65 Activities from an Insider
Anyone Portugal-bound needs this ultimate list of 65 things to do in Portugal on your next trip. Even if you’re not planning a visit to Portugal, this list will surely have you adding it to your bucket list. Portugal continues to make the list of top European destinations year over year for the past decade. The country’s popularity is with good reason too: picturesque beaches, affordable food and drinks, charming people, good wine, lots of sun and surf, and a grand history.
A Guide You Can Trust
I’m grateful to have visited this stunning destination four times. I feel a certain affinity for the country especially because my in-laws live in Portugal and my children are half Portuguese. In total, I’ve spent 10 weeks traveling this delightful country. For these reasons, I consider myself somewhat of an expert on the subject of things to do in Portugal. I also received the help of my good friend’s Portuguese mother, Margaret, in crafting this list with her extensive experience traveling the country. For these reasons, you can trust that this truly is an ultimate list of things to do, see, eat, hear, and experience in Portugal.
Disclaimer, Reasons for Omissions
You may notice that activities in the Azores are missing from my list. This is for good reason. From my perspective, visiting the Azores is akin to visiting Hawaii in the Pacific. It’s very out of the way from the mainland and worthy of a trip all to it’s own. For these reasons, consider this post a list of the ultimate things do to on Portugal’s mainland (including Madeira even though it’s an island). Without further ado, here is my ultimate list of 65 things to add to your itinerary for Portugal!
Click here to skip to the bottom to find a map of Portugal with all my activities pinned.
FOOD
1. Eat a pastal de nata (custard pastry tart) from Pastéis de Belém in Lisbon. Pastéis de Belém operates with the alleged original recipe for these famous natas that originated in the monastery nearby.
2. Eat a bola de Berlim (like a doughnut) on the beach in the Algarve. You’ll find vendors strolling the beaches offering these delicious desserts for a minimal fee.
3. Enjoy fresh clams, berigão à bulhão pato style, at a beach front coffee shop.
4. Take a wine tour in the Douro Valley, Portugal’s preeminent and picturesque wine region.
5. Enjoy a national dish such as carne de porco à Alentejana (pork & clams) or caldeirada (hot pot/fish stew) at any well-rated restaurant.
6. Sip port wine in its origin city of Porto.
7. Enjoy a Sagres or Super Bock (domestic beer) and a bifana (pork sandwich) at any coffee shop.
8. Try the dessert ovos moles, a traditional pastry from the Venice of the Portugal, Aveiro.
9. Explore the city of Porto by taking a walking food tour.
10. Try queijo da serra (mountain cheese) from Serra de Estrela.
11. Sample the specialty liquor, ginjinha, in Óbidos, a medieval city. Also known as ginja, the drink is made from sour cherries. Óbidos pioneered the enjoyment of this spirit out of chocolate cups!
12. Visit the Fóia of Monchique on the border of the Algarve and the Alentejo. At the top of the mountain you can see for hundreds of kilometers into the Alentejo and the Algarve. Stop in the village of Monchique and try their world renowned Aguardente de Medronho (a strong, fruity brandy liquor).
13. Try a bitoque, a steak cooked in a garlic, butter, wine sauce, topped with a fried egg. This hearty meal is usually served with homemade fries and white rice. Simple but good.
HISTORIC SITE SEEING
14. Visit the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga which combines Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical styles.
15. Aw at the Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones) in Evora, a 16th century chapel lined with bones and skulls of monks.
16. Visit the Castelo de Marvão (castle) with sweeping views of the Alentejo.
17. See the Convent Carmo, the medieval convent which was destroyed during the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. The southern facade of the convent is the main trace of the great earthquake still visible in the old city.
18. Visit the birthplace of Portugal, Guimaraes, and see many historic sites like the Castelo de Guimaraes and the UNESCO World Heritage historic centre site.
19. Visit the schist village of Piódão nestled in Serra do Açor in central Portugal. Wander the streets and enjoy being back in another time.
20. Visit Conimbriga the largest excavated Roman archaeological site in Portugal. Located in Condeixa-a-Nova, district of Coimbra.
21. Enjoy the Baroque architecture of Northern Portugal in cities such as Braga, Lamego, Chaves, and Vila Real.
22. Visit the medieval town of Óbidos and traverse the castle walls.
23. Explore one of the oldest universities in Europe, the University of Coimbra.
24. Spend a day in Sintra’s mountains exploring the internet famous Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle, the Church of São Pedro, Quinta da Penha Verde, Trinity Convent of the Arrabalde, the Quinta de Regaleira, and the Palace of Monserrate.
25. Explore the Roman Ruins in Tróia, a beautiful beach resort.
26. Visit the Torre de Belém, a 16th century tower on the Tagus River, in Lisbon.
27. Explore the hilltop walled town of Monsaraz overlooking the River Guadiana and the lake of the Barragem de Alqueva. With beautiful views of the Alentejo plains, and over the river to Spain. Enjoy spending a night there too.
28. Explore Citânia dos Briteiros, an archaeological site of the Castro culture. Consistently settled from the Iron Age to the Middle.
