World-class golf, more than 300 days of sunshine a year, flavorsome local seafood, excellent wines and more than 1,000 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline. There are countless reasons to add Portugal to your bucket list, not least that United Airlines has announced direct flights from New York to Faro, starting in 2025. Me, I might have been living in Lisbon on and off for four years, but I’m continually surprised by new discoveries, from quirky bookstore openings in central Lisbon (Salted books, I love you) to secluded coves or gnarly rock formations in the Algarve’s emblematic places such as Praia do Marinha. 

I tend to know I’ve found a great place when I find it particularly hard to share with other people, internally cursing myself for choosing travel writing as my line of work. When a destination is really special, instinctually I want to tell you it’s no good, and not to bother, so I can keep it for myself. But as the Portuguese saying goes, “Mentira tem perna curta” (a lie has no legs), and it’d be no use anyway — Americans are already finding Portugal for themselves. The number of visitors coming from the States in the first quarter of 2023 stood 79 percent above the level for the same period in 2019 — more than 116,000 tourists. So these are the spots I recommend you book ahead.

Lisbon 

Lisbon is at once elegant and dilapidated, whimsical and sharp-edged. Post-Covid, a wave of digital nomads has descended on the city by the sea, bringing with it fresh businesses, concept stores and music festivals — plus the usual slew of comparatively extortionate coffee and bagel shops. But for now, the infinitely walkable (if you don’t mind steep hills and narrow sidewalks) capital retains its old-world charm; peeling Azulejo tiles, those famous yellow trams and cheap local eateries still delivering a romantic feel that’s hard to find anywhere else. 

Afternoons spent wandering the sun-dappled streets of Alfama, with its maze of cobbled alleyways and tenth-century Sao Jorge castle and art-filled district Graça, deliver that inimitable Portuguese charm. Plan your culture fix with the MAAT museum’s varied program and a look around Jeronimos Monastery, both handily located near unmissable bakery Pasteis de Belem. But the best moments come by strapping on some sturdy shoes and simply walking — from the impromptu Fado show that might begin in the local taberna you stopped at by chance, to finding yourself in the whimsical Jardim do Torel, catching a local ballet dancer’s elegant Sunday morning stretch routine while somebody strums a guitar.

Where to eat

From charming Brazilian eatery Acarajé da Carol to Mediterranean favorite Taberna Albricoque, via classic tascas like A Tigelinha, you can expect to pay around €40 for two entrées, a bottle of wine and soft drinks in eateries untouched by gentrification. The standard of authentic Portuguese fare is high, so don’t be put off if a restaurant doesn’t have a website or an Instagram page — taking chances often pays off. Your chef might be working with sea bass caught nearby that morning or cooking steak brought in from a friend’s farm.

Lisbon’s food scene is slowly but surely beginning to mirror those of London and Barcelona, every month more commercial restaurants opening their doors to share influences and ingredients put together by chefs from around the world. Omakase Ri, a traditional ten-seater edomae sushi den hidden deep within a shopping center, is a great example of new talent coming through. Vinyl is spun, sake is poured and the freshest fish is prepared, as tourists lean in and make friends.

A restaurant I repeatedly send friends to is Gunpowder, its beloved Curry Nights bringing in chefs from Thailand, Laos, Singapore and Mozambique. A deep appreciation of Lisbon (and surfing) prompted Indian entrepreneur Harneet Baweja to transplant the culinary flair famed at his London outpost of the same name, delighting British expats by recreating beloved dishes like Nagaland crispy tamarind pork, seafood pulao, bread with burnt onion butter and Karwari soft shell crab. Every time I’m in town, I make a reservation to get my Tandoori chicken fix — and I demand all my visitors try the spicy lamb and vermicelli doughnut.

If you appreciate a little art and culture along with your meal, Cicero Bistrot is dotted with the works of avant-garde Cícero Dias, and stained glass windows by Parisian Marianne Peretti — a total of twenty-one works spread across three themed rooms. An entirely Portuguese wine list put together by renowned sommelier Rodolfo Tristão ensures an authentic experience, best enjoyed with Pata Negra Iberian ham and dried figs, drizzled with sugarcane honey.

Where to stay

Taking over the upper floors of modern hotel Independente Lisboa-Bica, bubblegum pink Mateus Hotel is a lot of fun, a hotel hidden within a hotel in the lively Cais do Sodre area. Steps from the Bica Funicular, its thirteen rooms and a two bedroom penthouse enjoy an enviable location, the latter hosting the intimate and vibey regular music event The Stage is Always Set. Bica-San’s combined restaurant and breakfast area pays homage to the enduring gastronomic history linking Portugal and Japan, taking over the main hotel’s jazzy lobby. Go all-out with the spoiling Japanese breakfast, combining plates of cured and grilled bream with sweet milk bread.

