20 Best Places to Visit in Portugal

Portugal's sun-washed capital sprawls across seven hills above the Tagus. Wander Alfama's tiled alleys, ride tram 28, and end with pastéis de nata in Belém.

• • Alfama & Castelo de São Jorge
• • Belém Tower & Jerónimos Monastery
• • LX Factory and Time Out Market

The soul of the north — a UNESCO old town of blue azulejos, port cellars and the Douro river snaking under the Dom Luís I bridge.

• • Ribeira & Cais de Gaia
• • Livraria Lello
• • Port wine tasting in Vila Nova de Gaia

A fairy-tale hillside of palaces cloaked in Atlantic mist. Pena Palace's colours are pure Instagram; Quinta da Regaleira's initiation well is pure magic.

• • Palácio da Pena
• • Quinta da Regaleira
• • Cabo da Roca — Europe's westernmost point

Terraced vineyards tumbling to the Douro — Portugal's most cinematic wine region. Cruise the river, sleep in a quinta, drink young ports at source.

• • Quinta hopping around Pinhão
• • Miradouro de São Leonardo de Galafura
• • Historic Régua–Pinhão train ride

Golden cliffs, hidden sea caves and 300 days of sun. Kayak into Benagil, hike the Seven Hanging Valleys, then dinner grilled by the harbour.

• • Benagil sea cave
• • Ponta da Piedade
• • Praia da Marinha

The 'floating garden' — subtropical peaks, black-sand coves and 2,150 km of levada walks. Cable car to Monte, toboggan back down.

• • PR 1 Vereda do Areeiro hike
• • Mercado dos Lavradores
• • Cabo Girão skywalk

Nine volcanic islands rising from the mid-Atlantic. Sete Cidades' twin lakes, geothermal cooking at Furnas and whale-watching offshore.

• • Lagoa das Sete Cidades
• • Cozido das Furnas
• • Poça da Dona Beija hot springs

A UNESCO walled city in the Alentejo plains — Roman temple, chapel of bones, and some of Portugal's best cellar-priced reds.

• • Templo de Diana
• • Capela dos Ossos
• • Almendres Cromlech at sunrise

A perfectly preserved medieval village inside its walls, famous for cherry liqueur served in dark-chocolate cups.

• • Walk the castle walls
• • Livraria de Santiago
• • July Medieval Fair

Home of the world's biggest surfed waves. Ride the funicular to Sítio, watch monsters at Praia do Norte from the lighthouse.

• • Praia do Norte in autumn/winter
• • Sítio viewpoint
• • Fresh grilled sardines

Old university city on the Mondego — the Joanina Library is a Baroque jewel, and fado here is sung by men in black capes.

• • Biblioteca Joanina
• • University of Coimbra tour
• • Fado ao Centro

Portugal's Venice — art-nouveau townhouses along canals plied by moliceiro boats. Try ovos moles and hit the striped huts of Costa Nova.

• • Moliceiro canal cruise
• • Costa Nova striped houses
• • Ovos moles tasting

Where Portugal was born — a medieval castle, a leafy old town and a 'Aqui Nasceu Portugal' sign that means it.

• • Castelo de Guimarães
• • Paço dos Duques
• • Largo da Oliveira

The country's religious heart, with Bom Jesus's zig-zag baroque staircase and one of Portugal's liveliest student café scenes.

• • Bom Jesus do Monte
• • Sé Catedral de Braga
• • Semana Santa processions

Portugal's only national park — waterfalls, wild ponies, granite villages and the Roman road across the Serra Amarela.

• • Cascata do Arado
• • Vilarinho das Furnas submerged village
• • Trilho dos Currais

A palm-lined former royal resort 30 minutes from Lisbon — smart marina, Boca do Inferno cliffs, easy escape to Guincho beach.

• • Boca do Inferno
• • Praia do Guincho
• • Bike ride to Cabo Raso

Turquoise-water beaches under the Serra da Arrábida, plus dolphin-spotting boats and Portugal's best fried cuttlefish.

• • Praia de Galapinhos
• • Serra da Arrábida drive
• • Sado estuary dolphin tour

Skip the airport gate and stay — Faro's walled cidade velha opens onto a lagoon of sandbar islands teeming with birds.

• • Ilha Deserta boat trip
• • Cidade Velha & Sé
• • Ria Formosa kayak tour

The most graceful town of the eastern Algarve — Moorish castle, Roman bridge, and a ferry to endless Ilha de Tavira sand.

• • Ilha de Tavira beach
• • Castelo de Tavira
• • Salt-pan sunset walk

The 'most Portuguese village in Portugal' — stone cottages wedged between and under giant granite boulders on a hilltop above the Beira plain.

• • Castelo de Monsanto
• • Capela de São Miguel
• • Sunset from the summit