Pablo Manfredi

Planning to visit Portugal on your holidays? You’ve made an absolutely awesome choice. And this is not me talking out of my butt here (I lived there 6 years!). It’s a great country that I absolutely love, and in this post, I’ll be discussing the 7 Portugal holiday destinations, you can’t afford to know about.

Let’s go!

1. Algarve

If you’re planning a holiday to Portugal, you can’t afford to make many mistakes! Especially if you’re not going to be going back (which you’ll want to do! 😉 ). And so, one of the best Portugal holiday destinations, to keep in mind for sure is the Algarve region.

Starting this list off strong, Algarve is considered to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the entire world, where the golden sands and pristine waters meet to bring forth a spectacular amalgamation of natural wealth and beauty.

Algarve is the southernmost region of Portugal, and it includes some pretty amazing municipalities, that you should definitely keep in mind when it comes to holidaying in Portugal. Some of the most famous municipalities in this region, are: Albufeira, Lagos, and the capital of the Region, Faro.

If you’re into amazing beaches, outstanding cuisine and a crazy nightlife, Algarve is where you want to be. Did you know it was also elected as the #1 Best Place To Retire, in the world…multiple times?

2. Porto

Portugal is one of the top 20 most visited countries in the whole world. And for good reasons! The delicious food, the “out of this world” climate, the very rich history of the country, the beaches…

And then… there is Porto.

Porto, is one of Portugal’s very best, most popular holiday destinations. Home to the very famous Port wine (and the Porto soccer club, if you’re a fan), this city was once an outpost of the Roman Empire, and it is believed that its name in latin, originated the word “Portugal” by transliteration. Pretty cool, ey?

Porto is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon, and much like Lisbon, the city is absolutely magestic. Jam-packed with churches, and monasteries, Porto is a real feast to the eyes.

The Porto cathedral, is the oldest surviving strutcure there, and the “Church of the Clerics” sits on top of the hill, overseeing the city. It is a world heritage site after all, and the neoclassicism and romanticism of the 19th and 20th centuries are very present. 

Porto is just a 3 hour drive from the capital city, and it’s well worth the ride 🙂 . 

3. Coimbra

If you’re going to be checking out Porto, I’ll let you know that Coimbra, (Portugal’s former capital) is a great place for you to rest while you’re on your way (it’s half way there!).

Known as the “City Of Students” Coimbra contains Portugal’s oldest university, (that is still doing its job to this day),  it has well preserved Roman aqueducts and some of the buildings from the 12th century are still there and can be visited, making Coimra a really amazing turistic attraction.

Coimbra also in home to the monastery that is the final resting place of the first ever Portuguese monarch, Alfonso Henriques. This monastery, “Igreja de santa cruz” is crazy amazing, and the details on the outer side of the monastery structure, are really something else… and the thing is over 880 years old!

Even though the city is not the “most attractive” in eyes of the younger crowds, it clearly has historic importance and those who are willing to explore the city more, will be rewarded. 

4. Madeira

Madeira is an archipelago, that is located southwest of the country, and is one of only two autonomous regions of Portugal (together with Azores). It’s considered to be the first ever territory discovered as a result of the Portuguese Age Of Discoveries, and what a beautiful first discovery it is.

The island is home to an immense variety of tropical fruits, plants and trees, and has therefore a very rich landscape that anyone who is visiting, can enjoy.

There are a lot of different activities you can partake in here in Madeira. From safari tours, mountain running, the classical city tours and even whale watching! 

The island has exceptionally great climate and of course is absolutely beautiful. There is an airport there, from where you can take a plane back to the continental peninsula, although alternatively, you can also get there by boat.

The sight you see while approaching the island by boat, has been deemed completely unforgettable by a lot of people. Definitely worth visiting!

5. Sintra

Okay, you’re going to love this…

Another one of Portugal’s amazing holiday destinations, is Sintra. This fascinating town, hidden between the pine covered hills, is home to some of the most amazing castle ruins, palaces and mansions you’ll see in Portugal, and probably ever (wait to you see the “Quinta Da Regaleira”). 

Sintra is considered to be the best day trip you can take, from Lisbon, and should 100% be considered in your holiday plans, here’s why: 

In Sintra, you get to see:

-The “Castelo Dos Mouros”. An ancient castle ruin, that overlooks the town.
-The “Quinta Da Regaleira“. A lavish mansion, with breathtaking gardens and hidden tunnels.
-The Monserrate Palace. And absolutely beautiful palace and park that is open to the public.
-The famous “Palacio da Pena“. One of Europe’s finest palaces, that looks like something straight out of a fairy tale.

And that is just the tip of the iceberg of course! 

If you plan on visiting Sintra for only a few hours, I’d recommend you’d stay one night at least. Some of the museums and key attractions have extended hours, which allows you to explore the town without the daytime rush. Sintra has amazing hotels, so you’ll be in good hands.  

6. Cascais

Once a fishing town, Cascais is now one of the most popular holiday destinations in the entire country of Portugal. And rightfully so! Created by the royal family, it is one of the wealthiest seaside resorts in the Iberian Peninsula, and one of the most expensive real estate markets (and most expensive cost of living areas) in the country.

Don’t worry about that though, because the quality of life here, is amazing! Plus, Cascais is rather small and very friendly to pedestrians, so it’s easy to get by.

Don’t let the size fool you however, there is a lot to be done here! There are market trades, there is the Casino Estoril (which was inspiration for James Bond’s Casino Royal), sea museums…the whole shebang 😃. 

For those of you that like sports, there are a lot of summer sports and activities that take place on the coast of Cascais. Everything from surfing to beach volley. There are even golf courts here.

There are also a few beaches, that you’ll absolutely love here too!  “Praia do Tamariz”, “Praia da Duquesa” and “Praia da Rainha” (the queens beach). Go check em out!

7. Lisbon

The sheer amount of people that tell me:

“Pablo, I went to Madrid and Barcelona in Spain…but Lisbon was too far west!  Is it REALLY worth checking out?”

Oh.

My god.

Okay, first off: Of course, the capital city of Portugal has to make this list. Is it any surprise?

Second, if you’re coming to Portugal, and you’re checking out potential Portugal holiday destinations, and Lisbon is not on your list… You’re Doing Something Wrong.

But even if you’re not, why would you want to miss it?

Lisbon is the second oldest city in the world (after Athens), it was fought for, for literally hundreds of years. It was demolished by an earthquake, burned to the ground by a huge fire and engulfed by a tsunami, and STILL was reconstructed to become one of the most powerful economic empires the world has ever seen. 

Basically, Lisbon is a holiday destination, That You Cannot Miss.

It’s well know for it’s excessive churches, gothic cathedrals, palaces, monasteries and museums…but it’s also home to more modern constructions, like  the Vasco Da Gama bridge, the museums of contemporary art and even holds one of the most important oceanaries in the entire world.

Conclusion

And there you go everyone, those were my top 7 Portugal holiday destinations. I really hope that you enjoyed!

Portugal is an absolute dream of a holiday destination. From beautiful beaches, to ancient monasteries, to amazing food and nightlife…Portugal realy has it all. And very affordable prices and not too “distant distances” either.

Hope you decide to spend some time in the capital city of Lisbon at the very least! There are a LOT of things to do once there.

Till the next one!

Pablo. P