While some iconic locations in Portugal, like Lisbon, have undeniable beauty, there is more to Portugal than meets the eye. We invite you to wander away from the most commonly known paths to have a glimpse of what else this beautiful country has to offer. Once you broaden your horizons, you’ll see that some of the most beautiful places in Portugal are, in many cases, gems to be discovered.
Where to Visit in Portugal?
Choosing the most beautiful places in Portugal to visit can be both a rewarding and a daunting task. It’s amazing how a relatively small country can have so many mesmerising sights, one more unique than the other. From pristine beaches to monumental valleys, the narrowing process can be challenging. Beauty is everywhere to be found in Portugal, but we’ve managed to get to a list that will undoubtedly have one or more locations that will take your breath away. Maybe one of them will even be the next place where you visit in Portugal.
The Douro Valley
Literally meaning the “Golden Valley” the name is born from local folklore. Legends say that little bright rocks, resembling gold, could be found in the river that cuts the valley, reflecting a golden hue across the surface water. Born in Spain, the Douro River winds across Northern Portugal, and courses right through the city of Porto before joining the Atlantic, carving a magnificent Valley with surrounding green hills, which are now the vineyards where the sweet Port wine is produced.
Besides being the home to some of the most astounding breathtaking views in Portugal, some local wineries offer wine-tasting experiences and set the perfect scenario for unique memories to be made.
Sintra
While Sintra may already be on your radar, this list wouldn’t be incomplete without mentioning it. Sintra truly is what everyone claims it to be – an enchanting, small town on the outskirts of Lisbon, boasting some of Portugal’s most iconic landmarks, including the opulent Pena Palace, and historic castles.
The surrounding mountainside, covered with a thick forested area, creates an undeniable mystical feel, especially when the fog creeps up, transporting you to a land of fairy tales. Sintra is also the home to Continental Europe’s westernmost point – Cabo da Roca – where you can truly see the vastness of the blue Atlantic Ocean.
The Benagil Beach & Caves
There are multiple sights to behold and beaches to enjoy in the Algarve, but what if both can be done at the same time? Benagil Beach is widely known for being one of the best beaches in the Algarve, thanks to its surrounding cliffs, which provide a stunning view of the beach and the ocean.
However, Benagil is internationally renowned for its beautiful grottos and caves, accessible only by the sea. This is truly one of the Algarve’s staple must-see sights, and unavoidable when it comes to the most amazing places in Portugal. The most famous set of caves has a large skylight, from which the blazing sun casts its light, illuminating the entire beach and sandstone below.
Sete Cidades Lake
Many of the prettiest places in Portugal can be found on the continental side, but the country’s islands and the Azores archipelago shouldn’t ever be forgotten. The Azores are the home to so many iconic natural wonders, but perhaps none more so than the fabled Sete Cidades Lake, which is famously two-coloured: both green and blue. Though technically speaking, they are two separate lakes, the seamless way they merge makes the Sete Cidades Lake a one-of-a-kind sight in the entire world, and a true feast for the eyes.
Óbidos
Óbidos is a quaint, medieval town in the Leiria district, which will undoubtedly transport anyone who visits it back in time. With long, narrow streets, townwide walls, and a well-preserved historic castle, Óbidos comes alight with life during the town’s several cultural events spread throughout the year. The most noteworthy ones are the International Chocolate Festival, the Medieval Market, and the Christmas Market, all which properly give a new coat of paint to the town during these celebrations.
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Serra da Estrela
The title of the highest physical peak in continental Portugal belongs to Torre, Serra da Estrela’s summit, standing at 1,993 metres, which is entirely accessible by car.
During the winter, the mountain becomes enveloped in a beautiful coat of white snow and is the best spot in Portugal for skiing, sledging, snowmobiling, and snowboarding enthusiasts. In the warmer season, Serra da Estrela and its surrounding natural park offer a different, but by no means less beautiful side. Its hiking 300km+ trails, river springs, glacier valleys, and so much more will let you connect with nature in its purest form.
