Do you want to know the Best Places To Visit In Portugal? Though Lisbon and Porto get a lot of attention, Portugal has much more than just gorgeous historical cities. From lush river valleys to golden beaches and craggy mountains, every area in this little Iberian country offers distinct features.
Mostly depending on your own tastes, you will find the best sites to visit here. Go to the Algarve if you prefer sun-kissed beaches and aquatic activities; Évora boasts rich, traditional cuisine scene and historic architecture. Start planning your trip with our advice on the ideal places to visit Portugal.
Tourist stroll around the old town center’s cobblestone streets.
Go to Óbidos, a medieval town, during one of its celebrations. Flickr
1. Óbidos The ideal hilltop town.
Advertisation(Best Places To Visit In Portugal)
Wandering the labyrinth of historic lanes in the mediaeval town of Óbidos is magical at any time of year, but visiting during one of its celebrations will be especially rewarding. At a medieval fair or the biggest international literature festival, Folio, Portugal, you could not demand a better venue for a mock-up jousting match or a literary excursion.
2. Nightlife is better in Lisbon.
Seven major hills frame Lisbon’s postcard-perfect panorama of cobbled alleyways, white-domed cathedrals, and large civic squares, so producing an amazing scene formed over ages. Visiting museums like the Museu Nacional do Azulejo, touring castles like the mountaintop Castelo de São Jorge, and savoring the city’s well-known pastéis de nata are just a few of the activities the Portuguese capital provides.
Lisbon’s partygoers take over by night, filling old-fashioned drinking bars, brassy jazz venues, and open-all-night clubs soon the sun sets. You might also investigate the growing craft beer scene in the city at bars and breweries.
Perched on a bluff above a beach, a visitor with a camera watches sunset.
Southern beaches and clifftops of Setúbal Peninsula provide seclusion. Getty photos
3) Peninsula Setúbal
Perfect for rugged, cliff-sided beaches(Best Places To Visit In Portugal).
For Lisboetas, or Lisbon residents, the Setúbal Peninsula, south of Lisbon, has long been a weekend get-away. You get to the Costa da Caparica, a seemingly limitless coastline that gets wilder and less inhabited as you move south, by ferry then by a brief bus or bicycle ride. This is the venue whether you wish a surf lesson, some time on the sand, or dinner with a view of the lapping waves.
Go to the Parque Natural da Arrábida, close to the southern end of the peninsula, if you wish some tranquility. There are cliffs covered in rich flora, picturesque coves and beaches like Praia do Portinho da Arrábida, with excellent sand, azure waves, and remnants of an old Roman settlement.
4. Douro Valley.
One of Portugal’s most beautiful locations is right east of Porto. Europe’s oldest known wine area is formed by the flowing Rio Douro running past tall slopes covered in precisely terraced vineyards. Whether by boat, train, or car, the Douro Valley presents amazing vistas, especially around the little town of Pinhão in the middle of the region.
Many guests arrive on a day trip from Porto, but stay the night at one of the vineyard-surrounded guesthouses, including Quinta Nova or Casa Cimeira, to really enjoy the area.
A set of castles on a hill in yellow and red with domed turrets.
Less than an hour’s train ride from the capital Lisbon, Sintra seems to be another planet. This is a great day getaway from the downtown throngs. Looking like something out of a fairytale, this medieval hillside township is peppered with stone-walled bars and lorded over by a multicoloured palace.
The backdrop for this storybook environment—which comprises great castles, stunning gardens, strange residences, and centuries-old monasteries tucked among the woods—are forested slopes.
5. Évora
For historical architecture, Évora is superb.
One of Portugal’s best-preserved medieval cities and a great place to spend a few days, Évora is right in the middle of the Alentejo region. Little, winding paths within the defenses of the 14th century lead to amazing sites including a beautiful town square, Roman ruins, and a complex medieval church.
But Évora is more than just a musty museum; it’s also a vibrant university town with a range of eateries offering great, filling Alentejan cuisine.People seated at café tables beneath umbrellas in a bustling city square.Start at Porto’s Ribeira neighborhood, which features plazas bursting with cafés. ross Helen/Getty Images.
6. Porto:
Perfect for leisurely urban exploration.
Among the most romantic cities you could ever conceive is Porto. Little pedestrian lanes, medieval churches, and cafe-dotted plazas guiding the eye down to the Douro River and its famous bridges define Portugal’s second-largest urban core. Obviously, there are plenty of fun adventures right here. Start at the Ribeira neighborhood, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, then cross the bridge to tour centuries-old port vineyards in Vila Nova de Gaia, where you might taste the best port worldwide.
Additionally instructive about Porto’s history—both the drink and the city—as well as other facets of Portuguese culture is the World of Wine, a sizable complex of museums, restaurants, and bars with a view of the city. Porto is unique in its dignified past, modern architecture, international restaurants, vibrant nightlife, and cultural events, yet these are breathing fresh life into the city.
7. Minho
(For old towns and forest walks, Minho is perfect)
The Minho, a green area of vineyard-covered valleys, rocky mountains, isolated beaches, and little river towns that have stayed mostly unaltered over time appeals especially to the Portuguese. The entry to the area, Braga, features Roman ruins, a famous medieval cathedral, and calm flower-trimmed plazas strewn with outdoor cafes and eateries.
Further north, Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês is a large, hostile wilderness with breathtaking mountains, meandering streams, and stone villages that appear anchored in time. Many of the hiking paths meander across the region, past crumbling Roman roads, castle remains, and brilliant waterfalls.
If you’re traveling in the summer, cool off in the lovely swimming holes; they’re among the best places to be in Portugal in the heat.A large clock tower and ancient buildings round a broad open city square.On the Rio Mondego, Coimbra is an old university town. Getty Images:
8: Coimbra
Perfect for a student environment.
Rising sharply from the Rio Mondego, Coimbra, Portugal’s most atmospheric college town, boasts one of Europe’s oldest universities in its lovely medieval portion. While the tune of fado, Portuguese soulful folk music, pours through the Moorish town gates and into the stained-glass windows of the historic Café Santa Cruz, students wearing black capes stroll the small lanes.
Planning advice: Adults would appreciate the medieval alleyways of the densely packed historic centre and the town’s student-driven nightlife. Families with young children would find Portugal dos Pequenitos, a theme park featuring miniature versions of Portuguese sites, perfect.
9. Serra Natural Parco Natural
Great for winter alpine sports and hiking.
The highest mountain range in Portugal, the Serra da Estrela is the destination for tough beauty, outdoor adventures, and peeks of a past way of life. From a large network of high-country paths with amazing vistas, hikers have choices.
Slalom down Portugal’s sole ski slope at the highest point, Torre top, which has been artificially raised to 2000m (6561ft) by the building of a not-so- hidden stone monument. Oh, and did we bring up the fluffy roadside-playing sheepdog puppies? You’ll want to bring one home.
10. A quiet family break would be perfect in the Algarve.
Portugal has plenty for sun worshippers to enjoy. The south coast of the Algarve is well-known for its lovely and varied shoreline; you may either find coastal calm on amazing wild beaches backed by wind-carved cliffs or join the throngs on the packed sands of major resorts. Days are spent surfing some of Europe’s best breakers, walking long distances down the shore, or playing in the waves.
One of Portugal’s better locations for kids is also the Algarve. Best Places To Visit In Portugal like Family-friendly beaches, water parks, and a range of outdoor pursuits abound here.
[…] Read More; 10 Top Best Places To Visit In Portugal | For Couples First Time […]