Lucy Bryson

  Portugal isn’t all pastéis de nata and peri-peri chicken (although they’re great too). For a compact nation (including the islands of Madeira and the Azores), Portugal is home to more than its fair share of fantastic restaurants.  Here you’ll everything from Michelin-starred menus to family-run tascas and tavernas with very reasonable prices. Of course, it’s famous for fish and seafood, but vegetarians and vegans will find plenty of options too. Here are the best restaurants in Portugal worth travelling for, according to Lisbon local Lucy Bryson. RECOMMENDED:📍 The best things to do in Portugal🏖 The best beaches in Portugal☀️ The essential guide to Lisbon🐟 The essential guide to Porto Lucy Bryson is a travel writer based in Lisbon, Portugal. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

We all like the idea of summertime in Europe – long, lazy days in the Mediterranean sunshine, whiling away an evening people-watching in local bars – but the reality is often much less romantic, with overtourism, sky-high prices and heatwaves blighting many a Euro Summer fantasy. But it doesn’t have to be that way. To inspire your summer holiday plans this year, we asked writers across Europe to tell us about their favourite alternative summer trip ideas. From Croatia’s quieter island-hopping route to an Estonian spa break, here’s where to head for crowd-free bliss and unsung adventures right across the continent. You’re welcome. RECOMMENDED:🏝️ The best alternative Mediterranean beach breaks🗺️ Europe’s most underrated travel destinations

Sure, Lisbon and Porto are great n’ all (no really, they are really great), but Portugal is one of the world’s hottest travel destinations for a reason, and there’s so much more to it then its two main cities. Whether you’re looking for wild parties or wild nature; historic hill towns or sun-scorched beaches; hip bars or rural escapes, you’ll find it in abundance across Portugal’s seven regions – five on the mainland, plus the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores. And then there’s the food, which goes well beyond piri-piri chicken and pastéis de nata (although let’s face it, these should be on your list). Each of the country’s surprisingly diverse regions takes pride in its unique culinary offerings, from super-fresh seafood and slow-cooked stews to cakes, pastries and cheeses. And did we mention the vinho? Across the country, wine is impossibly good and dangerously affordable. There’s a whole lot to discover, so read on for the full lowdown on the best places in Portugal.  RECOMMENDED: 📍 The best things to do in Portugal🏖 The essential guide to Lisbon🐟 The essential guide to Porto Lucy Bryson is a writer based in Portugal. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. See our editorial guidelines for more. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

For a small country, Portugal punches well above its weight when it comes to food, history, unforgettable places and one-off experiences. We asked Lisbon local Lucy Bryson for her expert tips on the best way to spend ten days exploring the best of Portugal. And although a whistlestop tour of ten days isn’t nearly enough to see everything great the country has to offer, it’s just about enough to get a flavour – and leave you hankering for more. The good news for travellers pressed for time (and budget) is that much of the country is well served by public transport. Trains and buses are largely reliable, comfortable, and affordable. The bad news is that your ten-day adventure will only give you a couple of days each in Lisbon and Porto – two of Europe’s greatest city-break destinations – and you’ll miss out entirely on harder-to-reach inland destinations, not to mention the outlying Portuguese islands of Madeira and the Azores. But what’s a time-strapped traveller to do? You’ll just have to come back again soon. RECOMMENDED: 📍 The best things to do in Portugal🏖 The best beaches in Portugal