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In case you were wondering what Jeff and I thought about the places
where we slept and dined, or the transportation we used, we didn't
want to leave you in the dark! The  icon
indicates a link to a website. Also check out my overall
guide to trip planning, if you haven't already.
All prices quoted were what we paid in 2002 and are not guaranteed to be correct for 2003.
Lodging
When determining where to spend the night in Portugal, there are
many options. Rick Steves promotes renting a room from a local family
in small towns; reservations aren't needed and the cost is low. In
large cities, there is the other end of the spectrum — four-star
hotels. Also, Portugal has turned many historical sites into luxury
accommodations, called pousadas. We tended to stick to the
middle range of lodging; we didn't break the bank, but we wanted the
amenities of a hotel. At all of our accommodations, breakfast was
included in the room fee.
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Solar de Mós
Rua Santa Casa da Misericórdia, Lt. 1
Sitio da Torraltinha, Lagos
282 782 579
Our favorite hotel during our trip to Portugal, Solar de Mós is run by Carlos and his friendly sister (I believe her name is Lina). The two-story building
is decorated with beautiful tiles on the inside, and our room was modern and comfortable. Guests can use the pool and lounge
in the small bar area. The hotel is located about a 10-minute walk from the historical center in a quiet residential neighborhood;
area construction was underway during our visit, so I expect there will be more tourists during the high season. About $60/night.
Residencia Roma
Travessa da Glória 22A-1, Lisbon
213 460 557
It's not surprising that the cheapest hotel — at $55/night — was also the most disappointing of our trip. I have to admit, though, that
it wasn't horrible; we talked about changing hotels, but decided things could be a lot worse. Coming from our lodging in Lagos, however,
it was quite a let-down. When I was booking our lodging in Lisbon, I
had a difficult time deciding where to stay because the hotels are either very expensive or very cheap. Residencia Roma had a great
location on Avenida Liberdade near the Elevador Gloria, which is the only good thing I can say about it. Our room was very depressing
because it only had one tiny window that looked at a wall about six feet away and no overhead lighting, so our only source of light was a
dim bulb next to the bed. Also, no garbage can was present in our room and the toilet paper was not restocked when needed.
Casa Miradouro
Rua Sotto Mayor 55, Sintra
219 107 100
Located only a few blocks from Sintra's historical center, Casa Miradouro is a beautiful old house run by a Swiss gentleman.
This was our biggest splurge on lodging. Our room had a fantastic view of the surrounding countryside and the
parlor is a nice place to relax and read a book. However, the bed was extremely uncomfortable and made loud creaking noises whenever
we just turned over in our sleep. This made us so cranky, we debated for a long time whether we would give Casa Miradouro a thumbs-up
or -down. Eventually, the proximity to the historical center and the house's charm won us over. Be aware that the walk to the historical
center from the house is up a steep hill, and driving is a hassle. $100/night.
Hotel Astoria
Avenida Emidio Navarro 21, Coimbra
239 822 055
This beautiful hotel is located along the Mondego River, at the end of the pedestrian lane. We paid extra for a room with
a river view, which was nice. The hotel was quiet and the staff polite. However, we were counting on using the laundry service,
but discovered that it is not offered every day. $95/night.
Hotel da Bolsa
Rua Ferreira Borges 121, Oporto
222 026 768
Named for the nearby stock exchange, this hotel has a pleasant interior. Our room had a fabulous view of Vila Nova de Gaia across
the Douro River, which was worth the higher per night charge. The room was also very large and had a separate sitting area. However,
the neighborhood was so loud in the middle of the night, we were constantly disturbed. Although we tried to discover the source of the
noise, we were unsuccessful; it sounded like a nightclub of some sort. $90/night.
| Dining
Portuguese cuisine relies heavily on pork and seafood, including the famous salt cod bacalhau, and french fries are almost
always served with entrees. Restaurant tables are always stocked with bread, pâte, cheese, and olives; customers are charged for what they
nibble. It is possible to eat vegetarian, but choices are limited: omelettes and salad would be the standard fare. Caldo
verde, a delicious soup with shredded kale, was one of our favorite dishes. Be sure to try pasteis de nata, or pasteis de Belém;
the heavenly custard pastry is perfect paired with a coffee. Vinho verde, a young wine, is an excellent refreshing choice.
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Coimbra
Adega Paço do Conde
Rua Paço do Conde 1
239 825 605
This low-key establishment is known for the grilled meats and fish. We had heard the chicken was excellent, and we weren't
disappointed; it was the best grilled chicken we had anywhere in Portugal. Customers are asked to choose from the display
of fresh meat, chicken, and fish at the entrance and then the food is brought to the table; many people also take their
selections to go. The entrees are served with a small bit of salad and, of course, french fries. Entrees, drinks, and
dessert for two people was less than $15. We enjoyed this so much, we ate at Adega Paço do Conde twice.
Café Nicola
Rua Ferreira Borges 35
239 822 061
This café has waited service on the first level and a self-service counter on the second. We chose the latter and, although the choices
were limited, the food was decent. This is a good choice for a quick lunch.
