There’s no better way to get to know a country than by visiting multiple destinations in one trip. At MultiCityTrips, multi-destination journeys are our bread and butter – it’s what we do best because we’ve been on so many multi-city trips ourselves. Our Marketing Manager Ella visited Portugal and took in three of its premier spots – Lisbon, Cascais, and Faro. Each offers something different and allows you to get to grips with Portugal’s culture, cuisine, and fabulous sightseeing opportunities. Here’s her travel story:

Lisbon to Cascais

I flew into Lisbon airport with the plan of staying in Cascais for the majority of my trip. The laidback, surf-vibe of Cascais appealed to me and I wanted to spend some time relaxing on the beautiful beaches in the area, taking yoga classes, and learning how to surf. I booked a private transfer from the airport to Cascais which was a great choice – as soon as I arrived, a representative was waiting in the arrivals hall for me and carried my luggage to the car. It was such a quick trip – only 35/40 minutes before I arrived at my hotel.

I have to say that Cascais is a simply beautiful area. It’s a place where traditional architecture meets modernity – stroll around the municipality and you’ll find cobbled streets and Portuguese buildings adorned with Azulejo tiling juxtaposing eclectic independent boutiques.

My original plan to stay for 7 days quickly turned into a 10-day stay – I simply couldn’t bring myself to leave! It’s important to add here that this trip was a solo trip, but I very quickly made friends with other solo travelers and spent the duration of my vacation with them. Cascais is a really safe area, and I had no problems walking around at night on my own (always exercise caution though, as you would anywhere!).

Yoga, surfing, meditation

Each morning I walked down to the local beach, just a 5-minute walk away, to take part in sunrise yoga on the piers that jut out along the water. Even at 7 am, the temperature was lovely and mild – I’ve honestly never felt as relaxed as I did spending an hour watching the sunrise over the ocean.

Afterward, I’d walk back to my hotel before heading to Praia do Guincho, one of Portugal’s most popular beaches on the Estoril coast, for a surf lesson. The beach itself is incredibly beautiful and is a hotspot for amateur (and professional) surfers, thanks to the varying wave patterns throughout the day. The water here is cold – very cold – but actually stays the same temperature year-round; it’s just the air temperature that changes! Wetsuits are recommended (you’d be very chilly without), but you can rent them from the nearby surf shacks, or they’re included with your surf lesson if you book one.

No matter what your age, I recommend trying your hand at surfing. My classes were filled with people of all ages and we all had so much fun – even if surfing doesn’t come naturally to you, frolicking around in the water is therapeutic, and trying to catch a wave is sure to induce fits of laughter.

Another must-do is a short (but relatively demanding) hike to Praia da Ursa. This stunning, scenic route takes you down a hillside to a beach with imposing rocks jutting from the ocean. The beach is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen – though the waves were so huge, the water was definitely not swimmable! It was great to relax on the beach nonetheless, and I took part in a group meditation in the afternoon sunshine.

Cascais center

Cascais center is a great place to take a stroll, enjoy a meal, or head to a bar. Thursday nights (and weekends) in particular are fun in Cascais, as all the locals head out to the nearby bars. Dance the night away in the Irish bar, which offers live music, good beer, and a chance to boogie to traditional Irish jigs. Be sure to head to Gelados Santini for ice cream – it’s a local favorite so expect queues, but it’s worth the wait! Another tip is to head to one of the curry houses along the main strip of restaurants. I never knew Portugal offered such amazing Indian food, but apparently, it’s not so much of a secret to the locals in Cascais!

Cascais to Lisbon

Admittedly, my plans to stay in Lisbon were scuppered when I fell in love with Cascais. I had planned to stay in Lisbon for a few days but only ended up spending one day and a night there. However, this was enough for me to get a feel for the city and its incredible nightlife.

Lisbon is easily accessed from Cascais. You can either grab the train, which takes around an hour or hop in a taxi, which takes around 30 to 40 minutes. While you’re there, be sure to take the famous yellow tramcar to the city’s different neighborhoods – a trip to Estrela and the Estrela Basilica is a must. Try pastel de nata (custard tarts – they are delicious) from a local bakery, then head to a bar or a Fado house for an authentic Portuguese performance. I wish I had spent more time in the city so I could have embarked on a sightseeing tour, but, as I said, I really did fall in love with Cascais and don’t regret spending so much of my trip there!

Related:

Discover more things to do in Lisbon for your next trip here. If you have more time, consider stay and spend a few days in Lisbon. This amazing city has so much to offer its visitors! Also, if you need a place to stay, take a look at the list of the best hotels in Lisbon here.

