NORTHERN PORTUGAL

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Wow, I completely forgot to finish recapping our trip to Portugal, but what a pleasant surprise when I logged in to do so and saw a draft saved! Needless to say, I only have half a brain left this holiday season. Anyway, moving on to recapping Northern Portugal!

We have visited quite a few places in Portugal, but this was our first time venturing North of the Douro Valley. Last summer, we met a couple in the Lisbon airport lounge when we were en route to Italy, and they were returning from Portugal. They raved about the national park and beauty of the countryside up North, so we decided right then and there to visit in 2023!

WHERE TO STAY:

Monverde Wine Experience Hotel: Once you leave Lisbon, there’s not much on the highway.  This resort if pretty far North, with nothing really notable that we saw in its vicinity.  That meant day trips and enjoying the resort restaurants with plenty of time to relax.  It also included a few pit stops to Lidl to get snacks.  Ask Quinn about how he set off the security system with the shopping basket…Luckily they saw it was 2 clueless Americans and continued on without batting an eye.

Back to the hotel details: we booked a room that said it had a private plunge pool, and our expectations were low.  My thought was it would be a place to take a dip during nap time, so we weren’t trapped in the room.  We were very pleasantly surprised that it was a sizable pool with a separate shallow end, perfect for Quinn to play in safely! 

The room had a living room partitioned off from the bedroom, so Quinn had his own space away from us to nap and sleep at night. The hotel had a pool for all guests to use, a lovely spa I took advantage of, and a duck pond next to their playground, which served as our daily entertainment after breakfast (which was included).  The ducklings were so cute! While we didn’t take advantage, the hotel offered numerous wine tasting packages both on-site and off-site on their winery property.

WHAT TO DO:

Douro Valley: Wine country isn’t too far away, and you can easily book tours with transportation to visit them. We went back in November 2019, not knowing the world was about to shut down, recap here if you want to explore the winery region.

Quinta da Aveleda: Instead of going back to the Douro Valley, we decided to visit Quinta da Aveleda, an estate in the Vinho Verde wine region. We booked a tour and picnic lunch, and it turned out to be a private tour. The guide was so sweet and made Quinn feel like a king. Everywhere we went in Portugal was so family friendly, including this estate/winery. We learned about the history of the family estate, explored the gardens, learned about their wine and brandy production and finished with a picnic in one of the gardens. They made an amazing gluten free spread upon request.

We had some uninvited guests, however, including free range chickens and peacocks. They wandered right over to see if they could sneak some snacks. I must say, seeing a peacock a foot away is a bit unsettling when they look you in the eye. To this day, every time a photo from this picnic pops up on our digital photo frame, Quinn reminds us how much he hates peacocks. I don’t blame him. I should note that is not wine he’s holding as he looks suspiciously at said peacock!

Coimbra: This small city, formerly the capital of Portugal, is home to the University of Coimbra. We used it as a pit stop on our way north, but thoroughly enjoyed a vegetarian and gluten free lunch at Greenside. The restaurant is very unassuming from the outside, but has a beautiful back patio and a super deal on lunch. The staff did not speak English, and our Portuguese is mostly incomprehensible, but they were very patient with us. After we sat down to eat, the owner appeared (who did speak English) and told us all the side trips to take and little known facts about the area. He sent us off with a list of places and full bellies.

Santiago de Compostela: This city in Northwest Spain is known is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the end point of the Camino de Santiago, a Catholic pilgrimage route. We got tickets far in advance to tour the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, but Steve wasn’t feeling great and wasn’t up for the almost 3 hour drive North and subsequent lengthy tour. We didn’t realize until returning home that it was COVID that plagued Quinn, then Steve, and finally me during our trip. It’s a good thing we decided to scrap that trip, because we didn’t realize there is an hour time change from Portugal to this part of Spain. I can only imagine driving 3 hours with a miserable pilot only to find out we missed our tour…So, don’t be like us. Check the time change, don’t get sick, and visit this incredible landmark!

