r/Portugaldigitalguides

Castelo de Almourol is on a small island in the Tagus River, near Vila Nova da Barquinha.

It dates back to the 12th century and is linked to the Knights Templar, who rebuilt it as part of a defensive line along the river.

The only way to get there is by a short boat ride from the nearby pier, which already makes the visit a bit different from most castles in Portugal.

It’s not a large place and there isn’t much inside.

But the setting is what makes it special. Surrounded by water, with open views over the river and the landscape, it feels quite isolated.

You can walk around the walls, climb the tower, and take in the view.

For more recommendations check out my blog at www.portugaldigitalguides.com

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The USA is 249 years old.

These places in Lisbon were already here long before 1776 and you can still visit them today.

Livraria Bertrand: 1732

Recognised by Guinness as the world’s oldest operating bookstore. It survived earthquakes, revolutions and centuries of change. They still stamp books with “1732”.

Feira da Ladra: since the 1200s

Lisbon’s oldest flea market has existed for more than 800 years. You’ll find antiques, old books, vinyl records and random objects that probably have stories behind them.

Igreja de São Roque: 1573

Very simple from the outside, but surprisingly rich inside. The Chapel of St. John the Baptist was built in Rome and brought to Lisbon in the 18th century.

Castelo de São Jorge: 11th century

Long before the USA existed, this castle had already seen Moorish rulers, battles and centuries of Lisbon’s history. The views are still one of the best in the city.

Aqueduto das Águas Livres: 18th century

Built to bring water to Lisbon. The aqueduct survived the 1755 earthquake and today you can still walk across it and enjoy the views over the city.

If you enjoy this kind of information, I share more Portugal tips on my blog.

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Most people come to Portugal for the big things. Lisbon, Porto, pastel de nata, maybe a trip to Sintra.

But the real charm is in the small moments. The things we grow up with. The habits we don’t even think about.

Here are 5 things locals actually do in Portugal.

Eat a bola de Berlim on the beach

It’s a custard filled doughnut sold by someone walking on the sand, shouting.

Don’t worry about the cream or the sand. That’s part of it

Watch a Benfica match at Estádio da Luz

Even if you don’t care about football, go.

The energy, the songs, the way people feel everything out loud says a lot about Portugal.

Eat grilled sardines in the street during summer

In June, neighbourhoods fill with music, smoke, and people.

The sardines come on bread. No plate. No knife. Just your hands and some wine.

Go to the eastern Algarve for warmer water

Most tourists go west. Locals go east.

Tavira, Olhão or Monte Gordo. The water is warmer, the sea is calmer, and the beaches are quieter.

Light a candle in Fátima

Even if you’re not religious, go.

It’s quiet and powerful. People come from all over the country to leave a small light for something or someone.

If you’re planning a trip, I shared more tips here : www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Pastel de nata is probably the most famous pastry in Portugal and almost every visitor tries one. But when you enter a normal Portuguese pastelaria you will see many other classics.

Some are very traditional, others came from different countries, they are part of the daily pastry culture in Portugal.

Here are a some of my favourites:

Bolo de arroz

Despite the name, it is not really a cake made of rice. It is a light muffin made with rice flour, usually baked in tall paper wrapped around the cake.

Jesuíta

A triangular puff pastry with a sweet sugar and egg glaze on top. The texture is crispy and slightly sticky.

Bola de Berlim

A Portuguese version of the Berlin doughnut. Soft fried dough filled with egg custard. In the summer you often see people selling them on Portuguese beaches.

Pastel de feijão

A small tart made with almond and white bean filling. It may sound unusual, but the taste is sweet.

Mil-folhas

Layers of crispy puff pastry with cream in between. Inspired by the French mille-feuille.

Palmier

A simple puff pastry biscuit shaped like a palm leaf. Crispy, caramelised with sugar, and perfect with coffee.

In Lisbon you will find these pastries in almost every neighbourhood pastelaria.

Planning a trip to Lisbon, Porto or Portugal?

I created these digital guides to help travellers save time, find better places and make the trip easier once they arrive.

Each guide includes practical PDFs, curated Google Maps lists, local food recommendations, day trips, viewpoints, cafés and places that are genuinely worth your time.

Everything is designed to work easily on your phone while travelling.

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

One of my favourite ice cream places in Lisbon is. " Gelados Itália Conchanata " in Alvalade neighbourhood.

Opened in 1948 and is still run by the same Italian family. The recipes came from Tuscany and are passed down between generations.

In summer, long queues outside are very common. For many people in Lisbon, going there after dinner has been a tradition for decades.

The place still feels very old school. Small tables, paper menus on the wall, classic ice cream flavours and huge sundaes.

If you are exploring Alvalade during summer, it’s worth stopping there.

For more recommendations check out my blog at www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Portugal is unfortunately a very centralised country. Because of that, many beautiful places outside Lisbon end up forgotten or slowly abandoned.

But Portugal is much more than its main cities.

