Today we say goodbye to Lisbon and head north along the Atlantic to Nazaré, home of Praia do Norte and those record-breaking, hold-your-breath monster waves. Peak season is October-April, so May is usually calmer, but if the swell gods align… damn! We’ll hike  up to Sítio for the clifftop views and walk out by the São Miguel Arcanjo lighthouse above Praia do Norte, prime lookout for whatever Poseidon decides to throw at us.

After our ocean fix, we’ll roll inland to storybook Óbidos, a tiny walled town that looks straight off a movie set: cobblestone lanes, whitewashed houses trimmed in blue and yellow, flowered balconies, and medieval walls you can actually walk. We’ll wander the Porta da Vila gate with its blue-and-white azulejos, peek into the little shops, maybe find the church-turned-bookstore (Livraria de Santiago), and of course try a shot of ginja (sour cherry liqueur) in a chocolate cup, because yes.

And tonight… we sleep like royals: inside Óbidos Castle. Sunset from the ramparts, a slow dinner in town, and a moonlit stroll along the walls if you’re up for it. Medieval adventure unlocked!

OVERNIGHT: Óbidos Castle

MEALS: Breakfast