Portugal has been super popular for ten years now and it doesn't seem like thats going to change anytime soon. More and more American travelers are choosing to go to Portugal of Spain or Italy.. It's pretty easy to see why. Portugal is really affordable compared to most of Western Europe. The food is amazing and not well-known internationally. The wine is top-notch and way cheaper than what you'd pay in France. The people are really patient with tourists, which feels genuine.. Portugal has a huge variety of landscapes and experiences in a small area about the size of Indiana.
One thing to keep in mind is that Portugals popularity has caused some problems in its famous places. Lisbons historic neighborhoods and the Algarve coast can get really crowded in the summer. The prices in tourist areas have gone up a lot.. If you move a bit off the beaten path like to the Alentejo interior the Douro Valley or the Minho region in the north you'll find a Portugal that hasn't been touristy-fied yet. The food is local the accommodations are cheap and the roads are quiet.
This guide will cover what Portugal does best place by place with practical details to plan a great trip.
Lisbon. The City on Seven Hills
Lisbon is one of Europes cities and also one of its most physically demanding. Its built on seven hills with cobblestone streets and staircases. The neighborhoods require a lot of walking. Its worth it. You'll find viewpoints (miradouros) that look out over terracotta rooftops and the Tagus River estuary. The light is incredible. Its what painters and photographers spend their careers trying to capture.
The city is divided into neighborhoods, each with its character.
* Alfama is the district. It's a Moorish-era labyrinth of alleys on the hill below the castle. The Castelo de São Jorge at the top has views and helps you understand the citys history. The Sé Cathedral, Lisbons church, is on the main road below. It's Romanesque with additions and still shows earthquake damage in its cloister. Alfama is also where you'll find fado, the melancholic Portuguese music genre, concentrated. Several fado houses operate nightly. Prices vary a lot between touristy restaurants and more authentic small venues (casas de fado).
* Mouraria is below Alfama. It's where the Moorish population was confined after the reconquest in 1147. It's one of Lisbons multicultural and least gentrified neighborhoods, with great cheap restaurants and a market atmosphere on Intendente square that feels really local.
* Bairro Alto is the nightlife and restaurant district on the hill. It's dense and loud after midnight with some of the citys independent restaurants alongside obvious touristy places. The neighborhood is flat on top. You need a tram or funicular (elevador) to get there.
* Belém is four kilometers west along the Tagus. It's where you'll find the Age of Discovery monuments. The Jerónimos Monastery is the example of Manueline architecture in Portugal. Vasco da Gama is buried here. The Torre de Belém on the riverbank is the image that appears on every Portugal guidebook. The Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries) nearby is a 1960 modernist sculpture depicting Henry the Navigator leading a procession of explorers.
* The pastéis de Belém bakery (Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém) has been making the custard tarts. Pastéis de nata. Since 1837. The queue is long. It moves quickly. The tarts are warm slightly caramelized dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar and really different from the versions sold else in Portugal.
* LX Factory under the Abril 25 bridge is a repurposed textile factory housing restaurants, concept stores, design studios and a Sunday market thats one of the better weekend markets in southern Europe.
Getting to Lisbon: Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) has connections from New York, Boston, Miami, Washington DC, Newark and other US cities. TAP Air Portugal, United, Delta and American Airlines serve the route. The Metro runs directly from the airport to the city center.
Recommended time in Lisbon: 4–5 days.
Sintra. The Fairy-Tale Hills Above Lisbon
Sintra is in the Serra de Sintra hills 40 minutes west of Lisbon by train. It has royal palaces per square kilometer than almost anywhere in Europe. The hills trap Atlantic. Create a microclimate of perpetual green. The palaces rising from the vegetation look really fantastical.
The Pena Palace (Palácio da Pena) is the attraction. Built in the century as a royal summer residence by King Ferdinand II it combines Moorish, Gothic, Renaissance and Manueline elements in a color scheme that works really well. The view from the ramparts over the serra and down to the Atlantic is amazing.
