Travel Guide: Nazare, Obidos, Sintra & Cascais, Portugal
After three lovely days in Porto we loaded all of our stuff into the rental car and headed down to Lisbon. On the way we made two stops: Nazare and Obidos. Both are well worth a stop if you find yourself in the area. Later on during our stay in Lisbon we took a day trip out to Sintra and Cascais, both of which I've included in this post.
Nazare:
This is a popular seaside resort along the northern coast of Portugal, and is a major surfing destination. Despite its local fame, we had no problem driving right into town and parking the car along the beach. We took advantage of our luck to take a walk around town and stop for a coffee. Also, coffee and water for four was less than 5 euros (on the beach), so if you are hunting for a bargain, this is a place to put on your list.
Obidos:
This little hillside town reminded me a lot of places in Southern France and Northern Italy. It is a very sleepy and quaint place about an hour from Lisbon, and is best know for its castle on top of the hill. We stopped at the Pousada Obidos (basically a Portuguese national hotel consortium primarily located in historic locations) for lunch. I wouldn't say that the food blew me away, but the location was beautiful and if you want something tried and true, this is a good bet. Also, in late May the climbing flowers and bougainvillea were out of this world!
Sintra:
This town is a must-see in my opinion and easily accessible from Lisbon via train or car. There are several noteworthy palaces in Sintra, but to me, the real beauty was in the amazing gardens. My favorite was the Qunita de Regaleria. Once a private house and gardens, it can now be toured. I would recommend starting early as it does get fairly crowded and to just wander. I don't have too many great photos because we were having too much fun finding all the secret tunnels, grottos and waterfalls.
Cascais:
This is the primary beach resort near Lisbon and well worth a visit if you are in search of some time at the sea. We arrived quite late in the afternoon so just stopped to stretch our legs and have a quick coffee, but there were tons of great little streets to explore as well as plenty of beautiful beachfront.