TOP 5 Experiences not to miss in Northern Spain and Portugal

Our travel on the road in Northern Spain and Portugal is over.

As at the end of each journey, in the hours that separate from returning home we think back to the places we were lucky enough to visit, to the local foods we tried and the experiences we had, trying to draw up a personal ranking of the most interesting and essential experiences.

Here you are our TOP 5 Experiences not to miss in Northern Spain and Portugal.

1. The amazing Praia das Catedrais

Nothing satisfies more than enjoying the spectacle offered by the Praia das Catedrais, a natural monument of supernatural dimensions found in the wild region of Galicia.

You just have to wait for the low tide and start walking along the sandy corridors: from here, with your head facing upwards, you can admire incredible rampant arches 30 m high, you go into caves with pinnacles as if you were in an imposing central nave.

It’s possible to admire this splendid natural monument in two ways: during low tide, walking on the beach and admiring closely the arches and caves created by the power of nature; during high tide hours along the wooden walkway overlooking the cliffs submerged by the water.

Reservation (free) is required to access the site (all information also on low and high tide hours can be found here: https://ascatedrais.xunta.es).

2. Lisbon

The Portuguese capital is one of the European cities that most impressed us! A perfect mix of art, history, tradition but at the same time of modernity. Here, the old and the new coexist in a perfect balance.

Lisbon welcomes you with open arms, it’s hard not to feel at home in the capital. It would be worth spending at least 3 days discovering every corner of this fascinating city that has so much to tell about itself.

No guide or itinerary could fully represent the beauty of Lisbon.

For this reason, our advice is:

• get lost in the city
• breathe the saudade, that melancholy atmosphere of which the city is imbued
• get on one of the many electric trams to reach the neighborhoods that climb along cobbled streets until you reach the historic Alfama district
• stop in a Manteigaria and taste the famous Pasteis de Belem and the even better Pasteis de Nata, stop in an inn and choose from the myriad of cod variants
• admire the fiery yellow sunsets from one of the beautiful panoramic terraces

3. The Manueline monasteries of Portugal

You don’t need to be a lover of art and architecture to be impressed by the sumptuous monasteries of Tomar, Batalha and Alcobaça in the central region of Portugal.

These three monuments are able to offer whoever visits them a truly unique experience.

The monasteries of Tomar, Batalha and Alcobaça, declared World Heritage by UNESCO, are splendid Manueline-style masterpieces, the Portuguese late Gothic architectural style: they’re the masters of sumptuous decorations rich in floral motifs that also incorporate marine elements, as a reference to the discoveries made by Portuguese navigators.

It’s possible to visit the three monasteries of the central region of Portugal in one day, not being particularly distant from each other.

It’s better to pay the cumulative ticket of 15 Euros which can be purchased at the cashier of the first monastery you intend to visit; in this way, you save a few euros on the single entry of the different sites.

We start from the Convento de Cristo in Tomar, a long headquarters of the Order of the Knights of the Templars, and then reach Batalha, just over 40 km away, where the Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitoria awaits us. The Unfinished Chapel, which is located outside the complex (also included in the cumulative ticket), is certainly worth visiting. The chapel is so called because it has no roof, on the contrary: a good part of its charm lies in the fact that the building is open-air. It’s the turn of Alcobaça, with its Mosterio de Santa Maria, which stands in the center of the village in a large square and fascinates for its Gothic style.

In short, one of the experiences not to be missed on a trip to Portugal.

4. Percurso  dos sete vale suspensos

Comfortable sneakers, a plentiful supply of water, a hat and … breath! It’s enough to face the fascinating Percurso dos sete vale suspensos which runs for about 6 km from above the rugged coasts and wild beaches of the Algarve is to visit these splendid architectural works.

5. San Sebastian e Bilbao pintxos

San Sebastian and Bilbao are cities on a human scale, ideal for relaxing and unplugging.

In addition to boasting beaches surrounded by nature and examples of avant-garde architecture, they are famous for their gastronomic specialties.

One of the experiences not to be missed is to taste the famous “pintxos”: miniature haute cuisine delicacies displayed in numerous bars, to be accompanied with a glass of txakoli, the typical white wine of the Basque Country.

The most typical pinxtos is called Gilda, a snack with olives, anchovies and green pepper.

It’s absolutely worth spending time in a rowdy bar letting yourself be tempted by the inviting pinxtos displayed on the counter.

We found the pinxtos of the local Gandarias Jatetxea in San Sebastian irresistible, a meeting place for many clubs, and the small cloisters in the Plaza Nueva in Bilbao.