Braga: The greater Braga region is the third most populated urban area in Portugal, after Lisbon and Porto. This fact was hard to believe when seeing the city in person, but I suppose if you count the surrounding areas, it makes sense. We went on a drizzly cold day, so we didn’t get to fully enjoy the city by wandering around. In fact, we weren’t even going to go here at all, but after the Spain debacle above, we decided to do a quick trip here instead. Of course, had we known Steve had COVID, we wouldn’t have done this, but hindsight is 20/20.

While in Braga, one must visit the cathedral, the oldest Portuguese archdiocese. Tickets are required, but it was only 2 euro to go inside. The organ was stunning, and the stained glass was beautiful.

There are a number of tiny restaurants tucked away on each little side street. We wandered around and found a cozy spot with live music and hot soup, just what what the doctor ordered.

After warming up, we trekked on to see Bom Jesus do Monte. It was drizzling and foggy, making the scenery all the more dramatic. I read somewhere it is known as the stairway to heaven, which was apt with the weather making the top of the stairs and church disappear into the sky.

Peneda-Gerês National Park: This is the only national park in Portugal, and it is really big- over 268 square miles. It differs from national parks I’ve seen in the U.S. in that people’s homes are on the park land, along with independent restaurants and other businesses. We could have spent quite a bit more time here, and I think it could be nice to get lodging and stay overnight. There was a body of water, the Caniçada dam, at the park entrance we took that has an inflatable water park! It looked so inviting in the heat that day. We saw some little bed and breakfasts and family homes as we approached our chosen waterfall hike. This was another long drive on stomach-churning windy roads up high, but was worth it. It was one extreme of weather to another- cold and rainy the day we went to Braga, and over 100 degrees in Peneda Gerês. We brought a backpack carrier for Quinn and hiked to the waterfalls.

Now there are multiple waterfalls in the park, but we chose the one that the travel bloggers posted about being the most safe and easy to get to, Cascata do Arado. We parked a reasonable distance away and walked on a dirt path most of the way. To note: there are no bathrooms, but there are some primitive water fountains. The scenery was beautiful and it was incredibly peaceful (albeit HOT). The base of this particular waterfall was filled with Portuguese families swimming and cooling off on such a hot day. We did not encounter any English speakers that day, so I feel like we had an authentic Portuguese summer experience!

If it wasn’t triple digit heat, I’d recommend finding the hot springs to relax in. I found information on the park to be lacking online, but there is a visitor center upon arrival with paper maps that might be more helpful. Most parts of the park are free to access, but there is a zone that is protected and charges admission.

If we had more time, I would’ve visited The Boulder House, a quirky house built into a rock. It just wasn’t close to anything else and we would rather lounge at the pool than do the drive.

TIPS

You’ll need a rental car to get around. We got one at the airport to keep it simple, but did this after our time in Lisbon. It’s so walkable there, a car would’ve been a pain to drive and park in the city. Here’s my latest recap of Lisbon. Until our next adventure!

LISBON- PART 3!

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Hello! It’s been awhile. But I say that every time I post now… But here we are, almost 3 months after our trip, finally recapping it. We try not to repeat destinations, but Lisbon is the shortest and cheapest direct flight to Europe in August (not to mention it is Steve’s favorite place). We used Lisbon has our starting and ending point, with a road trip North in between. After a somewhat traumatizing flight from Florence last summer, we were pretty nervous about bringing Quinn along this time, but he slept almost the whole way there! Having his own seat (and carseat) was a game changer.

A lot has changed since our last time in Lisbon, and it appears the secret is now out! Everyone and their mother went this summer, and it’s apparent- prices have gone up and it’s definitely more crowded than our first trip there. We arrived shortly after the Pope’s visit, so there may have been extra tourists still in town for that, too. Nonetheless, still a great destination!

WHERE TO EAT:

Fabrica Coffee Roasters: After our red-eye flight, the first order of business was COFFEE! They have many locations across the city, and I mapped the mileage-wise closest location. Halfway en-route, we realized it was also the hilliest route. So hilly that there is an escalator up one giant hill. Things you don’t notice until you are pushing a toddler in a stroller! Speaking of said toddler, Quinn was treated like royalty by the staff. They made him his own little “espresso” aka frothed milk and fawned over him in Portuguese. He was really excited to use his very basic Portuguese he’s learned at school with them. His only two phrases: Obrigado! Bom dia!

