u/Common_Series_938

In the middle of Praça do Comércio stands the equestrian statue of King José I, one of Lisbon’s most recognisable monuments.

But there is much more behind this statue than a king on a horse.

1. The statue is connected to the reconstruction of Lisbon

King José I was on the throne when the 1755 earthquake destroyed much of Lisbon.

The city was rebuilt under the direction of the Marquis of Pombal, and the new Praça do Comércio became one of the symbols of the rebuilt city.

The statue of José I was placed at its centre.

2. The king survived the earthquake

José I and the royal family were at their country residence in Belém when the earthquake struck on 1 November 1755.

The Royal Palace in what is now Praça do Comércio was destroyed, but the king survived.

3. The earthquake changed where the king wanted to live

After the disaster, José I became afraid of living in traditional stone buildings.

He chose the relatively less affected area of Ajuda and had a wooden royal residence known as the Real Barraca built there.

He continued living there for the rest of his life.

4. The statue was inaugurated 20 years after the earthquake

The monument was inaugurated on 6 June 1775, the king’s birthday.

It was designed by Joaquim Machado de Castro and cast in bronze by Bartolomeu da Costa.

It was also the first public sculpture in Lisbon.

5. Look at the pedestal

On the side facing the river, you can see a medallion of the Marquis of Pombal, the man who directed the reconstruction of Lisbon after the earthquake.

But the medallion was not always there.

After José I died in 1777, it was removed and replaced. The original medallion was only returned to the monument in 1833.

Next time you visit Praça do Comércio, look beyond the king. The pedestal tells another part of Lisbon’s story.

Want to discover more places and stories like this in Portugal? 🇵🇹

I put my favourite places, restaurants, viewpoints and hidden gems into my Portugal travel guides and Google Maps lists.

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Near Évora, in the Alentejo, there is a prehistoric monument called Cromeleque dos Almendres.

It is made up of 95 granite stones, arranged in small groups that form a large megalithic complex. Some of the stones still have simple carved marks on them.

What makes the place special is not just the number of stones, but also its age. The monument dates back to the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, which means people were building here thousands of years ago.

Many of the stones are still believed to stand in their original position.

A little further away, there is also a separate menhir, around 4 metres high.

The whole setting adds to the feeling of the place. It stands in the quiet countryside outside Évora, and the monument feels simple, open and mysterious at the same time.

It is one of those places that reminds you how deep Portugal’s history really goes. Long before castles, churches or Roman ruins, people were already marking the landscape here with stone.

Planning a trip to Portugal? 🇵🇹

I create digital travel guides for Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira, with the places I genuinely recommend, including local restaurants, viewpoints, beaches, historic places and practical tips.

Each guide also includes curated Google Maps lists organised by category, so you can save the places directly to your phone and use them while travelling.

I also have a separate pack with 29 curated Google Maps lists covering Portugal, including castles, viewpoints, beaches, river beaches, palaces, monasteries and other places worth saving.

👉 www.portugaldigitalguides.com

There is a popular saying in Portugal that we have 365 ways to cook bacalhau (salt cod), one for every day of the year. Whether anyone has ever counted them or not, the saying makes sense. Bacalhau is part of Portuguese food, and Bacalhau à Brás is probably one of the best-known ways to eat it.

The dish is believed to have originated in Bairro Alto, where a tavern owner called Brás created a simple combination of shredded salt cod, onion, thin fried potatoes and eggs. It is usually finished with parsley and black olives.

The ingredients are simple, but getting the texture right is important. A good Bacalhau à Brás should be creamy and soft, with the egg still slightly loose, enough cod to give the dish flavour and potatoes that have not completely disappeared into the mixture. When it is overcooked, it quickly becomes dry and heavy.

It is one of those Portuguese dishes that does not look particularly impressive on the plate, but when it is well made, it is incredibly comforting.

If you want to try it in Lisbon, I would keep these four places on your list: Varina da Madragoa, Laurentina, O Rei do Bacalhau, Cacué in Picoas and Restaurante Ideal in Anjos. The last one is more of a neighbourhood restaurant where dishes can change, so it is worth checking before making a special trip.

