Choose from 168 Fun Things to Do in Portugal
Cabo Girao
- There’s no entrance fee to visit the lookout point or skywalk.
- Facilities at the clifftop include a gift shop, café, restrooms, and free parking.
- Cabo Girão is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.
Arrabida Natural Park
- Several of the beaches in Arrábida Natural Park are only accessible on foot.
- There is no entrance fee to access the park.
- Parking can be limited on summer weekends and holidays.
- Hikes in the region are best suited to active travelers.
Edward VII Park (Parque Eduardo VII)
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Casa Fernando Pessoa
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Armacao de Pera Beach
- Bring plenty of sunscreen and a hat—shade is limited.
- You can either bring your own picnic or enjoy fresh seafood at one of the restaurants along the promenade.
- A must-do for families with kids and beach lovers.
Baixa (Lower Town)
Rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, the Baixa is the lower town, nestled between the hills of Alfama, Chiado and Bairro Alto. Its wide avenues and pedestrianized Rua Augusta are a great place to shop and have coffee, before you emerge into the huge square Praça do Comércio with its handy tram and bus connections and view of the water.
The area's highlight is the Elevador de Santa Justa. This imposing wrought-iron lift offers an easy ride up to the Bairro Alto, plus a rooftop cafe with views to die for. Built in 1902 by Gustave Eiffel follower Raul Mésnier du Ponsard, the lift has more than a passing resemblance to the Eiffel Tower. Avoid the touristy umbrella-topped cafes below and save your coffee break for this still touristy but far more elegant architectural gem. Time your visit to enjoy a drink at sunset.
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Catch the tram or bus to Praça do Comércio and wander into the lower town, or head down from the metro stations Rossio or Baixa/Chiado.
Douro River
- The legal drinking age of 18 applies for all wine tasting in the Douro Valley.
- Douro cruises range from 1-hour wine-tasting cruises to multi-day sightseeing cruises.
- Some cruises are wheelchair accessible, but it’s best to check in advance.
Batalha Monastery
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Castle of the Moors
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Cabo da Roca
- There’s no entrance fee to access Cabo da Roca.
- Visit at sunset for great photo opportunities.
- You’ll find a small souvenir store and café on site.
- The area around the lighthouse and church is accessible to wheelchair users.
Freeport Outlet Alcochete
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Batalha
Some 200 years in its evolution, the Dominican monastery is UNESCO World Heritage-listed as it represents the very pinnacle of Portuguese Gothic and Manueline architecture; its chapter house in particular is an elaborate interweaving of pinnacles, gargoyles and rounded spires over two levels. The fine, lacy façade is studded with intricate stonework that resembles Indian temple carvings, and leads on to a surprisingly unembellished interior, with high Gothic vaulted roof over the nave and stained-glass windows through which sunlight dances on summer days. Around the main body of the church lie several chapels, the stark Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and two tranquil cloisters accessed from a doorway in the north wall in front of the choir.
Batalha monastery became the burial church of the Aviz dynasty Portuguese kings. The Capelo do Fundador to the right of the main entrance is the final resting place of King João I, his wife Queen Philippa of Lancaster and their third son, Prince Henry the Navigator, who expanded Portuguese trade routes into north Africa and died in 1460. A massive equestrian statue of military leader Nuno Álvares Pereira stands guard on the paved piazza outside the monastery; it was he who led his 6,500 troops to victory at Aljubarrota and ended medieval Spanish domination of Portugal.
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Armaz em do Mercado
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Electricity Museum
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Eira do Serrado
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Furnas
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Castelo de Sao Jorge (St George's Castle)
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Douro
The Douro region in Northeast Portugal is near the border with Spain. Even with the advent of modern civilization, this area is characterized by a sort of frontier spirit that tenaciously preserves a traditional way of life handed down through many, many years.
Thinly populated and remote, the Douro is not unlike Galicia in Spain in that its people speak a dialect that is markedly different than the rest of the country; in the Douro, it is closer to Latin vulgate than Portuguese. Along with speaking a traditional language, pottery and weaving are still important cottage industries. Long-held folk practices include a dance with wooden staves called the Dance of the Pauliteiros, which takes place on the third Sunday of August, during the Feast of Saint Barbara. Curiously, this dance is less related to Saint Barbara than it is to Roman martial pomp – the Dance of the Pauliteiros is an outgrowth of the old Roman sword dances.
Notable ruins in the town of Miranda do Douro include the watchtower of the Miranda do Douro castle and the Baroque courtyard left behind from the long-since-destroyed Archbishop’s palace. The city’s cathedral is also of interest; it features a magnificent marble high altar as well as a 19th century ex-voto centered around a piece called “Infant Jesus in a Top Hat.”
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About 17 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of the town is the village of Caçarelhos. Here are large marble and alabaster quarries and beautiful caves, making it a popular destination for professional and amateur spelunkers alike. Another village, Vimioso, has an old church, quaint town square, Roman bridges and its own ruined, 12th century castle.