First post here after years of looking in from the outside. I'm an experienced European traveler, but somehow, this is my first time to Portugal - I've been looking forward to this trip for 30 years. I'm flying into Lisbon in mid June of 2025 and will spend approximately 2 weeks traveling with a plan of heading north and splitting time between northern Portugal and Galicia, Spain (fell in love with their seafood, wine, and beer, in other parts of Spain) and then returning to Lisbon for departure. I plan to have a car.
As the title says, I' looking to steer clear of the tourist crowds (e.g., I've already decided I'm skipping Sintra and Cascais) -- I have a bias towards the coast, but understand that there are some great towns inland. I love authentic food, wine, coastal fishing towns, and lighthouses, and don't need or want a high-end/luxury experience and don't need to "check the box" to see the thing everyone says must be seen. I'd love to get some insights from the experienced travelers on this forum of regions, towns, villages and/or specific taverns, tascas, restaurants, wineries, experiences along this route that would fit these criteria. Thanks in advance for your insights and comments.