Traveling Portugal with Life Threatening Food Allergies

Traveling Portugal with Life Threatening Food Allergies!

In our last travel post, What it’s Really Like to Travel to Spain and Portugal with Food Allergies, we share how our European journey begins in Spain.

The 1st chapter of our trip is designed not just for adventure, but for inspirating and educating for our Food Allergy Community.

Part 2 starts here as we board a flight from Madrid to Porto, Portugal on a short flight on Iberia Air for our 12 days in this beautiful Old-World Country!

See how we keep safe flying with food allergies on our Instagram reel that has over 55,000 views & Follow us on our Instagram for LOTS more Food Allergy Travels, Reels & Real Life! 🤩

Traveling with multiple, anaphylactic food allergies, means every destination comes with a layer of uncertainty.

From:

• New language
• Unknown local dishes/ingredients
• Truly understanding cross contact & cross contamination & SO MUCH MORE!

Invite to Portugal

But when my husband Joe qualified for his companies High Achiever’s Club trip to Portugal, we saw an opportunity not only to see one of Europe’s most charming & historic countries, but to learn & share what it’s really like to travel to Portugal with life-threatening food allergies.

Could Portugal be done safely?

Would we actually be able to relax & and enjoy – even Portugal’s well-known food culture?

Over the next 12 days, from Porto to Lisbon, with stops in storybook towns & sacred pilgrimage sites we set out to answer all these questions & more!

If you have questions or want to see more, contact us here

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Traveling Portugal with Life Threatening Food Allergies

Arriving in Porto, Portugal is already charming us!

Perched along the Douro River, the city feels both historic & vibrant at the same time.

But for every new destination for travelers like us, who have serious food allergies, the 1st question isn’t our sight-seeing, it’s

What & Where can we safely eat?

So, as always, researched in advance: grocery stores, markets & possible food allergy friendly restaurants near our accommodations.

And that’s where we are going next as our Airbnb is not quite ready for our arrival.

Nearby is the gorgeous Galeria Do Largo Restaurante, who very kindly responded to all of our email questions about accommodating for our many anaphylactic food allergies to:

• Peanuts
• Legumes
• Shellfish
• Soy
• No cross contamination especially with peanuts & tree nuts as well as dairy & meat intolerances

😀 A LOT, right?

Now you may know why we always say if we can travel somewhere, you probably can too!

And their scrumptious lunch of fresh fish with green beans in a tasty homemade tomato-based sauce – SAFE (for our food allergies) & YUMMY!!

They also are able to make us a #dairyfree Cappuccino and asked if their homemade chocolate truffles would be ok for the non-allergic people, which is very kind and delicious included treat!

After this amazing lunch, feeling incredibly hopeful for our Portugal trip! I could certainly eat at Galeria Do Largo every meal!

Pre-Trip Preparation with Food Allergies

Of course, don’t want to repeat too much from our Part 1 blog post on Spain & Portugal with Food Allergies but preparing is super important with Food Allergies especially visiting new places.

We highly suggest you have:

• Translation Cards specifically for Food Allergies – Use our link for up to 30% off (usually 10% off). We THANK YOU for supporting our woman owned business!
• Grab our free Ultimate Packing List here specifically for Food Allergy Trips – all kinds of travels: long weekends, 3 weeks in Europe, Caribbean…
• Insulated “Handy Dandy Backpack Cooler” & Hydrapeak’s Insulated warm/cold food container – Both are key to food allergy travel safety

As soon as our condo is available for us to check in, we leave Galeria Do Largo to drop off our luggage & explore cobblestoned and colorful Porto!

Our condo is in the city center and allows us to quickly stop at the Mercado do Bolhao market to pick up fresh fruits, dairy-free milk, eggs for tomorrow’s breakfast & some Portuguese wine.

Personally, we enjoy a vacation rental so that we can feel like we actually live in a place, even if only a short time & make a few meals/snacks. Super helpful with food allergies!

