Category: Portugal Travel Tips

How do you get a MAKRO card in Portugal? Discover who qualifies, what expats and freelancers need, how to register, and whether it is worth it.

Home > Portugal Travel Tips Central Portugal · Take the slower road Central Portugal ItineraryMake room for more than the highlights Flexible routes for 3, 5, 7 or 10 days, connecting Coimbra with Roman ruins, schist villages, forest walks and the Atlantic coast. Start in CoimbraInto the mountainsHead for the coast By Carter Lowry · […]

Home > Portugal Travel Tips Central Portugal · Beyond the city Day Trips from CoimbraCastles, villages & a different kind of day out Roman ruins, mountain villages and Atlantic beaches. Choose the escape that fits your time, then work out how to get there. Roman historyMountain villagesA day at the coast By Carter Lowry · […]

Madeira is one of Europe’s most spectacular island destinations, combining volcanic mountains, dramatic coastlines, world-class hiking, charming villages, and year-round mild weather. Whether you’re planning a weekend escape or a week-long adventure, this guide covers everything you need to know—from where to stay and what to do to the best time to visit and how […]

Home > Portugal Travel Tips Portugal does not end when you leave Lisbon, and it certainly does not become less interesting. Head east or south from the capital, and the buildings begin to thin out. Apartment blocks give way to cork trees, vineyards, olive groves, fortified villages, and roads that disappear toward the horizon. Welcome […]

Home > Portugal Travel Tips European Portuguese • Real Conversations • Portugal Portuguese Small Talk: How to Have a Real Conversation in Portugal Portuguese small talk is where memorized vocabulary finally meets real life. These are the European Portuguese phrases, replies, and conversation habits that have helped me stop freezing when someone actually answers back. […]

Heading to Portugal? These essential European Portuguese phrases will help you order food, ask for directions, navigate hotels, handle emergencies, and understand what locals may say back.

Home > Portugal Travel Tips Portugal Travel Apps • Tested Living Here Best Portugal Travel Apps: 13 Apps I Actually Use Living Here I don’t recommend these Portugal travel apps because they appeared on somebody else’s list. I live in Coimbra and use many of them while traveling around Portugal by train, bus, car, metro, […]

By Carter | Originally published March 5, 2024 | Updated July 2026 The Buracas do Casmilo are one of the most unusual day trips from Coimbra, Portugal. Hidden in the limestone hills of the Serra de Sicó, this quiet valley contains enormous openings left behind by a collapsed cave system. Short walking routes let visitors […]