04/02/2025

A leisurely stroll to Sintra

Ready for your next vacation? If you want to take in breathtaking views of mountains and beaches, visit wineries, taste fresh olive oil, and savor Lisbon’s signature pastry, Pastel De Nata, then Portugal is the place for you! On a recent family trip, we enjoyed touring the Douro Valley and walking through historic streets as we met some the friendliest people who were eager to share their culture.

Rua Augusta in Lisbon

Here are five reasons you should book your trip today.

1. Getting there is easy, quick, and affordable.

There are many ways to get to Portugal, including one-stop options with Delta Air Lines, Air Canada, United Airlines, British Airways, and American Airlines from CVG to Lisbon. United and British Airways offer one-stop service to Porto and Faro. And since it’s located on the western side of Europe, it’s a relatively short flight over the Atlantic Ocean. (The Newark-to-Lisbon leg of the trip is only 6.5 hours.)

The Douro Valley makes an amazing day trip

I often recommend multi-city itineraries for trips over six days, and Portugal’s excellent rail system is a great way to utilize what’s known as an “open jaw” ticket. This is where you fly into one city, take a train (or car or flight) to the next town, and then fly home. One popular option is to fly into Lisbon, take the train to Porto, and fly home. As a bonus, you could also consider a stopover in The Azores, a chain of gorgeous islands off the coast of Portugal. Tip: United’s schedule to and from CVG is especially great for these types of trips in Portugal.

Sao Bento features a 100-year-old train station with detailed artwork

Keep an eye out for sales on my Deals page. You can often find round-trip flights for $490-$600 in late summer through spring.

Calle Rosa de Lisboa, aka: Pink Street

2. Portugal is a great destination for families.

It’s truly one of the most family-friendly places we’ve visited. We never felt like we were disrupting meals while dining out; in fact, we experienced the exact opposite. Waiters who interacted with our toddler brought toys and distractions and overall made us feel very welcome. We met wonderful shop owners who offered our kid treats while we shopped. One employee even grabbed a free hair tie for us after he noticed that my son’s hair was getting on his face. The same spirit held at the airport, where upon departure, we were ushered to a line for families with small children.

We found a number of affordable accommodations for our family in “serviced apartments,” which are apartment-style suites but with a check-in desk and staff. It’s a nice blend of Airbnb and hotel.

Porto was especially family-friendly!

3. You won’t run out of things to see and do.

Whether you’re looking for a laid-back afternoon at the beach, a quiet boat ride down a scenic river, or a wine tour with friends, you’ll find it in Portugal. A few of our favorites include:

A boat ride along the Douro River is a relaxing journey through vineyards and beautiful hillsides. There are varying lengths available; we set sail for about an hour while on a day trip.

Tour centuries-old wineries and learn more about winemaking than you could ever imagine! Tasting is, of course, encouraged!

A quick 45-minute train ride takes you to charming Cascais. This quiet seaside town offers beautiful beaches, a wide variety of shops, and delicious food. We visited for a day but want to spend three to four days relaxing there on a future trip.

The Chapel of Souls in Porto, with its distinctive blue paint, stands out on this busy street. Make sure to take a moment to enjoy the detailed artwork.

The Dom Luís I Bridge links Porto with its neighbor across the river, Vila Nova de Gaia. It’s especially beautiful at sunset.

Stroll through Vila Nova de Gaia, learn all about Port wine, check out a modern art gallery, or enjoy a view from the sky in a tram.

Sintra is a stunning palace and museum. Tip: make sure to reserve your spot, and try to avoid holidays as they can become very crowded.

Pastel de Nada is a famous egg custard tart served warm. It can be found in many cafes across Lisbon.

4. Portugal is a foodie’s paradise.

From a variety of soups and stews to delicious seafood dishes, Portuguese cuisine is worth experiencing. There are also incredible restaurants with creative flavors from around the world. We enjoyed an excellent ramen restaurant one night and a tasty Indian restaurant the next.

We found this small restaurant and courtyard on TripAdvisor with some of the tastiest food we had on our trip.

I highly recommend using TripAdvisor and Google reviews to find highly rated places to eat. Keep in mind the best meals are often not in the main tourist areas.

Just a heads up: many locals eat dinner later than you may be used to, often sitting down to eat at 9pm or later.

Cheese cones at a market in Porto = heaven?

5. You can join a free walking tour to see and learn a lot in just a few hours.

Most large cities in Portugal offer “free” walking tours. We love taking a tour on the first or second day of a trip to a new city because it’s a great way to learn a little bit about multiple sites, and you can come back to explore the ones that interested you the most. The guides are friendly, knowledgeable, and work entirely for tips. We usually give $10-20 per person depending on the length of the tour. These are usually kid-friendly, too. Many tour agencies request that you reserve a spot so they can gauge the size of the group. However, many will let you join if you show up and there aren’t too many people.

I’d love to know your favorite destinations from CVG. Share your travel tips with me @JayKruzOfficial on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

-Jay