First time in Portugal? We've put together some of our recommendations for you:

1. Foods to Try:

Appetizers: Chouriço Assado, olives, Portuguese bread, Caldo Verde (traditional kale soup with chorizo)

Main: Bacalhau (salted codfish) and yellow potatoes, chicken with piri piri, seafood (especially sardines)

Desserts: Pastel de Nata, Portuguese coffee

Drinks: Vinho Verde, Portuguese wines in general

2. Great day or half day trips from Lisbon/Ericeira:

- Cabo do Rocha: beautiful wilderness and hiking trails with a scenic lighthouse

- Sintra: A beautiful and romantic town. Also has many palaces and a historical spot called Quinta de la Regaleira (absolutely gorgeous, whimsical, and fairtytale like. One of my favorite places)

- Cascais: Popular scenic beach town near Lisbon

- Obidos: Unique medieval town built into a fortressed area.

-Nearby Wineries: Adegamae and Quinta da Almiara are right next to each other and a short drive from Ericeira

-Nearby beaches: Praia Formosa and Praia de Santa Cruz are lovely and where Hannah spent a lot of time in during her summers as a kid.

3. Where else to go if you have more time:

If you're traveling outside of Ericeira where our wedding is, Portugal can be divided into three main areas:

A.Central: Lisbon (urban, hilly, cultural capital)

B. North: Porto (wine country, a bit cooler weather-wise, hip/cool, mountains)

C.South: Algarve and Lagos (beaches, sun, nature)

See more details about things to see in each of these areas below.

Transportation: There are trains that go to these three areas, but if you want to go outside the main cities, we'd recommend renting a car to explore the beaches and coastal areas.

For shorter rides, Uber, Bolt, and Freenow can help you get around. These services are generally cheaper than in the US; the 30 min ride from Lisbon Airport to Ericeira is ~$30.

A. Lisbon Areas to check out:

- Baixa district

- Praca do comerco

- Barrio alto

- Alfama (home of fado music)

- Torre de Belem (if you're by here, you're also close to Pasteis de Belem which has the undisputed best Pasteis de nata of Portugal. Almost like the Cafe Du Monde of Portugal).

- Monsteiro do Geronimos

- My aunt's restaurant! Cantinho da Amizade. They usually only serve lunch and it's a popular spot for locals. My aunt's name is Clara and she speaks perfect English. Say hi if you go :) : Cantinho da Amizade R. Cruz da Carreira 36, 1150-119 Lisboa, Portugal https://g.co/kgs/8vCZxn

- LX Factory for hip/cool restaurants and cafes. Outside of touristy areas.

B. North: Porto

The city of Porto itself is beautiful and nice to walk around. Have some seafood and wine.

Praca da liberdade

- It's wine country! Do a wine tour in the Douro valley

- Try a port tonic

- Our favorite restaurant here is called Chama. Make reservations before, but it is a blast :)

- Livraria lello is a gorgeous bookstore and the stairs in Harry Potter were based off it. Also the students in Porto and how they dress were the inspiration for the cloaks.

C. South: Algarve and Lagos

- Lagos: if you're driving, try and stay along the coast instead of the highway for great views

- Kayak or boat into the Benagil Caves (they have rentals at shore)

- Camilo beach (Praia do camilo)

- Ponto da piedad (gorgeous and picturesque)

- The south is all about beaches and beautiful views. It is generally a bit warmer than the rest of Portugal.