Trekking Through Portugal: Meeting Portugal at the Westernmost Point of the European Continent

Like Spain, Portugal is located on the Iberian Peninsula. The western and southern sides of Portugal face the Atlantic coast. Portugal is nestled at the westernmost point of the Eurasian continent. It may seem inconspicuous, but its unique and long history attracts countless tourists. Of course, some football fans may also want to visit the country that gave birth to the greatest football player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo.

The trams in Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, and Portuguese custard tarts deeply attracted me. Today, let’s take a look at Portugal through my lens.

Transportation and Tips

Transportation

In Lisbon, you can mainly walk and take the bus. You can walk around the old city. If you are going from Alfama in the old city to the Belém district, you have to take the bus. In Porto, except for taking the tram to the airport to fly to Madrid and a section of the mountain road, you can walk the rest of the way.

💰Cash

You can book your room in advance on booking.com to avoid carrying too much cash. Just bring some cash for transportation, souvenirs, and meals.

Hostel Recommendations

I always like to stay in hostels when I travel. Maybe it’s because I always travel alone. In hostels, you can meet many interesting friends and share interesting stories from your journey and life.

In Lisbon, I stayed at Liv’in Lisbon Hostel. I booked a double bed room with shared bathroom. However, the hostel was clean and had breakfast. The receptionist was also very handsome.

In Porto, I stayed at Bluestock Hostels Porto. It was a bunk bed. The overall environment was clean and tidy. If I go again, I will still book these two hostels. I highly recommend them.

Tram No. 28

Lisbon Tram Company was founded in 1872. It is the earliest public transport operator in Portugal. In the last century, when the European trend was to close tram lines, Lisbon also shut down most of its tram lines. However, they still retained 5 tram lines and about 60 old trams.

Therefore, Lisbon now has the oldest trams in Europe, and they have become a symbol of the city. The most famous tram in Lisbon is Tram No. 28.

Almost all Lisbon locals will recommend you to take Tram No. 28, although they may not take it themselves. And all tourists, of course, don’t want to miss Tram No. 28. Because Tram No. 28 is a loop line, it goes through almost all districts of Lisbon, all the attractions, from the old town to the new town, from the ancient castle to the new square, from the main cathedral to the city center. There are many shops on both sides of the street it passes through, souvenir shops or handicraft shops.

Lisbon is a city of seven hills. Although there are trams, the main mode of transportation is still modern vehicles such as cars. Narrow roads sometimes have to stop and go even uphill. Although the comfort level is not very good, it is a joy that you must experience in Lisbon.

Slope Tram

The slope tram is the most famous tram that often appears on postcards. Unlike Tram No. 28 that circles the entire city, the original purpose of this tram was to make it easier for residents to climb up from the bottom of the hill, so it is simply a fixed section for going up and down.

Because the slope is very steep, it takes about 5 minutes to take the tram one way. It costs about 5 euros for a round trip.

Bertrand Bookstore

Bertrand Bookstore was established in 1732, making it the oldest operating bookstore in the world. It is nearly 300 years old and has survived the devastating earthquake that once struck Lisbon.

The bookstore’s former site is near the Praça Luís de Camões. It is located in a building with a blue and white retro floral porcelain wall. There is a carefully crafted relief outside the door, which records the establishment date of the bookstore. The arched corridor spreads out on both sides, forming various book storage areas, including books from ancient to modern times. There are also some retro typewriters, keys, camera film negatives, pufferfish specimens, etc.

Monument to the Discoveries

Also known as the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, it was built in 1960. This monument was built to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator. Its shape is like a ship with a giant sail unfurled. The monument is engraved with sculptures of Henry and 80 other sailors.

The person standing at the bow is Henry. Behind him is Vasco da Gama, who discovered the sea route from Europe to India. On both sides are some of the navigators who went on the voyage together, as well as famous generals, missionaries, and scientists in history. Looking in the direction of the Monument to the Discoveries, you can see the statue of Jesus on the mountain opposite.

Cabo da Roca

The famous Portuguese poet Luís Vaz de Camões’s phrase “Where the land ends and the sea begins” vividly illustrates the charm of Cabo da Roca.

From Lisbon to Cabo da Roca, you need to first buy a ticket from Lisbon to Sintra at the train station. It costs 5 euros for a round trip, and the journey takes 40 minutes. Then, you need to take a 1-hour bus from the Sintra train station to Cabo da Roca, which takes another hour.