If this is your first time in Portugal, Bacalhau à Brás is definitely one of the traditional dishes I would try.

Planning a trip to Portugal? 🇵🇹

I create digital travel guides for Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira, based on the places I genuinely recommend.

Every guide includes Google Maps lists organised by category, so you can save the places directly to your phone and use them while travelling. I always include a list of local restaurants, because finding good Portuguese food away from the most obvious tourist places is one of the things I consider most important when visiting Portugal.

I also have a separate pack with 29 curated Google Maps lists covering Portugal.

👉 www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Every autumn, a forest above Manteigas, in Serra da Estrela, completely changes colour.

The green leaves turn yellow, orange and gold, and the paths become covered with fallen leaves.

This is the PR13 MTG, Rota das Faias, one of my favourite walks to save for autumn in Portugal.

The route is circular and around 5.4 km long, usually taking about 3 hours if you walk at a relaxed pace and stop along the way.

The highlight is the São Lourenço beech forest.

Interestingly, these trees are not part of an ancient natural forest. The beech trees were planted by the Forestry Services in the early 20th century and today they create one of the most beautiful autumn landscapes in Serra da Estrela.

The trail also gives you views over Manteigas and the Zêzere Glacial Valley, so it is not only about walking through the forest.

Autumn is the time I would choose to do it, especially when the leaves start changing colour around late October and November.

Planning a trip around Portugal? 🇵🇹

I created a pack with 29 curated Google Maps lists covering Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, Madeira and destinations across Portugal.

Restaurants, beaches, river beaches, viewpoints, castles, hidden gems, palaces and monasteries are already organised in Google Maps, so you can simply save the lists and use them while travelling.

👉 www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Among the black and white patterns of the Portuguese pavement, you can sometimes find tiny drawings that were never part of the original design.

A flower, a small boat, a star, even a tiny clock.

They are known as “signatures” of the calceteiros, the craftsmen who build Lisbon’s traditional stone pavements by hand.

For generations, some calceteiros quietly added small personal marks to their work.

Sometimes it was a tiny drawing. Other times it was simply one stone cut in a particular shape.

The interesting part is that these signatures were often understood mainly by other calceteiros, who could recognise a colleague by the technique or symbol they used.

You can find examples around Avenida da Liberdade, Rossio and other parts of central Lisbon.

They are very easy to miss.

Thousands of people walk over them every day without noticing that someone left a tiny personal mark there years ago.

Once you find the first one, you start looking for them everywhere.

So next time you are walking around Lisbon, spend a few minutes looking at the pavement instead of the buildings.

You might find one.

Have you ever noticed these in Lisbon?

I’m Portuguese and create digital travel guides for Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira, plus curated Google Maps lists with places I genuinely recommend around Portugal.

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Portugal has much more underground than most visitors realise.

From huge limestone chambers to a cave with prehistoric art, here are five worth adding to your trip.

1. Grutas de Mira de Aire

Probably the most impressive caves you can easily visit in Portugal.

Discovered in 1947, they descend deep below the Serra de Aire, through large chambers filled with stalactites and stalagmites. There is even an underground river and a large lake near the bottom.

They were chosen as one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal.

2. Grutas de Alvados

Very close to Mira de Aire, but with a completely different atmosphere.

They were discovered accidentally in 1964 when quarry workers heard a stone falling into what sounded like a very deep hole.

Inside, you walk through several limestone chambers with strange natural formations that have been developing for millions of years.

3. Grutas de Santo António

Another impressive cave system in the same region.

The caves have large underground rooms filled with stalactites and stalagmites, some joining together to form huge limestone columns.

If you are travelling through central Portugal, you can easily combine this area with Batalha, Alcobaça or Fátima.

4. Grutas da Moeda

These caves were discovered in 1971 by two hunters who were following a fox.

They eventually found a series of underground rooms that are now open to visitors.

The chambers have names such as the Red Dome, Waterfall, Wedding Cake and Fountain of Tears, inspired by the shapes of the rock formations.

5. Gruta do Escoural

This one is completely different.

Instead of visiting mainly for stalactites and large chambers, you come here for the history.

The cave contains prehistoric paintings and engravings from the Upper Palaeolithic and was also used by humans during later prehistoric periods.