Here are 5 places that show a very different side of the country.

Casal de São Simão

A small schist village surrounded by forest in the Serra da Lousã area. Quiet streets, stone houses and beautiful nature all around.

Sistelo

Often called the “Portuguese Tibet” because of its green terraces built into the mountains. One of the most unique landscapes in northern Portugal.

Drave

An abandoned village in the mountains near Arouca. No roads reach the village, so you need to hike to get there. Very isolated and peaceful.

Monsanto

Built between giant granite boulders, this historic village almost looks unreal in some places. One of the most iconic villages in Portugal.

Soajo

Known for its traditional stone espigueiros used to store corn. Located inside Peneda-Gerês National Park, with mountains, rivers and old stone houses nearby.

Places like these remind you how diverse Portugal actually is.

Planning your trip to Portugal?

Besides my digital guides for Lisbon and Porto, I also created curated Google Maps lists with some of the most beautiful places in Portugal, including beaches, castles, iconic restaurants, viewpoints and much more.

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Tomar is one of the best day trips from Lisbon. Between the Convent of Christ, the historic centre and the river, you can easily spend a full day there.

If you have a car and the heat gets too much, there is a place nearby that works well as a break.

About 15–20 minutes from Tomar, you’ll find Agroal, an official swimming area built around a natural spring of the Nabão river, with water quality controlled during the bathing season (the water stays around 16ºC all year, so even in August it feels very cold). 

In summer, families, groups of friends and many Portuguese emigrants come here to spend a few hours by the water. There is a café-restaurant right next to the river that gets busy at lunch, especially on weekends.

This is not something you plan your whole day around. It’s a short stop that fits well between visits. You cool down, maybe eat something, and then go back to Tomar.

For more recommendations check out my blog at www.portugaldigitalguides.com

One of my favourite places to get frango assado (Portuguese piri piri chicken) is Rio de Mel in Alvalade.

I’ve mentioned this before, but for many Portuguese people, roast chicken is comfort food. Maybe that’s why this place always has a line outside.

There’s another churrasqueira right next door, but it’s usually empty and that tells you a lot.

Rio de Mel is takeaway only. A whole chicken costs around €12, and you can add sides like rice, fries or salad.

They also have a fridge with cold drinks, but what surprised me this time was the dessert. I tried the leite creme (a traditional Portuguese custard dessert with a caramelised sugar top) and it was one of the best I’ve had.

For me, it’s worth the visit.

For more recommendations check out my blog at www.portugaldigitalguides.com

As soon as the weather gets warmer, small signs start appearing outside cafés and tascas saying “Há caracóis”.

For many Portuguese people, this is a sign that summer is starting.

Caracóis are small snails cooked with garlic, oregano and spices, usually eaten with bread, toasted bread and a cold beer.

This is definitely one of those things people either love or hate.

You’ll mostly find them between May and August, especially in the late afternoon when cafés start filling up after work or after the beach.

If you want to try them, here are 3 well known places in Lisbon:

O Júlio dos Caracóis

Pomar de Alvalade

O Lutador

For more recommendations check out my blog at www.portugaldigitalguides.com

One thing I like to share is simple alternatives to the most popular places.

Some places become famous not because they are the best, but because they keep getting recommended. That often means long lines and a rushed experience.

Here are a few simple swaps.

Instead of Jerónimos Monastery, go to Ajuda National Palace

They are different places, and both are worth it. But Jerónimos can easily mean 30 to 45 minutes waiting in the sun. Inside, the main highlight is the architecture.

Ajuda Palace is close by, has no lines, and in my opinion is a very interesting visit.

Instead of Alfama, explore Madragoa

Alfama is a must see. But over time it has changed a lot.

Madragoa is a historic neighbourhood that most visitors miss. Quiet, local, and still very authentic

Instead of LX Factory, go to 8 Marvila

LX Factory is still very popular.

But Marvila and Poço do Bispo are becoming Lisbon’s creative area. In many ways, it feels like what LX Factory used to be.

Instead of eating in Baixa or Chiado, go to Graça or Campo de Ourique

One of the biggest mistakes is eating in the tourist centre, especially on Rua Augusta.

Try a local restaurant in Graça or Campo de Ourique. The food is better and the experience feels more real.

Instead of a night in Bairro Alto or Cais do Sodré, explore Anjos or Intendente

Bairro Alto and Pink Street are well known.

But since some classic places closed, the scene changed.

In Anjos and Intendente you can find cultural associations with live music and a more local vibe.

For more recommendations check out www.portugaldigitalguides.com

People wait 30 to 45 minutes for Tram 28 in Martim Moniz.

You can take the same tram in Estrela and avoid the queue.

PS: Be careful with pickpockets. It’s quite common on this tram

For more recommendations check out my blog at www.portigaldigitalguides.com

After hosting people in Lisbon for a few years, I started to notice a pattern.

A lot of visitors end up having a very similar experience.

