Well-known for its Mediterranean climate, sunny days, tiled buildings, winding rivers, killer coastline, and rich history, Portugal is a top tier travel destination for many. Being a rather small country it seems like it should be relatively simple to plan a trip, however when a country offers so much it can still be somewhat overwhelming. Where should you start exploring? What should you see? How long should you spend? Here are 12 of the best places to visit in Portugal in order from South to North because honestly we couldn’t rank them. Yup, they’re all that good.

12 Of The Best Places To Visit In Portugal

Carvoeiro

The Algarve Region of Portugal is one that is dotted with gorgeous beaches, and breathtaking coastline. There are plenty of towns and villages along the southern stretch of Portugal, however, Carvoeiro gets our vote due to its small village feel, family friendly vibes, and its proximity to some killer hiking and cave exploration! You’ll want to budget two days to explore.

Évora

Évora is perhaps one of Portugal’s most overlooked little towns, but it’s also one of the best medieval towns in the country. Visiting Évora is really like stepping back into the 14th century. Despite its rich religious history, it is still a university town with many restaurants and café’s to explore as well. Without a doubt, the highlight for us was the Capela dos Ossos (Bones Chapel). It was pretty humbling to be in a room decorated with the skeletons of 5000+ people. Also, Dom loves bones. You’ll want to budget three hours to explore.

Lisbon

Visiting the bustling capital city is an absolute must when making a trip to Portugal. Despite its moderate size, Lisbon is still a fairly walkable city, and exudes the perfect blend of history, culture, color, architecture, and sights. We think you’ll love strolling the beautiful neighborhood streets (especially those in the oldest area of the city, Alfama) and keeping an eye out for Portugal’s famous tiled buildings! You’ll want to budget two to three days to explore.

Sintra

If we could only pick one place to visit in Portugal for a weekend perhaps it would be this dreamy, whimsical, drop-dead-gorgeous town. When we first visited it felt like we were stepping right into a fairytale. Loads of history + culture in every nook of the city, plus numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites – it’s simply a no-brainer. You’ve gotta go. To hit the top highlights you’ll want to budget 1 day to explore, however, if you have the time we think two days is more sufficient and will have you feeling less rushed.

Óbidos

This picturesque medieval town is a fantastic day trip from the country’s capital, after a day in historical Sintra, or a stop over on your way up to northern Portugal! We loved this small town for its winding streets, authentic feel, white washed buildings, signature cherry liquor, Ginjinha, and perhaps most for its famous castle wall walk (read: walking the castle walls is a must)! You’ll want to budget two to three hours to explore.

Nazaré

Although this historic fishing town has morphed into surf/beach town; we still think that it is worth a trip to see some of the world’s largest waves (the largest waves make their presence during Portugal’s winter). You’ll want to budget a half day to explore (more if you plan on heading into the surf yourself).

Alcobaça

A city that derives its name from two rivers, Alcobaça is a charming little town only ~100km north of Lisbon making it a great day daytrip. The real draw, however is the incredible monastery. Built in the 12th century it is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and several of Portugal’s past monarchs have been put to rest here. Walk amongst their ornate mausoleums and learn about the very sad love story of King Pedro I and Inés de Castro. Plan on spending somewhere around three hours here to explore.

Batalha

Home of yet another one of Portugal’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Batalha Monastery, this little town makes for another quick stop on your way through the region. In sharp contrast to Alcobaça’s Monastery, this one is done in a very ornate Gothic style which took 200 years to complete. In fact, part of the building was never finished, as the stonemasons were ordered to Lisbon to start work on Mosterio de Jerònimos. Plan on spending somewhere around three hours here to explore.

Douro Valley

The terraced hillside vineyards of the Douro Valley are certainly one of the most unforgettable sites in Portugal. One of the roadside information signs we read described it as “the most beautiful place on Earth.” While we may not make that bold statement, it is certainly breathtaking and is one of the oldest wine regions in the world. Take your time to explore the UNESCO World Heritage protected Valley, learn about the wine and port made here, and treat yourself to a tasting at one (or two..or three…) of the many quintas (vineyards) here. It’s a place to spend at least an entire day, although some would say two to three days wouldn’t be a waste either.

Arouca

If you’re a nature lover then Arouca needs to be on your Portugal itinerary. Whether your exploring the banks of the Pavia River via the 8km of wooden pathways that connect the towns of Areinho and Espiunca or whether your flying high above the River on the world’s longest suspension bridge, a day in Arouca is a day well-spent. You’ll want to budget a half-day at a minimum to explore, however, if you’re traveling with kids and plan on competing the walkway we lean towards a full-day.

Highlights:

• Walk across Ponte 516
• Hike Pavia Walkways

Braga

Known mainly as a religious city, many are surprised to find out that Braga is actually the third biggest city in Portugal. As it was home to the first bishops in the country, there are quite a few absolutely beautiful monuments, churches, and basilicas to explore. Don’t be fooled however, as it is also home to one of Portugal’s biggest universities, thus it has its fair share of restaurants, bars, and shops to explore, as well. Whether it’s an overnight stop on your trip, or just a daytrip from Porto, plan on spending a half to full day here.