Don't know where to go in Portugal?
Stop right there, it's my favorite European country, because it's pretty, the weather's nice and warm, it's cheap, and the people are friendly. Yes, that's a lot for a small country, but I promise you won't regret your weekend there.

Plus, they have Pasteis and Port wine, and that's really good stuff. Anyway, let's get back to business.

Let's take a quick tour of Porto, Lisbon, and the Southwest...

• Visiting Porto in 3 days

Porto is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon, and it's located on the Douro River at the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean. (Yes, the beach is just a stone's throw away! yippee!) And speaking of economy, as you can imagine, the city is particularly shaped by Port wine production (mmmmmmm) located in Vila Nova de Gaia, on the left bank of the river.

So, if you, like me, have the good idea to visit Porto in 3 days (plenty of time as the city is very small), here are a few things to do…
– take the time to stroll through the steep narrow streets and admire the old houses brightly colored with azulejos (it's good for your cardio and you'll discover muscles you've rarely used in your athletic endeavors. Yes, it's steep!)
– take a boat trip on the Douro river (as a good old tourist, but it's still beautiful to pass under the bridges AND the audio guide is free)
– take tramway n°1 to Foz to walk along the beach
– visit Port wine cellars (around €10 with a tasting of 3 Ports)
– take a short trip to the Mercado do Bolhao
– visit Lello Library (which inspired J.K Rowling for the famous Hogwarts library in Harry Potter)
– have a coffee at the Majestic
– cross the Dom Luis bridge which offers a magnificent view of the city and the Ribeira district

As for food...

I highly recommend dining at Museu d’Avo, a small restaurant that looks unassuming but once you step inside, you'll discover a charming and picturesque place decorated with antique furniture and objects. Quite dim, string lights provide the illumination. The tapas are good and hearty, the wine too, and the staff are very friendly and smiling. You'll have a great time there.
Museu d’Avo, Travessa de Cedofeita 54/56

Another great place for dinner: Tapabento. The place resembles an old Portuguese fisherman's house and the products are fresh. The specialty? Seafood, of course. We had the cockles which were delicious!! Again, the staff is smiling and warm. We loved it.
Tapabento, Rua Da Madeira, 222

For a good brunch, head to Miss Opo. The setting is very nice, very modern, a kind of concrete loft that contrasts with the decor and the antiquated porcelain dishes and doilies. For about fifteen euros, the brunch includes pastries, fruit juice, tea or coffee, eggs, bread and granola with cottage cheese.
Miss Opo, 49 da Rua de Trás

For lunch in the sun, you can go to LSD. The cuisine is more refined than in the other places we tried, it's a bit touristy but it gets the job done. We had tuna tataki, a homemade burger, and a chocolate mousse. It was good.

LSD, Largo de Sao Domingos 78

Well, because it's vacation, it's hot, and if you're a gourmet. Go get an ice cream at Santini, THE must-visit ice cream parlor in Portugal!

and to go for a drink in the evening, you should head to the 3 streets Galeria de Paris, Rua de Candido dos Reis or Rua Conde de Vizela, where the bars stay open all night.

For sleeping, we head to Airbnb. We rented an apartment from the FeelPorto agency, which was perfectly located (right next to the Sé Cathedral), and the team was extremely attentive. A big thank you to Bruno, who helped us find a way to get back to Paris (yes, all those strikes... they don't help).

• Visiting Lisbon in 4 days

Of course, we start by strolling through the narrow streets to appreciate the azulejos, the colors, the old trams, and everything that makes the city charming. Visit the districts of Alfama, Baixa, Bairro Alto, Chiado, and Belém.

For viewpoints, there are several:
– Portas do sol (above the Alfama district, which can be reached on foot)
– Miradouro da Graça
– The famous Santa Justa Lift (€1.5 with a day pass)

For those who love markets, we visited the "Mercado da Ribeira"; get off at the "Cais do Sobré" metro station. It's a typical market and next to it, a large hall with restaurants all around, where you can eat whatever you want. At 1 PM it's still okay, at 3 PM it's packed!

Eat good Pasteis in the center? "Manteigaria" in Largo do Camoes

Take a legendary tram, line 28, whose route is the most interesting in the city. It goes through the heart of Lisbon to appreciate the most beautiful places in the city.

Visit Belém. It's the historic district of Discoveries. It was from the banks of the Tagus that Vasco da Gama and other 15th-century navigators set off to explore the world. You can get there by tram or bus and walk around. You'll visit the Belém Tower and the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, and most importantly, you'll taste the "Pasteis de Belém" (an institution).

and Surf... we took a lesson on the Costa da Caparica and it was really cool.

Party time?

Rua de Atalaia. The night owls' stronghold. During the day, the neighborhood shows nothing, but in the evening, the bars open and the crowds go wild inside the establishments, but more often in the steep alleys.

• Sagres. A small town in the southwest of the country, the beaches are wild and sparsely populated (except by surfers, Rlllllou Rlllllouuuu). Which is not the case for Albufeira (to be avoided).
  
  
• Odeceixe. A village perched between Sagres and the capital, it's authentic and the beach is truly beautiful. Between river and sea, the landscape is striking (and surfers, always striking too ^^). Stop for dinner at Taberna do Gabao THE traditional restaurant.