For The Love Of Port

I'm new to FTLOP, and pretty new to Port, but not new to Portugal, having been there at least 10 times in the past 20 years.

However, I've only been to Porto once, and not for the Port. In 2004 I was in Portugal during Euro 2004, and saw a game at Estadio do Dragao (Czech Republic and Denmark if anyone was following.) That followed one of the best football matches I've ever been to, Portugal vs. Spain in Estadio do Luz (Benfica stadium), which Portugal won 1-0 to beat Spain for the first time in about 20 years, and advance to the knockout stage. I've never experienced anything like Estadio do Luz when Rui Costa scored that goal--millions of pounds of concrete and steel shaking like it was a house of cards. (Portuguese on the forum must remember this game.) Nor the grounds afterwards. Nor the highways, totally stopped of traffic for hours trying to get home...

But I digress...

My wife and family (3 children 6, 4, 1) have been going to Portugal almost every year since about 2001, and me and/or my wife before that (me, since 1989). (Well, our youngest has not been yet, but our oldest has been 3 times, and our middle has been 2 times. Next year will be the first for our youngest.)

This might seem a bit of a shock, but we have been around various parts of Portugal on many trips, and keep going back, and have not ever been to Porto, except for me at that one football match! So I'm wondering what folks do there if they go beyond Porto, or perhaps most folks are happy enough to just soak up the Port experience. Now that we are into Port, we will definitely make Porto a stop on a future trip (or many), but we have also been quite a few other places.

Obviously, the Algarve, which we have done from about Faro to Sagres. and then up the west coast to Setubal. Lisbon, and everything west of Lisbon out to Sintra. Around the Alentejo. A fantastic little walled city in the somewhat-northeast, Marvao, which is well worth a visit. Arrialos, where you can buy fantastic handmade Portuguese rugs. And some more.

Recently, we have been going to a great little town 15 min south of Setubal (about 1 hour south of Lisbon) called Carvalhal, and renting a house there a short distance from the ocean, and have traveled around to various small towns in the area. Much less crowded than the Algarve, although this area has been growing in popularity in the 2000s. But compared to the Algarve, much better IMO. I was in the Algarve in 1989 and 1991, and loved it. When I went back with my wife for the first time in 1998, I almost did not recognize it it was so developed. "Progress" they call it.

Anyway, I don't have too much to offer about Port yet, but maybe something about places in Portugal worth a visit (at least from the US perspective--I know there are Portuguese folks that know much more than I) if you want to go elsewhere than Porto. We love Portugal, and there are many many fantastic places to go.

I usually stay in the North when I'm not in the Douro or Porto. I love the city of Viana do Castello. Along the way to Spain you can visit charming cities like Ponte de Lima and Braga. Visit the old village and the mountains of Peneda Geres, the nature is great there. I'd also suggest the Atlantic coast of Spain. Vigo is a nice city, great beaches and activities. Up to the north there are great view on the sea from high rocks point. The village of Ferrol is a great example.

Hope this helps.

I remember Euro 2004 well. My wife an I were in Portugal in 2004 and although we didn't attend a game, we did the next best thing - go to a cafe and watched the games with the locals. Unfortunately we saw the Portugal v Greece opening game.... Grrrrrrrrr!

One of my favorite places to go in Portugal is Nazare, an old fishing village. It can get a bit crowded in the summer, but it's fantastic in the shoulder seasons... like stepping back in time. Great place to roam the small twisting alleys, get a nice seafood meal, and hang out at the beach.

Nice to hear someone mention Setubal. I loved my stay at the Pousada there and a very very long walk from there (and back) through sheepfields to Azeitao, home of perhaps one of the few remaining places that do the handpainted tiles and Jose Fonseca. I highly recommend the Azores (whirlwind visit that I had) and one of my personal faves, Madeira (north coast in particular). Lava pools in Porto Moniz can't be beat (particularly if you were lucky enough to have experienced before the swiss cheese transformation of the island and it became more developed) and you can swim.

That is definitely a long walk from Setubal to Azeitao, even one way. I've driven that before, and out to Sesimbra and the Castelo there. That area is great. There are some great vistas along the Serra da Arrabida.

Heather, some great pictures. Thanks for posting them...and if you haven't done so already please upload them to the Portrait Section on the home page.