The Quinta da Regaleira is one of Sintras mysterious estates. It was built in the 20th century by Brazilian coffee merchant António Carvalho Monteiro. The gardens contain an initiation well (poço iniciático). A staircase descending nine levels into the earth connected by underground tunnels.
The Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros) above the town is a 9th-century fortification. The walk along the battlements through the forest with views in both directions is worth the climb.
Note: Sintra is really popular and the roads leading to the palaces become gridlocked on summer weekends. Take the train from Rossio station in Lisbon. It's faster than driving, cheaper. Deposits you directly in Sintra town. Buy palace tickets in advance online. Visit on a weekday if possible.
Recommended time in Sintra: 1 day from Lisbon.
Porto. Wine, Bridges and the Douro
Porto is a city that people often prefer over Lisbon after visiting both. It's smaller more compact and hillier in a way. It feels less self-consciously cosmopolitan than Lisbon. It's a working city that became a tourist destination without losing its working-city character.
The Ribeira. The waterfront district along the south bank of the Douro. Is the photographed part of Porto. The narrow medieval buildings stacked above the quay, connected by laundry-strung alleys and stone staircases hold up in person. The Dom Luís I Bridge, a double-deck iron arch designed by a student of Gustave Eiffel spans the Douro between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia at two levels.
Vila Nova de Gaia on the south bank is where you'll find the port wine lodges (caves). All the major houses (Grahams, Taylors, Sandeman, Ramos Pinto) have lodges here. Tours and tastings are available at lodges; the quality varies, but the better ones. Grahams Quinta dos Malvedos experience, Taylors. Are worth booking in advance.
Livraria Lello on Rua das Carmelitas is a 1906 bookshop frequently cited as one of the beautiful in the world. It's extremely crowded now. Charges an entry fee redeemable against purchases. Go early in the morning or late afternoon.
The Palácio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Palace) nearby has an Arab Room (Sala Árabe). A 19th-century interior decorated in Moorish Revival style over 18 years inspired by the Alhambra. That is the ornate interior in Porto and one of the most impressive, in Portugal. Guided tours run throughout the day.
São Bento train station has an entrance hall. It is covered with 20,000 white tiles. These tiles show scenes from history. This is one of the tile artworks in Portugal. Portugal is famous for its tiles.
Portos food scene has gotten better over the past 10 years. The Francesinha is a sandwich that's special to Porto. It has cured meats and melted cheese. It is covered in a tomato and beer sauce. This is the citys dish.
The Mercado do Bolhão is a market. It was restored after years of renovation. It is a 19th-century market with two stories. It has iron architecture. You can find fish, cheese, bread and prepared food here.
The neighborhood of Bonfim and the Rua de Cedofeita area have the independent restaurants and coffee shops.
To get to Porto you can fly into Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport. It has flights from Newark on TAP. There are also European connections. The Metro runs from the airport to the city center.
It is recommended to spend 3-4 days in Porto.
The Douro Valley — Where Port Wine Comes From
It is east of Porto. This valley is the wine region in the world. It was established in 1756.
The landscape here is amazing. There are hills with vineyards on them. The hills are made of schist. It took years of hard work to make these vineyards. The Douro River is below the hills.
In autumn the vines turn gold and red. In spring the almond trees bloom white. In summer it gets very hot.
There are wine estates called quintas in the valley. Some are corporations. Some are family businesses. Most offer accommodation, wine tastings and vineyard tours.
Staying in a quinta for a nights is a great experience. You can wake up to the Douro River. You can eat food and drink the estates wine.
The river is navigable by boat. You can take a river cruise from Porto to Pinhão. The cruise takes two days upstream and one day downstream. You can stop at quintas along the way.
Day cruises from Porto cover the valley. The train from Porto to Pinhão is also a way to see the valley. It is one of the scenic rail routes in Europe.
Pinhão is the town in the valley. It has a railway station with tiles. The tiles show the grape harvest. There are a few restaurants and boat rentals.
Peso da Régua is a town in the valley. It is home to the Port Wine Institute. The Museu do Douro has exhibits on the history and culture of the wine trade.
