Portugal off the beaten path
When people first think of the country Portugal, they often think of Lisbon, Porto or the Algarve. I myself, Jetty ter Haar, Manager Operations at Uniglobe Alliance Travel, have been to Lisbon several times, but had never gotten around to visiting Sintra. It is, especially in high season, often nice to travel off the beaten track and then a visit to Sintra or Terceira is certainly suitable! Sintra is the former summer residence of the Portuguese Kings, which is a stone's throw from the capital. Terceira belongs to the Azores archipelago and can be combined well with Lisbon.
In this blog, I briefly take you through these special destinations, so that on your next business trip to Portugal, you might be able to combine a bit of business with leisure, or Bleisure!
The journey to Lisbon
Depending on where you live or leave from as a business traveler and what the final destination is, we always pick the most favorable flights. In my case, I departed from Düsseldorf, with Eurowings to Lisbon. Airlines these days often offer different types of fares, so did Eurowings (part of the Lufthansa Group), which I flew with. I chose a "smart fare" which means one piece of checked baggage and seat reservation is included. They also offer a "basic fare" in addition. This fare is more advantageous, however it does not include checked baggage and seat reservation. Depending on your needs, we will always offer the most suitable fare.
Arrival in Lisbon
The Lisbon airport is quite compact, making it a nice place to arrive. I was taken by bus to the baggage carousel and within a short time I was outside with my luggage. From the airport it is about a 30-minute cab ride to the heart of downtown. However, as mentioned, I was not going to Lisbon this time, but straight to Sintra.
I booked a rental car in advance through Sunny Cars, which was ready upon arrival. The advantage of Sunny Cars is that all necessary insurances are included, so there are no surprises afterwards. Sunny Cars is a car rental broker. The booking is made through Sunny Cars, but the car is booked with a reputable car rental company (e.g. Avis, Hertz, Sixt etc.). They also have good contacts with reliable local rental companies.
On to Sintra
Located 30 km west of Lisbon, Sintra has been a World Heritage Site since 1995. Its beautiful location, cool hills and springs made Sintra the summer residence of Portuguese kings. A recommended place to stay in or around Sintra is the Pestana Sintra Golf Resort & Spa hotel. A 4-star hotel, beautifully and quietly located in the hills near Sintra, within a 10-minute drive of the sights. Pluses of this hotel include an extensive breakfast buffet, you can walk straight from the hotel onto the golf course, and there are also plenty of opportunities for relaxation. Check out the Spa or take a dip in the outdoor pool.
People always say that Sintra is surprisingly beautiful and enchanting. From personal experience, I can say that this is definitely true! The town is full of fantastic castles and palaces. The striking palaces are silent witnesses to the wealth of yesteryear. If you want to visit everything, you can definitely set aside a few days for this. While visiting Sintra, do not skip a visit to Palácio de Pena. In fact, a visit to Sintra is actually equivalent to a visit to Palácio Nacional da Pena. The reason the palace has different architectural styles and colors is because the palace has had several owners who added their own style to the structure. When the weather is nice, it is well worth having a cup of coffee on the terrace and enjoying the view. On the terrace there is a sundial and a cannon and the peculiarity is that the two are connected by a mechanism. This was set so that every day at noon the cannon was fired.
From Sintra to Terceira
Flight time from Lisbon to Terceira is about 2 hours and 45 minutes, direct with TAP Air Portugal, Portugal's national airline. In Economy Class, legroom is not very spacious, but despite the short flight, one does get a snack and a drink. Again, a rental car was ready, booked through Sunny Cars. The airport is very small, so you'll be outside in no time. Once on the road with the car, one immediately notices the wonderful nature of the island.
Terceira in a nutshell
Ilha da Terceira is one of the main entry points to the Azores and, together with the islands of Graciosa, Sāo Jorge, Pico and Faial, forms the central group of this Archipelago. Among other things, what makes Terceira so special is the contrast between the natural beauty of this volcanic island and the admirable work of man in the historic center of Angra do Heroísmo, the capital, which was founded in 1534. The city has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In terms of nature, wild rocky coasts and bizarre volcanic phenomena abound. There are also small towns with a rich ethnographic heritage worth visiting, such as the wine village of Biscoitos, the fishing village of Sāo Mateus da Calheta or Sāo Sebastiāo with its Holy Spirit Temple. There is one sandy beach present on the island at Praia da Vittoria.
As for accommodation, I personally chose to stay a few nights in the capital and a few nights on the coast. In the center of Angra, I stayed in a nice 3-star hotel right in the center, on the main square of the city. The name of the hotel is Angra Garden hotel. Very comfortable are the suites where there is a sitting area on the 1e floor is with shower and toilet and a bedroom on the 2e floor with a bath and toilet. The hotel also has a spacious meeting room for up to 120 people.
On the coast, I stayed in a comfortable 4-star hotel with sea views, just outside Praia de Vittoria; Hotel Atlantida Mar. It is a small hotel where most of the rooms offer sea views. There are standard rooms and suites. The suites have a kitchenette and are very spacious.
(Group) activities
Terceira is great for organizing outdoor activities, so if you are looking for an active group or incentive trip in an undiscovered pearl, consider Terceira (or any other pearl of the Azores)! Some examples for day excursions:
- Day tour of Terceira's hotspots
- Dolphin spotting
- Tour with a UTV (Utility Task Vehicle)
- Whalewatching
- Cave tour
- Outdoor lunch with traditional dishes
Are you curious about the possibilities for a business trip or incentive trip To Lisbon, Sintra, Terceira or any of the other Azores? Then don't hesitate contact with us.
Travel Well
Jetty ter Haar
Manager of Operations Rotterdam
