Portugal

Tiled cities, port wine and Atlantic cliffs.

US travel advisory: Level 1 · checked 2026-11-02

Photo: Vitor Oliveira from Torres Vedras, PORTUGAL · CC BY-SA 2.0

This is a first draft of the Portugal list. The full region guide is being written, and tiers may still change.

The Short List

Must-See

Cities · UNESCO

Lisbon

Old trams on steep hills, tiled houses, Belém and fado, with custard tarts on every corner.

Guide Coming Soon

Must-See

Cities · UNESCO

Porto

A granite riverside city, famous for port wine lodges, and a tiled train station.

Guide Coming Soon

Must-See

Heritage · UNESCO

Sintra

The colorful Pena Palace and mysterious estates, in misty hills near Lisbon.

Guide Coming Soon

Must-See

Beaches · Beaches

The Algarve

Golden cliffs and coves, with the Benagil Cave.

Guide Coming Soon

Worth a Detour

Nature · UNESCO

Douro Valley

Terraced vineyards on a winding river, by train or boat.

Guide Coming Soon

Worth a Detour

Nature · Hiking

Madeira

A green Atlantic island of levada walks and sea cliffs.

Guide Coming Soon

Worth a Detour

Nature · Whales

The Azores

Crater lakes and whale watching, in mid-Atlantic.

Guide Coming Soon

Worth a Detour

Heritage · UNESCO

Batalha, Alcobaça and Tomar

Three great monasteries, including the Knights Templar's headquarters.

Guide Coming Soon

Worth a Detour

Beaches · Surfing

Nazaré

The world's biggest surfed waves, in a fishing town.

Guide Coming Soon

If You're Nearby

Heritage · UNESCO

Évora and the Alentejo

A Roman temple and a chapel of bones, among cork forests.

Guide Coming Soon

If You're Nearby

Cities · UNESCO

Coimbra

An ancient university with a baroque library.

Guide Coming Soon

If You're Nearby

Spiritual · Pilgrimage

Fátima

A major Catholic pilgrimage shrine.

Guide Coming Soon

If You're Nearby

Cities · UNESCO

Braga and Guimarães

A baroque stairway up a hill, and Portugal's birthplace.

Guide Coming Soon

If You're Nearby

Cities · Walled towns

Óbidos

A whitewashed walled town, with cherry liqueur in chocolate cups.

Guide Coming Soon

If You're Nearby

Mountains · Hiking

Serra da Estrela

Mainland Portugal's highest mountains, known for cheese.

Guide Coming Soon

If You're Nearby

Mountains · Hiking

Peneda-Gerês

Portugal's only national park, with granite villages and waterfalls.

Guide Coming Soon

If You're Nearby

Mountains · Volcanoes

Mount Pico

Portugal's highest peak, a volcano in the Azores above UNESCO-listed vineyards.

Guide Coming Soon

On the Map

Grey pins: guides still being written.