• Historic bairros 
• Magnificent Manueline architecture in Belém
• Traditional fado  music
• Electric nightlife

Portugal’s capital offers an irresistible combination of ancient and modern
sights. Lisbon extends from Belém with its exuberant 16th-century Manueline
architecture, including the grand Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, to the 21st-century urban landscape of Parque das Nações. In between,
the city extends across a series of hills characterized by different districts.
The historic bairros  of Castelo and Alfama have been peopled
since Phoenician times. Traditional fado  music originated in
the backstreet cafés here and can still be enjoyed in several venues. The Bairro
Alto district is home to Lisbon’s thriving nightlife scene.

• Cosmopolitan coast resorts
• Fairy-tale Sintra
• Ostentatious palace at Mafra
• Caparica beaches and Arrábida scenery

Estoril and Cascais, on the coastline to the
west of Lisbon, were built as resorts for the wealthy a century ago and are now
dynamic suburban centres that retain a relaxed holiday atmosphere. Beyond
Cascais, the dramatic rocky coastal landscape of Europe’s westernmost point
climbs to the fairytale woods of the Sintra hills and to the historic town of
Sintra, with architectural
highlights such as the Palácio da
Pena. Further north lies the enormous 18th-century Palácio da Mafra, testament to
the ostentation of King João V and containing an exquisite, rococo-style
library. The beach at Ericeira
is good for surfing, as are several other beaches along the Sintra coast. The
best beaches, though, are on the other side of the Tejo. The Caparica coast is
one long beach that stretches from Costa da Caparica to the hills of the Serra da Arrábida, passing some
of Portugal’s most beautiful coastal scenery as well as some of the most
protected beaches on the west coast.

• Magnificent medieval monasteries
• Sweeping Lezíria plain
• Enchanting Óbidos
• Fine Ribatejan wines

Estremadura is a rolling landscape of vineyards, wheatfields, woodland,
industries and busy small towns. Scattered across this region are some of the
country’s greatest monuments: the abbey at Batalha; the sumptuous
Cistercian church at Alcobaça;
and Tomar’s Convento de
Cristo, a feast of architectural styles. Along the coast, the fishing
ports of Peniche and Nazaré are full of character.
The 14th-century walled town of Óbidos is incredibly picturesque. Across the Tejo, the Lezíria plain
of the Ribatejo region includes some of Europe’s most important wetlands for
migrating birds. This landscape is well suited to breeding horses, and the town
of Golegã hosts a colourful
horse fair in November. Portuguese bullfighting has deep roots in Ribatejo;
Vila Franca de Xira and
Santarém are both good
places to catch a bullfight. The wines of both regions are very good,
particularly the Ribatejan reds from around Almeirim.

• Remote fortified towns
• Soaring granite peaks of the Serra da Estrela
• Charming Coimbra

The three Beiras – Litoral, Alta and Baixa – offer a wide variety of rewarding
sights and activities. The interior, Beira Baixa, is famous for the historic,
now idyllic villages of Monsanto and Idanha-a-Velha. Remote fortified towns such as Almeida and Sabugal are also worth seeking
out. In Beira Alta, the granite peaks of Serra da Estrela, the country’s
highest mountain range is great walking country and winter snowfall attracts
skiers to the slopes. Coimbra,
Portugal’s third largest city, is full of charm and historic importance. North
of Coimbra is the forest reserve of Buçaco. Partly planted by monks, it is now the site of a unique
hotel, the Palace Hotel Bussaco, housed in an extravagant
palace built for Portugal’s second last king. Nearby is the relaxed spa town of
Luso. Also in Beira Litoral,
the coastal town of Aveiro has
an impressive maritime heritage which is most clearly visible in the colourful
moliceiro  boats that sail on its lagoon.

• Scenic Douro valley vineyards
• Historic Oporto
• Isolated Serra do Barroso
• Medieval Bragança

The Douro valley is famous as the birthplace of port and now deserves recognition
for its very distinctive table wines, too. The steep river valley, particularly
in the upper reaches beyond Peso da
Régua, has been shaped by the cultivation of the vine, and is an area
of breathtaking natural beauty. Oporto, at the mouth of the Douro, is an old city of immense
character. Portugal’s second city boasts two of the country’s foremost cultural
institutions: the Serralves Museum of Modern Art and the Casa da Música concert
hall. Trás-os-Montes is a remote region of extreme climates, little development,
and much untamed beauty. Highlights include the wild, boulder-strewn landscapes
of Serra do Barroso, the
attractive spa town of Chaves,
the medieval outpost of the region’s capital Bragança, and the serene and
spectacular scenery and walks of the Parque Natural de Montesinho.

• Verdant landscapes
• Remarkable Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês
• Splendid Baroque Bom Jesus do Monte

The Minho region is Portugal’s greenest thanks to high rainfall. The name for the
local wine, vinho verde  (green wine), reflects this. The
intensely cultivated and densely populated Minho countryside offers dramatic
landscapes. To the east lies the rocky terrain of the Serra do Gerês and the
spectacular scenery of the Parque
Nacional da Peneda-Gerês. Braga is the region’s main city. Nearby is the magnificent religious
sanctuary of Bom Jesus do
Monte. On the coast, Viana
do Castelo is an elegant 13th-century town. The centre of Guimarães is similarly
attractive, and any of the smaller towns along the Cávado, Lima and Minho rivers
are worth stopping in.

