Portugal’s capital of Lisbon is one of the few Western European cities that faces an ocean, and the city makes good use of it. White-bleached limestone buildings and intimate alleyways give it an easy-going charm.
The most enchanting areas of the city is the Alfama district, with a network of alleyways meandering in all directions and hidden courtyards that are easy to get lost in. But it’s an experience that’s worth it.
Sintra, about an hour from Lisbon by train, is a resort town in the foothills of the Sintra mountains that is like something out of a fairy tale.
A Moorish National Palace, with twin chimneys and elaborate tilework, looms over a town of pastel-colored villas, all of it surrounded by forests that are straight out of Hansel and Gretel.
Plus, the fog that tends to sweep in by night makes it worth spending the night at one of the town’s many B&Bs.
The Douro wine country, the oldest demarcated wine country in the world, is the only legitimate home of port wine and also worth a visit for travelers who fancy an occasional tipple.
Terraced hills along the Douro River are covered with vines that have been producing for centuries.
Nearby Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city, is another medieval icon, with alleyways large enough only for foot traffic leading to baroque churches and sprawling plazas. Porto’s Rebeira District, which has been continuously inhabited since the 4th century, is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Beach lovers head straight for the Algarve on the southern Atlantic coast, where the waters are warmer and the golf courses are among the highest-rated in Europe.
The south coast has everything a sun-loving holiday-maker could want, from secluded coves and islands reachable only by boat to glamorous beaches where hoards of summer travelers go to see and be seen.
Evora, in the southern Alentejo region, is known as the “museum city” and one of Portugal’s best-preserved medieval towns. Winding streets converge on a massive Cathedral and cloisters complex, roman ruins and a town square surrounded by 14th-century buildings.
Don’t miss the Capela dos Ossos, or Bone Chapel, a sanctuary ornamented with real human bones.
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