the city, there was such a great vibe I couldn’t wait to get out the next day and explore.

Getting Around Porto

One of the things about Lisbon I didn’t enjoy as much was its transportation system. The metro only covers part of the city, and that’s only the beginning of the hassles.

I loved Porto’s metro system instantly. Not only does it provide great access, but the major sections are accessible by four different lines. That really cuts down on the wait times and need for transfers. Every metro train we saw looked new and modern.

It’s also a fairly pedestrian city and quite easy to get around.

Port Wine

If you like port wine, you’ll want to do a pilgrimage here. I did a port wine tasting of three different varieties, and they were fabulous. I had never known port wine comes in a white variety, and it’s dang good! There are so many places to do tastings. Bring some snacks, though. Port is a fortified wine, and my three tastings left me a bit tipsy since I had an empty stomach.

There are so many places offering these tastings that you won’t have a hard time finding them. Most of them are concentrated on the other side of the river. Friends recommended Offley, but as I was already buzzed we didn’t go there.

Harry Potter

You may be wondering about the connection between Harry Potter and Porto. Well, Rowling lived here for a couple of years while writing her first book, and there are some local sources of inspiration that show up in the books. If you’re a Potter fan, stop by the Livraria Lello & Irmão. The interior looks like something you’d find on Diagon Alley (and even if you aren’t a fan, it’s worth checking out). The university students with their black capes probably inspired the black robes the Hogwarts students wear.

Ambiance

Porto has so much old world charm. The historic section represents at least a few different eras, but there is something just in the air. When the sun is shining, you are drawn to sit at one of the outdoor cafes sipping an espresso while people watching.

On the weekends at least, the section by the river is quite lively with street performers, people dancing, and all kinds of vendors. Even in the springtime you’ll be able to find chestnuts roasting on an open fire. And servings of cotton candy that are bigger than your head.

Porto easily transports you to a happy place. You’ll find yourself smiling as you walk through its ancient alleyways and streets.

Things to do

We only spent a few days here, unfortunately, so most of our time was spent just walking around the various neighborhoods, an impressive cemetery, and down by the riverside. We also had fun on the brief cable car ride from the riverside to the top of the hill overlooking the city (€5 per adult one way (roundtrip is discounted), and kids are half off).

If you do the cable car ride, I’d recommend doing that when you’re done exploring the riverside. There is a metro station up at the top, so you can explore that area and take the metro back into town.

Obviously, I’d recommend the port wine tastings.

Make sure to check out even the small squares or plazas. You may find some really great markets.

We really enjoyed exploring the riverside area across the bridge. It was a completely different atmosphere. If you follow the signs leading to the caves, you’ll get to see the historic cellars and learn more about the area’s history, as well as of port.

Porto is part of the Douro Valley region which has some rather beautiful villages and small towns. They’re easily accessed by train or car hire.

If you can, definitely plan more than just a few days to spend here. Three days was nowhere near enough for us.

I’d love to give you more recommendations, but we didn’t engage in any of the many tours and activities offered in the city. Trust me, though. You’ll want to make sure you add Porto to your Portugal itinerary.

Have you been to Porto? What activities or sites would you recommend?

First impressions of Albufeira

On our first day walking around, we instantly loved this town. Most of the tourists were located around the area known as The Strip, so it was easy enough to find areas with more locals. We visited during Semana Santa, the week before Easter. Typically, traveling in Catholic countries during this time of year can be rough as it’s a peak travel time for the locals. I was rather surprised, but relieved, we didn’t have issues finding a place.

Albufeira has a very Mediterranean feel to it and is quite laidback. Unless their team wins the football championship in which case things get loud. I’m sure you can guess how I know this. Congrats to them by the way.

One doesn’t come to this city looking for culture, though. The area has adapted significantly to its steady swarm of British visitors. I found it challenging to find places serving Portuguese food, and whenever I heard someone speaking Portuguese outside of a place like a supermarket, it stood out because of how unusual it was.

I quickly decided it was just easier to accept this was the case and try to find the area’s hidden charm.

One of the city’s strongest features is its people. The locals were incredibly friendly, warm, and helpful. It wasn’t hard to get a big smile out of them. Almost everyone spoke English, and those who didn’t were very patient in working through the communication gap.

Beaches

While you may not come here for culture, it’s easily understandable what draws people to this area. There are some rather beautiful beaches here. The Portuguese are a hardy group. The water temperature was 17ºC/62ºF, and the air temperature was only a few degrees higher, yet they were frolicking in the water like it was the middle of summer. Tigger barely lasted 30 minutes on our first beach visit. The second time he dipped his toes into the water and quickly decided he wasn’t going to be swimming.

