A Quick History of Portugal for Travellers

You’ll enjoy Portugal more with a little history: why there’s a castle on every hill, why the monuments are covered in ropes and sea creatures, and why Lisbon’s centre is laid out in a grid. Here’s a quick history of Portugal for travellers, with the places where you can see each chapter.

Quick answer: Romans and Moors left their mark; Portugal became a kingdom in the 12th century (born, legend says, in Guimarães); its sailors led the Age of Discoveries in the 15th and 16th centuries (see Belém); the 1755 earthquake destroyed Lisbon; a long dictatorship ended in the peaceful Carnation Revolution of 1974; and Portugal joined the EU in 1986.

Before the Romans

People lived here long before Portugal existed. In the Côa Valley in the far north east, thousands of rock engravings of horses, goats and wild cattle were carved in the open air, the oldest more than 20,000 years ago. Near Évora, the Cromeleque dos Almendres is a field of standing stones thought to be older than Stonehenge. Later, Iron Age tribes built hilltop forts, and the Lusitanians fought hard against Rome. See it: the Côa Valley rock art, Almendres near Évora, Citânia de Briteiros near Guimarães. See Côa Valley rock art.

Romans and Moors

The Romans ruled for centuries, building roads, bridges and temples. Then, from 711, the Moors of North Africa ruled much of Portugal for over 400 years, leaving castles, irrigation, place names (anything starting “Al-”, like Algarve and Alfama) and a love of tiles and almonds. See it: Évora’s Roman temple, Silves castle, Sintra’s Moorish Castle. See Évora and Silves.

Roman Portugal was part of the province of Lusitania. Lisbon was Olisipo, and the best-preserved Roman town is Conímbriga near Coimbra, with mosaic floors you can walk beside. Mértola in the Alentejo still has a church that was once a mosque. See Mértola and the Roman villa at Milreu. Milreu has been closed for improvement works in 2026, and the reopening date is uncertain, so check before you go.

The birth of Portugal

Afonso Henriques declared himself king in the 12th century, and Portugal was recognised as a kingdom in 1143. Christian armies pushed south, taking Lisbon in 1147 and the Algarve by 1249, making Portugal’s borders some of the oldest in Europe. See it: Guimarães castle, Lisbon’s São Jorge Castle, Tomar’s Templar convent. See Guimarães and Tomar.

Afonso Henriques won control of the county of Portugal at the Battle of São Mamede near Guimarães in 1128, which is why a wall in the town says “Aqui nasceu Portugal” (Portugal was born here). In 1385, the Portuguese beat a Castilian army at Aljubarrota, and King João I built the great monastery at Batalha (“battle”) to give thanks. The next year, the Treaty of Windsor sealed the alliance with England, still described as the oldest in the world. See Batalha Monastery.

The Age of Discoveries

In the 15th and 16th centuries, Portuguese navigators explored the African coast, reached India by sea (Vasco da Gama, 1498) and Brazil (Pedro Álvares Cabral, 1500), building a global trading empire. The wealth paid for the ornate Manueline style, carved with ropes, anchors and sea creatures. See it: Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower in Lisbon, Tomar’s Manueline window, Sagres. See Sagres.

It began with the capture of Ceuta in North Africa in 1415. Prince Henry the Navigator sponsored voyages down the African coast, and the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494 split the newly found lands between Portugal and Spain. The style is named after King Manuel I. Belém Tower reopened on 27 May 2026 after works, with timed entry, so book a slot. See Belém.

Spanish rule and restoration

From 1580 to 1640, Portugal was ruled by the Spanish crown, until a revolt restored independence. Gold from Brazil later funded lavish baroque churches. See it: the gilded churches of Porto and Lisbon, Mafra Palace. See Mafra.

The crisis began when the young King Sebastião disappeared in battle in Morocco in 1578, leaving no heir. On 1 December 1640, nobles in Lisbon crowned the Duke of Braganza as João IV, and the date is still a public holiday. In the 18th century, King João V spent Brazilian gold on Mafra and Lisbon’s Águas Livres aqueduct. Mafra’s basilica has been closed for its first big restoration since January 2025, with the works due to finish in 2026, and the palace is closed on Tuesdays, so check before you go. See Mafra Palace.

The 1755 earthquake

On All Saints’ Day 1755, a huge earthquake, tsunami and fires destroyed much of Lisbon. The Marquis of Pombal rebuilt the Baixa on a grid with some of the first earthquake-resistant buildings in Europe. See it: the Baixa, Praça do Comércio, the ruined Carmo Convent. See things to do in Lisbon.