If you plan to play in the castle in Sintra or visit other classic attractions, you can buy a day ticket, which is very cost-effective and convenient. Taking the bus from the Sintra train station to Cabo da Roca, you can buy the ticket on the bus, which is much more convenient than in London where you can only use the Oyster card.

Standing here, you can hear the shouts and ambitions of the captains and crew who conquered the ocean in the Age of Discovery. You can see the resolute gazes of one brave sailor after another. Vasco da Gama, Magellan, and other great explorers who made history embarked on their voyages to conquer the world from here.

Today, the unrestrained sea breeze blows on the faces of tourists. Ruthless waves beat against the reefs by the cliffs. The lighthouse in the distance bears the Portuguese people’s fear and awe of the treacherous ocean, as well as their yearning and hope for a better future.

Compared to Lisbon, I prefer Porto, a small city nestled by the Douro River, where blue and white porcelain is everywhere. Although Porto is Portugal’s second-largest city, the capital of Porto District, and the administrative center of the Northern Region, it is not impressive. On the contrary, it has a touch of delicate beauty. 

Porto Train Station

The train station is very retro, built in 1916. It is famous for the two thousand blue hand-painted tiles on the walls of the hall. The entire building is full of French Renaissance style. The exterior of the train station is inconspicuous, but the blue paintings on the hall wall are eye-catching. Most of the stories told in the paintings are about the history of Portuguese transportation and royal life.

Portuguese blue and white porcelain is really unique. You can see blue and white porcelain used to decorate the walls of many buildings. For example, the wall outside the Church of the Holy Spirit. 400 years ago, the Portuguese merchant fleet was the first European fleet to land in China. It was also the first fleet to trade ceramics with China, and it also introduced Chinese blue and white porcelain to Europe. The Portuguese are inclusive and have developed blue and white porcelain into Portuguese blue and white tiles.

Dom Luís I Bridge

Standing on the bridge, you can see the old city of Porto from the new city on the other side, as well as the Douro River, the constant stream of people, and the gloomy clouds in the distance. 

Sandeman Winery

You can sign up for a tour of the wine cellar for 15 euros and taste three wines. The restaurant also provides explanations in English, which is recommended for red wine lovers.

Lisbon Timeout Market

Don’t be fooled by the quiet exterior of the food market. There is a whole other world inside. There are long queues in front of every stall, and the dining area is packed. You can first walk around and choose what you like to eat.

Douro River Street Shops 

You can choose any shop along the river and sit on the small balcony outside to eat, watching people come and go. It is quite interesting. I ordered a mussel soup and my friend ordered a soybean tripe soup. To be honest, before I saw the real thing, I couldn’t believe that people in Europe would eat tripe.

Belém Custard Tarts

Belém custard tarts are simply divine. Pair it with a glass of iced latte, the bitterness and sweetness complement each other perfectly. The outside is crispy and the inside is soft and smooth. Although the inside is sweet, it is not cloying or greasy. The taste is very rich, not completely liquid, nor is it like a jelly. The texture is richer than KFC’s!

Santini, Old Ice Cream Shop

I recommend the three-scoop ice cream: custard tart flavor, raspberry flavor, and chocolate. Although the raspberry is a little sour, the custard tart flavor is really delicious.

Francisco in Santiago

The outside is cheese and egg, and the inside is meat. It is quite salty and a bit greasy. However, people at other tables are eating it with gusto. After all, it is a Porto specialty that you can’t find anywhere else. So, you must come and try it.

Mousse Cake

It costs 2.5 euros a piece, which is not too expensive, but it is delicious. The mousse is very delicate and not greasy.

Local Chinese Restaurant

The restaurant is small but don’t judge a book by its cover. It is packed with people. The cabbage soup is super delicious, the baked potato chips are also crispy, and I also ordered a glass of green wine, which cost about 5 euros in total. Green wine is very refreshing, it’s very refreshing!

Sancho Panza

You must eat seafood and drink red wine in Porto!

If time permits, I suggest you take a night tour of the Dom Luís I Bridge. There are some bars by the river with live singers performing. A crowd of people are gathered around, clapping and singing along. The breath of life is vividly reflected here.