PORTUGAL

With so much going for it, it’s no surprise that Lisbon has been one of the most talked about European destinations in recent memory.

Aside from pastel de nata, how many Portuguese desserts can you name? One? Two? None? Many Portuguese sweets are unknown to foreigners, which is a …

According to some Portuguese locals, if you were to represent Portuguese cuisine with just one dish, then that dish would have to be cozido a portuguesa. It’s a type of traditional Portuguese boiled meal made with a wide variety of meats, smoked sausages, vegetables, and spices.

There’s a lot to love about Lisbon. It’s a beautiful city with a passion for the arts and terrific food. In fact, so good is the food in Lisbon that National Geographic readers declared it the world’s top foodie hotspot in 2019.

Lisbon has an artistic vibe that appeals to creatives of every type. This was most apparent at Lx Factory and Embaixada, two creative hubs that cater to people with an interest in contemporary art, design, fashion, and food.

Located along the Douro River, Porto’s historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is characterized by hilly cobblestone streets, centuries-old churches, and beautiful azulejo tiles.

If you drink wine, then port tasting is one of the best things you can do in Porto. After all, port wine is one of Portugal’s most famous exports and was named after the city of Porto.

Before arriving in Porto, we had little experience with Portuguese food except for what we’d seen in travel food shows. I knew the Portuguese ate a lot of seafood, especially bacalhau or salted cod, and were the inventors of those delicious eggy custard tarts known as pastel de nata.

Time Out Market is a food hall located inside the historic Mercado da Ribeira, a traditional market hall built in the 1890s in Lisbon’s now trendy Cais do Sodre waterfront district.

Ponto Final gave us one of our most memorable dining experiences in Europe. If you’re lucky enough to get a table on their waterfront patio, then you can enjoy the most spectacular views of the 25 de Abril Bridge and Tagus River.