• Vast, rolling plains
• Delicious wine and olives
• The elegant, ancient city of Évora

This is Portugal’s biggest region, taking up most of the country south of Lisbon
save for the strip of southern coastline that is the Algarve. It is also among
the least densely populated, making it a region of wide open spaces. The idyllic
landscape of olive groves, cork trees and wheatfields create an impression of
unlimited space. The region also produces some of the country’s best red wines
as well as a surprising number of excellent whites which are usually very good
value. Vineyards are located around Vidigueira. This tranquil landscape is irregularly dotted with
picturesque medieval towns on hilltops, often clustered around a castle, such as
at Marvão and Monsaraz. The capital, Évora, is a captivating walled
city. The northern towns of Portalegre, Castelo de
Vide, Elvas, Estremoz and Vila Viçosa are also well worth
a visit. Southern Alentejo is flatter and hotter than the north, but the eastern
towns of Moura, Serpa and Mértola, along the Guadiana
river, offer plenty of interest. On the west side is the attractive Alentejo
coastline, whose rougher seas and cooler temperatures have prevented it from
developing to the extent of the Algarve. This is popular surfing territory, with
small cove beaches surrounded by cliffs.

• Gorgeous beaches
• Luxury resorts
• World-class golf courses
• Picturesque port towns
• Unspoilt interior

The Algarve is perfect for holidaymakers, with a coastline of stunning beaches
and temperate seas, ample sunshine throughout the year, and a gently hilly
hinterland perfect for golf courses. Although these ideal conditions have been
over-exploited in some areas, and get overcrowded at some points during the
year, there are still many places along this leisure coast that are not
dominated by resorts. The short west coast, from Odeceixe to Cabo de São Vicente, is wilder
and less accessible than the south coast. The south coastline has beautiful
beaches at Lagos, Portimão and Albufeira. These areas are also
where much of the best golf is to be found. Faro, the capital, is a pleasant
town and its old citadel and pedestrianized shopping streets are well worth
exploring. The coastline to the east of Faro is characterised by the wide lagoon
and marshes of the Parque Natural da
Ria Formosa, which extend to the picturesque hamlet of Cacela Velha. The beaches beyond
this protected area are long, narrow sand dunes with limited construction. Tavira, the main town in this
area, is one of the most attractive in the region. The charming and secluded
towns of Monchique, Silves or Loulé prove that much of the
interior of the Algarve retains a peaceful atmosphere and is largely unaffected
and unaltered by tourism.

• Breathtaking landscapes
• Sophisticated Funchal
• Levada  walks
• Porto Santo’s golden beach

Verdant Madeira’s deeply-cleft valleys, dramatic cliffs, canyons and
rust-coloured volcanic peaks are simply awe-inspiring. The island’s dense
vegetation seems almost miraculous when compared to the nearby dry and barren
islands in this small archipelago off the west coast of Africa. Famous for the
variety and vibrancy of its flora and the beauty of its gardens, Madeira’s
reputation as paradise is well deserved. Funchal is a busy and pretty
city whose oldest parts have been untouched by tourism. Visitors with an urge
for nature should rent a car, catch a bus, or simply discover the area’s natural
beauty on foot. Beyond Funchal and the southeast coast, Madeira is rural. The
extensive network of levadas , or irrigation channels, allows
walkers easy access to every part of the island. Among the most striking
landscapes are those around the jagged central peaks and ravines of Pico Ruivo and Pico do Arieiro. Here, it is
possible to study the astonishing rock formations left over from the violent
volcanic unheavals that led to the creation of the island. The high plateau of
Paúl da Serra and the sheer
cliffs of the north coast that plunge into the sea with waterfalls that cascade
for hundreds of feet are also magnificent. The long stretch of unspoilt golden
sand on the neighbouring island of Porto Santo attracts sunlovers.

• Volcanic lakes and springs
• Whale-watching
• Wild coastal scenery

A vast archipelago of nine islands in the mid-Atlantic, the Azores remain
relatively undeveloped for tourism, particularly on the small and far-flung
islands of Flores and Corvo. The climate is similar to
that on Madeira, albeit slightly wetter and cooler. This makes for misty peaks
and green expanses, criss-crossed by thick hedges of hydrangea. The central
group of islands – Faial, Pico, São Jorge, Terceira and Graciosa – is perhaps the most
rewarding for visitors who are seeking to immerse themselves in nature. Pico is
a centre for whale-watching, while Faial is a popular port of call for sailing
boats crossing the Atlantic. São Jorge is famous for a cheddar-like cheese made
from the milk of cows who graze its lush pastures. São Miguel, the archipelago’s
main island, is also the biggest, most developed and most varied. It is famous
for its lagoas , volcanic crater lakes that offer spectacular
scenery. Santa Maria, the
other island in the eastern group, has a slightly warmer climate than the others
as well as sandy beaches.