Portugal

Travelers' Takes

Rates and Deals

Portugal in November

A November 2005 trip to Portugal by teemee

Driving into SintraMore Photos

Visits to Lisbon, Sintra, Belem, Porto, Amarante, Guimaraes, and Citania de Briteires, Evora, Cromeleque dos Almendres, Alvor, and Loule (Algarve).

  • 6 reviews
  • 10 photos

Hotel Zenit LisboaBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

Room view
Excellent new four-star hotel. We booked through RatesToGo at 75 euro per night. This hotel opened only 3 months ago, and I expect I will not be able to afford it on my next visit to Lisboa!

Rooms are spotless and very modern, with hardwood floors and all wood and glass surfaces. The windows are pretty soundproof but do open if you need some air. Beds and linens were also modern, comfortable and streamlined. Reception staff was extremely helpful and Portuguese/English bilingual.

There is a slightly pricey but excellent restaurant in the hotel. The fresh fish was excellent, as were all the breakfast dishes I tried.

The hotel is very close to the Picoas metro stop and Marques de Pombal square.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by teemee on December 4, 2005

Hotel Zenit Lisboa
Av 5 De Outubro 11 Lisbon, Portugal

Pensao Policarpo , EvoraBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

The back entrance
There are excellent accommodations. Mr. and Mrs. Policarpo are gracious hosts with a beautiful pension. There is much original decor and the staircase is still made of the beautiful original 16th-century wood. It's a perfect balance of privacy and warmth. The pensao itself is almost impossible to find, however. If you're staying there and have a car, be sure to ask for directions to the parking lot--the street address and entrance are on a pedestrian street (which we had to spend 10 minutes painfully backing out of). I would definitely stay again!
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by teemee on January 2, 2006

Pensao Policarpo , Evora
Rua da Freiria de Baixo, 16 Evora, Portugal
+351 (266) 702 424

Residencial Pao De AcucarBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Residencial Pao de Acucar, Porto"

First of all, the staff was incredibly kind and helpful, the best I experienced my entire trip. Pao de Acucar was an excellent value. The rooms are plain and the sheets aren't that soft, but the place is very clean and only 45 euro/night! It is just off Rua dos Aliados, a beautiful "main drag" for government buildings and very close to the river.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by teemee on January 3, 2006

Residencial Pao De Acucar
Rua Do Almada 262 Porto, Portugal
+351 222 002 425

Restaurante a TasquinhaBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Restaurante a Tasquinha, Porto"

It was the most delicious food I had in Porto. It was fresh fresh food, and the spicing delicious. There was excellent fresh fish, personal attention, and so many homemade desserts that I wanted to stay a week to try them all. The owner was also very helpful in selecting my first bottle of vinho verde. The company was great if you like locals and families, and they were all very friendly.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by teemee on January 2, 2006

Restaurante a Tasquinha
Rua do Carmo 23 Porto, Portugal
+351 (22) 332-21-45

Sintra Sights & AttractionsBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Sintra day trip"

Driving into Sintra
Sintra is a magical place. I was skeptical because of all the hype, but it isn't hype at all. Driving in felt like entering a completely different land. Adding to the magic were the fairy lights hung in the trees along the road for the holidays. My companion and I spent most of our time at Castelo dos Mouros, which is old, a little spooky, and powerful -- I thought I felt the Moors still lingering there. Shopping very expensive here, and found everything stocked here also stocked in Lisboa for about 30% less!
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by teemee on December 4, 2005

Sintra Sights & Attractions
Throughout Sintra Sintra, Portugal

Belem: Monastery of St JeromeBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Belem, Lisbon--Tourist Heaven"

Mosteiro dos Jeronimos
Set on a sunny, beautiful coastline just southwest of Lisbon, Belem is considered the "heart and soul" of Portugal and is closely tied to its navigation age. I first visited the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, which is a must for architecture lovers. The stonework utilizes unusual symbols such as shells, ropes, and fish intricately worked into more traditional sacred symbols. The Tower of Belem and the Monument to the Discoveries are both worth a stop. Take a moment while you're there to stand on the sand and look out at the ocean, as so many explorers in the 16th century did, before setting off on unknown journeys. Finish your visit with famous pasteis natas (warm custard-like sweets) from Pasteis de Belem, in operation since 1837.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by teemee on January 5, 2006

Belem: Monastery of St Jerome
Praca do Imperio, Belem Lisbon, Portugal

About the Writer

teemee
teemee
Los Angeles, California
  • "love to travel to unusual places. I have seen most of the US by car, almost every national park as a..."
  • 1 journal
  • 10 photos
  • 6 reviews

Get the Word Out

Share this travel journal beyond IgoUgo with your favorite sharing tools.