Visits are limited and need to be booked in advance, which makes the experience feel very different from the larger tourist caves.

for more recommendations check out my blog at www.portugaldigitalguides.com

If it is your first time in Lisbon and you want to try some Portuguese classics, here are 6 simple things to look for around the city.

1. Pastel de Nata

For a first pastel de nata, Pastéis de Belém and Manteigaria are two of the obvious places to try. Pastéis de Belém has been making its own version since 1837, while Manteigaria now has several locations around Lisbon.

But if you have already tried a pastel de nata, don't spend your whole trip eating the same pastry.

Go into a traditional pastelaria and choose something different from the counter. SAGA in Graça and Versailles in Saldanha are two good places to do this. Portugal has a lot more pastry than pastel de nata.

2. Bacalhau à Brás

One of the most popular ways to eat bacalhau, made with shredded cod, onion, thin fried potatoes and eggs.

A good place to try it is Laurentina, O Rei do Bacalhau, a Lisbon restaurant specialising in different bacalhau dishes.

3. Grilled Chicken

In Portugal you will usually see it called frango assado or frango de churrasco, rather than piri-piri chicken.

For a traditional churrasqueira, try A Valenciana in Campolide or Primavera in Arroios. Both are long-established Lisbon places for grilled chicken.

4. Bifana

A simple Portuguese sandwich made with thin slices of pork and served in a bread roll.

I recommend A Parreirinha do Chile, at Praça do Chile. It is an old Lisbon tasca and the bifana is one of the things it is best known for.

5. Arroz Doce

A traditional Portuguese rice pudding made with milk and usually finished with cinnamon.

You will find it in many Portuguese restaurants and tascas. One I like is the arroz doce at O Bitoque, in Campo de Ourique.

6. Ginjinha

Ginjinha is a traditional Portuguese drink made by infusing ginja in alcohol with sugar.

Try it at A Ginjinha, in Largo de São Domingos, just beside Rossio. Ask for it com elas if you want the ginja fruit in the glass, or sem elas without it.

Which one would you try first? And what would you add to the list?

🇵🇹 Planning your trip to Portugal?

My digital travel guides for Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira include the places I actually recommend, restaurants, local food, practical information and curated Google Maps lists ready to use on your phone.

Prefer exploring directly with Google Maps? My Portugal Pack includes 29 curated Google Maps lists, combining all the lists from the four guides with 7 additional lists for discovering Portugal beyond the obvious places.

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If you walk around Lisbon, especially close to the river, you may have seen signs like this one.

They are tsunami evacuation signs, and there is a historical reason why they exist.

In 1755, after the famous Lisbon earthquake, a tsunami reached the city around 40 minutes later, flooding parts of the riverside area. The earthquake, fires and tsunami together caused enormous destruction across Lisbon.

Today, areas along the Tagus are still considered exposed to tsunami risk, which is why Lisbon has evacuation routes, meeting points and warning systems.

A tsunami on the scale of 1755 is considered a rare event, and there is no reliable percentage for the chance of one happening in a particular year.

But the risk is real enough that it is included in Lisbon’s emergency planning.

If you are close to the river and feel a very strong or long earthquake, don’t go towards the waterfront to see what is happening. Move away from the river, follow the evacuation signs and head towards higher ground.

It is one of those small details around Lisbon that many people probably walk past without knowing the story behind it.

If you want to know more about Lisbon and Portugal, visit my website:

👉 www.portugaldigitalguides.com

If you are visiting Portugal between October and March, this is something worth keeping on your list.

This is the main season for the giant waves of Nazaré, especially at Praia do Norte.

But there is one important thing to know before planning your visit: the giant waves are not there every day.

They depend on storms in the Atlantic bringing the right swell towards the Portuguese coast. Sometimes you only know a few days before that a really big day is coming.

The reason Nazaré can produce waves of this size is hidden under the ocean.

Just off the coast is the Nazaré Canyon, an enormous underwater canyon that reaches around 5,000 metres deep. It changes the way the swell approaches Praia do Norte and can help create exceptionally large waves.

🏄 How did Nazaré become famous?

