Finding the Good Stuff in Lisbon and Madeira, Portugal

Written by:

Maia James

09/12/2018

Updated: 09/29/2023

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Disclosure: I was extended complimentary stays at the hotels mentioned in this post. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Two weeks ago, I took a weeklong vacation to Lisbon and Madeira (without my kids!). Below are my tips for a week in these two locations in Portugal. Of course, my review has a focus on  healthful food, eco-friendly highlights, and wellness activities.

lena palace view sintra portugal gimme the good stuff
Here I am at the Pena Palace in Sintra, a great day trip from Lisbon.

Where to Stay in Lisbon

I was fortunate to be invited to stay at two super luxurious hotels in Lisbon: The Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon and The Olissippo Lapa Palace. The rooms, restaurants, spas, and services at each of these hotels was absolutely top-notch.

four seasons lisbon lobby gimme the good stuff orchids
The orchid display in the Four Seasons lobby is breathtaking.
cliff bay resort madeira outlets
Both hotels had thoughtful conveniences like outlets in the room, meaning we didn’t need adapters.
Maia Brooke Steph Lapa Palace Lisbon Gimme the Good Stuff
The entrance to Olissippo Lapa Palace is stunning.
pool at Lapa Palace Gimme the good stuff lisbon
The pool and grounds at Olissippo Lapa Palace are also gorgeous.

For a lower-priced accommodations in Lisbon, I would consider PortoBay Liberdade (which is still a five-star hotel), Casa Balthazar, or Martinhal if you are traveling with kids.

What to Do in Lisbon

There is so much to do in Lisbon that I found myself wishing I had a full week to explore. That said, four days was enough to get a good feel of the city. What follows are the activities I would consider “must-dos” for a first trip to Lisbon.

Take a Tuk Tuk Tour to See the Major Sites

As in any European city, there’s so much history and beauty to see in Lisbon, and we did 2-hour tuk tuk tour in order to see much of that. If I could do it again, I would definitely do a longer tour, as this wasn’t even enough time to see all that this city had to offer. Our tour driver was an absolute wealth of knowledge, so if you go to Lisbon, you should check out Tejo Tourism, and definitely request Hugo!

four seasons lisbon tuktuk tour gimme the good stuff

Our tour took us through the charming, maze-like Alfama area, including stops at Castelo de Sao Jorge, the Se cathedral, and the Portas do Sol viewpoint. 

lookout castle lisbon Gimme the Good Stuff

For our second hour, we headed over to the Belem district, with stops at Torre de Belem and Jeronimos monastery.

Listen to a Fado Performance

You shouldn’t leave Lisbon without taking in a fado (the classic mournful Portuguese music) show. Everyone seemed to agree that Clube de Fado was the best place to see authentic Fado talent, and it didn’t disappoint. We opted to simply go for drinks (which you can do after 10:00 p.m.–but make a reservation!) because the food isn’t supposed to be very good.

Clube Fado Lisbon Gimme the Good Stuff

Shop in the Unique Stores & Markets

I’m not a huge shopper when I travel, but….

Time Out Market Soaps Lisbon Portugal Gimme the Good Stuff

We found adorable baby clothes, natural skincare, cool art, and more at the vendors stands set up outside at Time Out Market.

Real Slow Retail Concept Store Lisbon Portugal Gimme the Good Stuff shoes

I bought a bunch of unique gifts at Real Slow Retail Concept Store and the 21pr Concept Store next door.

Loja De Conservas Lisbon Portugal Gimme the Good Stuff

We loved stumbling upon Loja das Conservas, an entire store dedicated to tinned fish. (You’ll find lots of sardines in Lisbon). 

See Some Amazing Art

There are several art museums worth visiting in Lisbon, but my favorite was the Berardo. It was manageable in size, meaning you can get in and out in an hour, but still home to pieces from some of the greats, like Dali, Picasso, and Warhol.

Take a Day-Trip to Sintra

If you go to Lisbon, a trip to nearby Sintra is a must; it’s less than an hour from Lisbon by train or Uber (we Ubered and it was only 30 euro), and is one of the more beautiful places I’ve been. See below for my recommendations in Sintra.

