THE BEST 20 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN PORTUGAL

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There are always reasons to go (and return again and again) to our neighboring country, Portugal. Whether to wander through the picturesque neighborhoods of the capital, to cross the waters of the Algarve, dotted with caves and sensational rock formations, or to get lost in small and charming villages. The Portuguese country offers the traveler endless alternatives, and it is impossible not to find a plan that suits our tastes. It also has a strong and marked personality that we love! Portugal is a joy for the eyes, the palate and the mind. In this post we will tell you the best 20 things to see and do in Portugal.

1. We start with your capital, Lisbon Not only does it seem like an essential stop on a trip to Portugal, but we also risk including it in our list of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Its attractions are almost endless, although we are left with the Alfama neighborhood and the many viewpoints that give brutal snapshots. Here we tell you everything to see and do in Lisbon.

2. The next city to be visited in Portugal before or after is none other than the wonderful Port. Stroll along the Ribera, contemplate the Bridge of Don Luis I, freak out with the tiles of the Sao Bento station, have one (or two) drinks from Porto ... are some of the many things to see and do in Porto.

3. Not too far from Porto is located, Coimbra. If your trip coincides with May 1, you can attend the traditional “Queima das Fita”, during which university students who finish the race burn ribbons of different colors (each represents a faculty). Definitely something curious to see. But if you go in another era nothing happens: Coimbra is a World Heritage Site and that is always synonymous with a good handful of interesting places. Stroll through the historic center to discover them, visit the University, the Old Cathedral of Coimbra and the beautiful Joanina Library.

4. The Alentejo region It is a paradise for roadtrips and rural tourism lovers. It has interesting towns such as Evora, Elvas or Monsaraz, as well as landscapes that take away the hiccups such as Lake Alqueva, the Alentejo Coast or the Crómlech de los Almendros, some megalithic monuments among the best in the Iberian Peninsula.

5. I will be born It is a small town known worldwide for its immense waves. Ok, not everyone has the skills to surf those giants, but the good thing is that we can see someone who does it 🙂 The best time to see their famous waves is from October to March.

6. A couple of years ago we were lucky to do a housesitting in the Algarve and we were able to explore in depth one of the most beautiful regions of Portugal. Along its coast and also in its interior area, there are countless emblematic places and interesting plans, from navigating sea caves to crammed with grilled sardines in a fishing village. So it is best to focus on the top 10 things to do in the Algarve and spend a few days. Here are some tips for traveling to the Algarve.

7. Not many visit Guimaraes, another World Heritage city, and we do not understand the reason: it is beautiful, small and with an exciting history ... in fact many say that "Here nasceu Portugal”And Guimaraes is like a small Portugal condensed into a handful of streets. Without many pretensions, but with a lot of charm. And a stub: it eats fancy.

8. The food deserves a separate point, because not only does it eat well in Guimaraes, but the Portuguese gastronomy It's delicious wherever you go. There are many typical dishes, but we are left with the bacalhau with creams, the Little Frenchie, the cataplana, all the soups (how delicious they are!) and for dessert ... a good Belem cupcake! We really like everything XD

9. One of the most curious destinations in Portugal (and probably the most macabre) is in Evora and it is a chapel decorated with thousands of skulls and bones. Is the Capela dos Ossos and puts goosebumps. And it is not the only one: we saw one, smaller but equally as impressive in Alcantarilha, a small town in the Algarve.

10. And from a macabre site we turn to one that could well be the set of a Disney movie: Sintra. It is one of the most typical day trips in Lisbon, so it is worth extending your stay in the capital to devote at least hours to this beautiful destination. One tip: early morning because the things to do here are not few, among which you can not miss seeing the Palacio da Pena and travel the spiral stairs of the Quinta da Regaleira. But there is much more (soon we tell you in the blog).

11. We were not, but if you are a believer, in Portugal there is a place where more than 5 million pilgrims go every year: Fatima, where the virgin appeared on several occasions, and her famous Sanctuary. There are tours from Lisbon that also include visits to Óbidos and Nazaré like this.

12. An experience, if more earthly, that you should live yes or yes in Portugal is to attend a Fado show. The Alfama neighborhood in Lisbon is an ideal place to do it (although it is not the only one). Listening to those popular songs full of melancholy will soften your traveling heart.

13. The Douro region It is one of the most beautiful in the country, dotted with wineries, vineyards and villages that seem anchored in another era. We recommend you rent a car and travel it for several days, but if you only have one day, a good idea is a tour that includes Pinhão region cruise, wine tasting, food, visit of villages and Spanish speaking guide. More info here.

14. The city of Panties It boasts an exciting history: during the Roman occupation it was a very important administrative center and over time it became the religious and spiritual soul of the country. So you will understand that there are no short churches around here, in fact in Braga is the oldest in Portugal: the Cathedral of Santa María de Braga. Of course, the prettiest is, without doubt, the Bom Jesus do Monte Sanctuary with its famous baroque staircase.

15. Ohhh the Azores islands, that volcanic archipelago of 9 islands washed by the Atlantic is a paradise for nature lovers. Here you will find wild beaches, natural pools, you can see whales and dolphins, meet people full of personality, do adventure sports, relax in the sun or enjoy dream landscapes like Lagoa do Caldeirão. Come on, they are much more than "the house" of Cristiano Ronaldo, who was born in Madeira, in case you don't know ... Here we tell you the best thing to do in the Azores Islands.

16. Explore the Vincentian CoastIt is technically part of the Algarve, but it has a totally different roll. Here everything is more wild, from the waves of the Atlantic to the landscapes. One tip: do not miss a sunset at the Lighthouse of Cabo de San Vicente, the westernmost point of southern Portugal.

17. We will not be very original defining Aveiro like Portuguese Venice, but everyone knows her like that. This little corner of the coast of Portugal is full of canals, bridges, gondoliers (well, here they are helmsmen) and houses with the colors of the most striking. It is a cheerful and very photogenic site (it is one of the mecca of instagrammers in Portugal, with that I tell you tote). Of course, Venice is unique, there is no paragon!

18. Another place that there is no instagrammer that is lost is the North Coast Beach, a coquettish environment, with a huge beach on one side and houses ready to be immortalized on the other. I don't know how many times I saw the pictures of those red / blue and white striped houses online! One tip: you can visit Aveiro and the North Coast on the same day, since they are about 10 km away. If you do not have a car you can opt for a guided tour that leaves from Porto (€ 40).

19. In the northeast of Portugal, very close to the border with Spain, is the Peneda-Gerês National Park, full of hiking options (eye, for all types of audiences and fitness states), villages and panoramic roads.

20. We finish this list of the best things to do in Portugal with one of its most beautiful and half-unknown corners: the Berlengas Islands. They are a small archipelagos of 3 islands (Berlenga Grande, Estelas Islands and Farilhoes-Forcadas), located just 10 km from the Coast. If you have the opportunity to go, do not think about it, because we assure you that you will not regret it! Cliffs, crystal clear waters and the fort of Sao Joao Batista await you, which could well be a Game of Thrones scenario. Eye: due to sea conditions, they can only be visited from May to September. There are boats from Peniche for € 20 (i / v).

Sure there are many more things what to see and do in PortugalBut these 20 are a good start, don't you think? The best thing is that we have the country to the ladito, the flights to go are cheap (and we can even arrive by car / bus!). Do not hesitate to come and go again and again: there is always something new to discover.