Portugal 2025

If you had told me a week ago that a relaxing holiday to Portugal would double as a high-intensity cardio camp, I probably would have packed different shoes.

My partner, David, and I just got back from an incredible week-long getaway. We opted to stay in Oeiras, a charming coastal town nestled just outside the hustle and bustle of Lisbon. We were incredibly fortunate because a family member owns a flat there, which they kindly let us use. Not having to pay for accommodation was an absolute game-changer and made the whole trip so much friendlier on our wallets!

It served as the perfect base camp—peaceful, scenic, and, as we quickly found out, excellent for hitting our fitness goals (whether we meant to or not!).

Here is a look inside our Portuguese adventure.

Let’s start with our daily ritual. Every single day, David and I laced up our trainers and walked from the flat down to the stunning Carcavelos Beach. The golden sand and crashing waves were worth every bit of effort.

The catch? We were absolutely crushing our step counts, averaging 10,000+ more steps every day than we usually do. We felt incredibly accomplished... until a few days in when we realized there was a train station right nearby that could have saved our calves a whole lot of work.

Lesson learned: Always check the local transit map before you start marching under the Iberian sun. Still, the views (and the guilt-free pastéis de nata) made the extra miles worth it.

For another day trip, we took the train in the opposite direction to the gorgeous coastal town of Cascais. It’s famous for its dramatic seaside scenery, but our most memorable highlights were wonderfully eclectic.

First, we stopped for lunch and ordered a Katsu curry. The twist? It was delivered to our table by a robot waiter! Naturally, we had to follow up that futuristic tech experience with something a bit more old-school, so we headed to a local Irish pub for a few cold pints of beer. You really can’t beat the combination of high-tech curry and a classic pub vibe.

On our quieter afternoons, we found our absolute favorite spot to relax: Parque dos Poetas (Poets Park) right in Oeiras. It’s a beautiful, sprawling green space dedicated to Portuguese poets and writers, and it was practically on our doorstep.

We spent hours there, slowly wandering through the sculptures, chatting, and alternating between rich Portuguese coffees and cold beers. It was the perfect place to slow down, reflect on the week, and finally give our feet a well-deserved rest.

Portugal completely stole our hearts. Having a home-away-from-home in Oeiras gave us the perfect mix of local charm, beach days, and easy access to the big sights without the hefty price tag. If you’re planning a trip anytime soon, we highly recommend it—just maybe look up the train schedules before you walk to the beach!

Until the next adventure,