Where to Eat in Lisbon

I wasn’t blown away by Portuguese cuisine overall, but there were definite culinary highlights during my time in Lisbon, which included:

1) The weekend brunch at the Four Seasons.

There is just no way I can convey how incredible this brunch was, and these pictures definitely don’t do it justice.

four seasons lisbon grill station brunch gimme the good stuff
This grill station was so great for both my carnivorous friends and me (I went for the salmon veggie kebob.)
soups four seasons lisbon brunch gimme the good stuff
Insane soup station.
four seasons lisbon brunch sushi
One tiny portion of the vast sushi station.
four seasons lisbon brunch gimme the good stuff
Vegetarian side dishes also abounded.
four seasons lisbon dessert brunch gimme the good stuff
The desserts at this brunch were truly art.

2) This poke bowl in Time Out Market.

There was also a cute organic gelato stand called Organic Break in the market.

time out market lisbon poke bowl gimme the good stuff

3) Organic pizza at In Bocca Al Lupo.

There were loads of veggie options, and great salads, too.

In Bocca Al Lupo pizza lisbon portugal gimme the good stuff

4) Ceviche at A Cevicheria.

You obviously have to like raw fish to eat here (there isn’t anything else on the menu), but if you do, this place lives up to the hype.

la cevicheria lisbon gimme the good stuff

5) Late-night falafel in Bairro Alto.

I admit it–a few hours after a my dinner of raw fish at A Cevicheria, I was hungry again. My friends and I were checking out where the young people party in Lisbon, which is on the streets of the Bairro Alto neighborhood.We stopped at a little spot called Atlantic Kebab, where I gorged on a really delicious falafel wrap.

lisbon falafel gimme the good stuff

The rest of our meals in Lisbon, including dinner at Palacio Chiado and desserts at Clube de Fado, were just okay. One of my friends loved the famous tart de nata from Pasteis de Belem, but it was too custardy for my taste. (Note that the line at Pasteis de Belem was crazy long, but our tuk tuk driver had a special touristic pass that allowed him to skip the line.)

pasteis de belem lisbon portugal gimme the good stuff

Wellness and Fitness in Lisbon

If you are looking for top-notch workout facilities in Lisbon, then you should stay at The Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon. I’ve never seen a more impressive fitness setup in a hotel, including a rooftop track with city views and pilates reformer machines.

fitness on the four seasons roof lisbon portugal gimme the good stuff

I didn’t do much working out in Lisbon, but I did indulge in a ton other of self-care. The spas in both hotels exceeded my expectations.

At the Four Seasons, the Seven Hills of Lisbon massage was truly the best I’ve ever experienced, complete with foot scrubs and a face and head massage I haven’t stopped talking about.

At Lapa Palace, I had a custom facial with products all scented with only essential oils that left my skin markedly glowy.

Both hotels featured saunas, steam rooms, and pools (inside at the Four Seasons and outside at Lapa Palace).

Sauna at four seasons lisbon gimme the good stuff
pool four seasons lisbon gimme the good stuff

Highlights from Sintra

As I said, you should definitely make time for a day trip to Sintra–in fact, I wish I had spent much more time there than I did.

Everyone is in love with Sintra it seems, and Lord Byrone famously called it “glorious Eden.” I’ve seen a European castle or two in my day, and the Pena Palace was perhaps the most beautiful to date.

We started at the palace and then took a tuk tuk tour down to the village, which had a number of charming shops.

If I could do it again, I’d spend the night in Sintra, definitely at the Tivoli Palacio de Seteais, where we had a beautiful lunch and a tour of the grounds and rooms. It was old-school luxury at its very finest.

lunch in sintra portugal tivoli palacio de setais

If I return to Sintra, I will definitely book a treatment at Anantara Spa, at the Tivoli Palacio de Seteais. All the spa treatments are natural, the space is stunning, and they offer “Wellness Hour” specials of 25% off every day from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Anatara Spa Sintra Tivoli Palacio de Setais Portugal

The reason I didn’t spend the night in Sintra is because I had a flight the next morning out of Lisbon. I said goodbye to my girlfriends and met my husband at the airport, where to took a 90-minute flight to Madeira Island.

