10 ESSENTIAL PLACES TO SEE IN PORTUGAL

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There are many essential places to see in Portugal, a country with good weather throughout the year, exquisite and varied cuisine, renowned wines, charming cities and towns and kilometers of beaches washed by the Atlantic Ocean, which make it one of the most recommended countries in the world.
Being so close to Spain, in addition to a similar culture and lifestyle, sometimes we look for more distant and different places and we are sure that if you give it a chance, you will surely be delighted and repeat until you see all its wonders.
In our case, we have visited Portugal several times and based on our experience and the future trips we have prepared, we have made a selection of those that we believe, are the 10 essential places to see in Portugal. We start!

1. Lisbon

Lisbon, the city of fado, the seven hills or the delicious cakes of Bélem, is one of the most essential cities to see in Portugal, you will want to return from minute one.
One of our favorite places to visit in Lisbon is the Alfama neighborhood, full of old and dilapidated houses, narrow streets, balconies with clothes hanging, neighborhood and craft shops, and where walking, you will find the true essence of the city.
After getting lost in Alfama you can enjoy the incredible views of Lisbon from the spectacular viewpoints scattered around the city, get on an old tram, get closer to the Bélem District, with its famous monastery, listen to fado in a neighborhood tavern or have a drink in the Barrio Alto or Chiado, among many other things to do in Lisbon.
A good option if this is your first time in the city is to book this guided tour in Spanish to learn more about its history and all its corners and also not to miss anything.
For more information about this city you can consult this post of tips to travel to Lisbon essential.

Lisbon, Portas do Sol viewpoint

2. Algarve

The Algarve, located in the south of Portugal, stands out for its spectacular beaches and coves in a privileged natural environment that make it an ideal place to spend a few days on vacation in style.
Its kilometer coast hides sandy beaches and turquoise waters, among steep rock cliffs, which place them among the most beautiful in Europe such as Praia da Marinha, Praia de Dona Ana or Praia da Rocha.
Its old villages of white fishermen's houses and narrow streets are ideal to taste the cuisine based on fresh fish and visit the old town of Faro, the capital of the Algarve, get lost in the town of Tavira, have fun in the charming Lagos or see the sunset in Cabo de San Vicente, are other of the essentials of the Algarve.
The best way to get to the Algarve is by plane, taking into account that in high season there are direct flights from Barcelona and Madrid to Faro, or by car if you live in southern Spain.

Algarve

3. Sintra

Sintra, declared a World Heritage Site in 1995 and located in a natural park, is one of the essential places to visit in Portugal. The Palacio da Pena, with its colorful architecture, is the most famous image of the city, next to the Quinta da Regaleira palace, another magical place with magnificent gardens full of secret corners like the initiatory well, a stone pit with a staircase in spiral shape
In addition to the historic center of Sintra, other places worth visiting in the area are the Castelo dos Mouros, the National Palace of Sintra, the Monserrate Palace, the Convento dos Capuchos and the Villa and garden of the Countess.
To get to Sintra from Lisbon, you can take one of the trains that leave every 20 minutes from Rossio station. The journey takes half an hour and from Sintra station you can take a bus to reach the places of interest.
A good option if you do not have much time and want to know the history of the city is to book this tour with a guide in Spanish that also includes a visit to Cascais, a beautiful Portuguese fishing town or this tour that takes place in 4 × 4 and runs The natural park The two are among the best tours and excursions in Lisbon.

Sintra

4. Óbidos

In the north of Lisbon, there is Óbidos, one of the most beautiful villages in Europe, which is surrounded by walls of the 15th century and falls in love with its white houses and red roofs, the balconies and terraces full of flowers and its narrow cobbled streets.
Among the places you can not miss is the Porta da Vila, the main access door to the city, decorated with beautiful traditional tiles and the tour of the wall, from where you can take the best photos and views of the city.
The visit to this small city will not take you more than half a day and you can arrive in an hour from Lisbon by bus, taking it at the Campo Grande bus station.
A good option is to book this tour with a guide in Spanish that also includes a visit to Fatima.

Óbidos, one of the essential places to see in Portugal

5. Porto, one of the essential cities to see in Portugal

Porto, a competitor in beauty with Lisbon, is famous for wine and washed by the Douro River, perfect for a weekend getaway. There are many places to visit in Porto such as entering the Lello and Irmão bookstore, one of the most beautiful in the world, missing out on the Do Barreda neighborhood, seeing the Bolhao Market, climbing the Clérigos Tower, visiting one of the many churches and cloisters full of beautiful tiles or take a walk at sunset along the Ribeira.
For us, one of the best things to do in Porto is to try its delicious cuisine in which cod predominates and have a glass of wine in one of the famous wineries of Vila Nova de Gaia when the day ends and after touring the city, this is the best reward.
One of the best tours in Porto is this cruise that crosses the 6 bridges where you will enjoy unique views or the guided tour in Spanish through the most interesting places in Porto, so you don't miss anything.
For more information about this city you can consult this post of tips to travel to Porto essential.

