The Best Places to Visit in Portugal

Portugal packs an incredible variety into a small country: hilly capital cities, fairytale palaces, golden sea cliffs, terraced vineyards, medieval villages and volcanic islands. Here are the best places to visit in Portugal, with links to our detailed guides for each.

Quick answer: the top places to visit are Lisbon, Porto, Sintra, the Algarve, the Douro Valley, Madeira and the Azores. Add Évora, Óbidos, Coimbra, Aveiro and the Costa Vicentina if you have more time.

Why Portugal works so well

Distances are short, so you can see a lot without long travel days. The train links Porto, Coimbra and Lisbon, and the Algarve is only a few hours south of the capital. Portugal also has more than a dozen UNESCO World Heritage Sites, from the Douro vineyards to the monasteries of Belém and Batalha. See Portugal’s UNESCO sites.

The essentials

1. Lisbon: viewpoints, trams, Alfama and Belém. Ride a yellow tram up the hills, eat a pastel de nata in Belém and hear fado in the old quarters. Belém Tower reopened in May 2026 with timed tickets. The Glória, Bica and Lavra funiculars and the Santa Justa lift have been closed since September 2025, so walk or use trams and buses. Allow 3 to 4 days. See things to do in Lisbon.
2. Porto: the riverside, port cellars and tiled churches. Walk the Ribeira, cross the Dom Luís I bridge to the cellars in Gaia, and look up at the blue-and-white tiles of São Bento station. Allow 2 to 3 days. See things to do in Porto.
3. Sintra: Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira. A wooded hill town of palaces and gardens, about 40 minutes by train from Lisbon. Allow a full day and book palace tickets ahead in summer. Pena tickets are for a set date and time, and private cars can’t drive up to the palace. See visiting Sintra.
4. The Algarve: cliffs, coves and beaches. The west, around Lagos, has golden cliffs and sea caves. The east, around Tavira, has long sandy islands and quieter towns. The A22 motorway along the coast has been toll-free since January 2025. Allow 4 to 7 days. See where to stay in the Algarve.
5. The Douro Valley: terraced vineyards and port quintas. Visit by tour, car, river boat or the scenic train from Porto. The Marco to Régua section of the line reopened in April 2026 after works. Allow a day trip, or better, a night or two. See the Douro itinerary.
6. Madeira: levadas, mountains and Funchal. Walk along the old irrigation channels, take the cable car above Funchal and swim in the lava pools at Porto Moniz. Official trails need an online booking with a small fee. Allow 5 to 7 days. See the Madeira itinerary.
7. The Azores: crater lakes, whales and hot springs. São Miguel is the easiest island to start with, with the lakes of Sete Cidades and the thermal pools of Furnas. Allow 5 days or more. See the São Miguel itinerary.

Historic towns

8. Évora: a Roman temple and the Chapel of Bones. The walled old town is a UNESCO site and an easy day trip from Lisbon, about 1.5 hours away. See Évora.
9. Óbidos: a walled medieval town. You can walk part of the walls and try ginjinha, a cherry liqueur, served in a small chocolate cup. Half a day is enough. Trains on the Oeste line have been replaced by buses since storm damage in January 2026, so take the Rápida Verde express bus from Lisbon’s Campo Grande instead. See Óbidos.
10. Coimbra: the historic university. Its old library, the Biblioteca Joanina, is the highlight. Stop here between Lisbon and Porto. Fast trains stop at Coimbra-B, and the Metrobus runs from there to the centre. See Coimbra.
11. Tomar: the Templar Convent of Christ. A huge castle-monastery with a round Templar church at its heart. See Tomar.
12. Guimarães and Braga: the birthplace of Portugal and its religious capital. Guimarães has a castle and a medieval centre, and Braga has the hilltop sanctuary of Bom Jesus. Both are easy day trips from Porto. See Braga and Guimarães.

Coast and nature

13. The Costa Vicentina: wild beaches and clifftop trails. The Rota Vicentina walking routes follow the coast of the Alentejo and the western Algarve. See Costa Vicentina.
14. Nazaré: giant winter waves. In summer it’s a busy beach town, and in winter surfers ride some of the biggest waves ever recorded. See Nazaré’s big waves.
15. Aveiro and Costa Nova: canals and striped houses. Ride a painted moliceiro boat on the canals and try ovos moles, a sweet egg treat. See Costa Nova.
16. Peneda-Gerês: Portugal’s only national park. Granite mountains, waterfalls and old stone villages in the far north. Allow at least 2 days. See Peneda-Gerês.
17. Cascais: a seaside town near Lisbon. Beaches, a marina and a coastal path towards the wild Guincho beach, about 40 minutes by train from Lisbon. See Cascais.

Lesser-known places

Marvão, Monsaraz, Monsanto and Piódão. Marvão is a walled village high on a ridge near the Spanish border. Monsaraz looks over the Alqueva lake. Monsanto is built among giant granite boulders, and Piódão is a village of schist houses on a mountain slope. You’ll need a car for all four. See Portugal’s lesser-known places and the most beautiful small towns.

Getting between them

• Lisbon to Porto: about three hours by train. Intercidades fares start at about €28 and the faster Alfa Pendular at about €35. See Lisbon to Porto by train.
• Lisbon to the Algarve: trains run to Faro, but for Lagos you change at Tunes. Express buses are a good alternative.
• Madeira and the Azores: fly from Lisbon or Porto.
• A car helps for the Alentejo, the Douro and the mountains, but you don’t need one in the cities. See the Portugal train guide and driving in Portugal.

When to go

• Spring and autumn: the best all-round seasons, with warm days and fewer crowds.
• Summer: the beach season, but hot inland and busy everywhere. Festivals fill June in Lisbon and Porto.
• Winter: mild in Lisbon, the Algarve and Madeira, and good for city breaks.

See the best time to visit Portugal.

FAQ

Where should I go on a first trip to Portugal?

Lisbon, Sintra and Porto make the classic first trip. Add the Algarve if you want beach time.

How many days do you need in Portugal?

A week covers Lisbon, Sintra and Porto. With ten days or more you can add the Algarve, the Douro or one of the islands.

Do you need a car in Portugal?

Not for the cities, which are linked by train. A car makes life much easier in the Alentejo, the Douro Valley, the mountains and the islands.

Plan your route

See first time in Portugal, 7 days in Portugal and 10 days in Portugal. Not sure how long you need? See how many days in Portugal.

From our sister blog: 10 best places to visit in Portugal on Sunset Travellers.

Prices and details change, so please double-check before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us in the groups.