But if you still can’t get in to see your team, there’s no need to bag the trip. With Portugal’s enticing mix of hip hot spots and Moorish history, you’ll have just as much fun off the pitch. A Tip Sheet “cleat sheet”:
The capital: Cruise Lisbon’s Bairro Alto for an eclectic mix of hippie bars and Portuguese home cooking. Try acorda, a garlicky stuffing, at Pap’ Acorda (Rua da Atalaia 57). Check out the live fado–Portugal’s soulful folk music–in the winding, old Alfama district. At the end of a dark stone street, the Alfama Grill (Rua de Regueira, 26 Alfama) serves up talented acoustic guitarists alongside mouthwatering octopus and faultless house wine. Or head east to the harbor, where the Bica do Sapato restaurant (on the Avenida Infante Dom Henrique) and hard-core dance club Lux hold sway over the city’s chicest trendsetters.
Beaches: Portugal’s coastal towns promise breezy relief from stadium swelter. On the south coast, Faro’s popular white-sand beach, Praia de Faro, offers water-skiing, fishing and rental deck chairs and umbrellas for lounging in the sun. Rumors have it that the spa waters of Monte Rea, up the northern coast in Leiria, can cure everything from rheumatism to respiratory ailments. In the northwestern cities of Aveiro and Porto, the best way to cool down is with the namesake beverage, port–enjoyed while watching the sunset from the colorful docks.
History: The city of Coimbra perfectly showcases the country’s evolution, with its Roman ruins, bustling medieval university and Inquisition-era Jardim Botanico (botanical gardens). The country’s first king, Afonso, reigned in the 12th century from the quaint northwestern city of Guimares, where his castle still stands. Nearby Braga is known as the “Portuguese Rome” for its concentration of religious architecture. You can wander through the chapels and fountains of the Santuario de Bom Jesus–and pray for the success of your home team.