Almost back to our condo & we see a line outside Castro – a traditional Portuguese custard tart that is SO GOOD!!

Now this is not good for all food allergies, but Castro replied that they have gluten, dairy & soy. No peanuts or nuts anywhere!!

And they laughed when asked about shellfish or fish! 😅 You can watch these little morsels of deliciousness being made in front of you.

Our 1st Dinner in Portugal – Food Allergy Friendly

Soon we’re hungry again & this time head to nearby LSD Largo Sao Domingos restaurant where their kind hospitality & allergy-friendly homemade foods take our breathe away!

In the Ribiera District of Porto & 1 of the most beautiful squares, the servers and food at LSD Largo Sao Domingos are outstanding!

As a super fun dinner, we are able to smoke our own salmon (again, safe for our specific #foodallergies) with a little olive oil, capers & a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Our next course is a delightful, pearl couscous with roasted pumpkin, mushrooms and herbs is divine!

LSD Largo Sao Domingos has both inside & outside tables & serves a refreshing Portuguese sparkling DOC Bairrada Espumante wine.

Pro Tip:

If you have a food allergy, research in advance fining & production methods of any alcohol. For us, the DOC production means it’s a strict production method & ingredients, so safe for our specific food allergies.

Note: they do have many common food allergens on their seasonal menu, but they are able to accommodate for our specific #foodallergies – you must always vet for your specific food allergies as everyone has different dietary requirements & things can change.

💞 I think I am in LOVE with Portugal!

So far, traveling Portugal with life threatening food allergies is very doable in my experience.

Seeing the Sights of Porto with Food Allergies

Set along the scenic Duoro River, Porto is known for its colorful hillside buildings, historic bridges & relaxed charm.

Some places we highly suggest & really enjoyed:

• Walking thru Ribiera District & across the Dom Luis Bridge
• Afternoon tasting Porto’s incredible Port Wines (we enjoyed Ramos Pinto Port winery)
• Leisurely boat ride on the Duoro River
• Excursion to see Portugal’s famed wine country in the Duoro River Valley (tour company our travel consulting clients have used with food allergies: Living Tours)
• The beautifully tiled Sao Bento train station
• Cathedral of Porto – Stunning 17th century church built as a fortress – really!
• Historic Clerigos Tower – Porto’s undisputed landmark

Traveling Portugal with Life Threatening Food Allergies – Fado with Dinner

As it happens, we are in Porto on my birthday & Joe has made arrangements for us to spend an unforgettable night of dinner & traditional Portuguese Fado music at Taberna Real Fado.

Not sure their dinner will be safe for everyone who has food allergies.

Although they replied to our email that they do not have peanuts, nuts & can avoid many other food allergens if noted on booking & again when you arrive.

Now, this is a GREAT Birthday present!

We’re able to walk back to our condo, enjoying the warm night air.

Another morning of preparing a yummy breakfast of farm fresh eggs and fruit on our terrace, overlooking the Duoro River!

Spectacular! 😁

More Local Places to Eat with Food Allergies in Porto, Portugal

On our last day in Porto, it’s raining again so we take the Gaia Cable Car to see Porto from up high!

And go exploring for a restaurant we had emailed before leaving the USA: Cozinha da Ci.

OK this is seriously an unbelievably fantastic restaurant! Please make a reservation & email in advance for your specific food allergies.

This incredible small restaurant is the Best of the Best!! Owner & chef said about their signature sausage dish – served in a flaming ceramic dish:

In the north they call it chorizo, in my country it’s sausage.

I tasted many before I decided because I had the ones my mother made as a reference.

These are from Oriola and they really take me back to the memories I have of home

As we are really hungry on arrival, order their scrumptious cod fish pawns which is served with a traditional rice & beans in a red sauce.

Others order olives, cabbage soup, eggs with mushrooms & peppers & their specialty pork with French fries & a green salad.

Can you say Best Day Ever!!