To get to the Douro Valley you can take the train from Porto to Pinhão. It takes 2.5 hours. The train ride is scenic.
It is recommended to spend 2-4 days in the Douro Valley. Stay in a quinta.
The Algarve — Southern Coast Done Right
The Algarve is Portugals coast. It is 150 kilometers long. It is between the border and Cape St. Vincent.
The Algarve has water and sunny weather. It is one of the visited coastal regions in Europe. The geology here is unique. There are limestone cliffs and arches.
The western Algarve is the dramatic part. Lagos and Ponta da Piedade are here. You can explore by kayak or small boat.
Praia Dona Ana is a beach. It is sheltered between cliffs. Lagos is a base for the western Algarve. It is a town with a market and restaurants.
The central Algarve is more developed. There are resort hotels and package tourism.
Sagres is at the tip. It has Cape St. Vincent. The Atlantic meets the land here. There is a lighthouse.
The eastern Algarve has a character. There are barrier islands and tidal lagoons. Tavira is a town here. It has a bridge and a Moorish castle.
To get to the Algarve you can fly into Faro Airport. It has flights from some US cities. You can also fly to Lisbon. Rent a car or take the train.
It is recommended to spend 5-7 days in the Algarve. Stay in Lagos for the Algarve or Tavira for the east.
Alentejo — The Interior That Most Tourists Skip
The Alentejo is a region in Portugal. It covers a third of the country. It does not get tourists.
The landscape is rolling plains. There are wheat fields and olive groves. There are whitewashed hill towns and medieval castles.
Évora is the city. It has a preserved historic center. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is a temple and a Chapel of Bones.
The Alentejo is also a wine region. It produces bodied reds. You can visit wineries around Reguengos de Monsaraz and Borba.
Monsaraz is a village. It has a population of 150 people. It has views of the Alentejo plains.
The Alqueva reservoir is one of the artificial lakes in Western Europe. It is a Dark Sky reserve.
To get to the Alentejo you can take the bus from Lisbon to Évora. A rental car is recommended for exploring.
It is recommended to spend 3-4 days in the Alentejo.
The Douro and Minho — Green Portugal in the North
The Douro and Minho is a region in Portugal. It is, above the Douro Valley. It is an wet region.
The landscape has granite hills and dense forests. There are river valleys and an agricultural culture. This region has changed less in the century.
This region is a place to visit if you want to see a different side of Portugal.
Guimarães is where Portugal began. The 10th-century castle where Afonso Henriques, the King of Portugal was born is here. He also launched the campaign to make Portugal independent from León. The Castelo de Guimarães and the Paço dos Duques de Bragança are the monuments. The medieval center below them has arcaded streets and granite buildings. It's on the UNESCO list. Is still mostly intact. Guimarães is 50 kilometers northeast of Porto. You can easily visit Guimarães and Porto in the trip.
Braga is Portugals capital. The Archbishop of Braga had power than the Archbishop of Lisbon for much of Portuguese history. The city has Baroque churches. The Bom Jesus do Monte sanctuary above the city has a zigzag Baroque staircase with 577 steps. The staircase has chapels representing the Stations of the Cross. It climbs through forest to a church with views over the Cávado valley. This place has been a pilgrimage site for centuries.
Viana do Castelo is on the Lima River estuary. It's the Minhos beautiful town. The town has a grid of century arcaded streets. There's a square with a Renaissance fountain. The Gothic Cathedral and the Misericórdia church are here. The Santa Luzia Basilica on the hill above the town provides views over the Lima estuary and the Atlantic. There are beaches north of the Lima mouth. They're Atlantic-exposed and less crowded than the Algarve.
The Peneda-Gerês National Park is in the corner of Portugal. It's the countrys national park. The park has granite mountains, glacial valleys, waterfalls and ancient villages. You can hike, cycle and swim in the rivers. The park borders Spains Galicia. Shares the same geological character.
The Vinho Verde wine region covers most of the Minho. The wines produced here are light slightly effervescent and white. They're made from grapes grown on trellises. The wines are cheap, acidic and low in alcohol. They're perfect with the regions seafood.