29. Tour the magnificent gothic Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória in Batalha.
30. Explore one of the most important examples of Baroque at the Royal Buildings of Mafra, including the Palácio, Basilica, Convent, Cerco Garden, and Hunting Park.
31. Visit the Alcobaça Monastery, the first wholly gothic building in Portugal.
32. Visit the pre-historic rock art site in the Coa Valley.
33. Explore the royal monastery of Santa Maria de Belém in Lisbon, also known as Jerónimos Monastery.
34. See the fortifications and aqueduct of Elvas, the former a world heritage site
35. Climb the staircase in the Initiatic Well at Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra.
36. See the magnificent Gothic and Baroque marrying in the Church of São Francisco in Porto.
37. Explore the historic Knights Templar roots at Convento de Cristo in Tomar.
38. Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the historic centre of Porto.
39. Enjoy the view from Castelo de São Jorge (castle) on top of Lisbon’s hills.
40. Pay homage to the Shrine of Fatima where three young children witnessed apparitions of Our Lady Mary.
41. Enjoy an espresso and the view at an outdoor café in front of the Roman temple to Diana in Evora.
42. Spend the day exploring Lisbon from the Rua Augusta Arch which was built to commemorate the reconstruction of Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake. Head to the Pedro IV Square to enjoy a pastel de nata, espresso, or ginjinha.
CULTURAL
43. Find a coffee shop to listen to fado, traditional Portuguese folk music, in the evening.
44. Visit Setubal and its beaches at the entrance to the River Sado. Setubal is known for having the largest fish market in Portugal, right down by the river. Go up to the Fort de Sao Filipe to enjoy the view and an espresso.
45. Tour an olive oil or cork farm in the Alentejo.
46. Hear the “Cante Alentejano” a unique musical expression sung in choir groups without any musical instruments.
47. Take a tour in Vila Real to explore how Bisalhães black pottery is hand crafted and fired in subsoil kilns.
ADVENTURE
48. Explore the largest and best preserved laurel forest in the Atlantic islands, at the Laurisilva of Madeira.
49. Enjoy the majestic Algarve coastline by one of the many boat tours operating.
50. Walk or bike the Costa Vicentina, a protected park along the coast of the Alentejo. Visit quaint villages and beautiful beaches.
51. Dolphin watch by boat tour from Albufeira.
52. Visit Serra da Arrábida, a World Heritage site for its unique vegetation. Drive the route stopping along the way to see the beautiful vistas of Setubal, the Sado and it’s beaches, and the valley to the north towards Lisbon.
53. Go parasailing (or any other water sport) in the Algarve.
54. Explore the Gruta de Benagil (Instagram famous cave) in the Algarve.
55. Book a boat tour exploring the Douro Valley through the River Douro, especially if you’re a wine lover.
56. Take a surfing lesson in Peniche or Nazaré.
57. Spend the day on the island of Berlengas. Hike the 3km trail from the fisherman’s quarters to the Fortress of São João Baptista.
VIEWS, RELAXATION, & THE REST
58. Relax at the famous Praia da Rocha (beach) in Portimão.
59. Visit one of the less crowded beaches in the Alentejo, such as Samoqueira Beach in Porto Covo.
60. Enjoy the Santa Justa Lift’s 360 degree panoramic view of Lisbon where you’ll see many of the city’s top tourist sites.
61. Take a ride on one of Lisbon’s famous trams. There’s 6 different routes climbing through the city.
62. Enjoy a beautiful walk along the Paiva River on a manmade wooden walkway. Eight km each way for €2 in Passadiços da Paiva in Arouca. (The path partially reopened to the public after a forest fire in Arouca.)
63. See the view of the Atlantic and Nazaré below from the Miradouro do Suberco (cliff top view).
64. Attend a football game at one of Portugal’s Primeira Liga’s stadiums. Primeira Liga’s teams play out of a variety of cities including Porto, Braga, Arouca, Portimão, Faro, Barcelos, Chaves, and Lisbon.
65. Stroll through the Buddha Eden garden in Bombarral, the largest oriental-style garden in Europe.
That rounds out my list of sixty-five things to do, see, eat, taste, and experience in Portugal! This list is sure to have inspired your next trip to the Iberian nation as well as added itself to your bucket list if it wasn’t already there. There are still a few things on this list that I need to check off so I look forward to my next visit to Portugal.
Again, I’d like to thank my friend Margaret for her expert input. Thanks to my friends Teia and Nick who provided some photos I was missing to enrich this post. Is there anything I missed that you know should be included in a things to do in Portugal list? If you’ve been to Portugal, tell me in the comments how many you can check off the list?
All My Relations,
– Shauna
Please find a map with my list of activities pinned below. Note not all items have been pinned as they are “doable” anywhere in Portugal. Some activities refer to a large area like the Douro Valley or Algarve. In these cases I’ve just pinned a general area of those regions. Addresses might not be exact as pins sometimes had to be moved to identify the exact location.
Eat a pastel de nata from Pastéis de Belém in Lisbon. Pastéis de Belém operates with the alleged original recipe for these famous natas that originated in the monastery nearby.