Double rooms at super stylish Hotel das Amoreiras start from a reasonable €250, but that’s not the only reason I like it. The creation of this hotel was a painstaking, family affair, the hand-picked artworks lining most walls telling the story of the owner’s world travels. A relaxing garden terrace offers the perfect place to savor a very slow breakfast, and many sumptuous rooms overlook one of my closely guarded secret Lisbon spots: Jardim das Amoreiras (plump for a suite, and a small balcony will be yours from which to observe the rather pleasant setting). This peaceful garden square full of mulberry trees is steps from the renowned Chapel of Our Lady of Monserrate, and a short walk from ever-excellent sushi spot A Cevicheria in chi chi Principe Real. Well-known “Chef Kiko” marries South American and Asian flavors, my favorite dishes spanning salmon ceviche, smoked Chilean mussel croquettes and a dish combining octopus with quail egg. 

The Algarve

When your calves can take no more hill walking, I’d recommend pleading surrender and jumping on the comfortable four hour train to the Algarve from Oriente station. There, life’s pace is deliciously slow, yet countless outdoor activities can combine to fill your schedule if you so choose (for starters, there are thirty-two golf courses to explore). Cliff-backed beaches and whitewashed fishing villages characterize this laidback part of the world, the sort of place where a short drive will reward you with the discovery of a hidden bay or fisherman’s hut that can be enjoyed free from crowds (or anyone else at all). Look into a low-key vineyard stay (I love wine estate Quinta dos Vales) or plan a long hike in the lesser-explored western area of Praia do Canal, to ease yourself away from city life. People who live here understand and respect the value of the area’s produce; many accommodation options championing traditional practices, plus local experiences that support sustainability — Casa Modesta being a great example. 

Where to eat

One of my favorite things to do is plan an early Saturday morning at Olhão municipal fish and vegetable market, where vendors invite you to try just-caught conger eel, grouper, tuna and mahi mahi. This followed by a morning boat tour along Ria Formosa nature park offers up a slice of the “boa vida,” your skipper stopping the boat to shuck oysters plucked from the waters. My tip? Plan ahead, and pack a bottle of bubbles to go with. If you’re feeling especially fancy, a destination restaurant to know is Mizu Teppenyaki within Vila Vita Parc hotel complex. Contemporary Japanese dishes come à la carte or as part of a Teppanyaki live show. Order the prawn tempura uramaki, lean tuna sashimi and crunchy salmon gunkan with ikura and fried leek.

Where to stay

This part of Portugal offers a handful of stand-out accommodation options if you’re traveling with little ones.

Pine Cliffs resort is rightfully celebrated for its five star quality, super helpful staff and myriad facilities aimed at children; two life-size pirate ships dominating a playground set up that takes in a basketball court, trampoline, kids swimming pool and eighteen-hole mini-golf course. The closest town being tourist hub Albufeira, there’s no shortage of things to do, but the hotel’s Annabel Croft Tennis Academy and 168-acre golf course keep bigger kids well entertained. The resort is perched 200 feet above golden sands, but feels like somewhat of a mini village, its dizzying range of facilities spanning a comprehensive spa (be sure to indulge in rarely-found Kneipp hydrotherapy treatments), hairdresser, salon, boutique shops and countless eateries. Opt for an Ocean Suite, with a choice of one or two bedrooms, and inclusive of a fully equipped kitchen, a dining room and living space.

At a lower price point, VidaMar Resort Hotel Algarve gets particularly inventive when it comes to keeping children happy, “mermaid” hair and nail treatments and “pirate” massages letting kids join in with adults in the spa. Nearby Salgados Lagoon Nature Reserve is perfect for outdoor adventures, but the hotel’s VidaClub shouldn’t be missed – a large, comprehensive space filled with tipis and huge stuffed animals and various areas offering the chance to get creative. An art room can be prepped for painting classes, while two stages invite dramatic (!) performances, and a games room is primed for pinball battles and arcade game tournaments. A nursery space welcomes babies aged between six months and two years.

Those not traveling with children will be directed towards the beautifully appointed, adults-only Club Rooms and Suites. I’d recommend checking in as a Premium guest, so you can enjoy sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean from your balcony after firing up the coffee machine. Take advantage of free access to the MarClub spa area, and a complimentary Bali bed by one of the three outdoor pools. A couple of hours lolling around and ordering cocktails will allow you a moment to digest the embarrassment of riches Portugal has to offer; no one’s judging you if you decide to keep them to yourself.

Direct flight between Faro and New York to launch in 2025 — United Airlines has announced the launch of the first direct air link between Faro and New York/Newark (USA) in May 2025. The flight will operate four times a week, making it easier for US visitors to directly visit Portugal’s Algarve region. For more info, please visit www.visitalgarve.pt