Albufeira has a bunch of different beaches. Some are quite small and others sprawling. They seem to each have their own character as well. It’s really worth doing some beach hopping.

Getting around

Taxis aren’t horribly expensive, but they definitely aren’t cheap either. There is a bus system called Giro. There are a few lines, and each line does a different loop around and among the city. Don’t expect to find a timetable at the stops, though. Someone has thankfully created a website that does a good job of explaining and diagramming the routes as well as giving you an idea of the bus schedule. Even though no official schedule is published, their site was spot on most of the time. If you plan on taking the bus, their site will your best friend.

There are also regional buses going to the many cities and small villages in the Algarve region. Fares are pretty reasonable, and the buses are comfortable. You can find their schedules and fares on the same website.

To make things easy, all buses go through the main bus station where the regional buses are located. One line also passes by the train station.

When looking at heading to other parts of Portugal, you have a bunch of options, including some decent airfares. Train travel is pretty good, though. Train fares are fairly reasonable, and it’s pretty easy to get around the country this way.

From what I’ve seen, often the train is cheaper, and of course faster, than buses. Something I greatly appreciate since I much prefer trains to buses.

Food

I was really underwhelmed by the places we ate at in Albufeira, but there were a few places worth a mention.

Portuguese

A couple of locals sent us to Restaurante Tamariz when I asked for a good place serving typical Portuguese food for locals. They have a decent menu, and the grilled fillet of tuna I ordered was monstrous. Prices are, unfortunately, on par with the tourist restaurants.

Roberto’s Chicken piri-piri was a welcome find one day while we were walking around aimlessly. It is outside The Strip and tucked away in a mostly residential area. Their menu has a lot more to it than just chicken, and we were quite pleased with the food. The prices are much more reasonable, and you can find some interesting items like octopus salad. If you have kids, or are a big kid yourself, they have a nice play area that includes a trampoline. You can find it on Rua Jornal A Avezinha as part of the roundabout. It’s a large building with a large sign so you can’t miss it.

Chinese

There are a plethora of Chinese (and other Asian) restaurants around town. We were looking for a good spot and noticed that Happy House had really good reviews. We decided to check it out and were quite pleased. In fact, we ended up eating there twice in the same week! They offer a nice buffet, but you can also order from a menu. I was rather impressed with the buffet, though. At €10.26 (about $14.21) per person (children 10 and under get a discount), it isn’t exactly a budget stop but was good.

Where to stay

We used a mix of hotel and apartment rental. We stayed at Hotel Topazio for our first few days. Among their various types of rooms are 1-bedroom apartments with a small kitchen and refrigerator. It’s in a pretty good location, close to the beach, and it was pretty relaxing there. The apartments also have nice terraces. We could see the ocean in the distance from our room, so I was pretty happy about that.

After the hotel, we moved into an AirBnB apartment. This is in a family-owned apartment building, and the owners were absolutely great to work with. It’s close to The Strip but removed enough that you can relax more easily, and there are far fewer tourists in this area. The Giro blue line passes by here which was an extra bonus. This is the apartment we stayed in, but they have several others.

Things to do

This is not a bustling city. Most people coming here are looking to relax and spend some time on the beach. Most activities will take you outside Albufeira. There are several agencies selling day trips not only around the region but to places like Seville and Gibraltar, and they were rather decently priced. For example, one bus tour to Gibraltar was €25 per person.

A car rental would be really great to have in this region. There are some beautiful views, and you’ll probably be able to see a lot more. Seville is about a 2-hour drive.

Getting there

The nearest international airport is in Faro. You can easily travel between the two cities by shuttle, bus, and train. Because we were landing after midnight, we ended up using a shuttle transfer which provided service directly to our door. They offer different tiers of service. I chose the cheapest and wish I had upgraded to the minivan that guarantees no more than 4 stops. Had we done this, we would’ve gone directly to our hotel. If you’re arriving early in the day and haven’t been on a long flight, the bus option would be just fine. After arriving at the airport at 1 AM after several hours of travel, though, I just wanted to get into bed.

The Algarve region is really a great area to explore. Even though there was little in the way of things to do and see in Albufeira, we ended up staying for two weeks and easily could’ve stayed longer. It’s a great town with a wonderful vibe.

Have you been to Albufeira or another city in the region? What was your favorite area?