HomeTravel Guides

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.

Related Guides
  1. TravelGuides_Lisbon_AayushGupta.jpg
    Lisbon
    May 23, 2018 04:06 PM
     · 
    Rita Alves
Read Before You Go
The World’s Longest Pedestrian Bridge Opens in Portugal
Tips + News
The World’s Longest Pedestrian Bridge Opens in Portugal
The Arouca Bridge’s half-kilometer span will likely earn it a new Guinness World Record title. But its height is nothing to be scoffed at either.
May 03, 2021 02:34 PM
 · 
Associated Press (AP)
Chasing a Literary Lion in Lisbon
Art + Culture
Chasing a Literary Lion in Lisbon
Sponsored by
Portugal Is Reopening for Travelers (and They Won’t Have to Quarantine)
Tips + News
Portugal Is Reopening for Travelers (and They Won’t Have to Quarantine)
June 10, 2020 07:44 PM
 · 
Sara Button
Bats Are Hanging Out in the Library. What Gives?
Books
Bats Are Hanging Out in the Library. What Gives?
December 12, 2019 01:49 PM
 · 
Julie H. Case
UNESCO World Heritage Sites That Are Even Better to Visit During Winter
History + Culture
UNESCO World Heritage Sites That Are Even Better to Visit During Winter
December 04, 2019 08:28 PM
 · 
Eleanor Aldridge
Hotels
Martinhal Lisbon Oriente is located 30 minutes outside the city center and has a white exterior with balconies.
Hotels We Love
The 10 Best Hotels in Lisbon
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.
May 30, 2024 11:05 AM
 · 
Laura Dannen Redman
Pool and view at an Airbnb in Portugal's Douro Valley
Hotels
The Infinity Pool at This Airbnb Might Just Offer the Best View in Portugal’s Douro Valley
A million-dollar view—for less than $500 a night.
October 05, 2023 08:30 AM
 · 
Nicholas DeRenzo
10 Great Hotels in the Azores for a Local Stay
Hotels
10 Great Hotels in the Azores for a Local Stay
Don’t expect any humdrum, large hotel chains here: instead, ecofriendly surf lodges, historic forts-turned-inns, and stone-walled vacation homes await.
June 14, 2022 11:22 AM
 · 
Jessie Beck
Personal Touches Make This Dreamy Lisbon Hotel Feel Like Home
Hotels
Personal Touches Make This Dreamy Lisbon Hotel Feel Like Home
At Casa Fortunato, the owners invite you to come as a guest, stay as a friend, leave as family.
November 04, 2019 01:21 PM
 · 
Nicole Antonio
7 New Hotels With Dreamy Minimalist Designs
Hotels
7 New Hotels With Dreamy Minimalist Designs
Sometimes less is more when it comes to sparking joy in travelers.
July 31, 2019 07:07 PM
 · 
Lindsay Lambert
Intimate Inns That Take Guests off the Beaten Path and Onto a Bike
Hotels
Intimate Inns That Take Guests off the Beaten Path and Onto a Bike
The next trend in lodging? The B&B&B (bed and breakfast and bicycle). Here are our picks for where to try it first.
May 25, 2018 07:02 PM
 · 
Jennifer Flowers
The Check In: New and Restored Hotels Raising the Roof(tops)
Hotels
The Check In: New and Restored Hotels Raising the Roof(tops)
These top-level properties are the places to stay.
May 06, 2016 02:45 PM
 · 
Nicoletta Richardson
Spanish cities such as Bilbao could soon be accessible to American travelers again.
Hotels
6 James Bond Destinations That Will Give You Major Wanderlust
These off-the-beaten path destinations have us wishing for 007’s travel schedule.
November 05, 2015 07:40 PM
 · 
Valerie Stimac
12 Amazing Hotel Boutiques that are Changing the Face of the Gift Shop
Hotels
12 Amazing Hotel Boutiques that are Changing the Face of the Gift Shop
These well-curated hotel shops will give you a sense of place and a lasting memory.
