Things to Do in Portugal: Day Trips and Escapes from Lisbon
Lisbon is the door to the rest of Portugal. Within an hour or two you can be in a fairytale palace, on an empty surf beach, or in wine country. These are the escapes worth taking.
Sintra
Forty minutes by train: a green, misty hill town of palaces and gardens, Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira among them. Go early, wear good shoes, and let the fog burn off over the Atlantic.
Beaches and the coast
The coast around Lisbon is Atlantic and wild. Costa da Caparica runs for kilometres of sand and surf; the Arrábida coast south of the city hides turquoise coves under green hills. For surfers, Ericeira is a short drive north, a World Surfing Reserve.
River and wine country
Follow the rivers inland. The Tejo and the Douro carve through wine country and terraced hills; a day among the vines, or a slow lunch by a quieter stretch of water, is the other side of Portugal, unhurried and green.