Aveiro
Aveiro is definitely one of the prettiest places in Portugal, commonly referred to as Portugal’s Venice. In fact, one of the most quintessential activities you can engage in when visiting the city will be a ride through the Ria de Aveiro, the Aveiro Lagoon, in a special gondola called the moliceiro.
However, visiting Aveiro will only be complete after trying out the region’s sweet treat, ovos moles (soft eggs), and hopping over to Costa Nova and its beach, where the iconic striped houses are located.
Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês
Portugal’s only National Park is a world in itself, almost detached from the rest of reality. The Peneda-Gerês Park merges two nearby mountain ranges – Peneda and Gerês - in a seamless, endless green panorama. The totality of this ecosystem transcends Portugal, crossing over to Spain, into the Gerês-Xurés Park, reminding us that nature knows no borders.
Peneda-Gerês mountainous, rugged grounds wind and unwind, giving way to rivers and streams that pool into nearby gushing waterfalls, creating stunning awe-inspiring vistas.
São Martinho do Porto
This isn’t a place you would typically find in most lists, since it's mainly known by locals only. São Martinho do Porto's most beautiful feature is its shell-like bay, almost in a perfect C, creating a uniquely distinct circular-shaped beach.
It’s the perfect location for a full day of relaxation and spending time with the family, either just hanging out by the beach, taking a stroll through the nearby busy markets, or even enjoying camping activities in nearby parks.
Monsanto
Not to be confused with Monsanto Park in Lisbon, though that one could also easily feature in this list. This Monsanto is a small, picturesque village in the district of Castelo Branco. Sitting on top of a “hill” and built almost entirely in stone, Monsanto is one of the most unique sights in Portugal.
This villa holds the title of “Historical Portuguese Village” and is a must-visit place for anyone interested in history. With a medieval castle as its main landmark, it once was the home of Romans, Arabs, and Barbarians before being conquered by Portugal’s first king, who handed the village to the Knights Templar.
Dornes
Dornes is yet another less-known location and one of the most beautiful places in Portugal. It’s located at the crossroads of the iconic Templar city, Tomar, and the Castelo de Bode Reservoir Area, bringing together beauty and history. This riverside village is the perfect location for a day lounging out in the sun or swimming in the Zêzere River, and for uncovering more about the enigmatic Knights Templar, who had a foothold and influence over the region.
São Lourenço
The Madeira archipelago houses several of the prettiest places in Portugal, but none more so than São Lourenço, a peninsula that stretches out into the eastern side of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a mandatory stopping point for anyone visiting Madeira, with its unique ecosystem, distinct from the rest of the island.
Hiking trails are available across the peninsula, presenting the perfect opportunity for raw shots and gorgeous pictures.
Serra do Buçaco
Though Buçaco is a mountain range, it would be more fitting to compare it to a Botanical Garden or a Forest. The rugged grounds are covered by an extensive canopy of forests that houses more than 700 endemic species, like the redwood tree, which can reach towering heights of up to 100 m (around 330 feet).
Besides providing an enjoyable experience for nature lovers, Buçaco and its surroundings have an interesting religious and military history. Most notably, it served as the grounds for a major Portuguese victory over the invading French troops.
Nazaré
Surfing enthusiasts will be all too familiar with Nazaré, where the sea roars the loudest and waves reach as high as 30 metres (around 200 ft). Visiting Nazaré is a humbling experience, reminding us of the powerlessness of the human being against nature.
Besides surfing and other sea sports, Nazaré is an overall excellent place to have a memorable beach vacation. The town comes alive during the day, with bustling streets and restaurants specialised in fish and seafood meals.
Serra do Marão
Serra do Marão is a Northern Portugal staple landmark, a mountain range that stretches across the Vila Real and Porto districts. Hiking to its summit will be an enduring yet rewarding challenge with breathtaking vistas awaiting you.
Along the way, stop and admire the countless bird species. So many have made Marão their home, it’s one of the best spots in Portugal to practice birdwatching, and to reconnect with nature at the most essential level.