Time Out Market: With so many good food options in Lisbon, we somehow still ended up back at Time Out Market for a THIRD time (remember this goat cheese ice cream salad?). It’s similar to Union Market in D.C., but dare I say even more busy?! It does have a good amount of seating and a wide variety of food options. We walked down from our hotel the evening we landed in Lisbon to get some fresh air and move our legs. There’s something for everybody and it’s super casual.

Copenhagen Coffee Lab: They have locations in Denmark, Germany, France, and Portugal. I chose a location that was a bit further from our hotel, but it was a scenic route. Steve may beg to differ as he had to, yet again, handle the stroller and stairs up and down and back up and down again. They had a great breakfast deal for 12 euros- 2 types of bread and spreads, cheese, ham, a pastry, overnight oats, an egg, AND a drink. To note: not GF

The scenic route:

Tapas 52: On our first trip, we visited Tapas 52 and had this great cheese plate. We broke our own rule of not repeating places again, but sort of by accident. Someone Steve knows through work was visiting Lisbon at the same time as us, and he suggested we meet here. When we arrived, we thought it looked really familiar… What are the odds? This was day 2 in Lisbon and we were all a bit tired, but Quinn was so beat that he passed out in Steve’s friends arms.

Honest Greens: You may be sensing a theme here. We accidentally repeated another restaurant. When in Barcelona, we had the best hummus at Honest Greens, and stumbled upon a location next to the Time Out Market. Quinn protested the vast array of options at Time Out Market, but he was thrilled to get a smoothie and energy balls from here. Lots of healthy options in a fast casual environment.

Rebel Cafe: Trendy coffee shop right next to our hotel. Excellent chia seed pudding!

UAO Gelato: In the mood for a sweet treat? Vegan, and free of gluten, lactose and sugar, yet still has flavor. Since Quinn slept through tapas, we stopped here for a healthier treat. He requested “green” and enjoyed their pistachio flavor.

GROM Gelato: We ALMOST went here in Florence, but didn’t. So, it doesn’t count as a repeat! They are all gluten free. Quinn enjoyed their mango gelato and I snuck a lick- so good!

Go Natural: Certainly not a destination for foodies, but a grocery store in the heart of Lisbon that had a huge selection of gluten free items. Quinn still asks for Sharkies, but sadly I cannot find them stateside.

WHERE TO STAY:

Palacio Ludovice Wine Experience Hotel: it is very walkable, with a beer garden across the street, right next to the iconic tram line and near plenty of restaurants and bars. The staff was so kind to Quinn, giving him coloring books and colored pencils, and running to help us with the stroller every time we came and went. They also left treats in the room and offered turn down service (but let’s be honest, we were already in bed by then thanks to jet lag).

Here’s the view of the hotel’s restaurant:

My little baby in a big bed series is slowly becoming a big baby! Make time slow down, please.

The view across the street from our hotel, and possibly the only family photo taken on the entire trip.

Lisbon Marriott: It is close to the airport, has a really nice pool, and a big breakfast buffet is included.  It’s a 15 minute walk from the closest subway stop (the zoo).  It was a good spot for us to be right next to the airport in the morning, but nothing special. It did the job!

WHAT TO DO:

Banksy Museum: We didn’t make it here, but I would’ve loved to. We saw some Banksy pieces in Barcelona at the Moco Museum, but now we have to go back to Lisbon to see more!

Tram: Don’t you love when people recommend things they have never done? We always walk to see more and get some exercise, but I can totally see the tram being a great way to sightsee and save yourself from the hills.

Claus: Stop by for the best smelling soaps and lotions (and balance out visiting the Fantastic World of Portuguese Sardines store).

Down on the waterfront, we came across the Pope in stones:

Praça do Comércio

Take some time to just wander the city. Everywhere you turn, there are beautiful tiles hidden in alley ways and narrow side streets.

There are plenty of other things to do, and I recapped some highlights here and here from our past trips.

Little guy, big door outside the Lisbon Cathedral. We walked by on a holiday, so it was not open, but Quinn did knock just to be sure no one was home.

