Unlike our typical hiking vacations, this trip to Portugal was more about exploring the historic sites. But we did some hiking! There are 17 UNESCO sites in Portugal and we visited seven.
In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage list, countries can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. We saw four of the tentative sites: Historical Lisbon, Route of Magellan, Lisbon Aqueduct, and the Garden of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon.
This random website lists the Seven Wonders of Portugal. We went to six of the seven, missing only the Castle of Guimarães.
The following map shows our general route, along with the number of nights we spend in each town. Starting in Lisbon, we will drive clockwise around the country, heading up north to Porto before driving all the way down to southern Atlantic coast. We ended up driving 1922 Km during our two week stay. Of course, we didn't drive at all in Lisbon, and we left the car parked while we explored the historic centers of Sintra, Porto and Évora. Since there are no street names posted anywhere in Portugal (except on freeways), it was critical to use the iPad to get directions. We only went of course a few times, and usually quickly corrected to get back on route.
Although Portugal is a small country, there are still enough sites that we missed that we could easily do a second trip and spend another two weeks in Portugal without overlapping with what we saw on this trip.
Late April - Early May proved to be an ideal time to visit. It wasn't hot. It wasn't crowded. We didn't get rained on.
Sunday April 23, 2023 |
Monday April 24, 2023 |
Day 0: Tuesday April 25, 2023Leave car at Park-n-Jet 2 Leave Seattle at 2:20 PM on Lufthansa LH491, 10 hr 15 min flight |
Day 1: Wednesday April 26, 2023Land at 9:35 AM in Frankfort Customs to enter the E. U. 3 hr 40 min layover in Frankfort Take off 1:15 PM on Lufthansa LH1168, 3 hr flight Land in Lisbon at 3:15 PM Águas Livres AqueductTue – Sat: 10:00 am – 05:30 pm Elevador de Santa Justa Line moved so slowly we ended up leaving. Jardim do Torel Miradouro Walk Avenida da Liberdade to Parque Eduardo VII Águas Livres Aqueduct - we got there after it closed stay at Hotel Principe Lisboa $109 / night. breakfast included |
Day 2: Thursday April 27, 2023Praça do Comércio Plaza Jerónimos Monastery (UNESCO) €12 for combo ticket w/ Belém. Open 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM. Monument to Discovery €6. Open 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Tower of Belém (UNESCO) €12 for combo ticket w/ Jerónimos. Open 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM Carriage Museum€8 Closed Mondays. 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Águas Livres AqueductTue – Sat: 10:00 am – 05:30 pm stay at Hotel Principe Lisboa $109 / night. breakfast included |
Day 3: Friday April 28, 2023Elevador de Santa Justa There was no line early in the morning Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara. Castelo de São Jorge €10. Open 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM Rua Augusta Arch €3. Open 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM Gulbenkian Museum €10. Open 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM Eat dinner in Lisbon, Pickup luggage at hotel, Take red-line subway back to airport, Pickup rental car, drive to Sintra stay at Quinta Das Murtas $98.03 / night. |
Day 4: Saturday April 29, 2023Either hike 2 KM, 150meters elevation gain, 1 hr up Vila Sassetti Trail to Pena Palace, or Catch #434 Bus at train station First bus at 9:15 A.M. One way ticket is €3.90. All day ticket is €6.90
Walk thru to Templo das Colunas, Warrior Statue, and Alta Cruz (High Cross) Pena Palace €14. Open 9:30 AM to 8 PM Castle of the Moors €8. Open 9:30 AM to 8 PM Sintra Map and Official Sintra website Walk down hill on Vila Sasseti trail
stay at Quinta Das Murtas $98.03 / night. |
Day 5: Sunday April 30, 2023Quinta da Regaleira €6. Open 9:30 AM to 7 PM Sintra National Palace €10. Open 9:30 AM to 7 PM Stop at Praia da Adraga beach. Golden sand, rock arch Visit Cabo da Roca, western-most point of continental Europe at sunset stay at Quinta Das Murtas $98.03 / night. |
Day 6: Monday May 1, 2023Drive to Óbidos walled town Castle of Óbidos walled town, 3 KM aqueduct, Free, all hours Alcobaça Monastery was closed for May 1, National Holiday Batalha Monastery was closed for May 1, National Holiday stay at Hotel dos Templarios $134 / night. breakfast buffet included 7;30 AM |
Day 7: Tuesday May 2, 202317th century aqueduct in Tomar Convento de Cristo €6. Open 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM 8 Km 2 1/2 hr walk on Paiva Walkways. Entry is €2, plus €15 taxi for return trip Longest pedestrian suspension bridge Stay at Hotel Ibis Centro São Bento $81 / night. 6:30 AM breakfast buffet $9, free parking |
Day 8: Wednesday May 3, 2023City of Porto center UNESCO site Tiles on the sides of Church of Carmo Free, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM Climb 200 steps to top of Clérigos Tower €5. Open 9:00 AM to 7 PM See 20000 blue tiles on São Bento Railway Station Free, all hours See tiles and altar Porto Cathedral €3. Open 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM See elaborate gothic interior of Church of São Francisco €3.50 Open 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM Walk across Dom Luis Bridge on upper deck Stay at Hotel Ibis Centro São Bento $81 / night. 6:30 AM breakfast buffet $9, free parking |
Day 9: Thursday May 4, 2023Batalha Monastery UNESCO €6. Open 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM Alcobaça Monastery UNESCO €6. Open 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM Drive to Évora
Stay at Ibis Évora Hotel $55.0 / night. Breakfast buffet $9 |
Day 10: Friday May 5, 2023Walk all around the City Walls Free, all hours São Francisco Church and Bones Chapel €4.0. 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM Roman temple(UNESCO) Open all hours Évora Museum €3.0 Tue 2pm-6pm, Wed-Sun 10am-6pm Walk partway along the Aqua de Prata Aqueduct Evora Cathedral 09:00-17:00, €4.5 Stay at Ibis Évora Hotel $55.0 / night. Breakfast buffet $9 |
Day 11: Saturday May 6, 2023List of Algarve Hikes Late afternoon visit at São Rafael Beach Stay in Albufeira at Sao Rafael Holidays $102 / night. Breakfast included |
Day 12: Sunday May 7, 2023Fort Sagres €3. 9:30 AM to 8 PM Stay in Lagos at Luzmar Villas $94 / night. Breakfast included |
Day 13: Monday May 8, 2023Hike Seven Hanging Valleys Trail 7.4 mile out and back, 3 1/2 hr Stay in Lagos at Luzmar Villas $94 / night. Breakfast included |
Day 14: Tuesday May 9, 2023Walk Barragem da Bravura trail 4.3 miles, 2 hr Drive to Lisbon airport return rental car Stay in Lisbon at Starr Inn Lisbon Airport $130 / night |
Day 15: Wednesday May 10, 2023Take off at 5:05 AM on Lufthansa LH1497 for 3 hr flight to Frankfort. Land at 9:05 AM 1 hr 40 min layover in Frankfort Take off at 10:45 AM on Lufthansa LH490 for 10 hr 45 min flight to Seattle Land in Seattle 12:30 PM, go through customs Pickup car from Park-n-Jet 2 |
Thursday May 11, 2023 |
Friday May 12, 2023 |
Saturday May 13, 2023 |
