Portugal: Insider guide to 5 places to see on your trip to Portugal – destinations and experiences is written by Paloma Fjord.
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The Portugal trip contains a little bit of everything
It can be difficult to know where to start and end in Portugal, so here is a guide to 5 places you must experience. when traveling to Portugal.
The country is relatively unspoilt, and it is a perfect alternative to the more classic southern European travel destinations – both as a weekend trip and for a longer trip.
It is easy and safe to travel around Portugal; the portugals speak excellent english and are always helpful, there is plenty to experience and the prices are really reasonable.
So take an adventure to the best Portugal destinations here.
Experience the many facets of beautiful Portugal on the journey
Portuguese gastronomy is super delicious and varied.
It is Mediterranean cuisine at its best, and the desserts are very diverse and always worth trying. Portugal is a coffee country, and the locals especially drink small strong espressos, a so-called 'bica'. All of this can be recommended to be explored at the local restaurants - called 'tascas' - where prices are fortunately at a level that most people can afford.
In addition to the mainland, Portugal is also an island kingdom consisting of the volcanic island Madeira and the rocky archipelago Azores.
If you are traveling to mainland Portugal, we recommend flying to Porto rather than Lisbon, as flights to Porto are often cheaper.
From Porto you can easily catch a bus to Lisbon. It takes about four hours if you don't stop and see anything along the way. You can also rent a car in Porto, drive around the small country and experience all the destinations recommended in this article.
When you finally end up at Algarve coast in the south, you might as well stay a while, as the beaches and coastline are some of the most beautiful.
Lisbon: High on life in Portugal
The capital of Portugal Lisbon is in many ways a wonderful city to be a tourist in.
It has been praised for this in recent years, winning the 'Best City Destination' award at the World Travel Awards. For the same reason, the city can feel a bit overcrowded, and it is therefore recommended that you look a little further away from the classic tourist destinations.
We recommend you to experience Lisbon both on land, at sea and from the top.
On land, the capital is best experienced from the windows of a bustling tram. When talking about Lisbon, trams are a must. They are a great way to be transported up and down the cobbled hills and get a first-hand insight into city life.
Tram number 28 covers the most photogenic route, as it runs through the steep, narrow streets of, among other things, the Alfama neighborhood, which can be seen in the pictures above.
Lisbon is best experienced by water from the Tagus River. Here you can take a fantastic boat trip along the city and out to the historic district of Belém. The beautiful light that always adorns Lisbon really comes into its own when you experience the city's colorful buildings from the water on a sunny day.
From the top, Lisbon should be experienced from the many hilltops. It is said that Lisbon is built on seven hilltops or seven hills. Therefore, there are also many beautiful viewpoints where there is always life and from where you can, for example, enjoy the fantastic sunset.
Viewpoint is called 'miradouro' in Portuguese. I would recommend the viewpoints Miradouro Santa Catarina, Miradouro da Senhora do Monte and Miradouro Monte Agudo.
Small and lively Porto in northern Portugal
Porto is located in northern Portugal and is the country's second largest city and definitely one of the Portugal destinations you shouldn't miss on your trip.
You could say that Porto is a bit like Lisbon's relaxed little brother: While Lisbon can feel a bit crowded in places, Porto is still less well-known and less hectic. However, the city is reminiscent of the capital, as it is also filled with steep hills, old houses with tiled facades and a large, beautiful river: the Douro.
The Douro River is a wonderful place to settle down. A glass of port or local 'green' wine is especially recommended - vinho verde - in the sun.
Everyone who visits Porto should stop by the world-famous bookstore Livraria LelloThe bookstore's old mahogany interior and overflowing bookshelves are said to have given author JK Rowling inspiration for the Hogwarts school of wizardry's castle library known from Harry Potter.
If you visit Porto, do not deceive yourself to walk around and explore the winding streets with old historic buildings and the ubiquitous scent of grilled sardines.
In the city's oldest quarter, Ribeira, which is next to the river, you can really feel that Porto is an old and somewhat dilapidated city. However, it is aged with grace and charm, which is only underlined by the fact that the locals are known for being very smiling and helpful.
On top of Portugal in the Serra da Estrela
Serra da Estrela is the highest mountain area in Portugal and is located in the northwestern part of the country, and most of the year the mountain peaks are snow-capped, although the temperature is comfortable.
It is obvious to take on active hiking and explore the beautiful views on your own. If you only have a day or two, you can also easily rent a car for example in Porto. From there you can drive to Serra da Estrela and have the beautiful landscape and snow-capped views served up on a silver platter.
Serra da Estrela has a strong local culture, and don't be fooled into passing by the many small villages.
Local ham and cheese, a particularly delicious bread, homemade slippers and soft woolen socks are sold here. In addition, the area has a special breed of dog that thrives in the cold, and which you meet in all the villages. It is extremely sweet, plush and cuddly.
The rural region of Alentejo – Portugal’s cork and wine country
Alentejo is the region located east and especially south of LisbonIt is known for having truly beautiful flat natural areas adorned with cork trees, vineyards and a rich birdlife. For example, you can't drive for many minutes without seeing a stork sitting in a tree by a large stork's nest.
I would recommend that you rent a car in Lisbon and drive around the Alentejo. That way you can experience the small local villages, the beautiful landscapes and the beaches in the west.
On your road trip do not deceive yourself to eat in the most local places you can find, as the gastronomy of Alentejo is recognized throughout Portugal as the very best.
In recent years, many foreigners have also settled in the Alentejo region. They have opened up many types of alternatives retreats og yoga placesIf you're into that kind of thing, it's definitely worth seeking out, because there's plenty of it.
Every other year, a large alternative festival run by volunteers called Boom Festival is held. Here, electronic music, yoga and psychedelia up in a higher unit.
Alentejo's largest city, Sines, also hosts a major world music festival, FMM Sines, every July. Alentejo is easy to get to and is definitely one of the Portugal destinations worth visiting on a trip to the elongated country.
Visit the scenic Algarve - Portugal's beach paradise
One of the other great places to visit is the south coast, which is a favorite tourist destination - and rightly so. The entire coastal area, which includes boats Atlantic coast og The Mediterranean coast, adorned with large golden rocks and clear turquoise blue water.
The major cities in the area are called Lagos, Albufeira and Faro. However, I would say that all three are characterized by mass tourism and are not very exciting in themselves. The exciting thing is to find a hotel in a remote nature area and rent a car or scooter and drive around from there.
With a little GPS to help you can explore the area on your own and find fantastic untouched beach areas. Since the Algarve coast is not very large, you can easily drive around and experience a lot. Nature also invites you to hiking with fantastic views and to explore the large caves in and under the beach cliffs.
It is recommended to visit the small town of Sagres at sunset. Sagres is said to be the most south-western point in Europe. The town's outer harbor is for the same reason surrounded by an old fort and a large lighthouse. Here you can clearly see how the roaring waves of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean meet in the middle. This view is absolutely magical with the deep orange glow of the sunset in the background.
See many more beautiful Portugal destinations here
Have a great trip to Portugal! Good trip to Portugal!
You must see this on your trip to Portugal - Sights and attractions
Which Portugal destinations, attractions and sights should you experience? Read below.
- The capital Lisbon
- The city of Porto with its steep and winding streets
- River Douro
- The world-famous Livraria Lello bookstore in Porto
- The Serra da Estrela mountain range
- The beautiful region of Alentejo
- Algarve coastal area
Did you know: Here are the 7 cities in Europe with the most hours of sunshine
7: Nice in France – 342 hours/month
6: Valencia in Spain – 343 hours/month
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