Greetings from Pena Palace!
Portugal 🇵🇹
From the delicious Pasteis de Belem to the fairy-tale castles of Sintra, Portugal is an epic destination, especially for solo travelers!
After visiting Greece with my family, I relished my alone time in the colorful hillside neighborhoods of Lisbon, with its historic trams and stunning azulejo tiles. I explored the Tower of Belém, the Monument to the Discoveries, Jerónimos Monastery, Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, and Carmo Archaeology Museum Convent (the latter two of which I liked best), and ate my way through the Time Out Market.
I then took a ride-share to the vibrant town of Sintra, where I toured the whimsical Pena Palace, the storybook Chalet of the Countess of Edla, the Moorish Monserrate Palace, and the Gothic Quinta da Regaleira—a day trip fit for a fairy tale.
Whether you’re planning a solo or family vacation, these Portugal travel blogs will help you plan an unforgettable, budget-friendly trip to these captivating Portuguese destinations.
What are the best places to visit in Portugal for first-timers?
The best way to see Portugal is to base yourself in Lisbon (Belem Tower, Monument to the Discoveries) and reach the rest of the country by train or bus, since the country is so compact. From Lisbon, day trips reach Sintra, which boasts several fairy-tale palaces (Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira). I personally solo-traveled through Portugal in 2021, entirely without a car—proof that this approach works for first-timers.
Fun Facts About Portugal
- 🌊 Portugal has 1,794 kilometers of coastline—that’s more beach per square kilometer than Spain, Greece, or Italy! The country’s entire western border is the Atlantic Ocean.
- 🚋 Lisbon’s iconic Tram 28 is a legitimate public transit route, not a tourist attraction. Locals actually use it for their daily commute, which is why it’s absolutely packed during rush hour!
- 🎬 Portugal’s diverse landscapes make it Hollywood’s secret weapon—Sintra was used as a picture-perfect backdrop for The Ninth Gate, Monsanto has stood in for Dragonstone on House of the Dragon, and Madeira stood in for multiple Star Wars planets in The Acolyte!
- 🥧 Pastéis de nata aren’t just dessert—they’re a cultural institution. The original recipe from Belém is a guarded secret, and locals will argue passionately about which pastelaria makes the best version (spoiler: I loved the ones at Manteigaria inside Time Out Market).
- 🎨 Portugal’s azulejos (decorative tiles) aren’t just pretty, they’re a 500-year art form that covers everything from metro stations to McDonald’s, and the Museu Nacional do Azulejo houses one of the world’s largest ceramic collections in a former convent.
- 🏰 Sintra has so many fairytale palaces crammed into one small area that UNESCO had to protect the entire cultural landscape—you literally can’t turn a corner without stumbling onto another castle, and most tourists severely underestimate how much time they need here!
The Best Time to Visit Portugal
Why I prefer shoulder season:
- Temperatures are perfect for walking Lisbon’s hills without melting
- Tourist crowds are manageable, so you can actually enjoy Sintra’s palaces without being trampled
- Accommodation prices drop 30-40% compared to summer
My experience: I visited in September and found it kinda quiet (it was 2021, so that may have had something to do with it), which meant I had many of the attractions to myself, or at least with very few others. However, at local spots, like Park Bar, the community was thriving. The temperature was also manageable, even when hiking up hills.
Things to Know Before You Go
Portugal uses the Euro (€)
You can exchange money before a trip, but I find it best to withdraw cash at a local ATM on an as-needed basis.
They speak Portuguese
Practice basic phrases (Olá, Bom dia, Boa noite, Por favor, Obrigado/Obrigada), but in most tourist areas, people also speak English.
A visa isn’t needed
For short tourist visits (90 days max), no visa is needed. However, you will soon need to apply for ETIAS before entering. Additionally, EES requires non-EU travelers to provide fingerprints and facial images to enter Portugal.
Download the Omio and Citymapper App
Use the Omio app for long train and bus journeys. Get the Citymapper app for local transport. Aside from walking around these cities, I primarily Ubered.
Portugal Travel Tools
Below are the exact tools I used to plan my Portuguese adventure! Portugal is incredibly rewarding and safe even while solo, but requires more advanced planning than you’d think.
To avoid any mistakes and secure spots at sold-out attractions, here are my essential planning tips:
- 💰 The Lisboa Card will save you money: It covers 51 museums, skip-the-line access to 12 places of those places, and free transport (including trains to Sintra!). I found the Lisboa card to be much cheaper overall than buying separate tickets!
- 🚕 Uber costs pocket change compared to the US: Rides in Lisbon run €3-7 (my hotel to airport was €7), making it ridiculously affordable to Uber uphill to your first stop, then walk DOWN toward the water. Your knees will thank you.
- 🎟️ Sintra palaces WILL turn you away without advance tickets: Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira, and Monserrate all enforce timed entry slots. Buying online also gets you a 15% discount! The lines without skip-the-line tickets are brutal, and most first-timers severely underestimate how mobbed Sintra gets.
- 🏨 Don’t overpay for “central” locations: Lisbon’s metro, buses, and Ubers are so cheap and efficient that staying slightly outside the main tourist zone saves you 30-40% on accommodation without sacrificing convenience.
