The Best Destinations to Visit in Portugal

Framed by twin crescents of golden sand and set behind a cape of caramel-coloured cliffs, Lagos is quintessentially Algarve. But unlike many of the region’s towns it hasn’t lost its original charm. The old centre, which clusters around the boat-bobbing Bensafrim river, is filled with 18th-century townhouses and Baroque churches (rather than concrete condos), and the bars and restaurants that fill the higgledy-piggledy alleys behind the medieval castle still feel as local as they do touristy.

Twin bays separated by sea-arches, coves cut from crumbling cliffs, golden swathes of sand that seem to stretch for eternity, it’s no surprise that Albufeira draws the hordes. They cram the beaches and golf courses in high summer, but come in spring (when the surrounding hills bloom with wildflowers), or autumn (when the sea is still warm), and the whitewashed, Moorish village at its heart is as quiet as birdsong.

Most visitors see the Algarve’s capital from the aeroplane or transfer bus, which means that despite its touristic location, the city remains resolutely Portuguese. With its cobbled streets the old centre feels medieval and is crammed with ancient buildings, including the 13th-century cathedral – its massive, fortified tower guards an interior glittering with beautiful azulejo tiles. There are wonderful beaches, too, cresting the wild Ilha do Farol to the south, where you’ll see more wading birds than tourists.

The narrow streets and leafy squares of Madeira’s capital clamber up a hill from the sparkling Atlantic. There are wonderful views at every turn, especially from the sub-tropical Monte Palace gardens and the hulking fortress that crowns the city. Columbus and Cristiano Ronaldo (who has his own museum) are former residents, and the city bursts with historical sights – the cathedral and Colégio church (with magnificent gilt interiors), opulent Quinta das Cruzes mansion and the bustling art deco Lavradores market.

The capital city of Portugal’s sweltering Alentejo rises up a hill – in whitewash and terracotta – to a magnificent ruined Roman temple. Ancient aqueducts bridge crumbling Moorish walls, narrow alleys ring with the peal of bells from an array of ancient churches (including St Francis, with its grisly chapel of human bones) and the city makes the perfect access point for the stone circles, vineyards and castle villages which litter Portugal’s forgotten interior.

Exotic flowers, balmy climate and, OK, quite a hair-raising approach by plane: there’s something special about Portugal’s subtropical island offcut, 1078km (670mi) southeast of the mainland in the Atlantic Ocean. Traditionally a winter retreat for older people seeking sunshine, it’s grown into the trendiest of Portuguese destinations – the capital, Funchal, offers one of the best New Year’s Eve parties in the world. Make sure to take the ferry to nearby Porto Santo Island, where you’ll find one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in Portugal. A visit at any time of year is worth your while.

Don’t miss Portugal’s second city. Like the capital, Porto unfurls beside a major river and possesses its own old, colourful townscape. Love azulejo tiles? You’ll adore nosing around São Bento station, where walls are gleamingly surfaced with these beautiful ceramics, as far as the eye can see. The pleasure of Porto is its digestibility – a long weekend is easily enough time to saunter about its gardens, medieval palaces and cathedrals before thoughts turn to dinner. The cuisine is widely held to be the best in the country, and even the simple francesinha – a ham and steak sandwich baked with cheese – is ambrosial. With Culture Trip, you can enjoy a culinary walking tour of Porto on our specially curated nine-day Portugal adventure. Visited not least for its celebrated port, Porto is also your gateway to the Douro Valley, where vineyards race away in braided expanses, to the horizons and beyond.

It’s for good reason the capital sits at the top of a zillion must-visit lists: it is a seduction of the senses, whether you’re loving the custardy sweetness of pasteis de nata, the savoury salt-fish zing of bacalhau, or the beauty of the calçadas (traditional mosaic walkways). Lisbon remains one of the most affordable, tranquil capitals in Europe. By day, it draws you up steep and winding alleyways to phenomenal lookout points. By night, mouthwatering aromas and wistful, melodic vocals (known as fado) drift from intimate restaurants lining the cobbled labyrinths. In trendy Chiado, discover the oldest bookshop in the world. And in boho-chic Bairro Alto, prepare to down a few crisp, cold Sagres beers as the neighbourhood becomes livelier with each passing hour.

Surfing is as good as a religion in Portugal, and the little fishing village of Ericeira has acquired a near spiritual status among incurable wave-riders. North of Lisbon, it’s no trouble to get to – you can be there by bus in barely more than an hour, for a smattering of Euros – and while it’s not the closest beach town to the capital, it is certainly one of the busiest. If surfing isn’t how you roll, that’s not a problem: in Ericeira it has evolved into something of a spectator sport these days, with eager crowds admiring the athletic antics. Ericeira’s restaurants major in fresh, delicious seafood. Pick your table, load up on sardines and octopus salad and graze away the days until late-night escapades in Lisbon beckon you back.

The Algarve is one of the best places to go if you like your weather warm, your hiking adventurous and your beaches trendy. Portugal’s southernmost region is a postcard of whitewashed settlements, manicured golf courses and expensive, expansive resorts. Sure it’s touristy, but it’s also a place of escape, with tiny fishing villages and coves where jewel-bright waters are cradled by dramatic cliffs. Whether you like it or not, everyone speaks English – handy if you need directions and can’t muster a word of Portuguese. After all, the Algarve has long been synonymous with retired Brits abroad, hence the air-brushed feel around such places as Albufeira and Vilamoura. Don’t lose heart if you want to break away from the tourist crowds: there is much still relatively undiscovered, and tranquil towns include Sagres, Tavira and Aljezur, to name but a few.

