Portugal

Portugal packs an outsize punch thanks in part to its stunning azulejo tiles, limestone cliffs surrounding sandy bays, and of course, its wine and cuisine. A week here really allows you to dig in—surfing in the Atlantic, swirling a glass of port, climbing medieval castles and hiking trails, and taking in a range of architecture, including impressive Portuguese modernist buildings.

Best European River Cruises

The Douro River

Photo by Mikhail Gnatkovskiy/Shutterstock

Overview

Planning Your Trip

Use these articles, resources, and guides to plan and inspire your next trip to Portugal.

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Read Before You Go
Discover some of the best places to travel with families, along with why you’ll want to add them to your travel plans this year.
Hotels
Beauty, charm, and history infuse scores of hotels in Portugal’s capital city. To help you choose where to stay, here are 10 of the best hotels in Lisbon.
A million-dollar view—for less than $500 a night.
Don’t expect any humdrum, large hotel chains here: instead, ecofriendly surf lodges, historic forts-turned-inns, and stone-walled vacation homes await.
At Casa Fortunato, the owners invite you to come as a guest, stay as a friend, leave as family.
Sometimes less is more when it comes to sparking joy in travelers.
The next trend in lodging? The B&B&B (bed and breakfast and bicycle). Here are our picks for where to try it first.
These top-level properties are the places to stay.
These off-the-beaten path destinations have us wishing for 007’s travel schedule.
These well-curated hotel shops will give you a sense of place and a lasting memory.
Resources to help plan your trip
Mountains, valleys, pilgrimages, and wilderness—these hikes showcase the best of the continent wherever your walking boots take you.
Portugal’s delicious culinary hits—from seafood-studded soupy rice to flaky egg tarts—can be enjoyed at Michelin-starred dining rooms, rustic taverns, and sidewalk charcoal grills.
Don’t miss these food in Portugal.
Make the most of your readerly passions at these global cities recognized for their vibrant literary communities.
The new route—which will be the first ever from the United States—takes off in late spring 2024 and is available to book now.
Indulge your medieval castle fantasies in Europe.
A tasca is a traditional Portuguese restaurant, and the best tascas in Lisbon are typically found in the old neighborhoods or away from the city’s most touristy areas. Tascas serve home-style food in large portions and at cheap prices, and are great places to meet Lisboetas (the name given to residents of Lisbon).
Fatima is one of the most important religious pilgrimage sites in the world. Pilgrims travel to Fatima year round but the 13th of the months of May to October are the days that celebrate the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to the three shepherd children at the Cova da Iria ( a valley) in the parish of Fatima in 1917. On those days you may be in a crowd of thousands of pilgrims many of whom arrived from hours away on foot. A pilgrimage to this holy site is a very special experience.
Of course, there’s Lisbon and Porto, but there are other places worth visiting too.
Making the case for escaping the crowds sailing Europe’s Danube and Rhine rivers and heading to Portugal’s UNESCO-protected Douro Valley instead.
Whether you’re a wildlife-watcher, hiker, or a plain-old sun-worshipper, there’s a gorgeous beach waiting for you somewhere on the globe.
Here’s how to get out on (and under) the water sustainably.
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