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Portugal tends to conjure up images of glorious beaches, challenging golf courses, delicious port wine, spicy chicken piri piri and the charismatic Cristiano Ronaldo, of course.
This only scratches the surface of the delights awaiting you. Portugal packs a powerful display of contrasting landscapes, cities, villages and cultural delights within its 218km wide and 561km frame.
Here is our list of the best places to visit in Portugal. We’re sure you’ll agree it’s an impressive list of picturesque places combined with enriching experiences, all ready and waiting for you.
When you book your villa in Portugal with us, you can start planning your days out and places to visit.
Whether you’re a sunbather, snorkeller or surfer, there’s a beach with your name on it in the Algarve. Indeed, there's no shortage of beaches from small coves to sandy stretches as far as the eye.
For instance, Praia de Manta Rota is perfect for families as there's plenty of sand for making sandcastles plus it is really shallow at low tide so children can walk for ages before it gets deep enough for swimming.
Praia da Marinha is renowned as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and has golden sands, clear blue waters and amazing rock formations.
Praia de Vale do Lobo in the Golden Triangle is perfect for celebrity spotting and enjoying a glamorous beach holiday.
Praia da Rocha is the Algarve beach with everything - great for surfing, boat trips, children and nightclubbers.
The Algarve is also hugely popular with golfers who have 31 courses to try.
Stay in one of our villas in the Algarve and discover the charming towns of Vilamoura, Albufeira, Alvor, Luz & many more. Discover all our available villas in the Algarve now.
Ssshhhh, the Silver Coast is one of Portugal’s best-kept secrets. Sitting between Lisbon and Porto, it’s equal to the Algarve in terms of super beaches but quieter and more exclusive.
The Silver Coast boasts 300 kilometres of coastline from Porto - the perfect place for organising a port-tasting tour - down to Lisbon.
It’s idyllic for a beach holiday with resorts for simply sunbathing or riding the waves.
The small fishing hamlet of Nazaré has become a world-famous mecca for surfers seeking the thrill of riding the biggest surfable waves on earth.
Peniche is another favourite beach resort and is one of the largest traditional fishing ports in Portugal as well as being a great place to learn about the art of bobbin lacework. The restaurants here are perfect for tasting the local seafood - we highly recommend the bouillabaisse or charcoal-grilled sardines followed by Amigo de Peniche almond cakes and a glass of port, naturally.
Be sure to visit the medieval town of Óbidos. It is picture-postcard perfect, making it a firm favourite for a romantic weekend - you can even stay in Óbidos Castle for a truly exquisite experience.
A romantic experience is also waiting for you in Aveiro, known as Portugal’s Venice due to its canals and boats similar to the well-known Italian city.
Head further inland to the Serra da Estrela - continental Portugal's highest mountain range and part of the breathtakingly beautiful Covao dos Conchos dams. Look out for the Queijio Serra da Estrela soft and gooey cheese made from a recipe that is more than 2,000 years old!
At the head of the Silver Coast is Porto, whose historic centre has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Porto is the perfect spot for sampling traditional Portuguese food along with a glass or two of the region’s vinho do Porto.
We'd recommend you try grilled fish in the port and fishing town of Matosinhos. You also should try the francesinha at least once in your life. The francesinha was invented in Porto and is a sandwich made with ham, sausage and steak covered in melted cheese and covered in a tomato and beer sauce.
At the southern end of the Silver Coast is Lisbon, Portugal's hilly and coastal capital city with fine monuments and restaurants. It is also famous for its food, especially seafood and sweet custard tarts.
After exploring its landmark buildings like the Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery, we suggest you relax and listen to Fado music. Fado, which means destiny or fate, dates back to the 1820s and is synonymous with sorrowful but soulful tunes of life at sea or being poor.
Lisbon is just 28kms to our favourite cultural hotspot and another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sintra. Sintra, known as the moon hill, is a magical, mysterious place with an eclectic mix of unmissable castles, palaces, and mountains,
Mother Nature did an exceptional job of creating a paradise of exotic colourful flowers, emerald green vegetation and forests surrounded by the bluest seas at the archipelago of Madeira.
A visit to Madeira in Spring is highly recommended when the flowers are at their ‘blooming’ finest. However, the great climate and natural beauty make Madeira a fabulous island to visit any time of year.
Enjoy nature walks, water sports, an island tour and a visit to the city of Funchal with its centuries-old heritage and impressive attractions such as the 16th century Gothic cathedral, Mercado dos Lavradores farmers' market and the famous botanical gardens.
Funchal is also home to the CR7 museum which pays homage to the city's home-grown footballing legend, Cristiano Ronaldo. It's a jaw-dropping experience as you watch his best goals and see every club trophy he's ever won.
Want to find more places to visit during your stay in Portugal? Take a look at our Best 10 Things To Do In Portugal article as we feature many other fascinating places to visit including Évora and Sintra, which we truly believe should be high on your Portugal bucket list.
We offer a great range of holiday home rentals and villa rentals in some of the most beautiful destinations. Visit all our available villas in Portugal and discover all that Portugal has to offer.