Escape the crowds by visiting the Alentejo region, which also features on Culture Trip’s exclusive small-group Portugal tour. Its capital city, Évora, has a mysterious character that makes it a perfect Halloween destination – don’t miss the Capela dos Ossos, or Chapel of Bones. Inside (and on) the walls of this 16th-century church are approximately 5,000 human skeletons. The Alentejo region is rich in historical sites, among them the Cathedral of Évora and the spindly white-stone Templo de Diana – generally considered to be one of the best-preserved Roman structures anywhere in the Iberian Peninsula. Alentejo is blessed with photogenic villages where you can enjoy nature, get stuck into proper Portuguese comfort food and swill down some seriously phenomenal wine.

Poking up in the foothills of the eponymous mountain range, Sintra appears almost cartoonish at first sight, with its vividly coloured walls, its bottle-green gardens and its Disney-like crenelated castles. No wonder kids love it – and so many people day-trip out from Lisbon, 30km (19mi) or so to the southeast. You’ll need to stay overnight to take it all in, and you won’t regret investing 48 hours – or even more – in a hotel sojourn. From the romantic 19th-century Pena Palace to the medieval Castle of the Moors, this is a destination with all the fairytale appeal of Camelot or Westeros. So it comes as no surprise to learn that Hans Christian Andersen once lived in a house in the woods of Sintra. You may well stumble upon it as you bowl back downhill from the palatial sights.

It doesn’t get much more magical than this: a stay in a city fully embraced by hulking castle walls. Charming, picturesque and romantic, Óbidos is the sort of place you need a camera for – it’ll make your Instagram account a million times more colourful. The beauty of the place lies in its trademark white houses framed in bright flowers, and its souvenir shops, happy to welcome, but not desperate for, tourist trade. Don’t miss a taste of Ginja de Óbidos, a lurid cherry liqueur sometimes served in tiny chocolate cups. Once offered as the wedding gift from Portuguese kings to their queens, the city has developed a reputation as one of the most romantic destinations in Portugal. If you’re a booklover, don’t miss a stay at the spectacular Literary Man Hotel.

Portugal isn’t all beaches, which brings us to Serra da Estrela, home to the highest mountain peak in continental Portugal (the highest being in Pico Island, the Azores). North of Lisbon, sharing its latitude with the Spanish capital, Madrid, it’s not the simplest destination to get to, but believe us, a visit more than repays the effort. This is Portugal for nature lovers and winter-sports enthusiasts: the remote mountain range of Serra da Estrela has plenty to see and do, and is a magnet for skiers in winter. Sparsely speckled with tiny villages, including one of the seven wonders of Portugal, the mountain feels deliciously remote, with the natural world the obvious attraction. But epicureans won’t be left in the lurch: the local homemade honey and creamy, pungent cheese are memorably delicious.

In the very heart of Portugal is a city that attracts more visitors than most of the others put together. The reason? Coimbra is home to a significant number of Roman and medieval ruins and has further historical pedigree, having once served as the capital of the country. Among the most visited tourist attractions is the University, which is one of the oldest continually operating, degree-seeking institutions in the world. But Coimbra’s greatest claim to fame is its library; the Baroque-styled Biblioteca Joanina has been listed numerous times as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world.

Nearly halfway between the American and Portuguese coasts is the Azorean archipelago, each island as deserving of your holiday time as the next. The largest, São Miguel, is the easiest to reach by air, and is a wonderful rolling green oasis with plenty to absorb you for a few days. This is a thoroughly Azorean experience, helped by hiking trails, waterfalls and beautiful twin lakes called Lagoa das Sete Cidades. An absolute must-visit is the small village of Furnas: as the last word in volcanic power, here you’ll discover the natural, mineral-rich hot springs and calderas in the ground.

Here’s one for wannabe time travellers: Monsanto, near the Spanish border, has been known nationally as the most Portuguese village in Portugal since 1938, when the title was voted in. Occupying some challenging terrain, it derives its name from the 750m-high (2461ft) mountain about which it clusters, Mons Sanctus, and its fame stems from its unique looks. Like something from a children’s storybook, it was built to accommodate gigantic boulders already lying around, and its little granite homes appear in places to be almost squashed by them. Come to savour the atmosphere of an earlier century or era, wandering alleys barely wide enough for donkeys, let alone cars, and pass through little squares where elderly people chatter.

Located in Minho, a region known for its beauty, Peneda-Gerês National Park is an oak forest paradise containing within it a winding Roman road displaying ancient markers, bridges and waterfalls. Camping is allowed in specific parts as is swimming in some of the natural pools during the warmer months. This is an excellent option if you’re itching to stretch your hiking legs or dust off your bird-watching binoculars.

If you have a little time to spare, visit the country’s first capital, Guimarães. In the 12th century, Portugal’s first king, Afonso I, ruled from here, his birthplace. Since then the city has basked in its reputation as “the Birthplace of Portugal”. It’s an easy 50km (31mi) jaunt from Porto by car or bus, and you can visit the castle where the king and many other historical figures once resided.

Tying together past and present is Portugal’s fourth-largest city. It has an upbeat, youthful population – labelled European Youth Capital in 2012, it’s a hit among students from the nearby University of Minho. Brimming with cafes, shops, restaurants and bars, the city is properly vibrant, but it’s also known for its sublime spiritual side. The unique cathedral is the oldest in the country, and just beyond town is the extraordinary Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte. Find it on a hill in the woods, surrounded by gardens. If you’ve got the lung capacity you can climb the 116m (381ft) of stairs for a magnificent view at the top.