La Ribeira, one of the best places to visit in Porto

Recommended travel cards
Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.

6. Évora

Évora is the jewel of Alentejo, a region located in the southern center of the country and that falls in love with its medieval villages, fortified cities and landscapes full of cork oaks, olive trees and vineyards. The city of Évora, with a historic center declared a World Heritage Site, stands out for its historical monuments, excellent cuisine and lively nightlife.
Walking the old streets with their traditional white houses on foot is the best way to get to know the city and also you cannot leave Evera without seeing the impressive Roman Temple, the Walls, the University, the Cathedral or the macabre Chapel of the Bones.
In an hour and a half you can reach Évora by train or bus from Lisbon, although another highly recommended option is to book a day tour by bus with a guide in Spanish, which includes a visit to some wine cellars.
Another city worth knowing in the Alentejo region is Elvas, near Badajoz, which has the largest collection of fortifications-bastion in the world and a beautiful historic center, declared a World Heritage Site.

Évora in Alentejo

7. Coimbra

Coimbra, located between Porto and Lisbon, ancient medieval capital and another of the essential places to see in Portugal. Crossed by the Mondego River, it is a small city built at various heights and full of charming corners that can be explored in one day.
In the center or the upper part, you can discover hidden courtyards while walking through its narrow cobbled streets and old buildings. In this part, in addition to seeing the Old Cathedral and the Arch of Almedina, you can go up to the historic campus of the University of Coimbra, a World Heritage Site, and visit the magnificent Joanina Library.
The lower part, the Baixa, revolves around the Praça Do Comércio, is a commercial area of bourgeois houses, which highlights the beautiful Church of São Tiago and the Santa Cruz Park.
You can get to Coimbra from Porto by train, another good option is to book this excursion with a guide in Spanish that also includes the visit to Fatima.

Coimbra

8. Madeira

Madeira, located west of the Moroccan coast in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, is an island with unique vegetation and landscapes, as well as a pleasant climate that allows you to enjoy its beaches and coves throughout the year. Tremendously mountainous due to its volcanic origin, with some of the highest cliffs in Europe and laurel forests, a type of laurel forest almost extinct in Europe and that on this island are huge and leafy, Madeira is an island with a huge number of Landscapes that will delight all travelers.
Another feature of the island is its incredible hiking trails, in which the levadas, old irrigation canals of the island, will guide you not to get lost.
Madeira is a little more than 2 hours by plane from Spain and the best way to enjoy the island is to rent a car with which to feel free to stop at all viewpoints to the sea and nature. Without any doubt, visiting Madeira is one of the best things to do in Portugal.

Madeira

9. Guimaraes

On our trip to Porto in 4 days we made a small getaway to the beautiful medieval town of Guimaraes, known for being the "the cradle of Portugal". Its historic center surrounded by walls, declared a World Heritage Site, stands out for its cobbled streets such as the Rua Santa María, its squares with quiet terraces, its churches, palaces and buildings typical of Portuguese architecture.
Some of the essentials of the city are the Guimaraes Castle, the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza, the Churches of Our Lady of Oliveira and the Consolación, the Plaza de Oliveira and climb to the Penha Sanctuary by cable car with magnificent views from the city.
Guimaraes can be reached by train in one hour from the beautiful Sao Bento station in Porto or book this day-guided tour in Spanish that also includes the historic city of Braga.

Castle of Guimarães

10. Aveiro

Aveiro, a picturesque city located south of Porto and known as the "Venice portugesa" through its channels, it is our last recommendation of the list of places to see in Portugal. One of the best things to do in the city is to take a walk through the canals in some "Moliceiros", a traditional boat with a certain resemblance to gondolas, and stroll through its historic center.
Another attraction of the city are its two kilometer-long sandy beaches, Praia da Barra and Praia da Costa Nova. The first is famous for its houses on the seafront, painted in striped colors. As an extra we will tell you that you cannot leave Aveiro without trying the ovos moles, typical egg sweets, with which to put the sweetest note to this getaway that can take you between half and a full day, depending on the pace of the visits.
To get to Aveiro from Porto you can take the train at São Bento station and in less than an hour you will reach the city. Another good alternative is to book a bus tour with a guide in Spanish.