To get to these places Porto is a base. Guimarães and Braga are 45 minutes by train from Porto. Viana do Castelo is 1 hour by train from Porto. Gerês requires a bus or car from Braga.
I recommend spending 3–4 days. This time can be added to a visit to Porto.
Óbidos — The Medieval Walled Town
Óbidos is a walled town 80 kilometers north of Lisbon. It's on the road to Porto. The town has 14th-century walls enclosing a village of about 3,000 people. There's a castle on top thats been converted into a luxury pousada. It takes two hours to walk every street inside the walls. The Portuguese royal family used to give Óbidos as a wedding gift between kings and queens for four centuries.
The main street is the tourist route. There are souvenir shops and restaurants here. The century Igreja de Santa Maria is here. King Afonso V married his eight-year- cousin Isabel here in 1444. The town specializes in ginjinha, a cherry liqueur served in small chocolate cups.
Walking the walls is free. You can see views over the olive groves and the Lagoa de Óbidos. The walk is narrow in places. Drops are significant. Don't attempt it in weather.
Óbidos is best visited as a half-day trip from Lisbon. The town is small enough to see in a few hours. Accommodation inside the walls is limited and expensive.
To get to Óbidos take a bus from Lisbon Campo Grande terminal. It takes 1.5 hours. By car it takes 1 hour on the A8 motorway.
I recommend spending half a day to a day here.
Madeira — The Island That Isn't What You Expect
Madeira is a Portuguese island 1,000 kilometers southwest of Lisbon. It's geographically closer to Africa than to Europe. The island is volcanic in origin and entirely unlike the mainland. Its been a tourist destination since the 18th century. Winston Churchill painted here. George Bernard Shaw learned to tango here.
The island is small 57 kilometers long. It rises from sea level to 1,862 meters at Pico Ruivo. The north side of the island is permanently in cloud. Covered in laurisilva. This is a subtropical laurel forest thats a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The south side, where the capital Funchal sits is sunny and terraced with banana plantations and vineyards.
The levadas are Madeiras defining infrastructure. They're a network of irrigation channels cut into the hillsides in the 15th century. They carry water from the north to the dry south. Maintenance paths run alongside them creating walking routes through the interior. These routes are flat. Have dramatic views.
Funchal is a city of 100,000 people. Its arranged in an amphitheater of hills above the harbor. There are restaurants and a covered market. The Monte Palace Tropical Garden is accessible by cable car from the harbor. The famous Monte toboggan descent in wicker baskets is here. Its been operating since 1850.
Madeira wine is produced in lodges around Funchal. The wines are extraordinary in quality and age in ways. Madeira is the wine that improves by being heated.
To get to Madeira fly from Lisbon. Direct from several European cities. Transatlantic travelers fly to Lisbon. Then connect.
I recommend spending 5–7 days
Here are some practical notes for travelers:
* To get to Portugal fly into Lisbon. TAP Air Portugal flies direct from US cities.
* Portugals train network connects Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve efficiently. A rental car is recommended for areas.
* The currency is the Euro. Portugal is more cash-reliant than many American travelers expect.
* Portuguese is the language but English is widely spoken in tourist areas.
* Tipping is not mandatory but appreciated.
* The best time to visit is May through June and September through October.
* Portugal is one of the countries in Europe.
* Eating and drinking in Portugal is significantly cheaper than, in Western European countries. Seafood is the core of cuisine.
The Honest Summary
Portugal has a lot to offer more than you would think. In two weeks you can walk on levada paths in Madeira eat bacalhau in Porto taste tawny port in a Gaia wine lodge swim in sea caves near Lagos sleep in a quinta above the Douro and visit the bone chapel in Évora. And you'll still feel like there are places you haven't seen.
The country is great for travelers who go beyond Lisbon and the Algarve and spend time in areas where Portugal is still trying to figure out tourism. The Alentejo and the Minho are those places now. The food is simple and good the landscapes are beautiful and you can still avoid crowds if you look for them.
Portugal is one of the travel destinations, in Europe. It just takes a trips to understand why.