PORTUGAL: The Ultimate Guide to Gluten-free Travel

Europe
Written By TXI Studios

PORTO

As we crossed into Portugal, we noticed two things: the terrain got hillier, and gas was cheaper. We were curious to see how Portugal fared on the gluten-free scale compared to Spain.

We’d planned our route to arrive in Porto via the Douro Valley, a breathtaking stretch of winding mountain roads dotted with vineyards that stretch from the mountaintops down to the river. We made a stop in Pinhao to try some port at the Vintage House Hotel, a perfect spot right along the river.

Porto itself was bustling, especially near the river where we stayed. We took a bike tour past the bridge built by Gustav Eiffel, crossed over to Vila Nova de Gaia, and then cycled back through the Crystal Palace Gardens and were treated to a performance by folk dancers and musicians.

We also rode past the Livraria Lello, the bookstore that inspired J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, though we weren’t inspired enough to wait in the long line to get inside. Our guide wasn’t a fan either, as the bookstore owner had displaced his family from the neighborhood. Gentrification seems to be everywhere. 

Cork and pork are Porto’s specialties, but after weeks of Iberian ham, we were craving something different. Enter Uga Ramen, a neon-lit ramen joint. They had gluten-free options, and my husband got a nifty bib to protect himself from his ramen. I had a curry with a fantastic salad and a proper glass of iced tea. Simple joys.

LISBON

After a quick train ride to Lisbon, we checked into our space-age hotel. My husband dubbed our room the “Starship Enterprise” room because the shower and toilet were round, and the doors shut like a space capsule.

We quickly headed to the Time Out Market, where locals can enjoy Michelin-star chefs without breaking the bank. We tried Liberta, a pasta spot with both indoor and outdoor seating. They had gluten-free pasta, not homemade like the rest of their pasta, but I was happy.

Gluten-free bolognese

We also explored the Mex Factory at the LX Factory, a hip complex of restaurants and shops. As San Antonio taco snobs, we weren’t sure what to expect, but their tacos hit the spot, especially when paired with tortilla chips and Mexican street corn. This chef wasn’t from Mexico, but my restaurateur friend from Guadalajara discovered a truly authentic Mexican restaurant during her visit to Lisbon.

We didn’t fare well on our hop-on-hop-off bus tour. It was hot, and the information provided was minimal—mostly mournful Fado music. We ended up enjoying wandering the streets more, sitting along the river at dusk, listening to buskers, and watching the crowds.

Sintra

Sintra, a UNESCO site, sounded intriguing, so we booked a tour. They wisely kept it limited to the outside of the colorful and somewhat inauthentic National Palace of Pena (it was too hot and the lines were too long) and focused on the Quinta Da Regaleira.

The Regaleira was built by an eccentric millionaire who was also a Freemason. The grounds featured a rock staircase that descended underground as part of Freemason rituals, with all kinds of mysterious symbols—think Dan Brown and The Da Vinci Code.

In Sintra, our guide took us to Casa Piriquita, a 135-year-old bakery, where I nibbled the pastries (definitely not gluten-free). More gluten-friendly was our lunch at a local restaurant outside of Sintra, Adega das Azenhas. We feasted on local fish (the Atlantic was just a few miles away), sangria, and a variety of unique treats, savory, sweet, and a very strong liquor.

Our tour looped back to Porto, with stops at the westernmost point of Europe (Cabo de Roca) to imagine Magellan arriving by sea, and the dramatic Boca do Inferno (Hell’s Mouth) rock formation. Legend has it that a sorcerer was angered when a beautiful women he had captured fell in love with her rescuer. The sorerer caused the cliffs to open up like a mouth and swallow the lovers.

A drive by the charming beach town of Cascais ended our lovely jaunt out of Lisbon.

Hell’s mouth

On our final night in Lisbon, we treated ourselves to a lovely dinner with a view of Lisbon at the hotel Memmo Principe Real. Many European restaurants, like this one, have an intricate guide for multiple food issues on their menu, but that doesn’t mean that they offer any dishes without the offending substance.

This restaurant did have a vegan menu, which is more than most, and one loud American on the patio was exclaiming that his cocktail was the best he had ever had.

Though this restaurant wasn’t particularly gluten-friendly, the sunset over Lisbon was the perfect way to end our time in Portugal.

Enzymes for gluten support
Abby's Nutrition Blog
TXI Studios https://txistudios.com/
Next

SALAMANCA, SPAIN: Tasty Gluten-free Travel