They wait in long lines for places that look better outside than inside.

They eat in average spots in the centre without realising there are much better options nearby.

They follow the same routes and miss simple things that actually make the city special.

It’s not really their fault.

It’s just what comes up first when you search.

Over time I got used to giving the same tips again and again.

Where to eat, what to skip, how to move around without wasting time.

So I ended up putting everything in one place, mostly for my guests.

Simple notes, explanations and a few Google Maps lists that are easy to use while walking around.

If you’re planning a trip and want to avoid the usual mistakes, it might help.

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

One of Lisbon’s most important museums, the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, is expected to reopen in July 2026 after renovation works.

Like several museums in Lisbon over the last years, the building has been closed for improvements and modernisation. The reopening month is also symbolic, since Calouste Gulbenkian died on July 20, 1955.

The museum is known for having one of the most important private art collections in Europe, with pieces from Ancient Egypt, Islamic art, Japanese art, René Lalique jewellery and paintings by artists like Rembrandt, Monet and Renoir.

Even while the main museum has been closed, the Gulbenkian gardens remained open and are still one of the best quiet places in Lisbon.

You can also visit the CAM (Centro de Arte Moderna), which reopened after renovation works. The new building was redesigned by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and has a very interesting architecture that blends with the gardens around it.

For me, Gulbenkian continues to be one of the most important cultural spaces in Lisbon.

For more recommendations check out my blog at www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Recently I shared 20 things to do in Lisbon and today I wanted to talk about 20 things I personally would not recommend.

IMPORTANT: this is just my opinion and shouldn’t be taken too seriously!

Buying tiles at Feira da Ladra (flea market)

Eating at one of the restaurants on Rua Augusta

Taking Tram 28 from Martim Moniz

Waiting in line for the Santa Justa Lift

Taking a tuk tuk around the tourist areas

Wearing inappropriate shoes for Lisbon’s pavement, especially on rainy days

Speaking Spanish because you assume Portuguese people speak Spanish

Taking a taxi from the airport to your accommodation

Staying in an Airbnb in the historic centre

Having drinks on Pink Street

Spending a Santo António night in Bica

Having lunch or dinner at the Time Out Market

Spending an afternoon at LX Factory

Spending a beach day in Carcavelos

Eating brunch in the Cais do Sodré / Chiado area

Waiting more than 5 minutes in line at Bifanas do Afonso

Eating pastel de bacalhau with Serra cheese and Port wine

Buying Lisbon souvenirs in souvenir shops downtown

Staying seated on public transport while elderly people are standing

Only trying pastel de nata places and never visiting a traditional Portuguese pastelaria

Planning your trip to Lisbon?

My digital travel guides include practical PDFs, curated Google Maps lists, local food recommendations, viewpoints, hidden spots and useful information to help you make better decisions during your trip.

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Portugal is a relatively small country but one of the biggest mistakes visitors make is trying to see everything too quickly.

Here are some mistakes I personally think people make when planning a trip to Portugal.

Too many days in Lisbon compared to the rest of the country

Not spending enough time in Porto and the Douro Valley

Ignoring smaller towns and countryside areas outside Lisbon and Porto

Trying to fit Madeira or the Azores into a short mainland trip

Planning too much in a short period of time

Visiting in August without expecting the heat, crowds and higher prices

Not booking some restaurants, tours or trains in advance during high season

Bringing heavy luggage and then struggling with hills, stairs and cobblestones

Underestimating travel times between regions

Creating an itinerary without slower days to just enjoy the country

Planning your trip to Portugal?

My digital travel guides include practical PDFs, curated Google Maps lists, local food recommendations, viewpoints, hidden spots and useful information to help you make better decisions during your trip.

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

I arrived in Porto for a few days and got there quite early, so since I’m staying around Cedofeita I decided to have lunch at Casa Viúva.

This area has some great traditional tascas and plenty of good local spots.

After lunch, I went for a walk through the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal to digest a bit. Probably one of the nicest places in Porto for a slow walk and some river views.

Planning your trip to Porto or Lisbon ?

Check out my site at www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Porto and Lisbon are Portugal’s two most popular cities and although they share some similarities, they also feel very different.

For a first impression, I would say that Porto feels more intense. The historic centre feels more compact and vertical, with a darker, more medieval atmosphere.

Lisbon, because of the 1755 earthquake and the reconstruction of Baixa, feels more open. The light in Lisbon is also different and maybe that’s why the city feels somehow brighter and more relaxed.

Lisbon is more multicultural and busier, while Porto still feels a bit more preserved in some areas.

Some people say the food is better in Porto than in Lisbon but honestly I don’t agree. Both cities still have great traditional tascas.

One thing is certain though: in Lisbon it’s much easier to decide which pastel de nata is the best than to decide which francesinha is the best in Porto

For those who have visited both cities, what’s your opinion?

And if you’re planning your trip to Portugal and don’t know where to start, I can help:

www.portugaldigitalguides.com