Europe

Dining options in the Douro Valley are limited if you're not staying in one of the town centers, but DOC is one of the saving graces of the area. Set along the Douro River about midway between the towns of Peso da Regua and Pinhao, DOC offers tasting menus and a la carte options from Michelin-starred Chef Rui Paula.

While it took us a bit of a drive to reach this one (nearly 45 minutes from our quinta, in the pitch-black night), it was worth it to have such a lovely dining experience in the wine region.

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The Yeatman, a two-star Michelin restaurant in Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal, provides a once-in-a-lifetime gastronomic experience. From the elegant pre-dinner drinks and snacks in the bar area to the over-the-top plating and molecular gastronomy techniques, to the “kitchen snack,” the surprises and delights during our meal at The Yeatman were unlike any other restaurant we've ever been to.

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When it comes to hotels in major cities, we often find our experiences to be hit or miss as it is hard to balance prime location, price, and amenities.

A great room, with a stellar location, often comes at a high price. A cheaper room with a stellar location may be lacking in amenities. Or you have a great room with a stellar price point, but have to make a sacrifice on location to meet a budget.

At the The Marriott Fontecruz Lisboa, we felt like we got all three right in the heart of Lisbon. We really couldn't have asked for much more at this one!

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Whenever we talked to other travelers who have visited Portugal, one of the first questions they would ask always was “Are you going to Sintra?”

It was almost comical how fast this question would come up.

The answer was, “of course we are going to Sintra”, and we went there on our second full day in Portugal. After visiting, we can see why this spot was such a highlight as it was a truly amazing day trip from Lisbon. 

In this one, we don't want to convince you to go to Sintra. Odds are good you already have it on your agenda (although we're going to talk about it a bit). Instead, we want to talk about the different Sintra day trip options you have and why taking the train may be the best option.

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