Not the Golden Gate, but certainly golden hour

Coming soon-ish: a recap of our trip up North!

FLORENCE, ITALY

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After visiting Venice, we took the train down to Florence. We planned the bulk of our trip to be here to have a mix of relaxation at a resort just outside of town, and sightseeing in the city. The city and surrounding area was so pretty, and I have too many good photos to share!

TRANSPORTATION:

Florence is very walkable, and that is recommended over driving.  However, we wanted a rental car to potentially do side trip(s), and to come and go into the city freely. Well, you can tell this is not going to end well. Not only are many roads full of pedestrians, there are ZTL (Zona Traffico Limitato), and apparently non-residents will get ticketed by camera.  We made that mistake after a translation fail with the car rental employee and are anxiously awaiting some fines in the mail. There were, however, free parking spots just outside the zone, so if you are diligent about reading signs, you should be fine.  Our hotel also offered a shuttle to the city center, but we figured with the car seat, driving ourselves was easier.

WHERE TO EAT:

Sgrano: I may sound like a broken record, but Italy had the BEST gluten free options I have ever found. How do we get Sgrano to come to D.C.?? I mean, an all gluten-free restaurant with a panini sampler!? We didn’t even get to their pizza, but the sandwich board was out of this world and lasted us more than a day with leftovers.

Base V Juicery: Come here for smoothies, gluten free avocado “toast”, energy balls, and other healthy goodies.

Floret: Almost impossible to find, but worth the hunt. Floret is a secret garden restaurant located on the top floor of a retail clothing store with no signage. I had the best gluten free avocado toast (with grilled halloumi on top) of all time here, along with dessert. Such a treat!

Shake Cafe: There are multiple locations across the city, with healthy bowls and salads, plus smoothies and coffee. We found one with a lovely interior courtyard to cool off and take a break from walking.

Libreria Brac: This vegetarian restaurant/bookshop is hidden off the main drag. They have a glass greenhouse for seating, along with a beautiful courtyard. It was dangerously quiet inside for a toddler, but the staff was incredible and LOVED Quinn. The hostess swept him up and brought him to meet all the staff and take pictures with the chef.

With more time, we would have gone to Ciro and Sons for gluten free pizza, Quinoa for more vegetarian options, and Ditta Artigianale for coffee.

WHAT TO DO:

Uffizi Gallery: This museum has works from Botticelli, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and more. It was well worth a visit, but get there early to avoid the crowds by the most famous artists works. We bought tickets ahead of time online, which guaranteed entrance and skipped the line.

Accademia: A must-see for Michelangelo’s David statue, amongst other famous pieces. I may be in the minority and say the rest of the museum was not my favorite, but worth going just for David.

Ponte Vecchio is the oldest and most famous bridge in Florence. It is thought to be from the Roman times (and rebuilt many times since). Previously, the bridge housed stalls for butchers, farmers, and other services for residents. Now, these little storefronts are home to souvenir and jewelry shops.

Duomo, the Cathedral of Florence:  The line was super long and in the blazing sun on the first day we were there.  So instead of frying in the August sun for hours, we opted to buy a ticket to a guided tour.  After many years of sightseeing without a guide, I’m sold.  I got so much more out of the experience, learning about the Medici family and the history of Florence, not to mention skipping the line. There are tours of the cathedral, and there is a separate ticket to go into the dome. My limited research showed the climb up the dome is steep and narrow, which wouldn’t work with a heavy, wiggly toddler and no stroller.

Santa Maria Novella: Pop into this really cool perfume shop for scented soaps, reed diffusers, and perfume. It is one of the oldest pharmacies/cosmetic shops in the world, and smells amazing!

The carousel: Maybe not a MUST see, but Quinn enjoyed this pit stop. The carousel is run by the fourth and fifth generation Picci family still. Pretty cool!

Piazzale Michelangelo: This scenic overlook is set above the banks of the Arno opposite the city center. It was built in 1869 and has a replica of the David statue, keeping an eye on the city from above. We took a wrong turn and drove by it earlier in our trip (windy one-way streets on a steep hill, not a good time getting lost in the dark), and made a point to come back for sunset another evening.

