r/Portugaldigitalguides

Portugal has some very beautiful villages… but also some very questionable village names

Some of these places have existed for centuries and honestly I would love to know the origin behind some of these names.

Here are 10 Portuguese villages with names that sound very strange in Portuguese:

Picha (“penis” in Portuguese slang)

Pau Gordo (“big wood” but people will understand something else )

Vale da Rata (“Rat Valley”)

Carne Assada (“Roasted Meat”)

Bexiga (“Bladder”)

Amor (“Love”)

Covide (yes… very similar to Covid)

Venda da Gaita (“Flute Shop” but also slang depending on context)

Pé de Cão (“Dog’s Foot”)

Cabeça Gorda (“Fat Head”)

Portugal can be very poetic sometimes… and sometimes not at all.

What are the most bizarre village names you know in Portugal?

And if someone knows the origin behind some of these names, please explain because I’m genuinely curious

Planning your trip to Portugal?

My travel guides include practical PDFs, curated Google Maps lists, local restaurants, hidden spots, day trips and useful information to help you travel around Portugal more easily.

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Every time I go there, I discover new places or places that have been improved

I love this country

Cascais is only around 40 minutes from Lisbon by train and probably one of the easiest day trips you can do from the city. The access is very simple with or without a car.

You can take the train from Cais do Sodré station and the journey follows the coastline almost the entire way.

What was once a small fishing village became a summer destination for the Portuguese royal family in the late 19th century and today it’s one of the most pleasant coastal towns near Lisbon.

One of the things I like most about Cascais is how easy it is to explore. You can walk almost everywhere without stress.

There is a beach right in the centre and Praia da Rainha is probably my favourite. It’s small, surrounded by rocks and very easy to reach during a walk around town.

If you enjoy museums, Casa das Histórias Paula Rego and Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães are both worth visiting.

Boca do Inferno is also worth the walk, especially on windy days when the ocean becomes more aggressive.

For food, there are many seafood restaurants around Cascais but also simpler Portuguese restaurants away from the marina area.

And honestly one of the best things to do is simply walk around the old town, stop for a drink and enjoy the atmosphere.

Planning your trip to Lisbon or Portugal?

My travel guides include practical PDFs, curated Google Maps lists, local restaurants, hidden spots, day trips and useful information to help you travel around Portugal more easily.

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Portugal is mostly known for its coastline and ocean beaches, but there is life beyond the coast. The interior of the country has incredible places that many visitors never see and river beaches can be a great alternative for those looking for something different.

The water is usually very cold, but after hiking trails and hot summer days it feels good

Praia Fluvial de Foz d’Égua

One of the most beautiful river beaches in Portugal, surrounded by schist houses and green mountains near Piódão, in the Arganil area.

Fragas de São Simão

A river beach surrounded by large rock formations and forest near Figueiró dos Vinhos, in the Serra da Lousã region.

Praia Fluvial do Agroal

Very cold and clear waternot far from Tomar. Very popular with locals during summer.

Praia Fluvial de Loriga

Located in Serra da Estrela and surrounded by mountains. Probably one of the most impressive landscapes on this list.

Praia Fluvial do Penedo Furado

Wooden walkways, small waterfalls and clear water in a peaceful natural area near Vila de Rei.

In my Google Maps guide I also included a list with 41 river beaches around Portugal, plus several other lists by category.

If you are planning your trip to Lisbon, Porto or Portugal, check out my site:

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

I’ve noticed that Portuguese food is not always consensual among visitors. Some people absolutely love it, while others say our food can feel too soft or lacking spices.

I also feel that many visitors never go much beyond the surface. Visiting Lisbon and eating Bacalhau à Brás and a bifana, or going to Porto and eating a francesinha, is far from showing what Portuguese gastronomy really is.

So I would like to recommend 7 Portuguese dishes for those who are curious to try something more traditional.

Arroz de Cabidela

Rice cooked with chicken and vinegar. Probably the most controversial dish on this list

Favas com Entrecosto

Broad beans cooked with pork ribs, chouriço and herbs. Very comforting and traditional.

Ensopado de Borrego

A lamb stew usually served with bread soaking in the sauce.

Açorda

The base is usually olive oil, garlic and coriander mixed with bread. There are many versions like shrimp açorda, bean açorda or tomato açorda. I think they are great.

Cozido à Portuguesa

Different meats, sausages and vegetables boiled together. Heavy but very Portuguese.

Polvo à Lagareiro

Octopus roasted with lots of olive oil, garlic and potatoes. Probably the easiest dish on this list to find in restaurants.

Feijoada Transmontana

A rich bean stew with pork and smoked meats from the Trás-os-Montes region.

For those who have already tried Portuguese food, which dishes were your favourites?

If you are planning your trip to Lisbon Porto or Portugal check out my blog at

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Porto and Lisbon are Portugal’s two most popular cities and although they share some similarities, they also feel very different.

For a first impression, I would say that Porto feels more intense. The historic centre feels more compact and vertical, with a darker, more medieval atmosphere.

