Funchal
The ochre and dark-pink fortress that caps the Zona Velha seafront was built in the first half of the 17th century, when Funchal was vulnerable to pirate…
Must-see attractions in Portugal
Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês
This gorgeous waterfall is accessed from a bridge over the Rio Arado, just north of the village of Ermida. To see the falls from above, climb to the…
Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport
Madeira
Few airports could be counted as true places of interest, but Madeira's runway sticking out on stilts into the Atlantic and hemmed on two sides by…
Évora
Évora’s best-known church is a tall and huge Manueline-Gothic structure, completed around 1510 and dedicated to St Francis. Legend has it that the…
Igreja Nossa Senhora da Vitória
Miragaia
In Porto's medieval Vitória quarter, this church stands on land that once belonged to the Jewish community. Completed in 1539, it was given a baroque…
Museu Municipal Dr Santos Rocha
The Beiras
This modern museum, beside the Parque das Abadias, houses a wonderfully eclectic collection of local archaeological finds, Roman coins, medieval statues,…
Portugal
At the village of Sobreiro, 4km northwest of Mafra (take any Ericeira-bound bus), sculptor José Franco has created an enchanting miniature, vaguely…
Viana do Castelo
Demanding attention on the waterfront near Largo 5 de Outubro is a pioneering naval hospital ship, the Gil Eannes (zheel yan-ish). Now restored, the ship…
Funchal
This undervisited attraction ambitiously promises 'the island's history in 30 minutes' and, it must be said, doesn't disappoint. With a soundtrack in…
The Minho
West of the river, this small, intriguing green space with rose bushes and lemon-filled trellises next to a public swimming pool is notable for its annual…
Aveiro
Aveiro's cathedral was formerly part of a Dominican convent and contains a Manueline stone cross of Saint Domingo. The cathedral's sober white interior…
Funchal
This impressive clifftop church at the eastern end of the Zona Velha is a 1750 rebuild – the original was destroyed in the earthquake of 1748. Slightly…
Vila Nova de Gaia
Watching over Gaia is this 17th-century hilltop monastery, with its striking circular cloister, church with gilded altar, and stellar river views from its…
Viseu
This 10-hectare haven of woodland and verdant space sprawls beyond the Portal do Fontelo. Here you'll find the 16th-century Antigo Paço Episcopal (former…
Centro de Interpretacão da Serra da Estrela
Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela
In a park to the west of the town centre, this centre provides an excellent introduction to the Serra da Estrela region. A nine-minute film in English or…
Braga
This spiffy modern cultural centre lives inside an 18th-century building that once housed police headquarters. Enter through the sliding glass doors and…
Aveiro
The closest beaches to Aveiro are the surfing hangouts of Praia da Barra and Costa Nova, 13km west of the town. Both are developed and busy in summer;…
Coimbra
A serene place to catch your breath, the lovely university-run botanic garden sits in the shadow of the 16th-century Aqueduto de São Sebastião. Founded by…
Madeira
Widely regarded by those in the know as the island's best wine producer, Henriques & Henriques only uses grapes from its own vineyards in Quinta Grande…
The Algarve
Situated opposite Loulé's castle, the mid-17th century chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição possesses three impressive elements: a heavily gilded baroque…
The Beiras
The main draw of this sleepy little village is Penedono's small but splendid castle. Towering over the main street in the upper village, this crenellated…
Foz do Douro
Some 5000 marine creatures splash in the tanks at Sealife, where kiddie highlights include a shark tunnel and a rock pool for handling crabs, starfish and…
Funchal
Borges is the smallest of Funchal's Madeira wine operations and its diminutive, timber-rich tasting room feels like the furthest away from the tourist…
Évora
Painted on the garden walls of an open-vaulted gallery are a series of unusual 16th-century murals that were once part of a noble’s residence. Recently…
Madeira
The fishing village of Ponta Delgada, 30km west of Santana, is worth a brief halt for its authentic remoteness and to visit the baroque Igreja do Bom…
Coimbra
A great spot for a restorative timeout, this tranquil riverside park was planned by the landscape gardener Jacinto de Matos in the 1920s. Amidst its tree…
Setúbal
Worth the 500m schlep uphill to the west, the castle was built by Filipe I in 1590 to fend off an English attack on the invincible Armada. Converted into…
Foz do Douro
Otherwise known as the Castelo do Queijo (Cheese Castle) because of the wedge of rock it stands upon, Forte de São Francisco Xavier looks every inch the…
The Beiras
This a 19th-century stone barn near the cathedral houses an impressive olive-oil press made in the traditional way with huge tree trunks providing the…
Faro
Three of the four halls at this worthwhile museum house exhibitions on rural life in the Algarve, including mock-ups of 19th-century shops and rooms, a…
Igreja de São Pedro de Miragaia
Miragaia
One of Porto's oldest churches, the medieval Igreja de São Pedro de Miragaia was completely rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries, and pays homage to St…
Vila Nova De Milfontes
If you have your own transport, head 7km north of town to the fantastic Praia do Malhão, backed by rocky dunes and covered in fragrant scrub. The sea can…
Mértola
This museum, north of the old town, features a partly reconstructed line of 6th-century Roman columns and poignant funerary stones, some of which are…
Vila Nova De Milfontes
On the left bank of the Rio Mira, Praia das Furnas is a long stretch of fine sand backed by small rocky cliffs. The sandbars in the area make for some…
Monchique
The 902m Fóia peak, 5.5km west of Monchique, is the Algarve’s highest. The road to the summit climbs through eucalyptus and pine trees and opens up views…
Madeira
Housed in an almost Minecraft-like building high above Calheta, this contemporary arts space has a gallery, shop, cafe, auditorium and workshop area. The…
Madeira
Madeira's top aquarium hides away like a hermit crab in a renovated stone fortress. Inside, 12 tanks represent various ocean habitats around Madeira, the…
The Douro
The sleepy old quarter makes for a pleasant stroll in the early evening. Highlights include the Praça do Município, with its impressive granite pelourinho…
Madeira
High above the central valley at the eastern end of the Paúl da Serra plateau is a place called Bica da Cana. Apart from serving as a picnic spot for…
Porto
Nothing blows away the city cobwebs like a wander along this beach, fringed by the protected dunes of the Douro Estuary Nature Reserve. The stiff sea…
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