In 2011, Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara surfed a 23.77 metre wave here and set a Guinness World Record.

That moment helped make Nazaré famous around the world.

Since then, many of the best big-wave surfers have come here. Sebastian Steudtner later surfed a 26.21 metre wave at Praia do Norte, which remains the official Guinness record for the largest wave surfed by a man. Brazilian Maya Gabeira also set the women’s record here with a 22.4 metre wave.

📍 Where should you watch?

Go to Sítio da Nazaré, above Praia do Norte.

The area around the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo and the lighthouse is one of the best places to watch the waves from above.

🇵🇹 Planning your trip to Portugal?

I have digital travel guides for Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira, with practical tips, local recommendations and curated Google Maps lists.

I also have a Portugal pack with 29 Google Maps lists covering places across the country.

LAST DAYS: 50% OFF my travel guides

👉 DOWNLOAD HERE:

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

If you are visiting Portugal between October and March, this is something worth keeping on your list.

This is the main season for the giant waves of Nazaré, especially at Praia do Norte.

But there is one important thing to know before planning your visit: the giant waves are not there every day.

They depend on storms in the Atlantic bringing the right swell towards the Portuguese coast. Sometimes you only know a few days before that a really big day is coming.

The reason Nazaré can produce waves of this size is hidden under the ocean.

Just off the coast is the Nazaré Canyon, an enormous underwater canyon that reaches around 5,000 metres deep. It changes the way the swell approaches Praia do Norte and can help create exceptionally large waves.

🏄 How did Nazaré become famous?

In 2011, Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara surfed a 23.77 metre wave here and set a Guinness World Record.

That moment helped make Nazaré famous around the world.

Since then, many of the best big-wave surfers have come here. Sebastian Steudtner later surfed a 26.21 metre wave at Praia do Norte, which remains the official Guinness record for the largest wave surfed by a man. Brazilian Maya Gabeira also set the women’s record here with a 22.4 metre wave.

📍 Where should you watch?

Go to Sítio da Nazaré, above Praia do Norte.

The area around the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo and the lighthouse is one of the best places to watch the waves from above.

🇵🇹 Planning your trip to Portugal?

I have digital travel guides for Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira, with practical tips, local recommendations and curated Google Maps lists.

I also have a Portugal pack with 29 Google Maps lists covering places across the country.

LAST DAYS: 50% OFF my travel guides

👉 DOWNLOAD HERE:

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Autumn has arrived, and although Lisbon can still have warm days, soon you will start noticing one of my favourite things about this time of year.

The smell of roasted chestnuts in the streets.

As the weather gets cooler, small chestnut carts start appearing around busy areas of Lisbon, filling the streets with smoke and the smell of roasted chestnuts.

Chestnuts have been eaten in Portugal for centuries and were an important food long before potatoes became common.

Today, they are strongly connected with autumn and especially with São Martinho, celebrated on 11 November.

🌰 WHERE TO FIND THEM

During autumn and winter, you can usually find chestnut sellers around Rossio, Baixa, Chiado, Avenida da Liberdade, Saldanha and other busy parts of the city.

They are traditionally served in a paper cone, usually in portions of 12.

Recent prices have been around €3 to €3.50 for a dozen, although this can vary.

SÃO MARTINHO

On 11 November, it is traditional in Portugal to eat roasted chestnuts and drink new wine, água-pé or jeropiga.

You may also hear the Portuguese saying:

“É dia de São Martinho, comem-se castanhas e prova-se o vinho.”

For me, a paper cone of hot chestnuts on a cool Lisbon afternoon is one of the nicest simple pleasures of autumn.

🇵🇹 Planning your trip to Portugal?

I have digital travel guides for Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira, with practical tips, local recommendations and curated Google Maps lists.

I also have a pack with 29 Google Maps lists, including the lists from all four guides plus 7 exclusive lists covering places across Portugal.

DOWNLOAD HERE:

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Autumn has arrived, and although Lisbon can still have warm days, soon you will start noticing one of my favourite things about this time of year.

The smell of roasted chestnuts in the streets.

As the weather gets cooler, small chestnut carts start appearing around busy areas of Lisbon, filling the streets with smoke and the smell of roasted chestnuts.