Porto Covo & Sines
Portugal’s most beautiful places have to include, at the very least, one location from the Vicentine Coast, the seaside region running from Setúbal down to Sagres. We bring you two, Porto Covo & Sines, which are difficult to separate from one another.
Porto Covo will be the prime location, between the two, for beachgoers and those seeking to unwind or relax from the pressures of everyday life. Sines, on the other hand, as a fishing district, will provide a glimpse of ancient Portuguese practices and immerse you in Portuguese history. It was in Sines where the brave explorer Vasco da Gama, discoverer of the sea route to India, was born.
Piódão
Hidden in the slopes and hills of Serra do Açor, you'll find Piódão, an officially classified “Historical Portuguese Village”, and one of an inspiring beauty. Piódão is a village wealthy in shale, used abundantly in the village’s foundations. With long and winding streets, it’s one of Portugal’s most famous villages and beautiful places.
Besides the natural beauty, Piódão houses a river beach, hiking and biking trails, inviting you to have a deeper and more intimate connection to the whole region.
Praia da Marinha
The Algarve as a whole is a trove of beauty waiting to be witnessed and admired, and the premier Portuguese destination for the summer. When the sun shines the brightest and the need to go for a swim is the deepest, the Algarve beaches are the top places where to go in Portugal.
Praia da Marinha, in particular, is one of Portugal’s most unsung heroes. Its pictures are constantly used to highlight the beauty to be found in Portugal, but its name is rarely mentioned or credited. This beach stands out from the rest due to its raw, unfiltered, stunning views of the Ocean beyond, especially from the surrounding cliffside.
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Elvas
Elvas might not be anyone’s first guess at what the most beautiful place in Portugal might be. Its beauty does not come from stunning vistas or awe-inspiring sights, but from its invaluable worth to Portuguese culture and history, and that alone merits it a spot on this list.
Elvas’s star-shaped bulwarked fortifications surrounding the village are the largest in the world. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a true testament to the military prowess Portugal boasted in the 17th century.
Sagres
The Algarve is an unmissable region to visit, especially during the Portuguese summer. Instead of hopping down to known fixtures like Portimão, Lagos or Albufeira, continue the travel westward to Sagres, a lesser-known village but by no means any less beautiful, and one of Portugal’s westernmost points.
Sagres holds immense historical importance, as it was the mythical location where Prince Henry the Navigator, a key Portuguese figure from the Discoveries, founded Escola de Sagres where the best sailors were trained. Beyond important landmarks like the Fortress, Sagres is also the perfect alternative destination with its pristine beaches.
Portugal: A Country with (Not Only) Countless Pretty Places
The truth is the list of the most beautiful places in Portugal could go on and on. With this list, Portugal Homes wanted to present some alternatives to well-established places like Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, home to some of Portugal’s most beautiful gardens, and arguably the best place to live in Portugal.
Some are truly unavoidable, and you will most likely see them across every other list out there, like the Benagil and the Marinha Beaches, some of the best in the Algarve a region that competes with Lisbon for the title of the best to live in, especially in the Golden Triangle area.
At the end of the day, beauty is subjective and what might be pleasing to you might not be to another person. What is objective and what can’t be contested is that Portugal is one of the best countries in the world to live in. The country is one of the safest in the world, its air quality is among the cleanest in Europe, and the Portuguese are extremely proficient in English, which is a welcome benefit for many expats.
Ready to Become a Neighbour of These Beauties? Here’s How.
The list of most beautiful places in Portugal is long and, since they all speeded across the country, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get to know them one in one, two or even three visits. But should you? Portugal is not only a beautiful destination to tourists but also a great place to live in.
Portugal Homes is ready to help you transform a dream vacation spot into your second or permanent address. We have amazing properties to show you – both in person or during an online call – expert advice on how you can obtain a visa by investing in your future country and even a team dedicated to making your life simple through property management and tax representation services.
Book a free consultation with one of our team of advisors and start turning your dreams of living in Portugal into reality.
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