Things To Do
Nazare
Nazare is home to some of the biggest waves in the world. You can explore its streets, take a walk by the beach and go up on the skylift to enjoy the view from the top of the cliff. At the top, you will find the surf monument which also honors the legend of Nazare. There are great seafood restaurants here as well as night life at the beach.
Óbidos
The Obidos Castle contains a preserved medieval town that is definitely worth exploring. Park outside near the roman-style aqueduct, walk inside the city walls and down the cobblestone streets to find lots of tourist shops and cafes where you can try the local cherry liqueur called Ginjinha d'Obidos. Park here (GoogleMap link), then walk to Porta da Vila to enter castle: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Estacionamento+%C3%93bidos/@39.3577587,-9.1577706,19z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0xd18b492222dc637:0x78b576b2047287e8!8m2!3d39.35808!4d-9.1579822
Foz do Arelho
Beach, Walking Trails & Brunch Spots: We love to come to this beach but the weather and winds can be unpredictable for a perfectly clear beach day. Watch out for the waves if the flags are red or yellow. There are also scenic cliff trails (Passadiços da Foz do Arelho) to hike and we like getting coffee and pastries at the Doce Mar Cafe. Along the beach, there is plenty of parking and a great Brunch place called 7Vaga, where we love to get savory crepes. Sometimes, there is also a small yellow kiosk cart down on the boardwalk or vendors walking around the beach selling Bola de Berlim, a classic Portuguese beach snack. The chocolate/Nutella ones are the best!
Peniche
Another great beach spot and resort hub built on a rocky peninsula. There are plenty of beginner surf schools near Baleal Beach as well as the limestone formation and a volcanic gap called Ilhéu da Papôa.
São Martinho do Porto
Lively resort town sits on a horseshoe bay with a beach, dunes and restaurants. There are tons of shops and nightlife along the beach as well. The beach can also be very windy but a great place for swimming because of calmer waters.
Lisbon
Lisbon is 1.5 hours away from Nazare by car. Or, if you are staying in Foz do Arelho/Caldas da Rainha, the distance is just 1 hour. There is always something to do or see in Lisboa, like Castelo de S. Jorge, the Descobrimentos monument, Praça do Comércio and big Jesus.
Sintra
This is a beautiful place to explore near Lisbon if you are ready to do a lot of walking as parking is tough and things are quite far from one another. We recommend finding a good parking spot for the day and getting around by foot or tuktuk. You can do a lot in one day if you are ambitious but be ready to come here early. There are three things we love here: 1. Quinta da Regaleira, R. Barbosa du Bocage 5, 2710-567 Sintra - Gothic Revival architecture estate with beautiful trails to wander about. 2. Park and National Palace of Pena, Estrada da Pena, 2710-609 Sintra - colorful romanticist royal castle 3. Castelo dos Mouros, 2710-405 Sintra - hilltop medieval moorish castle
Cascais
Charming fishing town 30 minute drive away from Sintra. Perfect for a date night!