Lisbon, because of the 1755 earthquake and the reconstruction of Baixa, feels more open. The light in Lisbon is also different and maybe that’s why the city feels somehow brighter and more relaxed.

Lisbon is more multicultural and busier, while Porto still feels a bit more preserved in some areas.

Some people say the food is better in Porto than in Lisbon but honestly I don’t agree. Both cities still have great traditional tascas.

One thing is certain though: in Lisbon it’s much easier to decide which pastel de nata is the best than to decide which francesinha is the best in Porto

For those who have visited both cities, what’s your opinion?

And if you’re planning your trip to Portugal and don’t know where to start, I can help:

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

One of the things I enjoy the most when I travel is food, and maybe because of that, one of the experiences I recommend to anyone visiting Portugal is trying local tascas. Not only because of the food, but also because of the atmosphere.

One of the places I like to go in Porto is Casa Viúva. The daily dishes are written on the door every day, and the place is very popular with locals.

The menu includes a daily dish, drink, coffee, and a generous dessert for €14.50. It’s not the cheapest tasca in Porto, but I think it’s worth it.

The dishes change daily, but you can often find classics like Tripas à Moda do Porto, Cozido à Portuguesa, and Arroz de Cabidela.

Even when the restaurant is full and everything feels a bit chaotic, the service is friendly.

I’ll leave here one of the Google Maps lists from my digital guide with local restaurants in Porto:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y9j2JwPKshFX6peG7?g\_st=ac

If you need more tips for your trip to Porto or Lisbon, check my site: www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Portugal is a relatively small country but one of the biggest mistakes visitors make is trying to see everything too quickly.

Here are some mistakes I personally think people make when planning a trip to Portugal.

Too many days in Lisbon compared to the rest of the country

Not spending enough time in Porto and the Douro Valley

Ignoring smaller towns and countryside areas outside Lisbon and Porto

Trying to fit Madeira or the Azores into a short mainland trip

Planning too much in a short period of time

Visiting in August without expecting the heat, crowds and higher prices

Not booking some restaurants, tours or trains in advance during high season

Bringing heavy luggage and then struggling with hills, stairs and cobblestones

Underestimating travel times between regions

Creating an itinerary without slower days to just enjoy the country

Planning your trip to Portugal?

My digital travel guides include practical PDFs, curated Google Maps lists, local food recommendations, viewpoints, hidden spots and useful information to help you make better decisions during your trip.

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

Recently I shared 20 things to do in Lisbon and today I wanted to talk about 20 things I personally would not recommend.

IMPORTANT: this is just my opinion and shouldn’t be taken too seriously!

Buying tiles at Feira da Ladra (flea market)

Eating at one of the restaurants on Rua Augusta

Taking Tram 28 from Martim Moniz

Waiting in line for the Santa Justa Lift

Taking a tuk tuk around the tourist areas

Wearing inappropriate shoes for Lisbon’s pavement, especially on rainy days

Speaking Spanish because you assume Portuguese people speak Spanish

Taking a taxi from the airport to your accommodation

Staying in an Airbnb in the historic centre

Having drinks on Pink Street

Spending a Santo António night in Bica

Having lunch or dinner at the Time Out Market

Spending an afternoon at LX Factory

Spending a beach day in Carcavelos

Eating brunch in the Cais do Sodré / Chiado area

Waiting more than 5 minutes in line at Bifanas do Afonso

Eating pastel de bacalhau with Serra cheese and Port wine

Buying Lisbon souvenirs in souvenir shops downtown

Staying seated on public transport while elderly people are standing

Only trying pastel de nata places and never visiting a traditional Portuguese pastelaria

Planning your trip to Lisbon?

My digital travel guides include practical PDFs, curated Google Maps lists, local food recommendations, viewpoints, hidden spots and useful information to help you make better decisions during your trip.

www.portugaldigitalguides.com

I arrived in Porto for a few days and got there quite early, so since I’m staying around Cedofeita I decided to have lunch at Casa Viúva.

This area has some great traditional tascas and plenty of good local spots.

After lunch, I went for a walk through the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal to digest a bit. Probably one of the nicest places in Porto for a slow walk and some river views.

Planning your trip to Porto or Lisbon ?

Check out my site at www.portugaldigitalguides.com

One of Lisbon’s most important museums, the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, is expected to reopen in July 2026 after renovation works.

Like several museums in Lisbon over the last years, the building has been closed for improvements and modernisation. The reopening month is also symbolic, since Calouste Gulbenkian died on July 20, 1955.

The museum is known for having one of the most important private art collections in Europe, with pieces from Ancient Egypt, Islamic art, Japanese art, René Lalique jewellery and paintings by artists like Rembrandt, Monet and Renoir.

Even while the main museum has been closed, the Gulbenkian gardens remained open and are still one of the best quiet places in Lisbon.

You can also visit the CAM (Centro de Arte Moderna), which reopened after renovation works. The new building was redesigned by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and has a very interesting architecture that blends with the gardens around it.

For me, Gulbenkian continues to be one of the most important cultural spaces in Lisbon.

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