September 02, 2015 04:02 PM
 · 
Jen Murphy
Resources to help plan your trip
The Perfect Weekend in Lisbon
There are some experiences that you shouldn’t miss: Taste a custard tart (the famous pastel de Belém), visit the Jeronimos Monastery, listen to fado (Portuguese folk music), and stroll through Lisbon’s alleys, Rossio Square, and the narrow streets of the Bairro Alto and Alfama. There is also time to visit some museums or the castelo.
December 16, 2020 01:21 PM
 · 
AFAR Editors
The Best Shopping in Lisbon
Lisbon contains all of the usual international brands, especially along Avenida da Liberdade, but it is also said to be the least expensive of the major European cities. If you seek authentic souvenirs and goods, you’ll find unique local wares in the Feira da Ladra flea market or the shops of the central Bairro Alto district. Bring home jewelry, wine, cork products, leather, or traditional Portuguese delicacies.
December 16, 2020 01:21 PM
 · 
AFAR Editors
Best Restaurants in Porto
Purely based in small eateries, some of which are over a century old, this city has become a foodie beacon in Europe. A much deserved change of the long lasting impression that Porto was only about Port Wine. The truth is that these places are not fancy. Not by any means! They are frequented by all social classes and nowadays it is common to see a banker sharing elbow room with a mail man at some of these tiny little places
December 16, 2020 01:21 PM
 · 
Nelson Carvalheiro
The Best Restaurants in Lisbon
Lisbon offers a concentrated slice of Portugal’s rich culinary culture, with everything from riverside cafés and neighborhood tascas to Michelin-starred destinations. Seek out the fresh seafood, unique cheese, and famous custard tarts.
December 16, 2020 01:21 PM
 · 
AFAR Editors
Porto in a Nutshell: What to Do in Porto, Portugal
From a hip up-and-coming art and architecture scene to iconic, tile-covered monuments, Porto has a lot more on offer than port and bacalhau. So take a day or two to explore Northern Portugal’s charming unofficial capital.
December 16, 2020 01:21 PM
 · 
Chris Ciolli
The Western Algarve, Portugal
The Algarve in southern Portugal is well known for its great weather, gorgeous beaches, its food, and elegant hotels. If you are more adventurous and inquisitive, visit the western Algarve and discover something very different than huge , beautiful complexes that are overcrowded. In the western Algarve you will find many quiet, stunning beaches that most Americans have not yet discovered. Almost every beach has a restaurant, bathroom facilities, and lifeguards.
December 16, 2020 01:21 PM
 · 
Connie Hand
Bars + Nightlife
The Best Quiet Bars in Lisbon’s Loudest Neighborhood
In Bairro Alto, you can go on an epic pub crawl and still hear yourself think.
November 01, 2019 05:31 PM
 · 
Nicole Antonio
Beer, Wine, + Spirits
12 Lovely Small Towns in European Wine Country
Vacation among the vines at these small-in-size but big-on-wine destinations in France, Italy, Portugal, and beyond.
September 24, 2019 01:33 PM
 · 
Sarah Bray
History + Culture
Calling all European History Buffs: These Are the Tours You Need to Be Taking
All over the continent, Context Travel’s tours bring the past to life.
July 30, 2019 02:12 PM
Travel Tips + Etiquette
Now, You Can Explore the World’s Coolest Neighborhoods with a Local
Get a real insider perspective on how a neighborhood becomes cool—and how best to see it.
July 22, 2019 03:14 PM
Bars + Nightlife
These are the European Food Experiences That You Just Can’t Miss
Do a deep dive into local European cuisine on an expert-led day tour.
July 22, 2019 11:29 AM
Cities We Love
Snack Attack in Lisbon: A 48-Hour Food Tour Through This Burgeoning Culinary Capital
Our writer tastes her way through the Lisbon culinary scene on a foodie-focused city tour with two local food experts.
June 26, 2019 04:59 PM
 · 
Anya von Bremzen
Load More
Sign up for our newsletter
Join more than a million of the world’s best travelers. Subscribe to the Daily Wander newsletter.