While staying in Lisbon, you might also interested in taking day trips. Here are some of my favorites:

Lisbon to Faro

Faro was an unexpected add-on to my trip. I had originally planned to fly home from Lisbon but met a friend who I instantly clicked with and decided to extend my trip to match her plans. We booked a last-minute coach trip from Lisbon city center to Faro, a journey that takes just over three hours. The trip was really pleasant – just remember to stock up on snacks before you board, as there are no stops along the way.

Upon arrival in Faro, we walked straight from the coach station to the marina (just a stone’s throw away), where we sat at a harbor-side bar, watching the boats come and go while listening to a local guitar player. The food here (especially fresh seafood) is delicious, and there are plenty of Portuguese delicacies to try at local restaurants. Stroll along cobble-stoned streets, wander around museums, and lounge on the beautiful Ria Formosa beach – there’s so much to do here. Again, my visit to Faro was fleeting, but a great addition to any Portugal itinerary.

Related:

Discover more things to do in Faro for your next trip here. If you would like to spend a few extra days in Faro and need a place to stay, take a look at the list of the best hotels in Faro here.

I loved visiting some of Portugal’s most exciting destinations – the people, cuisine, culture, and everything in between, were second to none. If you’re looking to book a multi-city Portuguese getaway like mine, get in touch with us today!

Related Posts:

• Best 10 Days to 2 Week Spain & Portugal Itineraries You will Love
• 10 of Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Spain and Top Things to Do

Travel Resources for Planning a Trip to Lisbon and other Destinations in Portugal

To make planning your trip to Lisbon and to other destinations in Portugal easier, we included some of our recommended travel resources below. You can search and find the best flights, transportation options, hotels to stay in, tours/activities, and things you can do in each destination during your trip.

Flights: 

Agoda: Search thousands of destinations around the world & quickly compare prices to find amazing deals on the best flights.

CheapOAir: You can find airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and vacation packages all on one site!

Kiwi.com: What we like about Kiwi is the fact that they are able to create combinations of flight, train, and bus tickets and offer them in a single itinerary. Also, Kiwi has what they called “Nomad” which helps you find the best way of visiting multiple destinations, saving you time and money.

JetRadar: You can search and compare airfares from 726 airlines and dozens of travel agencies and systems.

Hotels: 

Agoda: Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms with a network of over 2,000,000 vacation rentals and hotels worldwide.

Hotellook: They have more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries, working with data from more than 10 online booking systems, such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, and others.

Transportations: 

Airport Transfers: KiwiTaxi, Viator

Train: ItaliaRail, Trainline, or RailEurope for most destinations in Europe. Please note however for booking a train in Portugal, you need to use the Portuguese Railways (Comboios de Portugal).

Bus: Flixbus: Very affordable (as low as $6) and convenient way to transfer between cities in Europe.

Car Rentals: AutoEurope, EconomyBookings, or  GetTransfer (transfers & car rentals with a personal driver)

Bike Rental: BikesBooking (Bikes & scooter rentals) 

Transportation Comparison: Omio (search, compare, and book tickets for buses, trains, and flights all in one site)

Tours & Activities:

TakeWalks (WalkofItaly): This is our favorite site for walking tours & day trips.

Tiqets: Great site for entrance tickets. It offers directly bookable, instantly available, and completely mobile tickets for museums, shows, and attractions all over the world.

Musement: They have good activities and tours in Italy and Spain, also many great day trips you can choose from.

GetYourGuide: A large number of tours, excursions, and other travel activities

Viator: The largest one. It has everything from tours, attractions, shore excursions, and private guides in over 2,700 destinations worldwide. It also has many transportations and transfers options and some unique experiences we didn’t find anywhere else.

Need help planning a trip to Lisbon and other destinations in Portugal?

Want to plan a trip to Lisbon and other beautiful places in Portugal but don’t know where to begin? If you find this type of trip planning to be too complicated to plan on your own, we’re here to help!

At MultiCityTrips, multi-destination travel and complicated itineraries such as a trip visiting multiple destinations in Europe are our specialties. Contact us today to learn more about how one of our experienced travel experts/destination specialists can personalize your multi-city vacations at the best price.

Don’t want to start from scratch and need some trip inspiration? Check out our marketplace for customizable pre-designed packages available right now for many amazing destinations.

To learn more about how our process of trip planning works in detail, please see our “How It Works” page or check out our video on “How to Plan a Multi-City Trip to Europe in  5 Easy Steps”  here.

Have questions for us? Schedule a FREE Call with us here or contact one of the travel experts/destination specialists at [email protected], call/text us at (888)223-2316 today.