Dreoni Toystore: Another hard-to-find store, but glad we did. This store had everything you can imagine, plus more for kids. Quinn got a Pinocchio puppet, as I learned the author of the original Pinocchio was from Florence. Now Quinn has a way to “remember” his trip!

Palazzo Strozzi: They have rotating exhibits in the courtyard, but sadly were on hiatus when we were there.

Tuscany: We had reservations to go to a winery tasting in Tuscany, but they canceled last minute. Shockingly, a Google targeted ad saved the day. We went to Semboloni Winery, which I highly recommend. The winery makes organic wine and olive oil, plus serves excellent charcuterie plates to pair. We did the tasting outside, where there was a light breeze, shaded by trees, and with room for Quinn to explore and use his outdoor voice. There were a number of other families on the patio, so we didn’t feel obnoxious. They offered free shipping on a case, so we mixed olive oils and some wine to send back home.

With more time, we would have gone to Siena as well.

WHERE TO STAY:

Villa La Massa, a short 15 minute drive from Florence city center, is situated overlooking the Arno River. Now, we normally would not splurge on this type of hotel, but we had Amex points burning a hole in our pocket.  When we booked, the hotel has recently been remodeled and I think they were building reviews of the newly updated space, making it lower points.  Plus, it came with a $100 spa credit.  Sign me up!

Our travel plans never go exactly as expected,  and this trip would be no different (see Venice recap for the first few hiccups).  We arrived mid afternoon from Venice, only to find out the power and water were out in the town, including the resort.  They asked if we still wanted to stay there (like we had another option lined up??), and then upgraded us to an amazing suite since other guests left due to the outage.  The power came back on a few hours later, but they let us stay in the suite.  Well worth a minor inconvenience in my opinion!  A big breakfast spread was included, and we got our money’s worth daily.  After exploring the city during the day, we came back to enjoy mid-afternoon pool lounging, alternating during Quinn’s nap.  The property had multiple dining options, a walking trail, a small playground, and beautiful gardens.  Steve enjoyed the gym and I appreciated the sunset views on the trail.

TIPS:

Kids and travel.  This could be a novel and a problem as old as time, and I’m certainly no expert.  But after maybe 20 flights with Quinn, I’ve learned a few things. Most importantly, don’t let fear prevent you from traveling. There’s a whole world out there to explore and it’s really special seeing your kid experience other cultures, food, history, and so much more. While we may still be recovering from the terrible flight home, I don’t regret for one minute taking a trip with Quinn to share our love for travel.

Direct flights whenever possible!  Quinn is mad we didn’t follow this advice this time.  If you must have a layover, explore the lounge and look for a kids area.  It might not be much, but it’s a space to drop your bags and crawl around (see germ comment below).

Bring all the snacks. More than you think you need, because you don’t want to be out when a meltdown happens.  Food taking too long at a restaurant? Whining for no apparent reason? Want something to put into the snack cup and remove repeatedly? Snacks solve many problems.

New toys/things that you won’t be sad about when they get lost between the seats or on the floor.  Maybe also check to see how noisy they are first, because Quinn of course loved the obnoxiously loud toy the most.

Embrace help! We were seated near an older woman on a return flight who was eager to entertain Quinn. She traveled extensively with her kids when they were little, and had some tricks up her sleeve.

Bring the small stroller. I don’t think kids really appreciate the comfort of their”fancy” stroller, and you will be glad to not haul that thing around up and down stairs when elevators aren’t available, etc.

Probably mentioned in a past post, but worth mentioning again: pack a wet bag with diaper supplies rather than the whole diaper bag since you won’t fit in the bathroom.  Extra change of clothes for both of you, just in case.

Let go of concerns over germs.  Use the sanitizing wipes the flight attendants pass out on high-touch surfaces, but realize everything will be touched and then fingers will go in the mouth.  It’s impossible to prevent.  Also, when you have a screaming child, you’ll let them do just about anything if it will mean they stop crying!

And that completes our August Italy adventure recapping. Check out our time in Venice here and stay tuned for a guide on Barcelona!