One of the best things about travelling in Portugal is that it’s really easy to get around. The country has a reliable, affordable and comprehensive public transport network, including buses, trains, trams and taxis.

If you’re travelling within Porto or Lisbon, the Metro is the quickest and most convenient way to get around. It’s also the best and most affordable way to get from the airport to your inner city accommodation.

If you’re travelling beyond the borders of either of these cities, you have the option of catching a bus or a train. Buses tend to be slightly cheaper, while trains might take you on more scenic routes.

While we firmly believe in taking responsibility for your own safety, no matter where in the world you travel, it is kind of nice to actually FEEL safe too.

This was our experience of Portugal. Both in the cities and in the more rural areas, people seemed to take a special interest in the wellbeing of travellers, especially if you’re a woman travelling alone or in a pair/group.
Locals are friendly, engaging and happy to offer directions, guidance or advice.

“I remember walking along a street in Barcelinos with my mom – probably both looking a little lost and somewhat worse for wear after a day of trudging along – when an old man on a balcony intuited our need and started shouting ‘mercado! Mercado!’ (grocery store) and pointing us in the right direction,” Nadia recalls.

Sure, you’ll find a lovely Airbnb in most cities around the globe, but once again, locals in Lisbon and Porto (especially) just seem to have the knack of making things extra cosy! Whether you prefer a more characterful Airbnb apartment, a hotel or want to splash out and feel like a modern-day princess staying at the glamorous Pestana Palace Lisboa, Lisbon has you covered. 

This time around Mariette stayed in Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest and probably most characterful, neighbourhood on the slope between São Jorge Castle and the Tejo river.

“I wanted to have a really local experience and found a perfectly beautiful Bohemian apartment in Alfama with views over the river and the bustling Infante Dom Henrique Avenue with plenty Fado restaurants and sidewalk cafes within easy walking distance. My hostess, a single mom, gave me such great insider travel tips and recommendations, making my stay in Lisbon extra wonderful. Lisbon is cool, fun, creative, affordable and not (yet) as crowded as other European capitals with great food, a pulsating nightlife and the perfect balance between tradition and modernity. The best time of the year to go is between April and June or between September and October.”

In Porto, Nadia and Lisel stayed in a tiny, but extra cute Airbnb in the old quarter. It offered a spectacular view over the city’s red roofs and ended up being extremely central to an array of attractions, restaurants, coffee shops and the gorgeous Sao Bento train station.

Beach, please! Portugal is home to some of the world’s most spectacularly beautiful stretches of sand-and-sea. The wind-swept North Atlantic coastline is the country’s largest and somewhat reminiscent of our own South African West Coast.

Up north, you will find the city of Vila do Conde is home to a thriving surfing community and surrounded by an array of cute white-washed fishing towns.

In the south, the almost otherworldly Algarve coast is any sun-lovers dream. Here massive sandstone cliffs drop down to pristine beaches and caves. It’s also home to some of the best and most sought-after surf spots in the world.

If you have a sweet tooth, Portugal will be both the best and the worst place you’ve ever visited. Best, because you’ll never run out of new pastries to try and worst… well… because you may run out of pants that fit while you’re there.

But seriously, Portugal’s coffee shop culture is an absolute dream!

Especially because these sweet treats are ridiculously affordable. Where you might pay R30 for an acceptable croissant in Cape Town, in Portugal, you will only pay in the vicinity of €1 (+/- R17) for the most delicious freshly baked Pasteis de Belem you’ve ever tasted! It’s really quite something.

Portugal has 14 wine regions and whilst Port is what most people associate Portugal with there are over 250  indigenous wine varieties. Not only does Portugal produce some of the world’s best wines, it is fast becoming Europe’s wine tourism capital with an array of experiences available for wine lovers (and non wine drinkers) keen to explore beyond the well known cities and beaches of Portugal.

Read more about Mariette’s adventures in wine in Portugal here.

If you have a day or two at your disposal in the beautiful riverside city of Porto, we can highly recommend just losing yourself among the maze of cobbled alleys. This is where you will catch glimpses of the most intriguing local life, stumble upon wonderful coffee nooks and patisseries and maybe even find some unusual curious for loved ones back home.

Be sure to let your wanderings take you to the Sao Bento station, which boasts magnificent architecture and a truly beautiful interior, featuring 20,000 azulejo tiles. The layout was composed by Jorge Colaço, an important painter of azulejo of the time.

Also keep an eye out for the legendary street artist with his street organ, plucky little chicken and array of creepy dolls.

Be sure to stop off ever so often for a coffee, pasteis de nata, icy cold Superbock beer, a glass of local wine or… perhaps best of all… delicious (and potent) sangria.

Mariette first stumbled upon Pierre Aderne’s secret music evenings two years ago thanks to an invitation from a friend.

Back then they were very secret. Fast forward two years and not much has changed...they’re maybe a little less secret these days, but Pierre is still made of passion, music and wine and he still brings together the most gifted musicians to play unplugged for people who like to dive below the touristy veneer of Lisbon with wine and love flowing freely.

Rua Das Pretas is a weekly international gathering of friends, wine and song, blending bossa, folk, jazz and conversation to an audience of fellow artists, tourists and gypsies. A night with Pierre and friends will cement your love affair with Lisbon and Portugal.

In recent years, doing part of Europe’s famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route has become quite trendy. Interestingly enough, it seems to be an especially attractive option for women in search of a safe and meaningful way to travel solo.

There are about seven routes leading to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain, which is said to house the remains of Saint James the Great. In the middle ages, pilgrims used to make the journey to achieve plenary indulgence (removal of all punishment due for sins) on completion. These days, it’s less about penitence and more about self-care, healing and, yes, a measure of adventure.

While the French Way is by far the most famous and popular, the Portuguese Way offers a beautiful, less crowded and equally satisfying alternative. Most pilgrims start in Porto and complete a 240km journey on foot to Santiago de Compostela, following either the coastal route, the central one or a combination of the two. The latter is preferable, as it will offer you a glimpse of both the picturesque North Atlantic coastline and the quaint villages, farmlands and cities in the north-west of Portugal.

As a pilgrim, you hold a special status and locals treat you with kindness, care and respect. They are quick to assist, generous in offering hospitality and always greet you with a friendly “Buen Camino!”

“I have two particularly pleasant memories of encounters with locals while doing the Camino Portugues,” says Nadia. “The first was a woman picking fruit in her vineyard who saw us passing by, flagged us down and gave us each a handful. A few days later, a farmer driving a tractor overflowing with grapes stopped in his tracks and invited us to pick some of the choice bunches to enjoy as we walk.”

Have we whet your appetite for a Portuguese trip of your own? Destinate Travel’s all female tours to Portugal kick off in 2020 so send an email to travel@destinate.co.za for more information and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.