4. Take a wine tour in the Douro Valley, Portugal’s preeminent and picturesque wine region.
55. Book a boat tour exploring the Douro Valley through the River Douro, especially if you’re a wine lover.
Note the Douro Valley is a vast region and the marker denotes one small area.
6. Sip port wine in its origin city of Porto.
9. Explore the city of Porto by taking a walking food tour.
11. Sample the specialty liquor, ginjinha, in Óbidos.
22. Visit the medieval town of Óbidos and traverse the castle walls.
12. Visit Monte Fóia of Monchique on the border of the Algarve and the Alentejo.
14. Visit the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga.
15. Aw at the Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones) in Evora, a 16th century chapel lined with bones and skulls of monks.
16. Visit the Castelo de Marvão (castle) with sweeping views of the Alentejo.
17. See the Convent Carmo, the medieval convent which was destroyed during the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.
18. Visit the birthplace of Portugal, Guimarães.
58. Relax at the famous Praia da Rocha (beach) in Portimão.
19. Visit the schist village of Piódão nestled in Serra do Açor in central Portugal.
20. Visit Conimbriga the largest excavated Roman archaeological site in Portugal. Located in Condeixa-a-Nova, district of Coimbra.
23. Explore one of the oldest universities in Europe, the University of Coimbra.
24. Spend a day in Sintra’s mountains exploring the internet famous Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle, theChurch of São Pedro, Quinta da Penha Verde, Trinity Convent of the Arrabalde, the Quinta de Regaleira, and the Palace of Monserrate.
25. Explore the Roman Ruins in Tróia, a beautiful beach resort.
26. Visit the Torre de Belém, a 16th century tower on the Tagus River, in Lisbon.
27. 27. Explore the hilltop walled town of Monsaraz overlooking the River Guadiana and the lake of the Barragem de Alqueva.
28. Explore Citânia dos Briteiros, an archaeological site of the Castro culture.
29. Tour the magnificent gothic Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória in Batalha.
30.Explore one of the most important examples of Baroque at the Royal Buildings of Mafra, including the Palácio, Basilica, Convent, Cerco Garden, and Hunting Park.
31. Visit the Alcobaça Monastery, the first wholly gothic building in Portugal.
32. Visit the pre-historic rock art site in the Coa Valley.
33. Explore the royal monastery of Santa Maria de Belém in Lisbon, also known as Jerónimos Monastery.
34. See the fortifications and aqueduct of Elvas, the former a world heritage site
35. Climb the staircase in the Initiatic Well at Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra.
36. See the magnificent Gothic and Baroque marrying in the Church of São Francisco in Porto.
37. Explore the historic Knights Templar roots at Convento de Cristo in Tomar.
8. Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the historic centre of Porto.
39. Enjoy the view from Castelo de São Jorge (castle) on top of Lisbon’s hills.
40. 40. Pay homage to the Shrine of Fatima where three young children witnessed apparitions of Our Lady Mary.
41. Enjoy an espresso and the view at an outdoor café in front of the Roman temple to Diana in Evora.
42. Spend the day exploring Lisbon from theRua Augusta Arch which was built to commemorate the reconstruction of Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake. Head to the Pedro IV Square to enjoy a pastel de nata, espresso, or ginjinha.
44. Visit Setubal and its beaches at the entrance to the River Sado. Setubal is known for having the largest fish market in Portugal, right down by the river. Go up to the Fort de Sao Filipe to enjoy the view and an espresso.
47. Take a tour in Vila Real to explore how Bisalhães black pottery is hand crafted and fired in subsoil kilns.
48. Explore the largest and best preserved laurel forest in the Atlantic islands, at the Laurisilva of Madeira.
49. Enjoy the majestic Algarve coastline by one of the many boat tours operating.
53. Go parasailing (or any other water sport) in the Algarve.
Note the Algarve is a vast region and the marker denotes one small area.
50. Walk or bike the Costa Vicentina, a protected park along the coast of the Alentejo. Visit quaint villages and beautiful beaches.
51. Dolphin watch by boat tour from Albufeira.
52. Visit Serra da Arrábida, a World Heritage site for its unique vegetation.Drive the route stopping along the way to see the beautiful vistas of Setubal, the Sado and it’s beaches, and the valley to the north towards Lisbon.
54. Explore the Gruta de Benagil (Instagram famous cave) in the Algarve.
56. Take a surfing lesson in Peniche or Nazaré.
57. Spend the day on theisland of Berlengas. Hike the 3km trail from the fisherman’s quarters to theFortress of São João Baptista.
59. Visit one of the less crowded beaches in the Alentejo, such as Samoqueira Beach in Porto Covo.
60. Enjoy the Santa Justa Lift’s 360 degree panoramic view of Lisbon where you’ll see many of the city’s top tourist sites.
62. Enjoy a beautiful walk along the Paiva River on a manmade wooden walkway. Eight km each way for €2 in Passadiços da Paiva in Arouca. (The path partially reopened to the public after a forest fire in Arouca.)
56. Take a surfing lesson in Peniche or Nazaré.
63. See the view of the Atlantic and Nazaré below from the Miradouro do Suberco (cliff top view).
65. Stroll through the Buddha Eden garden in Bombarral, the largest oriental-style garden in Europe.
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