FAQs

Growing up we were fortunate to travel a fair bit around Portugal, and we have never stopped exploring, so we know our beautiful country pretty well. When we started JO&SO, we first focused on those places we already knew of and loved. We also talked to our friends and family to try to get as much inside info as possible. We keep a list of places we want to visit, we call this our <joandso-fontello><joandso-fontello>Watchlist .

Portugal's highlights include its beautiful beaches, historic cities, delicious cuisine with traditional solid roots, excellent wine, fado music, art, football, and cultural festivals. It is also known for its rich history of exploration and maritime discovery. Additionally, Portugal is famous for its cork production, which is used for various products such as wine bottle stoppers and flooring.

Ericeira, a picturesque seaside town, is located on Portugal's western coast, approximately 35 km (21 mi) northwest of Lisbon. Nestled between Sintra and Mafra, it offers breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. As the first World Surfing Reserve in Europe, it is easily accessible via Lisbon's A8 and A21 motorways, making it a popular coastal destination.

Comporta is a region located on Portugal's west coast, situated between the municipalities of Alcácer do Sal and Grândola. Approximately 120 km (75 mi) south of Lisbon, Comporta is only a 90-minute drive from the capital, although you’ll feel a world away.

We don't provide bespoke travel advice or personal recommendations, nor do we work as a travel agent. All our top tips are already available for free on this website to help you plan your trip.

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We believe March to June and September to November are the best times to visit Portugal, offering milder weather and fewer crowds. While summer is ideal for beach and outdoor activities, temperatures can often reach the 30s Celsius. Furthermore, destinations such as Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve can get crowded during the high season. 

Ericeira is the first World Surfing Reserve in Europe, known for its stunning coastline, beautiful beaches, and world-class surf spots. This seaside gem, nestled on Portugal's west coast, offers a charming town with whitewashed houses, cobbled streets and excellent seafood restaurants.

Comporta boasts long stretches of white sandy beaches and pine forests. The region is also famous for its scenic rice paddies, fresh seafood, and outdoor activities, including horse riding, hiking, and birdwatching. Comporta is highly regarded for its luxurious rustic-chic accommodations, boutique shops, and a culinary scene that delights foodies.

We strictly don't let a place pay its way to be featured on our website. Everything we feature on joandso.com has to be 100% because we like it. We also review our lists regularly. On JO&SO, we only feature what we consider to be the best boutique hotels, guesthouses and holiday rentals in Portugal. You can submit your place for us to review here.

Some of the must-see attractions in Portugal include the historic cities of Lisbon and Porto, the Douro Valley wine region, the beaches of the Algarve, and the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Sintra and Évora.

Surfers should head to Praia de Ribeira D’Ilha and Praia dos Coxos for the best waves in Ericeira. Praia dos Pescadores and Praia do Sul are probably the best choices for swimming, but always be careful of strong tides. Praia de Foz do Lizandro is a long sandy stretch with a scenic boardwalk.

Comporta has 60 km (37 mi) of white sandy beaches with crystal-clear waters. The main beaches—Praia da Comporta, Praia do Carvalhal, and Praia do Pego—provide facilities like restaurants, bathrooms, and lifeguards during summer. Secluded beaches like Praia dos Brejos and Praia do Pinheirinho are worth exploring but may require some walking, and we recommend not relying entirely on GPS.

Sure, you can submit a hotel here. 🙂

Traditional Portuguese dishes include Bacalhau (salt cod), fresh grilled fish, seafood, Cozido (meat stew), Caldo Verde (kale soup), Frango Piri-Piri (spicy roasted chicken) and rice-based dishes such as Arroz de Marisco (Seafood Rice). The most famous sweet treat is Pastel de Nata (custard tard), but a little-known fact is that chocolate mousse is a prevalent choice in Portuguese restaurants.

The easiest way to get to Ericeira is by car, which takes approximately 40 minutes to an hour to travel about 50 km from central Lisbon. Bus travel time varies depending on the route taken and stops made, but generally takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes. There are also some private transfer services and taxi options available.

To reach Comporta, the easiest option is by car from Lisbon Airport (LIS), taking less than 90 minutes via the highway. Another option is taking a ferry from Setúbal to Tróia, with a similar overall journey time. Taxis in Comporta need to be pre-booked and are relatively expensive. Grândola train station is approximately 32 km (20 mi) from Comporta’s village. Having a vehicle is recommended.

Yes, here are some boutique hotels in Portugal that are great for families.

It depends on what you’re looking for. Our favourite months are May, June, September and October because it’s quieter and the weather is still great. Note that July and August are busy and hot. However, there are plenty of sunny and warm days in the winter in the Algarve which can be lovely especially if you come from colder countries.

