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Things to do in Portugal
Author: Amber-Louise Large
Wander fairytale towns complete with turrets and towers, sip port in Douro Valley vineyards and keep an eye out for flaky custard tarts in the crumbling streets of Lisbon. Looking for golden opportunities to laze on beaches? Take your biggest sunglasses and floppiest hat to the Algarve. Whatever your travel palate, Portugal offers up a plentiful mix of sights, tastes and culture.
1. Jeronimos Monastery
If you like looking at beautiful monuments, you’ll love the cloisters and carvings at Jeronimos Monastery.
The UNESCO-listed Jeronimos Monastery is a masterpiece by anyone’s standards, having taken 100 years to complete. The facade is covered in limestone carvings, with intricate designs continuing inside to cloister columns and vaulted ceilings. Look for nautical motifs – reminders of Portugal's Age of Discovery – and gaze up at soaring arches. This 16th Century monument is a perfect example of the Manueline architectural style unique to Portugal. Just make sure to arrive early, as queues can get long during peak seasons.
Top tip: Take the very short walk to Pasteis de Belem, known for making the pastel de nata to its original recipe. Portugal’s famous egg custard tarts are said to have first been created by monks at Jeronimos Monastery. That recipe is a closely held secret, only known to this patisserie.
2. Feira da Ladra
If you like picking up unique souvenirs, you’ll love Feira da Ladra.
Every Tuesday and Saturday the area behind the monastery of Sao Vicente de Fora is covered in bric-a-brac: you’ll find tables laid with mismatched glassware glinting in the sun, vintage coats hanging above mountains of clothes and home goods ranging from old toasters to chandeliers displayed on blankets. This is Feira da Ladra, Lisbon’s oldest market, where you can pick up a unique souvenir from a second-hand seller or grab something completely new from an artisanal stall. Whether you’re a practised rummager or a casual stroller who likes to let things catch their eye, make your way up the hill to shop in the shadow of the National Pantheon dome.
Top tip: Many sellers won’t take cards so bring cash.
Sweet secrets
Lisbon patisserie Pasteis de Belem has managed to keep the recipe for the custard tarts a secret for over 100 years. Only a handful of people know how to make the authentic ‘pastel de Belem’ which, according to legend, was created by monks at Jerónimos Monastery in the 18th century.
Top tip…
Visit the Unesco-listed monastery in the morning on a clear day, when the sunlight casts a soft golden light over the church’s stained glass windows – a photo opportunity not to be missed.
3. Douro Valley
If you like gorgeous views and wine, you’ll love the Douro Valley.
A trip along the magnificent and watery Douro Valley is great for wine and heritage lovers alike. Stop off at a quinta (wine estate) to watch old rabelo boats bob on the Douro River and sip caramelly port. See terraced vineyards bursting with grapes in the hillsides and smell seasonal blossoms. You can even go for a swim (in the river, not the wine) on a sun-streaked day if you visit one of the ‘beaches’ at Porto Rei, Lomba or Praia do Castelo.
Top tip: The Douro Valley an easy day trip from Porto, where the river spills into the Atlantic Ocean.
4. Monsanto
If you like seeing the unusual, you’ll love Monsanto.
Monsanto is stuck between a rock and a hard place, quite literally. This village is built on, under, in and around giant boulders. With its tavernas serving homemade meals (Taverna Lusitana is a popular choice) and potted plants lining cobbled streets, it’s also often touted as the ‘most Portuguese’ village in the country. Stand on the viewing platform Miradouro de Forno to peer over sloping red roofs and labyrinthine walkways. Then follow more winding lanes up to the mountaintop castle, where even better panoramas of the tumbling town and surrounding plains await.
Top tip: Monsanto isn’t exactly easy to reach, which makes it all the more mysterious. Hire a car for an epic road trip.
5. Sagres
If you like a good sunset spot, find the ‘end of the world’ in the Algarve.
Portugal’s south coast is known for its golden beaches and ochre cliffs sidling up to the sea in the sunshine. Go about as far south as you can in the country to Sagres, where you can watch the sunset from Cape St Vincent. Some ancient Romans believed the sun sank into the ocean here and would hiss as it hit the water, making it the edge of their world. See the magical moment for yourself: watch the beating sun sink into the Atlantic and listen for hissing waves clashing with cliffs.
Top tip: Sagres is known for being windy at all times of the year, so dress appropriately for the weather.
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