Alfama survived better, which is why its streets are still a medieval tangle.

Monarchy to republic

Napoleon’s invasions sent the royal family to Brazil in 1807. In the 19th century, romantic palaces like Pena were built in Sintra. The monarchy fell in 1910. See it: Pena Palace and Sintra. See visiting Sintra.

Wellington’s British and Portuguese troops drove the French out, and Brazil declared independence in 1822. In 1834 the religious orders were dissolved, which is why so many convents became barracks or hotels. In 1908 King Carlos and his heir were shot in Praça do Comércio, and the republic was declared on 5 October 1910, now a public holiday.

Dictatorship and the Carnation Revolution

From 1933, Portugal lived under the Estado Novo dictatorship of Salazar. On 25 April 1974, a largely peaceful military coup, the Carnation Revolution, restored democracy. Soldiers put carnations in their rifles, and the date is a national holiday. Portugal’s African colonies became independent soon after, and Portugal joined the EU in 1986. See it: the 25 de Abril bridge (once named after Salazar), Largo do Carmo.

The regime relied on censorship and a feared political police, and from 1961 it fought costly colonial wars in Africa. The signal for the coup was the song Grândola, Vila Morena played on the radio. In Lisbon, the Aljube Museum, a former political prison near the cathedral, tells the story of the dictatorship and the resistance.

Modern Portugal

Expo ’98 transformed Lisbon’s riverside (see Parque das Nações), tourism boomed, and today Portugal is one of Europe’s most loved destinations.

Portugal handed Macau back to China in 1999, adopted the euro (notes and coins arrived in 2002) and came through a hard financial crisis in the early 2010s. See the country’s World Heritage Sites in our UNESCO sites guide.

A 10-day history itinerary

Days 1 to 3: Lisbon and Belém. Day 4: Sintra’s palaces. Day 5: Óbidos, Alcobaça and Batalha. Day 6: Tomar. Day 7: Coimbra and Conímbriga. Days 8 and 9: Porto and Guimarães. Day 10: Évora (or swap it in near the start).

Days 1 to 3: Lisbon

The castle, the cathedral, Jerónimos and the Belém Tower. See Jerónimos and São Jorge Castle.

Add the Carmo Convent ruins and the Aljube Museum. Note that the National Tile Museum and the National Museum of Ancient Art are closed for restoration, so check before you go.

Day 4: Sintra

See the Sintra National Palace and Pena Palace.

Pena tickets are for a set date and time, so book ahead. Private cars can’t drive up to Pena, so take the train from Lisbon and the bus up.

Day 5: Óbidos, Alcobaça and Batalha

See Alcobaça and Batalha.

At Alcobaça, see the carved tombs of the tragic lovers King Pedro I and Inês de Castro.

Day 6: Tomar

The Templars’ Convent of Christ. See Tomar and Almourol Castle.

Day 7: Coimbra and Conímbriga

See the University of Coimbra and Conímbriga.

Coimbra was Portugal’s first capital, and Afonso Henriques is buried in the Santa Cruz monastery. By train, you arrive at Coimbra-B and take the bus link or Metrobus into town.

Days 8 and 9: Porto and Guimarães

See Porto Cathedral and Guimarães.

Day 10: Évora

Roman temple and Chapel of Bones. See Évora and the Alentejo

Évora is European Capital of Culture in 2027, with the year opening on 6 February 2027, so expect extra events and book rooms early.

FAQ

When did Portugal become a country?

Afonso Henriques won control of the county of Portugal in 1128, and the kingdom was recognised by León in 1143. The Pope confirmed it in 1179.

What was Portugal’s first capital?

Guimarães is called the cradle of the nation, but Coimbra was the royal capital from 1131 until the court moved to Lisbon in the 13th century.

Why is 25 April a public holiday?

It marks the Carnation Revolution of 1974, when a largely peaceful military coup ended the Estado Novo dictatorship. Lisbon holds a big parade down Avenida da Liberdade every year.

What is the Manueline style?

A late Gothic style named after King Manuel I, carved with ropes, anchors, shells and sea creatures. Jerónimos, Belém Tower and Tomar’s Convent of Christ are the best examples.

More: the 25 best things to do in Portugal and the historic villages.

See also: the Carmo Convent and the Monument to the Discoveries.

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