Where to Stay on Madeira

One of the most luxurious hotels on Madeira, The Cliff Bay, generously extended an invite for my three days on this magical little island.

room view cliff bay madeira portugal gimme the good stuff
Check-in at The Cliff Bay includes champagne.
Espa products Cliff Bay Gimme the Good Stuff
The Cliff Bay uses Espa products, which are Good Stuff! I didn’t need to pack shampoo:).

If you want to stay at a more affordable and very kid friendly resort on Madeira, I recommend the four-star Suite Hotel Eden Mar, which features suites with kitchenettes and pools/activities for families.

I was also intrigued by the brand new five-star Les Suites at Cliff Bay, which includes access to all the amenities at The Cliff Bay, but you stay in luxurious century-old homes.

Where to Eat in Madeira

Most of our meals in Madeira happened right at our hotel, The Cliff Bay, since we had the half-board meal plan (breakfast and dinner). The buffets changed daily, and offered lots of fresh, produce-heavy options. You also could choose to order a la carte, but we never did because the buffet was always tempting.

cliff bay buffet dinner gimme the good stuff

Other meal highlights in Madeira included:

  1. Lunch at Taverna Madeira.

    I didn’t eat the prawns you see here, but everything else we ordered at this low-key spot was vegetarian. (Here is a list of other great vegetarian restaurants in Madeira.)

Taberna Madeira funchal portugal gimme the good stuff

2. The tasting menu at Il Gallo D’Oro.

The Cliff Bay Hotel is home Il Gallo D’Oro restaurant, which recently earned its second Michelin star. The tasting menu is a worthy splurge, especially if you are there on a Wednesday night, when dinner is served over the ocean.

Butter selection Gallo di Oro Cliff Bay Madeira
I could have made a meal of the butter alone, which included a red pepper, walnut, and seaweed variety–each more delicious than the one before.
Il Gallo d’Oro funchal madeira lisbon tasting menu
Langoustine course.
Il Gallo d’Oro funchal madeira lisbon lobster
Lobster course.

Wellness & Fitness on Madeira

Madeira is a hilly island, with tons of opportunities for hikes of varying degrees of difficulty. Doing a levada (waterways) walk is a must, and we loved the lookout point at the end of the easy and short walk in Ribeiro Frio. 

Levada Walk Lookout Madeira Gimme the Good Stuff

The pools and spa at The Cliff Bay offered lots of relaxation and toxin-free pampering (the spa uses the aforementioned Espa products). I also took a fun pilates class on the last morning of my stay, and water aerobics was being offered the day we left.

What to Do in Madeira

There are lots of driving trips you could take while visiting Madeira, where you can take half-day hikes or visit charming fishing villages. Because we only had a couple of days on Madeira, we only took one taxi trip of about 40 minutes to get us to a place where we could hike along a levada.

We spent the rest of our time either relaxing oceanside at the hotel or walking to various activities in Funchal, the only city on Madeira.

Some highlights are captured in these photographs.

Funchal cable car Gimme the Good Stuff
Take a cable car from Funchal up to the small village of Monte.
Monte ride Madeira Portugal Gimme the Good Stuff
In Monte, you can pay 30 euro for a ride down the super steep streets in these wicker baskets, which are greased with lard and actually felt like something of a thrill ride.
Ronaldo museum madeira portugal gimme the good stuff
I wouldn’t say the CR7 museum (Cristiano Ronaldo is from Madeira) is a must for everyone, but we had to go since our kids are huge fans.
Maia in Ocean Cliff Bay Resort Madeira Gimme the Good Stuff
Although there aren’t beaches on Madeira, The Cliff Bay Hotel has ocean access, so we did get to swim in the Atlantic.
Tea Belmond’s Reid hotel madeira portugal gimme the good stuff
I’d recommend stopping at the super luxe Belmond Reid’s Palace for a tea or cappuccino.
Blandy’s Tour Maia Gimme the Good Stuff
We took (and recommend) a tour of Blandy’s Wine Lodge, where I found a madeira vintage of my birth year.

