NightingTales: Praias, Pastéis & Palácios

Southern Portugal: Lisbon, Comporta and Algarve

In May 2025, I travelled to Portugal with my wife, Amanda. We experienced the narrow and winding streets of Lisbon, the expansive beaches of Comporta and the beautiful far-reaching countryside views of The Algarve. This was a holiday we have very fond memories from and hopefully it will not be the last time we visit this lovely part of Europe. As this was our first time visiting Lisbon we feel like we only scratched the surface of this amazing city, so we’re already looking forward to our next visit!

As always, when Amanda and I travel somewhere new together, we are always interested in three main things; finding good local food, a drink with a view at sunset and long scenic walks (as well as lovely places to stay of course!). So I thought I’d highlight some of these from our time in Portugal and hopefully it will inspire someone who has not yet been to put Portugal on their 2026 travel list. 

Portugal is well-known for its delicious food. Lisbon, Comporta and The Algarve did not disappoint! We quickly found ourselves at Pastéis de Belém, queuing up to get our hands on a box of warm Pastel de Natas. These delicious custard tarts were created in Jerónimos Monastery (next door to the cafe) in the 18th Century and the secret recipe has been used in Pastéis de Belém since 1837, making them the original and best in Portugal. Wandering the streets of Lisbon takes a lot of energy so having a box of fresh Pastel de Natas in your bag certainly helps! We’d recommend staying at the lovely The One Palácio da Anunciada, a 5* 16th Century Palace hotel in central Lisbon so you can have easy access to all the sights.

Another Portuguese classic is the Peri Peri Chicken. Bonjardim in downtown Lisbon is a famous, long-standing restaurant (since 1959) renowned for its iconic spit-roasted peri-peri chicken - we had lunch here (again having to queue to get a table) and were blown away with the delicious food and simple but slick service. It felt very local even though the majority of diners were tourists. Chicken, chips and a pint of local Portuguese beer sounds very basic, but it was one of my most memorable and tasty meals of the holiday!

It would be remiss for first-time travelers to Lisbon to not visit the Time Out Market Lisboa. Located in Mercado da Ribeira, it has 26 restaurants, 8 bars, a dozen shops and a cooking academy all under one roof. When we first walked in we were blown away with the amount of choice! Each restaurant only has a handful of tables and the service is fast paced. After a few laps of the market we found two seats at Cafe de Sao Bento (they have three main restaurants in Lisbon City with the same name and they claim to serve the best steak in Lisbon). Here, in Time Out Market,  the experience is more informal, but the commitment to quality, flavor, and tradition remains intact. I ordered the Traditional Cafe de Sao Bento Steak where the beef is served in a creamy sauce whose recipe has not changed for over 40 years, delicious. 

Sundowners are always a highlight of any holiday for us. Whether we are skiing in The Alps and enjoying the apres as the sun drops behind the mountains or on safari drinking a gin & tonic whilst we watch giraffes wander by, it is always one of the best times of the day. Comporta did not disappoint and we witnessed one of the best sunsets of the year from Comporta Cafe located right on Paria da Comporta; great atmosphere, lovely cocktails and an incredible sunset view (which was enhanced by Andrea Bocelli’s Con Te Partiro being played loudly across the beach as the sun disappeared!) - the food was also delicious so a must-visit if ever staying nearby. We’d recommend staying at the beautiful Sublime Comporta which gives you direct access to the beautiful surroundings and a perfect stop between Lisbon and The Algarve. 

Continuing on the beach bar theme, we found ourselves enjoying another lunch with some friends at The Shack in Quinta do Lago (Algarve). A beach club on the edge of the lake that again had a very fun but also family-friendly vibe. If we hadn’t had a dinner reservation elsewhere this would be the sort of place you could spend all day enjoying the sunshine and spending time with family or friends until the sun goes down. Worth a visit if you are staying in the Algarve and want a day away from the beach but still on the water. The Praia do Ancao beach is just a 15 minute walk through the sand dunes so it’s a great spot to spend the day (the lake was much warmer than the sea!).

Once we arrived in The Algarve we checked into the brand new Viceroy Ombria in the unspoiled countryside 20-minutes inland from the coast. The hotel is designed to look and feel like a traditional Portuguese mountain village with an imposing clock tower and central square with a coffee shop and bakery which makes wandering around the hotel a lovely experience. The sunset views from the main pool were stunning, breakfast delicious and the spa and golf course facilities top notch. The hotel feels removed from the large towns and resorts of The Algarve but in fact it is within a short Uber ride away from the coast where you can visit all the popular attractions on offer including Vilamoura, Vale do Lobo and many beaches along the coast (and just 25 minutes from Faro Airport). The golf course was fantastic, a very challenging front 9 and you are granted a bit of respite on the back, greens were in great condition given the age of the course and it was a nice change of scenery from other golf courses in the area. Amanda enjoyed a 90-minute massage in the 2,000sqm Viceroy Spa which was a lot more successful than my round of golf!  Well worth a visit.

The Viceroy Ombria Hotel

Overall, we loved our time exploring these new areas. In particular the long walks we did either through the small cobbled streets of Lisbon or along the long sandy beaches of The Algarve. Given the flight is only 2-hours and there is no time difference, Portugal is the perfect destination to visit from the UK even for only a few days. Lisbon is very walkable in size (but beware of all the slopes and steps!), and the drive to Comporta and down to The Algarve is very easy in a rental car or with a private transfer. If you have the time, you should take a visit to Sintra and the National Palace of Pena which has a fascinating history and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; beautiful walks around the palace grounds as well as far-reaching views towards Lisbon and the coast.

If you are interested in arranging a holiday like this, then please do make an enquiry online or give us a call or whatsapp as we’d love to help.