What are the Best Places to Visit in Portugal?

Portugal is a small but incredibly diverse country, brimming with historic cities, fairytale palaces, and dramatic coastal landscapes. So when it comes to deciding on your itinerary, we understand if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed!

Here at Overland Portugal, we specialise in small group tours in the country. To help you on your journey, we’ve created this guide to the best places to visit in Portugal. Keep reading for our top suggestions, and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions about our tours!

A colorful, hilltop palace surrounded by green forest overlooks a vast, flat landscape under a partly cloudy sky.

Lisbon: Portugal’s Capital

Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, is the perfect place to begin your adventure. Perched on the banks of the River Tagus, this is a city of unmatched allure. Historic yellow trams rattle through narrow streets, past pastel-hued buildings and iconic landmarks. Lisbon is practically humming with culture. It’s home to the world’s oldest bookstore, world-famous pasteis de nata, and a museum dedicated to the art of glazed tiles in Portugal. You can spend your day strolling through Alfama, the oldest neighborhood in the city, and your evenings relishing the nightlife in Bairro Alto.Lisbon marks the start and end of our 7-Day Portugal Explorer Tour, giving you plenty of time to enjoy this gorgeous city before or after your adventures through Portugal!

The image shows the Arco da Rua Augusta, a large stone triumphal arch with sculptures, flanked by yellow buildings in Lisbon, Portugal, under a clear sky.

Sintra: Home of Palaces and Castles

Just a short journey from Lisbon, Sintra appears like something out of a storybook. Nestled amid lush forests, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is dotted with fantastical palaces and castles. The Pena Palace stands out on the hilltop with its bold yellow and red colors, while the nearby Quinta da Regaleira evokes a sense of mysticism with its romantic design and mysterious well. Utterly beguiling and bordering on the magical, Sintra is undoubtedly one of the best places to visit in Portugal.

A stone spiral staircase descends into a deep, circular well with moss-covered walls and arched openings at each level.

Cascais: A Sleek Coastal City

Once a humble fishing village, Cascais today is a stylish coastal town along the Portuguese Riviera. With its pristine golden beaches and bright blue waters, it even attracted Portuguese royalty and aristocrats to its shores. Now home to a bustling marina, Cascais is the ultimate playground for both locals and tourists, offering upmarket hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants, and luxury shopping.

A seaside town with red-roofed buildings, a historic stone mansion, a sandy beach, and people walking along a waterfront promenade.

Óbidos: Portugal’s Literary Heart

A town so beautiful it was once the exclusive preserve of queens, Óbidos is one of Portugal’s best-preserved historic gems. With the Óbidos Castle dominating the skyline and whitewashed houses below, wandering this town feels like stepping back in time. But it’s not only stunning to look at, but it’s rich with culture. A UNESCO Creative City of Literature, Óbidos is a hub of literary activity and hosts an annual international festival. It’s also best known for its traditional cherry liqueur, ginjinha, often served in edible chocolate cups. Óbidos is certainly a town that appeals to all the senses!

A panoramic view of a historic town with red-tiled roofs, stone walls, a castle, and green fields under a clear blue sky.

Aveiro: The Venice of Portugal

Often called the “Venice of Portugal,” Aveiro is located on the Ria de Aveiro lagoon, charming travellers with its winding canals and elegant Art Nouveau architecture. Gliding along the waterways on board a traditional moliceiro is a highlight of our Portugal Explorer Tour, with each boat decorated in unique panels depicting history and culture, or a good sense of humour. Not to be missed while in Aveiro is the town’s famous ovos moles, a local delicacy made of egg yolks and sugar that will melt in your mouth.

Colorful gondola-style boats are docked along a canal lined with buildings and cars under a clear blue sky in a cityscape.

Porto: The City of Port Wine

The city of Porto is renowned for its most famous export: port wine. While produced in the Douro Valley, for centuries it could only be exported from Vila Nova de Gaia in Porto. Gaia remains the hub of the port wine industry, and visiting the cellars here is a high point of any trip to Porto.

But this coastal city is more than its namesake wine. Its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its rich architectural history. Traversed by the Douro River and framed by iconic bridges with pastel-colored buildings lining the shores, Porto is a sight to behold.

Large iron arched bridge spans a river with colorful buildings and a boat below, under a blue sky with scattered clouds and contrails.

Douro Valley: Portugal’s Historic Wine Region

The source of port wine, the Douro Valley is one of the oldest demarcated wine regions in the world. Here, the landscape is defined by steep terraced vineyards that tumble down toward the winding Douro River. A river cruise reveals serene views of the valley while visits to local quintas (wine estates) offer wine tastings and insights into the region’s viticultural traditions. Of course, we make a stop here on our 7-Day Portugal Tour to not only savour some wines but sail along the river!

Terraced vineyards and olive trees cover rolling hills beside a winding river, with mountains in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Coimbra: The Academic Cornerstone

The former capital of Portugal, Coimbra is home to the oldest university in the country. This vibrant academic city is rich in heritage, from the baroque splendour of the Joanina Library, with its 40,000 books, to the D. Pedro V Market, which dates back to 1867. Coimbra is also best known for its unique style of fado, which reflects the local culture and can be enjoyed in a number of bars in the evenings.

Historic building with a central staircase leading to an ornate entrance, flanked by columns and sculptures, with a tiled roof and blue sky above.

Tomar: The Former Home of Knights Templar

Tomar is a treasure trove of history, known for the Convent of Christ, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and former seat of the Knights Templar in Portugal. This architectural wonder blends Gothic, Manueline, and Renaissance styles, and transports you to an era of knighthood. Wander its cloisters and chapels and feel yourself immersed in Portuguese history.

Stone castle-like building with a large staircase, arched windows, and a bell tower, surrounded by trees and greenery under a cloudy sky.

Évora:

With its Roman and medieval history, Évora is a captivating Portuguese destination. The historic town center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where narrow lanes open onto grand squares and ancient ruins. The stunning Évora Cathedral stands as a testament to centuries of religious devotion, while the enigmatic Chapel of Bones offers a macabre yet remarkable experience.

Ornate stone balcony with decorative columns overlooks red-roofed buildings and a rural landscape under a blue sky.

Discover the Best of Portugal with Overland Portugal

Each of these destinations embodies a unique facet of Portugal’s character — and we visit all of them on our 7-Day Portugal Explorer Tour! On our small group tour, you get to sit back and enjoy the journey as we take care of all your transport and accommodation needs. There’s no better way to experience the best places in Portugal than with an expert guide in the driver’s seat. If you have any questions about our tour, don’t hesitate to contact us.