A land of castles and palaces. The fabulous town is best visited in autumn

When I stand on the beach in late October, I am faced with a fascinating view. There are groups of black dots swaying on the water, which from a distance remind me of flocks of turtles. They let the water float freely, wait for something, observe, and when the right moment comes, they skillfully jump on the board. Yes, they are surfers. There are plenty of them here this time of year: in the water, on the beaches, in seaside restaurants. Antonio, who comes from Porto but really appreciates Ericeira’s waves, says you can surf here all year round, but the best months are October and November. Winter is chosen by surfers with extensive experience, and the summer months are favorable for beginners.

Although it is still warm in the south of Portugal (the north is relatively cool even in summer), the weather is not conducive to wearing a bikini on the beach. High waves, which arouse such enthusiasm among surfers, discourage beachgoers, and clouds and showers are also possible. But the surfing season brings some benefits – beach bars are still open. It’s nice to sit on the sand, breathe the ocean air and rest your eyes on the horizon. After moments of contemplation, you can go to one of the waterfront restaurants for seafood and admire the surfing lifestyle. . The co-founder of the small board factory here, Nick Uricchio, is an American who came to Portugal in the 1980s and stayed here, surfing and making boards. The parameters of each order are carefully recorded in thick books. If the board is ever damaged, an identical one can be recreated.

Fabulous Sintra. In the land of castles and palaces

Ericeira is less than 50 km from Lisbon. Even closer to the capital, approximately 28 km away. An ideal destination for one-day trips, this fabulous land full of fantastic palaces is always crowded with tourists, but outside the high season to a lesser extent. Since all the rich aristocrats wanted to have an estate near the summer residence of the kings, magnificent palaces were built there on a large scale and today more and more new ones are open to visitors.

. It may be known to movie lovers because scenes from the movie “The Ninth Gate” with Johnny Depp were filmed here. The palace, built as a summer residence on behalf of the wealthy playwright Ernesto Biester in 1880, has not only lavishly designed interiors, but also a hint of mystery. There are plenty of references to the Templar order, as well as a secret passage used by members of the Masonic lodge in initiation rituals. The building is surrounded by beautiful gardens.

In the center of Sintra, the Casa Piriquita café is famous for its typical Sintra sweets: Travesseiros de Sintra cakes (filled with sugar, egg yolks and almonds) and Queijadas de Sintra (mini tarts with cheese filling, sugar and egg yolks).

. Traveling by car, whether your own or rented one, can only result in frustration and nerves, because the solutions adopted here are simply not favorable to car traffic.

Cheleiros and the forgotten tribe

There is a small village about halfway between Ericeira and Sintra. Here you can really feel like you’ve gone off the beaten track. Whitewashed houses piled on the slope, cats lying on the square in the middle of the village, a small church. In 2007, André Manz bought an abandoned vineyard in this town to produce wine for himself and his friends. Among the vines he discovered 200 bushes of a variety that no one could identify. Ultimately, help was sought from specialists from the Institute of Wine and Vine. It turned out to be Jampal (short for Jean Paul, John Paul), an indigenous Portuguese variety typical of the region, the cultivation of which was abandoned a long time ago because it was difficult and unprofitable.

. The effects turned out to be surprisingly good and soon work on recreating the variety began in full swing. The applause and recognition received by the wines from the newly discovered variety turned out to be a tailwind for the development of the vineyard, which turned into something more than a small production for own needs. Today, the Manz vineyard in Cheleiros is one of many places in Portugal where you can visit to taste wines and local delicacies.

Cascais – relax like a king

If, but not necessarily staying in a big busy city, it will be an ideal choice. Located only 30 km from Lisbon, the town is perfectly connected to the capital and at the same time has all the advantages of a charming holiday resort. No wonder it was a favorite vacation spot for the royal family, followed, of course, by wealthy aristocrats. During World War II, many European royal families also settled here. To this day, the town combines the style of royal elegance with the charm of a fishing village that has grown into a fashionable resort.

. From the north and west, Cascais is surrounded by the Sintra National Park, which can also be a destination for attractive trips, such as to the majestic cliffs of Cabo da Roca, which are the westernmost point of continental Europe.

The flight from Warsaw to Lisbon takes just over 4 hours. LOT operates connections with Lisbon 7 days a week, the price starts from approx. PLN 900 both ways. The direction is also served by low-cost airlines (Ryanair twice a week and Wizz Air three times a week), ticket prices start from approx. PLN 550 round-trip in fares without luggage.

Continental Portugal has adopted the UTC+00:00 time zone, which means that we will experience a time change when traveling. After landing, we turn our clocks back 1 hour.

Get inspired and plan your next trip. Even a short trip can change your perspective and give you energy. Check out which places are worth visiting this season