Chestnuts have been eaten in Portugal for centuries and were an important food long before potatoes became common.

Today, they are strongly connected with autumn and especially with São Martinho, celebrated on 11 November.

🌰 WHERE TO FIND THEM

During autumn and winter, you can usually find chestnut sellers around Rossio, Baixa, Chiado, Avenida da Liberdade, Saldanha and other busy parts of the city.

They are traditionally served in a paper cone, usually in portions of 12.

Recent prices have been around €3 to €3.50 for a dozen, although this can vary.

SÃO MARTINHO

On 11 November, it is traditional in Portugal to eat roasted chestnuts and drink new wine, água-pé or jeropiga.

You may also hear the Portuguese saying:

“É dia de São Martinho, comem-se castanhas e prova-se o vinho.”

For me, a paper cone of hot chestnuts on a cool Lisbon afternoon is one of the nicest simple pleasures of autumn.

🇵🇹 Planning your trip to Portugal?

I have digital travel guides for Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira, with practical tips, local recommendations and curated Google Maps lists.

I also have a pack with 29 Google Maps lists, including the lists from all four guides plus 7 exclusive lists covering places across Portugal.

DOWNLOAD HERE:

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

1. Casa do Penedo, Fafe

A house built between four huge granite rocks.

The rocks are part of the walls, giving the house a very unusual look. It was built in the 1970s as a family retreat.

2. Covão dos Conchos, Serra da Estrela

It looks like a giant hole swallowing the water.

It is actually part of a water system built in the 1950s. Water enters the opening and travels through an underground tunnel to Lagoa Comprida.

3. Santuário da Senhora da Lapa, Vieira do Minho

A sanctuary built around a huge rock.

Inside, you can walk through narrow passages between the stone. There are also several old legends connected to the sanctuary, making it one of the most unusual religious places in Portugal.

4. Mina de São Domingos, Mértola

An abandoned mining area in the Alentejo.

You can still see old industrial buildings, mining ruins and strange coloured water. Parts of the landscape almost look like another planet.

5. Vilarinho da Furna, Gerês

A village that disappeared under water.

The old village was abandoned when a dam was built in the early 1970s. When the water level drops enough, parts of the houses, walls and old roads can appear again.

6. Santuário de Panóias, Vila Real

An ancient Roman sanctuary carved into large granite rocks.

You can still see stairs, holes and platforms cut directly into the stone. Inscriptions found here are connected to religious rituals performed almost 2,000 years ago.

7. Drave, Arouca

An isolated stone village hidden in the mountains.

There is no normal road access, so the last part of the journey has to be done on foot. The village is now almost completely abandoned, which gives it a very unusual atmosphere.

Which one would you visit first?

🇵🇹 Planning to explore more of Portugal?

I created a pack with 29 curated Google Maps lists.

It includes all the Google Maps lists from my Lisbon, Porto, Algarve and Madeira travel guides, plus 7 exclusive lists covering places across Portugal.

Restaurants, viewpoints, beaches, villages, hidden places and many other spots, all organised and ready to use on your phone.

If you live in Portugal, send me a DM and I can give you 50% off this pack.

👉 www.portugaldigitalguides.com

If you are exploring Chiado, you will probably come across one of the most unusual sights in central Lisbon: the ruins of the Carmo Church.

The church was founded in 1389 by Nuno Álvares Pereira, one of the most important military figures in Portuguese history. It became one of Lisbon's great Gothic churches and was part of a large Carmelite convent.

Everything changed with the Lisbon earthquake of 1 November 1755.

The earthquake badly damaged the church, and the fires that followed destroyed much of its interior. Reconstruction began the following year, but it was never completed. In 1834, religious orders were abolished in Portugal and the works stopped.

The result is what you see today: huge Gothic arches with no roof, completely open to the sky.

The ruins are now home to the Carmo Archaeological Museum, which has occupied the site since 1864. You can walk through the old nave and see archaeological pieces, medieval tombs and objects from different periods of Portuguese history.

For me, however, the building itself is the main reason to visit. It is one of the few places in central Lisbon where the destruction caused by the 1755 earthquake is still so easy to imagine.