Lagos
O Lamberto
Rua 25 de Abril, 21
282 763 746
A recommendation from our hotel hosts, Lamberto is a good little local place. We arrived about 7pm and the few tables were full
by 8. We started the meal with salad, which could
have had riper tomatoes. I enjoyed the piri-piri chicken, which wasn't as spicy as I expected, and Jeff thought his sardines
where delicious. With flan for dessert and a half bottle of wine, our total bill was about $20.
Restaurant Triangulo
Rua Gago Coutinho
Down the street from Solar de Mós, Triangulo is a touristy place that provides great inexpensive food. The garlic bread is simple
but amazing. For his first course, Jeff had a choriço (sausage) cooked at the table in a traditional pottery dish. Our entrees were mouth-watering
grilled fish, but we saw multiple diners order gigantic kabobs. We savored some perfectly ripe strawberries with ice cream for dessert,
and then were given sweet medronho liquor and raw almonds free of charge. With a half bottle of vinho verde, our total bill was under $30.
Lisbon
Adega Machado
Rua do Norte 91
213 928 713
The fado singers can't make up for the horrible tourist atmosphere here. The price of the dinner, which includes the performance, was
very expensive and the quality of the food was poor. As many customers as possible are packed into the dining room, so everyone is literally
elbow-to-elbow. A photographer takes pictures throughout the night, but of course there's a charge for purchasing the photo. The worst,
however, was when the staff peddled Portuguese dolls and fado CDs to each table during breaks in the performance. Adega Machado was way
too commercial for our taste.
Casa Nostra
Travessa do Poço da Cidade 60
213 425 931
This Italian restaurant in the Barrio Alto is a great alternative to the traditional Portuguese fare. Moderately priced, it has a good
selection of pasta dishes. Although we were able to get a table without a reservation, we received the impression that that is rare.
Rei do Frango
Travessa de São Antão
This restaurant specializes in delicious fried chicken and has very friendly staff. Located just off the pedestrian lane, Frango has
outdoor seating for a pleasant dining experience. Jeff ordered the caldo verde, which was excellent.
Óbidos
O Alcaide
Rua Direita
262 959 220
A pricey restaurant along the main street, Alcaide is one of the few choices in Óbidos. The food is very good, although not spectacular.
Porto
Mercearia
Cais da Ribeira 21-5
222 004 839
This two-story restaurant on the Ribeira riverfront has a beautiful rustic interior. Broa, a wonderfully thick regional bread made with
cornmeal, is served instead of the typical rolls. The caldo verde is more broth-based than the creamy potato consistency I love, but it
was still delicious. I enjoyed a lean pork dish called rojões, which reminded me of a dish my father-in-law makes.
O Miro
Cais da Estiva
The eclectic dining area of this tiny riverfront eatery is charming. Locals and tourists alike enjoy the simple menu of omelettes,
fish, and salad. Jeff especially enjoyed the octopus rice. Imagine our surprise when we later saw this restaurant appear in one episode
of our favorite television show, The Amazing Race!
Pinhão
Vintage House Hotel
Lugar da Ponte 5085
254 730 230
Situated directly on the bank of the Douro River, the Vintage House is a gorgeous luxury hotel with a beautiful upscale restaurant.
We both had an amazing tomato soup topped with a poached egg as our first course, served with a complimentary glass of white port.
I finally tried bacalhau, the famous Portuguese dried cod; surrounded by polenta, olives, and tomatoes, it was a stunning mix of flavors.
Sintra
Restaurant Bristol
Rua Visconde Monserrate 16-22
219 233 438
We read about this touristy restaurant in our Rick Steves guidebook. Although it doesn't have much in the way of atmosphere,
the food is pretty good. Located across from the National Palace, the Bristol has especially good garlic bread. I
enjoyed the grilled sea bass, while Jeff had huge sardines. For dessert, the strawberries in Portugal cannot be beat (when in season).
Tulhas Bar
Rua Gil Vicente 4-6
219 232 378
Guidebooks often say that the best restaurants are those that are full of locals, but Tulhas was full of tourists and we
loved it! Jeff couldn't get enough of his first course, mangos with port; he also enjoyed the tornedo (steak) and flan. My entree, veal
in a wine sauce, was delicious, but I wasn't a fan of the amendoa dessert. We received complimentary port with our desserts. The
service can sometimes be brash, but the food is worth it.
| Transportation
Driving in Portugal wasn't the nightmare
we were led to believe it would be. The signs are excellent and
the toll highways are relatively new; the highest toll we ever paid
was about 10 euros. When in the larger cities, parking garages are
clearly marked on most maps, but be prepared to pay a high fee.
AutoEurope
We rented a car online through AutoEurope, which compares many different rental companies and gives you the best deal based on
your location(s). The rental car company we had was EuropCar. For about $200 per week, we rented a Volkswagen Polo and were able
to pick it up in Faro and drop it off in Porto. I compared many different rental sites before choosing AutoEurope and I was
not disappointed.
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