After walking almost 20,000 steps around Porto, many hours later, we are again hungry for some dinner.

Pop into Pregar, which is right next door to our condo for some tuna sushi, house-made sangria, bacalao (cod) sandwich & traditional Portuguese Francesinha sandwich.

Of course, we are licking our lips!

McDonalds Abroad with Food Allergies

Traveling Portugal with Life Threatening Food Allergies means possibility of a McDonald’s meal.

Usually, McDonald’s is a safe back up for us on unexpected travel delay days or a break from our picnic meals.

However, pea protein is a legume and we are anaphylactic allergic.

SO, not always good for us as plant burger, vegan cheese & buns can be made with pea protein.

Our best option is to go to the kiosk, which in the EU, lists out the Top 14 Food Allergens.

Also, note your food allergies on the order & show translation cards (our link & discount code AnEasyJourney saves you 10% & we are most grateful!) to the manager to double check safety.

For those with Alpha Gal or meat allergies/intolerance, EU fries do not have beef tallow!

Of course, things can change, so always vet each time.

Porto to Lisbon & Medieval Towns In-between

All too soon, we are preparing for our car service to drive us from Porto to Lisbon. A fantastic alternative to the train.

And really helpful for being able to manage our environment with food allergies.

HIGHLY recommend Daytrip!

As a part of their services, you are able to add a few stops en route to your final destination & this makes Daytrip priceless!

Pilgrimage Site Fatima & The Real Deal

As our wonderful Daytrip driver John has all kinds of info on Fatima – 1 of Catholic/Christian’s most important pilgrimage sites.

Visiting Fatima is a peaceful & intensely personal experience. Grateful that we are able to join the thousands of people who are here for the 10 am rosary.

Many people arrive peacefully praying & lighting candles.

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima is an incredible spiritual Complex where 3 shepherd children saw apparitions of the Blessed Mother Mary in 1917.

John, our driver, offers to take us to see the shepherd children’s actual houses, which is not far away. Amazing experience, highly recommend!

After our stops, we invite John to lunch at a very nice restaurant, Casa Plátano restaurante.

Not surprising, they offer many traditional Portuguese dishes & are able to accommodate for our specific food allergies.

In addition to our lunch of cod over rice & veggies, others enjoy lamb with roasted potatoes & a yummy appetizer of veggie soup. So good!

Exploring Portugal with Food Allergies – Obidos

One of the absolute highlights of driving from Porto to Lisbon is seeing such interesting towns along the way, like Obidos!

Hidden Gem alert for most Americans!

Walking through Obidos felt like stepping back into a medieval postcard. From whitewashed homes with flower-filled balconies & castle walls looking into the beautiful countryside!

As expected, I wish we would have stayed a few nights in this beautiful town!

And their traditional cherry liquore, is delicious!

The best way to end your trip to Óbidos is with a shot of “ginja de Óbidos,” or “ginjinha”.

This cherry liqueur is a famous local drink and is often served in a chocolate cup. It originated with 17th-century monks from the region, who combined Morello cherries and brandy, and drank it as an aperitif or after dinner. Today, any time is a good time to try the dark red drink, as many visitors to Óbidos do. You’ll find several spots down Rua Direita where you can have a sip and may even buy a bottle. In fact, it just may be the perfect souvenir. – Portugal Tourism Board

Final Thoughts Portugal with Food Allergies

As you can see, this blog post is only through Fatima, Portugal.

Our Lisbon food allergy adventures will continue in another post.

However, to finish up, so far, our trip to Portugal with multiple anaphylactic food allergies is AMAZING!

The kindness & hospitality Portugal is renowned for is found everywhere.

Planning & prep are key of course.

Personally, I would be careful of shared fryers, appetizer boards & the larger Time Out multi-food vendor places as (for us) the business & small areas to prepare foods is concerning for us with multiple anaphylactic food allergies.

However, Portugal is really very good for many food allergies. Definitely excited to explore more of this historic & hospitable country!

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