For my big trip to Portugal we started with 6 nights in Ericiea. This was a strategic choice. We didn't want to be in Lisbon with a rental car but we wanted beaches and a more Portuguese experience. A little north of Sintra and on the coast lay nestled Ericiea. A 35 minute drive from The Lisbon airport.
We found the perfect Airbnb linked here.
(View from balcony above)
Huge windows with a view of every sunset. The kitchen was well stocked and the rooms were comfortable and clean. This could be an amazing place for 4-5 people to stay. We were very happy with the location and quality of the home.
To start off day #2 after flying in on day #1 we walked around the city. The best Pasta Del Nata in Portugal 2023 is at https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZpvxwqvCqAfAedHG9
With a super cute atmosphere and delicious looking sandwiches as well. We also found various surf shops where you could get anything you needed for the beach.
The popular restaurants we found were
https://maps.app.goo.gl/A9gLdL4tTrBfREGz5 Secret Pizza - amazing vegan pizzas fresh to order
https://maps.app.goo.gl/j5R4StWxutZvBfNa7 Club Naval - Freshest fish and local food
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UFjUuzVrhguowpD3A Til Tapas - Best for tapas and drinks
https://maps.app.goo.gl/xvMbyxcZU8MnxDHS8 Ti Matilde - Ocean view traditional Portuguese food
There is so much parking near the beach and Sao Sebastian mall. You won't ever need to spend more than 2 minutes looking for parking. You can even park right facing the ocean and relax. With a view and a chiro truck not far away. The city is also very walkable with the big hills being towards the east suburbs. Biking could also be easy.
Ericiea is also located 35 minutes from the Lisbon airport, 45 minutes from the main Sintra attractions. A good 50 minutes to Cascias and the posh vacation city. 1 hour and 6 minutes to Nazare/Peniche/Obidos to watch the biggest waves and see the coast. And finally 2 hours to Evora and the Algarves. The location is central enough to hit most popular destinations and the roads are great!
To have quick connection with little hassle we bought three eSIMs from Airalo. You scan and download the esim and connect to data in minutes. I got 5 GB for 30 days just for $10. A wide range of eSIMs are available for different countries and regions. If you intend to travel, you can buy a regional eSIM on Airalo. For example, there are eSIMs available for the entire continent of Europe!
Stay tuned for the detailed itinerary!