Portugal

Portugal packs granite mountain villages, the terraced Douro valley, walled hill towns and 800 km of Atlantic coast into a country the size of Indiana. Lisbon and Porto pair azulejo tiles and Age of Discovery monuments with steep tram-served hills. Out in the Atlantic, Madeira's laurel forest and the volcanic Azores extend the country far offshore.

Capital

Lisbon

Population

10.3M

Area

92,212 km²

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Language

Portuguese

Time zone

WET (UTC+0) / WEST (UTC+1); Azores UTC−1

• 
  01

  North Portugal

  Porto, the Douro valley and the Minho's green north

  Explore 22 places →

• 
  02

  Central Portugal

  Coimbra, monasteries, Serra da Estrela and the Silver Coast

  Explore 21 places →

• 
  03

  Lisbon Region

  The capital, Sintra's palaces and the Setúbal peninsula

  Explore 20 places →

• 
  04

  Alentejo

  Cork plains, walled hill towns and Roman Évora

  Explore 19 places →

• 
  05

  Algarve

  Golden cliffs, fishing towns and Moorish castles

  Explore 18 places →

• 
  06

  Madeira

  Levada walks, laurel forest and volcanic cliffs

  Explore 21 places →

• 
  07

  Azores

  Crater lakes, whale coasts and nine volcanic islands

  Explore 21 places →

• 

  Historic Site

  Alentejo Region

  Alentejo Region is one of the seven NUTS 2 regions of Portugal. It covers all of the historical Alentejo Province and part of the historical Ribatejo and Estremadura provinces.

• 

  Historic Site

  Alto Alentejo (intermunicipal community)

  The Comunidade Intermunicipal do Alto Alentejo is an administrative division in Portugal. It was created in 2009.

• 

  Historic Site

  Antas da Valeira

  The Antas da Valeira are two Chalcolithic dolmen, or burial chambers, about 100 metres apart, close to the village of Nossa Senhora da Graça do Divor in the Évora district of the Alentejo region of Portugal. Situated in a farm field about one kilometer from the Vale Maria do Meio Cromlech and ten kilometers from the no

• 

  Historic Site

  Arraiolos

  Arraiolos, officially the Town of Arraiolos, is a town seat of the Arraiolos Municipality in the Évora District of Portugal. As of 2021, the municipality had a population of 6,606 people and covered an area of 683.75 square kilometres (264.00 mi2).

• 

  Historic Site

  Beja Airbase

  Beja Air Base, officially designated as Air Base No. 11 is one of the most important military airbases in Portugal, 9 km (5.6 mi) northwest of Beja, 100 km (62 mi) north of Algarve.

• 

  Cathedral

  Cathedral of Évora

  The Cathedral of Évora is a Roman Catholic church in the city of Évora, Portugal. It is one of the oldest and most important local monuments, lying on the highest spot of the city.

• 

  Church

  Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça (Évora)

  Igreja da Graça is an old church and convent in Évora, Portugal. Currently this convent is used by the Portuguese Armed Forces.

• 

  Historic Site

  Elvas

  Elvas, officially the City of Elvas, is a Portuguese municipality, former episcopal city and frontier fortress of easternmost central Portugal, located in the district of Portalegre in Alentejo. It is situated about 200 kilometres (120 mi) east of Lisbon, and about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) west of the Spanish fortress of

• 

  Historic Site

  Évora

  Évora, officially the Very Noble and Ever Loyal City of Évora, is a city and a municipality in Portugal. It has 53,591 inhabitants (2021), in an area of 1,307.08 square kilometers (504.67 mi2).

• Lisbon

  Hills, trams and Manueline monuments above the Tagus.

  Explore →

• Porto

  Port lodges, Ribeira waterfront and iron bridges.

  Explore →

• Sintra

  Romantic palaces in a misty forested range.

• Évora

  Walled Alentejo city with a Roman temple.

  Explore →

• Coimbra

  Medieval university and its gilded Joanina library.

  Explore →

• Funchal

  Madeira's terraced capital of gardens and levada trails.

  Explore →

• Peneda-Gerês

  Portugal's only national park — granite peaks and wild ponies.

• Serra da Estrela

  Glacial plateau and the mainland's highest ground.

• Laurisilva of Madeira

  UNESCO-listed prehistoric laurel forest.

• Ria Formosa

  Algarve lagoon of barrier islands and flamingos.

• Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast

  Cliff-backed wild Atlantic shoreline.

• Arrábida

  Limestone ridge dropping to turquoise coves near Setúbal.

• Praia da Marinha, Algarve

  Golden arches and stacks over clear water.

• Praia da Ursa, Sintra

  Dramatic sea stacks below Europe's westernmost cape.

• Nazaré

  Fishing town famed for giant winter waves.

• Praia de Benagil

  Sea cave with an open roof, reachable by boat or kayak.

• Porto Santo

  Nine kilometres of golden sand off Madeira.

• Praia do Guincho

  Wind-swept surf beach near Cascais.

• Serra da Estrela

  Torre, 1,993 m, the mainland's highest point.

• Pico

  2,351 m Azorean volcano, the highest in all Portugal.

• Serra de Monchique

  Green Algarve highland of cork oak and eucalyptus.

• Pico do Arieiro

  Madeira's ridge walk above the clouds.

• Peneda-Gerês

  Granite ridges, waterfalls and Roman roads.

• Bacalhau

  Salt cod, said to have a recipe for every day of the year.

• Pastel de nata

  Custard tart with scorched top, best warm with cinnamon.

• Francesinha

  Porto's layered meat sandwich under melted cheese and beer sauce.

• Caldo verde

  Kale and potato soup with a slice of chouriço.

• Sardinhas assadas

  Charcoal-grilled sardines, the taste of June festivals.

• Vinho verde

  Young, faintly sparkling wine from the green north.

• 01

  The couvert — bread and olives — is charged; wave it away if you don't want it.

• 02

  Lisbon's tram 28 is jammed by mid-morning; ride it early.

• 03

  Book Sintra's Pena Palace slot in advance and arrive before the coaches.

• 04

  Madeira and the Azores need separate flights; the Azores run an hour behind Lisbon.

• 05

  Atlantic surf has strong rips — swim at beaches with flagged lifeguards.