The Bottom Line on Lisbon and Madeira

Portugal is an awesome country to visit, and–believe it or not–I found myself wishing I’d had my children with me on this trip, since it also felt like a very kid-friendly place. I didn’t take advantage of TAP airlines stopover program, but that makes another vacation to Portugal even more appealing.

Please share your own experiences in Portugal in the comments below. And if you want to read our reviews of other clean travel destinations, click here.

Stay sane,

Maia, Founder & CEO

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Leave a Reply

  1. Diane Avatar
    Diane

    These both look wonderful. I hope Portugal will be my next vacation and I will make a point of seeing about reserving at both the Four Deasons and Cliff Bay

  2. Jillian Avatar
    Jillian

    These hotels look amazing! I am dying to go to Portugal and this is exactly what I need to plan my trip there. I would love to stay at the exact same hotels! The grounds are beautiful and the pools look like they were amazing to swim in.

    I’m so glad you were able to take this trip away and enjoy yourself. Thank you for posting such a wonderful detailed post about your stay and I can’t wait to start planning my trip there soon!

  3. Julia Avatar

    I have been dying to go to Portugal and this basically gives me an itinerary! Everything looks so thoughtful, beautiful and lovely! Thank you for this detailed and personal share of what looks like an incredible trip!

  4. JESSICA HUBER Avatar
    JESSICA HUBER

    So happy you got to take this trip. And now want to go even more then before to Portugal too. Thanks for all the recommendations. I love hotels, but the ones you recommended take it to the next level. Like really make it a vacation vs a trip!

    1. Maia Avatar
      Maia

      ha, yes my husband and I always discuss the difference between a trip and a vacation. This was def the latter!

  5. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    Wow so many great tips! Portugal was already high on my wishlist of places to visit but it just went up a few notches from those beautiful photos! Do you have any pics of the Pena Palace?

  6. Jess Hanks Avatar
    Jess Hanks

    This is super helpful, as I often find it’s difficult to discover health and wellness options in exotic travel destinations! Also surprising to see that some of the hotels like Cliff Bay even provide nontoxic bath products. Since you say it’s actually kid friendly, maybe I’ll consider bringing my little ones there next year 🙂

    1. Maia Avatar
      Maia

      Yes! Cliff Bay was a home run, and Madeira an underrated island!

  7. Emily Avatar
    Emily

    The Four Seasons has never let me down. Looked absolutely stunning! I will definitely look into it for my visit to Lisbon next year! p. s. Your friends are objectively gorgeous! How do you do it?? You are known as your own best advertisement for healthy living. 😉

    1. maia Avatar
      maia

      well, thank you thank you. We are referred to as “the bingles.” 😉

  8. Brooke Avatar
    Brooke

    What an amazing trip! It’s so nice to have time away with friends and then with your husband in such a beautiful place. You deserve it!

    I have friends who are planning a trip to Portugal and I’m going to send them your recommendations.

    P.S. I went to Portugal years ago and got into a huge fight with my now husband over those tart de natas…
    He didn’t think it was worth it to wait in the line and of course I had to have one, but guess who ended up loving them?!? I love that your tour guide was able to skip the line for you!

    1. maia Avatar
      maia

      Our tour guide was truly the best!

  9. Joseph S Avatar
    Joseph S

    Thanks for posting this. I’m planning a trip to Portugal and definitely plan on checking these places out. Both hotels look fantastic.

  10. Meg Avatar
    Meg

    This trip looks amazing. We’re planning on Portugal and Spain next spring and will definitely be looking into those hotels. Side note, where can I find that stunning pink and purple floral caftan?

    1. maia Avatar
      maia

      haha, she got it on Instagram I think. I’ll let you know you love it:).