The Best Cities to Visit in Portugal
Porto: It would be hard to dream up a more romantic city than Porto. This north-western coastal city is best known for its port wine, of course – a tasting should be first on your to-do list (and perhaps a side trip into the wine-producing Douro region). In fact, you can learn about Porto’s history (both the drink and the city) and other facets of Portuguese identity at the ‘World of Wine’; a sprawling complex of museums, restaurants and bars overlooking the city.
Laced with narrow pedestrian lanes, baroque churches and café-dotted plazas, leading the eye down to the Douro River and its landmark bridges, it’s a place ideal for those who like their travel to be slow and authentic.
As Portugal’s second city, it is centred on its UNESCO-listed medieval Ribeira (riverside) district with its cobbled alleys lined by old merchants’ houses, churches and cloisters.
In fact, a good place to start exploring the city is to start in the Ribeira district and cross the bridge to explore the centuries-old port wineries in Villa Nova de Gaia – where you can sip the world’s finest ports. In short, Porto is a perfect city for ambling and people-watching over a traditional 'pasteis de nata' in a café.
Lisbon: Seven iconic hills overlook Lisbon’s postcard-perfect panorama of cobbled alleyways, white-domed cathedrals and grand civic squares, Ranked among the happiest cities in the world in the Expat City Ranking 2022 for its 2,800 hours of sunshine a year and short working week, the Portuguese capital is both timeless and modern, laidback and exciting. Many of its greatest pleasures are simple ones – eating grilled sardines in the Alfama district or riding the tram or funicular to discover different neighbourhoods.
The Portuguese capital is packed with things to do, from browsing galleries (including the Museu Nacional do Azulejo, with its trove of ceramic tiles) and exploring castles (such as the hilltop Castelo de Sao Jorge), to satisfying your sweet tooth with the cities incredible ‘pastel de nata’. By night, Lisbon’s party people take over, filling old-school drinking dens, brassy jazz clubs and open-all-night clubs that burst into life once the sun goes down
Another big attraction is just how close you are to the surfing beaches of the Atlantic and to beauty spots such as Azenhas do Mar ('Watermills of the Sea').
Sintra: With its rippling mountains, dewy forests thick with ferns, exotic gardens and glittering palaces, Sintra is like a page torn from a fairy tale. Its UNESCO World Heritage-listed centre, Sintra Vila, is dotted with pastel-hued manors folded into luxuriant hills that roll down to the blue Atlantic. The Celts worshipped their moon god here, the Moors built a precipitous castle and the 18th-century Portuguese royals swanned around its dream gardens. Even Lord Byron waxed lyrical about Sintra’s charms: “Lo! Cintra glorious Eden intervenes, in variegated maze of mount glen”, which inspired his epic poem “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage”. Sintra is undoubtedly a ‘must-do’ side trip for any visit to Lisbon.
Obidos: Wandering the tangle of ancient streets of this historic town is enchanting at any time of year, but coming during one of the festivals, you’ll be in for a special treat. Whether you fancy the idea of a mock-up jousting match at a medieval fair or delving into the written word of ‘Folio’ – Portugal’s biggest international literature festival.
Faro The compact Algarve capital is underrated in our opinion – overlooked in favour of the nearby world-class beaches of southern Portugal, it’s a lovely town with its own excellent stretches of sand, a pretty cidade velha (Old Town) encircled by medieval walls and fabulous food. It’s also the gateway to the lagoons of the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa with its fishing communities and its unique local experiences – try clam- and oyster-picking, or ask about bird-watching tours.
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