Portugal… just the name itself has always sounded as dreamy and delectable as an egg tartlet the country is known for. It’s a smaller sized country so I always knew it was the perfect place for an epic road trip. We flew into Lisbon (just my youngest and I for 9 days of fun and our last solo trip before the new baby arrives, I was 16 weeks pregnant on the trip) and drove a short 3 hours to São lourenço do barrocal, a magical farm homestead in the Alentejo region of Portugal. This is a hotel dreams are made of and one we specifically flew across the Atlantic just to see in real life. Most all the food is made or grown on site and they have the most beautiful outdoor spaces to eat, read a book or just daydream. We rode bicycles down to dinner and afterwards had dessert under the stars. It was an unforgettable experience and I hope to return one day. Next we drove south to the famous Algarve coast and headed to the little town of Lagos. We rented the most perfect Airbnb, Casinha de sardinha (my 5 year old tells everyone we borrowed someone’s house). They had fresh baked bread on arrival and a detailed list of the towns most delicious restaurants. The BEST part about the home was not only it’s close proximity to town and the beach, but it was just up the road from a coffee shop called Coffee and Waves that I will never forget. They had a loaded avocado toast and smoothie that we ate more times than I can count. We wandered the beaches by day and the bustling town at night… dining for 3 hours on clams and fish. When it was time to say our goodbyes we definitely shed a few tears as we packed our bags for the final leg of our adventure. We were on our way back to Lisbon with a side trip to Comporta to meet the rest of the family. I had heard wonderful things about Comporta, it’s been compared to the Hampton’s before they were popular or Tulum before it was overrun by tourists. We rode horses at the famous Cavalos De Areia (I even got to ride Madonna’s favorite horse) before heading to one of the most delicious lunches we had at Restaurant Sal. A local hotspot that’s nearly impossible to get a table … we had to beg and maybe cry (I think I told Stella to squeeze a few tears out and it was worth it) to get one. We finished our trip in Lisbon with a wonderful stay at The Lisboans. I highly recommend it not only for its chic accommodations but also fabulous location. You can walk in any direction and find great restaurants and little cobblestone streets. Last time we stayed in Lisbon we stayed at Santa Clara 1728 but I would say it’s more geared to a smaller sized group than ours… but by far one of my favorite hotels in the world.
Thank you Portugal for the hospitality, kind people, mouth watering food, and all the sunshine we could wish for. We will be back… hopefully sooner rather than later.
stay -
Santa Clara 1728
The Lisboans
casa no tiempo
Sao Lourenco Do Barrocal
casinha de sardinha - Airbnb
Casa Mae
Pensao Agricola
Sublime Comporta