There is also another important chapter of Portuguese history connected to this square.

On 25 April 1974, during the Carnation Revolution, Prime Minister Marcelo Caetano took refuge in the military headquarters at Largo do Carmo. The building was surrounded by forces commanded by Captain Salgueiro Maia, and it was here that Caetano eventually surrendered.

So this quiet square is connected to two very different moments that changed Portugal: the earthquake of 1755 and the revolution of 1974.

One useful tip if you visit: before leaving Largo do Carmo, walk towards the upper area beside the Santa Justa Lift. You can enjoy a beautiful view over Baixa and Rossio without paying to take the lift.

🇵🇹 Planning your trip to Lisbon?

My Lisbon Digital Travel Guide includes practical tips, local recommendations, day trips and organised Google Maps lists ready to use on your phone.

I also have guides for Porto, the Algarve and Madeira, plus a Portugal pack with 29 curated Google Maps lists covering all four destinations and places across the country.

👉 DOWNLOAD HERE: www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Portugal is unfortunately a very centralised country. Because of that, many beautiful places outside Lisbon end up forgotten or slowly abandoned.

But Portugal is much more than its main cities.

Here are 5 places that show a very different side of the country.

Casal de São Simão

A small schist village surrounded by forest in the Serra da Lousã area. Quiet streets, stone houses and beautiful nature all around.

Sistelo

Often called the “Portuguese Tibet” because of its green terraces built into the mountains. One of the most unique landscapes in northern Portugal.

Drave

An abandoned village in the mountains near Arouca. No roads reach the village, so you need to hike to get there. Very isolated and peaceful.

Monsanto

Built between giant granite boulders, this historic village almost looks unreal in some places. One of the most iconic villages in Portugal.

Soajo

Known for its traditional stone espigueiros used to store corn. Located inside Peneda-Gerês National Park, with mountains, rivers and old stone houses nearby.

Places like these remind you how diverse Portugal actually is.

Planning your trip to Portugal?

Besides my digital guides for Lisbon and Porto, I also created curated Google Maps lists with some of the most beautiful places in Portugal, including beaches, castles, iconic restaurants, viewpoints and much more.

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Around one hour from Lisbon by car, Óbidos is one of Portugal's best preserved medieval towns.

The town was conquered from the Moors in 1148, during the reign of Portugal's first king, D. Afonso Henriques. In 1281, King Dinis gave Óbidos to his wife, Queen Isabel. From then on, it became part of the Casa das Rainhas, an estate connected to several Portuguese queens for centuries. This is why Óbidos is sometimes known as the Town of Queens.

Today, its castle, walls, white houses and narrow streets make it one of the most popular day trips from Lisbon.

🏰 WHAT TO SEE IN ÓBIDOS

Walk along the medieval walls

The walls offer beautiful views over the town, the castle and the countryside.

Walking along them is free, but some sections are narrow, uneven and have no protective railings. Wear proper shoes and be careful, especially with children or if you are not comfortable with heights.

Óbidos Castle

The castle has Muslim origins and was later expanded after the Christian conquest.

Today, part of the castle is home to the Pousada Castelo de Óbidos, which opened in 1951 and was one of Portugal's first historic buildings converted into a Pousada. You cannot simply visit all of the interior like a normal castle, but the exterior and surrounding walls are still one of the highlights of Óbidos.

Porta da Vila

This is the main entrance to the historic town and one of the details you should not rush past.

Inside, you will find a small Baroque oratory covered with beautiful blue and white tiles from around 1740 to 1750. They show scenes from the Passion of Christ. The gate itself has a defensive L-shaped entrance, designed to make an attack more difficult.

Igreja de Santa Maria

Located in the main square, this is the principal church of Óbidos.

According to tradition, the site was used as a mosque during the Muslim period and became a Christian church after the conquest in 1148.

The church you see today was largely shaped during the 16th and 17th centuries. Inside, look for the painted ceiling, tiles and works connected to Josefa de Óbidos, one of Portugal's most important Baroque painters.

The bookshops

Óbidos has been a UNESCO Creative City of Literature since 2015, and books have become an important part of the town's identity.

