Portugal captivates visitors with its dramatic Atlantic coastline, historic cities adorned with colorful azulejo tiles, and a rich maritime heritage. From the vibrant streets of Lisbon to the port wine cellars of Porto, ancient castles of Sintra to the golden beaches of the Algarve, this sun-drenched country offers an irresistible blend of culture, cuisine, and coastal beauty.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you Portugal through its food.
Lisbon Old Town Food Walk
A guided walk through Alfama, Mouraria, and Intendente neighborhoods tasting traditional petiscos (Portuguese tapas) at family-run tascas, sampling ginjinha (sour cherry liqueur), and visiting the historic Conserveira de Lisboa canned fish shop.
Mercado de Bolhão Guided Market Tour (Porto)
Expert-guided morning tour of Porto's magnificent restored 19th-century market, meeting vendors, tasting regional cheeses (Queijo Serra da Estrela, Terrincho), presunto (cured ham), fresh seafood, and learning about northern Portuguese food traditions.
Douro Valley Wine and Quinta Tour
Guided day trip from Porto through the stunning Douro Valley terraces visiting two historic wine estates (quintas), participating in a private cellar tour, tasting vintage ports and red Douro wines, and enjoying a traditional regional lunch.
Pastel de Nata and Pastry Tour, Lisbon
A sweet tour of Lisbon comparing different bakeries' versions of the iconic pastel de nata (custard tart), plus tasting toucinho do céu (almond cake), travesseiros de Sintra (pillow pastries), and bolacha de manteiga (butter biscuits) from top pastelarias.
Bairro Alto Late Night Food and Drinks Tour
Evening walk through Bairro Alto and Príncipe Real stopping at wine bars for natural Portuguese wines, petiscos tastings at local tascas, and exploring the neighborhood's culinary transformation from working-class to gastronomic hotspot.
Tour formats
Different ways to experience Portugal's food scene.
Street food tours
Street food crawls through Mouraria and Intendente (Lisbon) or Bolhão market area (Porto) sampling bifanas (pork sandwiches), bifanas, caldo verde, and traditional petiscos
Market tours
Guided tours of Mercado da Ribeira (Lisbon), Mercado de Bolhão (Porto), and artisan food markets pairing producers with tasting sessions
Restaurant tours
Multi-course progressive dinners moving between 3-4 restaurants covering different regional cuisines from Alentejo to Algarve to Minho
Specialty tours
Wine and port tastings in Porto's lodges, sardine and salt cod workshops, Michelin restaurant tours, and dessert-focused pastry walks
Cooking classes
Take a piece of Portugal home with you.
Cooking Lisbon Class
Hands-on cooking class in a Lisbon kitchen teaching participants to make bacalhau à brás (salt cod with eggs and potato crisps), caldo verde (kale soup), and pastel de nata from scratch with professional Portuguese chef guidance.
Cook in Porto with a Local Chef
Begin with a guided shopping trip at Mercado de Bolhão selecting seasonal produce, then cook a traditional northern Portuguese meal including francesinha sauce, arroz de pato (duck rice), and doce de ovos (egg custard) with a Porto native chef.
Pastel de Nata Baking Workshop, Belém
Learn the secrets of Portugal's most famous pastry in a hands-on baking class near Belém. Professional pastry chef reveals the laminated pastry technique and custard recipe, then participants bake and eat their own batch with coffee.
Alentejo Home Cooking Experience, Évora
Cook in the home kitchen of an Évora local, learning to prepare Alentejo migas (bread and pork dish), açorda de coentros (coriander bread soup), sericaia (milk and egg cake), and pairing with local Alentejo wines and olive oils.
DIY self-guided food tour
Self-guided Lisbon food route through the city's most characterful food neighborhoods and historic shops
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Stop 1: Pastéis de Belém (Rua de Belém 84) — the original 1837 custard tart bakery, queue for a table or takeaway
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Stop 2: Conserveira de Lisboa (Rua dos Bacalhoeiros 34) — 1930s canned fish shop with vintage sardine tins
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Stop 3: Ginjinha Espinheira (Largo de São Domingos 8) — 1840 ginjinha bar, order with or without the cherry (com ou sem ela)
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Stop 4: Tasca do Chico (Rua do Diário de Notícias 39) — authentic petiscos and fado at lunch or dinner
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Stop 5: A Vida Portuguesa (Rua Anchieta 11, Chiado) — beautifully curated traditional Portuguese food products to take home
Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
Lunch is the main meal — menu do dia (set lunch) at local tascas offers soup, main course, dessert and drink for €8-12, the best value dining experience in Portugal
Salt cod (bacalhau) has supposedly 365 recipes in Portugal — try bacalhau à brás (scrambled with eggs and crisps), bacalhau com natas (with cream), and bacalhau à Gomes de Sá (with potatoes and olives)
Port wine is best appreciated at the source — Vila Nova de Gaia's historic lodges (Graham's, Taylor's, Sandeman, Ramos Pinto) offer free or low-cost tastings
Portuguese wine regions produce world-class wines: Douro reds, Alentejo full-bodied reds, Vinho Verde (light, slightly sparkling whites from Minho), and Setúbal Moscatel dessert wines
Seafood freshness is exceptional — order percebes (barnacles), amêijoas (clams), carabineiro (scarlet prawns), and polvo assado (roast octopus) at coastal restaurants
The Time Out Market Lisbon (Mercado da Ribeira) showcases top Lisbon restaurants in one hall — good for sampling multiple chefs without committing to a full restaurant dinner
Tipping is not mandatory but 10% is appreciated in restaurants; rounding up at cafes is common
Dinner starts late — Portuguese typically eat dinner after 8PM; restaurants open at 7:30PM and peak between 8:30-10PM