The weather in Portugal varies depending on the region and season. The southern coastal Algarve is known for its warm and sunny weather, while the northern areas, like Porto, can be cooler and more rainy. Overall, Portugal has a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot summers.

Located near the Atlantic, Ericeira enjoys a microclimate with mild winters and temperate summers, averaging 20-23°C (68-73°F). Despite winters having average temperatures of 11-13°C (52-55°F), the sun remains strong year-round. Weather can fluctuate due to northern winds, yet the region maintains a generally pleasant climate throughout the year.

The weather in Comporta is generally mild and sunny year-round, with temperatures ranging from 15-25°C (59-77°F) in the summer months and 10-15°C (50-59°F) in the winter months. Note that Comporta experiences a mosquito season, which typically occurs during the warmer months of July and August.

Some common Portuguese phrases that you may find helpful as a tourist include "Obrigado/a" (thank you), "Bom dia" (good morning), "Por favor" (please), "Fala inglês?" (Do you speak English?), "Sim" (Yes), “Não” (No) and "Onde fica?" (where is it?). Many Portuguese are comfortable speaking English and Spanish, while others can speak French.

We genuinely love all of them. Lisbon and Porto are the cities where we spend most of our time, and they're both fantastic in different ways. We love the Algarve's beaches and laid-back nature; it smells wonderful too! But then we are also very passionate about sleepy Alentejo (South) and the stunning Douro (North). The Azores are magical. It's hard to pick 🙂

Yes, many times.

Sure! To begin with check our book The 500 Hidden Secrets of Porto by JO&SO. It might be the best travel guidebook about Porto but we might be a little bit biased. 😉

We own and recommend the following guides:

Portugal: The Monocle Handbook: Your guide to the best hotels, restaurants, beaches and design, by Tyler Brûlé, Andrew Tuck, Joe Pickard
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LOST iN Lisbon: A City Guide

Lisbon (The Monocle Travel Guide Series) by Tyler Brûlé

The 500 Hidden Secrets of Lisbon by Miguel Júdice
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We did a video with the lovely folks at Condé Nast Traveller, where we talk about the neighbourhood where we grew up:

Foz do Douro, Porto, by JO&SO: Off the beaten track

We don't charge any booking fees when you book a hotel through our website. However, we may include affiliate partner links that allow us to earn a small commission from sales, without any extra cost to you. Rest assured that everything we recommend on our website is because we love it. By booking through us, you are also supporting what we do and helping us to maintain an ad-free with no paid content.

We sometimes accept hotel invitations but will only visit it and feature it if we love it. Our rule of thumb follows these two questions, 'Would we come back?' and 'Would we recommend it to a friend?'

On joandso.com we feature all kinds of places to stay in Portugal. It could be a luxury five-star hotel, a boutique hotel, a simple guesthouse or even a tent in the middle of nowhere. We look for beautiful design, thoughtful service and good energy.

We (Joana and Sofia) personally try and test all the places marked as <joandso-fontello><joandso-fontello>Visited. We want to experience everything first-hand to ensure that we only recommend hotels in Portugal that we would suggest to our friends. We also want to showcase the soul of the places, which could never happen if we didn’t stay there. We also feature the hotels in Portugal that are at the top of our <joandso-fontello><joandso-fontello>Watchlist and that we look forward to visiting next.

On joandso.com we mostly feature hotels and guesthouses, but sometimes we also include villas. We have written about what we consider the best holiday rentals in Portugal, you can check it out here: Where to Stay in Portugal: Handpicked Holiday Homes, Apartments and Villas.

Under each hotel review (the hotels marked as <joandso-fontello><joandso-fontello>Visited), we sometimes recommend a couple of restaurants. Just scroll down or select 'Local Tips' from the sub-menu. Sometimes in our articles (in the Journal) we also mention our favourite places to eat. Also check out our Lisbon TipMap, Porto TipMap, Comporta TipMap and our paperback book 'The 500 Hidden Secrets of Porto'.

We love travelling and between the two of us, we have visited over 30 countries. We always try to find special places to stay. Below are the hotels that hold a special place in our hearts:
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Papaya Playa Project – Tulum, Mexico

The Siam – Bangkok, Thailand

Zeavola – Phi Phi, Thailand

Bann Makok – Koh Kood, Thailand

Bambu Indah – Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Villa Jacaranda – Varkala, Kerala, India

HOSHINOYA Tokyo – Tokyo, Japan

Hudson Central Park – New York, USA

Soho Beach House – Miami, USA

Home Hotel – Buenos Aires, Argentina

The Soho Hotel – London, UK

Babington House – Somerset, UK

We think Portugal has an incredible amount of gorgeous small hotels and guesthouses, especially in proportion to the country's small size. We have yet to find other websites similar to JO&SO in other countries, but we like the selection of boutique hotels on Best Boutique Hotels Worldwide.