One of the most unusual places is Livraria de Santiago.

The former Church of Santiago was originally built in 1186, destroyed by the 1755 earthquake and later rebuilt. Today, the interior is filled with books. It is probably one of the most unusual bookshops you will find in Portugal.

Try ginjinha in a chocolate cup

Along Rua Direita you will find several small shops selling ginjinha, the Portuguese sour cherry liqueur.

In Óbidos, it is commonly served in a small edible chocolate cup.

If you have extra time

Walk outside the walls to see the Aqueduto da Usseira or the Santuário do Senhor Jesus da Pedra.

The sanctuary opened in 1747 and is one of the most interesting Baroque buildings in the area, with an unusual rounded exterior and hexagonal interior.

📅 WHEN TO VISIT

Óbidos is worth visiting throughout the year, but the atmosphere changes during its main events.

The town hosts the International Chocolate Festival, the Medieval Market, FOLIO literary festival and Óbidos Vila Natal. These events can be great fun, but they also bring much larger crowds, so always check the calendar before visiting.

If you prefer a quieter Óbidos, I would arrive early in the morning or stay until later in the afternoon, when many day-trip groups have left.

🇵🇹 PLANNING A TRIP TO PORTUGAL?

I have detailed digital travel guides for Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira, with around 60 pages of practical information, places I recommend and Google Maps lists for each destination.

If you prefer something simpler, I also have my Portugal Google Maps Pack with 29 curated lists. It includes the Google Maps lists from all four guides, plus 7 exclusive lists covering places across Portugal.

Everything is ready to use on your phone while travelling.

👉 DOWNLOAD HERE:

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

A few people have asked me what exactly this pack is, so today I updated it and thought it was a good time to explain it properly.

This product is different from my travel guides.

There is no detailed PDF here.

This pack is for people who mainly want the Google Maps lists, already organised and ready to use on their phone.

It now includes 29 curated Google Maps lists in total.

You get all the Google Maps lists from my Lisbon, Porto, Algarve and Madeira travel guides, plus 7 extra lists with places across Portugal.

So if you are visiting Porto, for example, you can open the Porto lists and quickly find attractions, restaurants, gardens and other places I recommend.

If you are travelling around Portugal, you can move between the Lisbon, Porto, Algarve, Madeira and Portugal-wide lists depending on where you are.

I think this pack is especially useful for people who like spontaneous trips.

Sometimes you arrive somewhere and want to know what is worth seeing nearby.

You open Google Maps and you already have good places saved.

It is useful for tourists, but also for people who live in Portugal and want to discover more of the country.

Another advantage is that these are live Google Maps lists.

When I update a list, add a new place or remove somewhere I no longer recommend, you automatically get the updated version too.

The pack currently includes 29 lists in total.

The pack costs only €20, so each list works out at less than €1.

If you prefer to plan your trip in more detail, I also have full travel guides for Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira.

Those include a detailed PDF of around 60 pages, practical information, food, transport, places to visit and the Google Maps lists for that destination.

The Google Maps Pack is for people who mainly want the maps and the full travel guides are for people who want the maps plus a detailed guide to plan the trip.

👉 www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Lisbon is built on hills, so some of the best views are not only from the famous miradouros.

There are also rooftops hidden above hotels, restaurants and even old commercial buildings, with views over the castle, the river and the city's red rooftops.

Here are 10 that I think are really worth knowing.

1. RubyRosa

One of the least obvious rooftops in Baixa. It is hidden on the top floor of Lisbon Art Stay and has a speakeasy feel, good cocktails and panoramic views over the city.

2. Rossio Gastrobar

On top of the Altis Avenida, right beside Rossio. From here you can see Rossio Square, São Jorge Castle, Santa Justa and the river in the distance. One of my favourite central views.

3. Catch Me

A great option if you want a different side of Lisbon. The terrace looks towards the Tagus and the 25 de Abril Bridge, making it particularly good around sunset.

4. Javá

Located in Cais do Sodré, Javá combines a rooftop restaurant with wide views over the river and central Lisbon. A good choice for a late afternoon drink or dinner.

