Have you ever been somewhere and loved the experience so much, that the moment you left you were already planning your trip back? Or taken a trip that somehow manages to leave you feeling completely filled and yet hungry for more at the same time? That was Portugal for me. Last summer Jamie and I spent a week in Portugal for the wedding of one of my best friends and, if I’m being honest, Portugal wasn’t even on my radar when my friend told me that she had chosen it for the location of her wedding. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to travel there, but I had so many other places on my travel list at the time that I simply hadn’t considered it and, consequently, knew very little about it. In the end, I was left with an impression so strong that I know I’ll be going back for more.

Lisbon has the feel of a place that is either just about to have its moment or is right at the beginning of it. Which is why if you’re looking for an amazing location to take a trip to, but don’t want to break the bank like you might in places like Paris or London, Lisbon is the perfect choice. It has all the same charm, beauty, and food but without the cost and the crowds.

I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite experiences from both Lisbon and Sintra to help you plan your own trip. If you only have a couple of days you’d need to chose the ones that appeal to you the most, but if you’re spending an entire week in Lisbon then you should be able to fit all of the these suggestions into your schedule.

1. Take a Walking Food Tour in Lisbon

There is a reason this is the first item on my list. This was quite possibly my favorite experience of the entire trip (not counting the wedding itself obviously)! A food tour is the perfect way to simultaneously take in parts of the city, some history, and to experience a large variety of the local cuisine. We booked our tour through a company called Inside Lisbon Tours and we couldn’t have been more pleased with them. The tour took us to five different restaurants and one meat and cheese shop. At each location we were given one or more foods to try, along with a beverage selected to perfectly compliment what we were eating, and each location was very gracious with its portions. We tried sausages, cheeses, croquettes, fish, soup, and more; and everything was seriously delicious.

Though, by far, the most amazing part of the entire tour was the final location. Our last stop took us to a beautiful restaurant laid out in a square around a central, open air courtyard (I have a huge soft spot for indoor spaces that feel like outdoor spaces). Our group was shown to a private room where we sat wide eyed as platter after platter of tapas style foods was brought out for everyone to share. We ate and laughed and talked with friends and strangers alike for nearly three hours. It was an experience I’ll never forget.

2. Visit Castelo de Sao Jorge (Saint George’s Castle)

I’m a sucker for a good castle and this one did not disappoint! There’s just something about a castle that makes you start to dream about what it would have been like to live during the time that it was built; to imagine walking along its high walls, eating in the great dining room, or spending time in its courtyards. And like many castles, this one was built at the highest point in Lisbon giving you perfect views of the entire city. You’ll want to set aside at least three hours to do this place justice.

3. Take a Boat Ride on the Rio Tejo (Tagus River)

Sometimes when you’re taking a city vacation you need to mix in some activities that allow you some time to simply relax and give your feet a break. In my own experience, when my husband and I take a trip to a city we can walk up to 10 or more miles a day while trying to take in as many sights as we can. A group of friends and I booked a three hour boat ride on the river with Lisbon By Boat and it was the perfect way to not only relax, but to also take in the city from a different perspective. We came prepared with our own food and drinks, and for an incredibly reasonable price we spent an afternoon feeling like the rich and the famous.

4. Visit Pena Palace in Sintra

So we actually rented an apartment for the week in Sintra because the prices were cheaper than in Lisbon, and then took the train back and forth between the two places depending on what we had planned for the day. And while Lisbon is a perfect old world city to explore, Sintra is the perfect coastal mountain town. It’s incredibly easy to travel between Lisbon and Sintra regardless of which one you choose to stay in because the train connecting them runs about every 20 minutes.

I can’t say enough about how great Sintra is. I’ve been to a fair number of beautiful places, but I was blown away by the colors of Sintra – the buildings, the flowers, the tiles (Portugal is known for its beautiful tiles). But nothing was more colorful than Pena Palace. When you first see it you get the feeling that the architect went looking for inspiration in a children’s coloring book. The attention to detail, both inside and out, is astounding.

I would recommend taking an Uber up to the palace and then hiking your way back down the mountainside back to downtown Sintra. The trek down takes you along winding paths that cut through the gardens of the palace and eventually lead to the site of the Moorish Castle ruin. There’s even a small cafe about midway through the hike where you can pause for a light bite to eat. By the time you get back into downtown you’ll be ready for dinner!

5. Check out Quinta da Regaliera in Sintra

Before I even knew much about this place it had made my list of sites to visit for one reason: its iconic spiral staircase. I love love love spiral staircases because they always give off dreamy, fairytale vibes, and the one at this location has the added whimsy of being partly outdoors and overgrown by vines.

For me, Lisbon and Sintra were the whole package – lovely food, lovely people, and lovely scenery. And I feel as if I have only scratched the surface of all that Portugal has to offer.