Go inland from the capital and there are some wonderful towns to explore near Lisbon. Here’s some information to inspire your off-the-beaten-track Portugal holiday. Better still, they’re mostly accessible by train, a relaxing journey through the urban landscapes and countryside where real people work and live.
Montijo – A ferry ride from Lisbon
A long and interesting train journey through the countryside eventually lands you at Montijo, nestled on the banks of the Tagus River. But there’s also a ferry to and from Lisbon, which is cool bearing in mind the long train journey. Why not go by ferry instead, a 30 mile voyage on a very smart boat with amazing views of Alfama and Baia?
Take photos of the magnificent the Vasco da Gama bridge, the longest in Europe when you include the viaducts. The Igreja Matriz de Montijo church dates back to the 1300s and there are some good museums to wander about in, out of the hot sun. The Moinho de Mare was restored and opened to the public in 2005 and next to it there’s the old Cais das Faluas tidal mill. There’s a nice estuary beach with pale sand, an enormous 1950s cinema, a huge new shopping mall and a chilled-out park to lounge and picnic in, plus the Oceanarium and a magnificent interactive science museum to enjoy.
Amadora – 7 minutes by train from Lisbon
Amadora features high-rise apartment blocks and the super-busy Linha de Sintra train line, but the city itself is a rich multicultural place where people from Brazil and Portugal’s old African colonies love to live. It might not always be pretty but it’s lively, bustling and most of all real, a place where the non-tourist vibe keeps things interesting. There’s a good shopping mall, a kiddies theme park, a cycling stadium, a Roman villa and the Casa Roque Gameiro to explore, one of the oldest and most picturesque houses in the municipality of Amadora, now a cultural centre.
Santarém – 40 minutes by train from Lisbon
Set high above the Tagus plain with amazing views, Santarém is another peaceful town to discover, mostly untouched by tourism and a typical town seething with ordinary Portuguese life. Summers here can be unusually hot and the winters are lovely and warm. There are some great local hiking trails to wander and immerse yourself in nature.
This is where the old Portuguese kings lived in the middle ages and where parliament once sat, leaving in their wake some splendid Gothic architecture: the walls, churches, convents and monuments. Head for the garden at Jardim das Portas do Sol’s battlements for the best views. Then see if you can find anyone performing the famous fandango do Ribatejo dance, involving two men simulating a violent fight, strange but compelling.
Sintra – 40 minutes by train from Lisbon
Sintra hovers high up above the green expanse of its UNESCO World Heritage sites, a fairytale destination of a town rich in palaces, mystical and enticing. Obviously it’s a magnet for visitors and rightly so – you don’t see somewhere this glorious empty of tourists. But the outskirts of the town are just as interesting for those wanting more than the main attractions.
Many lovely hiking trails, a community that loves the alternative lifestyle, a beautiful blend of the past and present, tradition and modernism makes it a thrilling destination. Palaces and castles, parks and dizzyingly deep ancient wells, gorgeous beaches and quirky trams are the name of the game here.
Almada – 7 minutes from Lisbon by train
Cross the Tagus River from Lisbon and you find Almada, a charming town offering a ferry service between here and Cacilhas and Cais do Sodré, an adventure in itself. Almada feels distinctly Portuguese, les touristy than the city. Visit the iconic Cristo Rei statue, eat out at an excellent restaurant, use the town a base for adventures going south to the delights of the green hills of Serra da Arrábida, the sandy Costa da Caparica, and the quaint charm of Sesimbra.
History is the name of the game along the Ginjal riverside road, featuring the fascinating remains of the town’s shipbuilding and fishing industries. Visit the maritime museum inside one of the old warehouses, and make your way to the dock at Cacilhas where Dom Fernando II e Glória, the final wooden frigate launched by the Portuguese Navy, was launched. She’s still there, perfectly preserved and perfectly Instagrammable.
There are brilliant views of the 25 de Abril Bridge too, and the stunning Cacilhas waterfront neighbourhood to explore. The lovely beach at Fonte da Telha is only 20 minutes away. And you can take the elevator from the cliff top to the landscaped garden by the water’s edge called Jardim do Rio.
Barreiro – An hour and a half’s train journey from Lisbon
Over the Tagus River from Lisbon, Barreiro is relatively untouched by visitors and has a nice local feel. Murals by the internationally respected artist Vhils, beaches, gardens, a riverside walk, a scenic lake, museum and scenic parks await you, all with a genuine local flavour and very few tourists.
There are more places to visit outside Lisbon but these are all particularly easy to access, giving you the chance to experience public transport, forget driving, relax and watch the world go by from your train and, in one case, take a thrilling and very scenic ferry ride.
You can even get off the train at every stop and see where you end up. Then get back on the next train. What an unusual way to get to grips with the real, everyday Portugal behind all the hustle, bustle and tourism.
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