5. Terraço Editorial

Hidden on the top floor of the Pollux building in Baixa. You can see Santa Justa, the Carmo ruins, the Tagus and several of Lisbon's hills. It still feels surprisingly unknown considering the location.

6. Ferroviário

One of Lisbon's classic rooftops, above Santa Apolónia. It has a large terrace, music and an open view over the Tagus. The atmosphere is more relaxed than many hotel rooftops.

7. Rooftop Bar Mundial

One of the best choices for a classic Lisbon panorama. From the top of Hotel Mundial you can see São Jorge Castle, Baixa, the Tagus and several of the city's hills.

8. Lumi Rooftop

On top of The Lumiares in Bairro Alto. The terrace looks across Lisbon's rooftops towards the Tagus and is a good option if you want something calmer and more elegant.

9. SEEN Sky Bar

On the ninth floor of the Tivoli Avenida Liberdade. It is one of the more sophisticated options on the list, with panoramic views stretching towards the Tagus and São Jorge Castle.

10. ATTIKO Lisbon

One of the newer rooftops in Lisbon, on top of the ME Lisbon hotel. It has panoramic views over Avenida da Liberdade, Marquês de Pombal, Parque Eduardo VII, the castle and the Tagus.

Of course, there are many more rooftops in Lisbon, but I like this list because the views are quite different from one another.

Some are perfect for sunset, others for dinner, and a few are still easy to miss even if you have visited Lisbon before.

PS: the order of the photos doesnt follow the order of the list

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I also have guides available for Porto, the Algarve and Madeira.

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Tram 28 is Lisbon’s most famous tram and it can get very crowded but Lisbon has other public transport routes that are worth taking for the experience itself. Some cross old neighbourhoods, while others follow the river or give you a completely different view of the city.

Here are five I recommend:

1. Tram 24E: Chiado to Campolide

This traditional yellow tram starts at Praça Luís de Camões and passes through Príncipe Real, Rato and Amoreiras before reaching Campolide.

It is a nice way to see a different side of Lisbon and explore areas that many visitors miss.

2. Ferry: Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas

One of the easiest ways to see Lisbon from the river.

The ferry takes around 10 minutes and gives you great views of Lisbon and the 25 de Abril Bridge. Once in Cacilhas, you can walk along the river, stop for lunch or continue towards Cristo Rei.

3. Train: Cais do Sodré to Cascais

This is one of my favourite train trips around Lisbon.

The line follows the Tagus before reaching the Atlantic coast. Along the way, you can stop in Belém, Carcavelos or Estoril, or simply continue all the way to Cascais.

Tip: Sit on the left side when leaving Lisbon for some of the best views of the river and coast.

4. Train Across the 25 de Abril Bridge

Many visitors don’t realise that you can cross the 25 de Abril Bridge by train.

Fertagus trains connect Lisbon with the south bank. You can take one from Entrecampos or Sete Rios and cross the bridge to Pragal.

It is a simple way to see the Tagus and experience one of Lisbon’s most famous landmarks from a completely different perspective.

5. Tram 18E: Cais do Sodré to Ajuda

Another traditional Lisbon tram that gets much less attention from visitors.

It leaves Cais do Sodré, follows the river through Santos and Alcântara, and then climbs towards Ajuda. Get off near the National Palace of Ajuda and you can also visit the nearby Ajuda Botanical Garden.

Lisbon is a great city to explore on foot, but its trams, trains and ferries can also be part of the experience.

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For the past few months, I have been working on a new guide, this time dedicated to Madeira. This brings together the practical information you need to plan the trip with the places worth knowing once you are there. There are sections on where to stay, getting around, different areas of the island, food, viewpoints, gardens, levadas and hikes, as well as Porto Santo. It also includes

Google Maps lists, which are an important part of all my guides. For Madeira, I organised separate lists for places to eat, viewpoints, hikes and levadas, beaches and natural pools, so you can have everything saved on your phone while travelling. Madeira is the fourth guide in the collection, after Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve.

And I want to use this launch to thank everyone who has bought one of the guides, left a review, recommended them to someone or followed the project. Your trust has allowed a small independent project to keep growing and reach this point.

The Madeira Travel Guide is now available. 🇵🇹 www.portugaldigitalguides.com