571 Best Sights in Portugal

Originally dating from the 13th century but reconstructed after a fire in the 16th century, this church was largely untouched by the 1755 earthquake. Its interior, with a painted ceiling and many artworks in gilded frames, illustrates the baroque splendor of Portuguese churches before the earthquake robbed the city of much of its heritage and wealth.

The Old Town's streets peter out at the southern end of Guimarães in the Almeida da Liberdade, a swath of gardens whose benches and cafés are often full. Here the stunning Igreja de São Francisco has a chancel decorated with 18th-century azulejos depicting the life of the saint. The church also has a fine Renaissance cloister. The complex now houses a home for the elderly, but both chapels are open to visitors.

This imposing church of the former Convento de São Gonçalo, built and rebuilt between the 16th and 20th centuries, sits on the north side of the Rio Tâmega, overlooking the imposing 18th-century bridge of the same name. The effigy of its patron saint, just the altar, is reputed to guarantee marriage to anyone who touches it. His features have almost been worn away over the years as desperate suitors try and, perhaps, try again. 

The only centuries-old attraction in this mostly modern neighborhood, this church was built in 1652 and is one of the few survivors of the Great Earthquake of 1755. It was surrounded by farmland but is now almost hidden by tall apartment and office buildings. Behind a plain exterior is typical Portuguese baroque decoration, with walls lined with 18th-century paintings and tile panels illustrating the life of Saint Sebastian. The 17th-century goldwork of the main altar has been carefully restored and shines as you enter.

The 12th-century stone church contains fragments of original frescoes and a fine Pietà carved from a single block of granite. The tomb of Pedro Cabral is also in this church. Actually there are two Pedro Cabral tombs in Portugal, the result of a bizarre dispute with Santarém, where Cabral died. Both towns claim ownership of the explorer's mortal remains, and no one seems to know just who or what is in either tomb.

Just north of the city center, this baroque church looks very out of place amid the modern buildings surrounding it. Inside, a door to the right of the altar leads to the Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of the Bones) set in an outside garden area. The tiny chapel's walls are covered with more than 1,000 skulls and bones dug up from the adjacent monks' cemetery—an eerie sight, to say the least, but a fairly common custom in Portugal.

This 15th-century Church of Jesus, perhaps Portugal's earliest example of Manueline architecture, was built with local marble and later tiled with simple but affecting 17th-century azulejos. The architect was Diogo de Boitaca, whose work here predates his contribution to Lisbon's Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. Six extraordinary twisted pillars support the vault; climb the narrow stairs to the balcony for a closer look at the details, which would soon become the very hallmark of Manueline style. Outside, you can still admire the original, although badly worn, main doorway and deplore the addition of a concrete expanse that makes the church square look like a roller-skating rink. The church's original monastic buildings and Gothic cloister—on Rua Balneário Paula Borba—house the Museu de Setúbal, a museum with a fascinating collection of 15th- and 16th-century Portuguese paintings, several by the so-called Master of Setúbal. Other attractions include azulejos, local archaeological finds, and a coin collection.

The finest baroque structure in Vila Real, this fan-shaped building with a facade dominated by two pairs of heavy columns totally outshines the city's austere Gothic cathedral, round the corner. Built in the 18th century and dedicated to Saint Peter, and also known as the Capela Nova (New Chapel) it's believed by some to have been designed by Nicolau Nasoni, architect of Porto's church of the same name, with its iconic tower. It is open for mass at 9:30 am Tuesday through Saturday.

Rising from the slopes above the river are the 12 white towers of Mértola's 12th-century house of worship, built on the ruins of a Roman structure. It was once a mosque and retains many of its original Islamic features, including a mihrab (a prayer niche that indicates the direction of Mecca).

With a superb late-Gothic portal, this church in the center of the city has a single solid tower with bells that gleam in the sun. Construction on this church began at the end of the 15th century and was completed in the early 16th. Mass is daily at 7 pm, with more services on weekends.

An earthquake devastated the original church that stood here, which dated to the 15th century. But the 18th-century restoration has a number of enchanting features; a collection of hand-painted tiles depicting dramatic biblical scenes, a Manueline portico with twisted columns that resemble knotted rope, a small art gallery, and an exhibition of centuries-old vestaments.

This church has a splendid Manueline doorway, 17th-century altar pieces, and an 18th-century organ crafted in Italy. Near the front of the church rests a beautiful 15th-century Pietà sculpture carved from local marble. On the 8th of March, the building is the hub of a citywide festival celebrating Montemor's patron saint, the 16th-century figure São João de Deus (St. John of God). A procession departs from here to the Igreja do Hospital de São João de Deus. The nave there is covered with blue-and-white azulejo tiles depicting scenes from the saint's life.

The exterior of this late-17th-century church is completely covered with blue-and-white azulejos. Inside, seven altarpieces span four centuries, crowned by a magnificent Rococo main altarpiece.

Tiny white vacation villas dot the pedestrian-only Ilha da Armona, a small island 15 minutes by boat from Olhão. About 9 km (5½ miles) long and just under 1 km (½ mile) wide, the island has some fine, isolated stretches of sand, as well as cafés and bars. It's popular among those who long for a quiet respite from the buzzing throngs of tourists. A wide range of water sports is available, but many people just explore the sandy dunes by foot. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: surfing; walking.

Sandy Ilha da Culatra is crisscrossed with wooden walkways that guide visitors around the island. It has several ramshackle fishing communities, a number of tasty seafood restaurants, and, at the southern village of Farol, pleasant beaches. Some stretches are supervised by lifeguards, others are not. The car-free island is 15 minutes by ferry from Olhão, and the boat trip itself is a fun experience. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards. Best for: walking.

Directly offshore and extending west for some 11 km (7 miles) is the Ilha de Tavira, a long golden sandbar with several pleasant beaches, including a naturist beach. Return ferries costing €2 run to the island every half hour in July and August and every hour May through June and September through mid-October. Several decent restaurants and bars are also on the island. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; nudists; sunrise; sunset.

Portugal's oldest botanical garden—laid out in 1768 by the Italian botanist Domenico Vandelli (1735–1816)—is a relaxing place to spend an hour or so. Baroque fountains and stairways, Renaissance-style terraced slopes, and meandering peacocks create a sense of splendor, and the Scented Garden adds aromatic appeal.

From the Old Town, the botanical garden sweeps down the side of the hill to the Mondego River. Designed by British architect William Elsden and two natural history teachers, Domingos Vandelli and Dalla Bella, it was created during the reform of the university in 1772 by the Marquis of Pombal. It's still a place of serious scientific study, with more than 1,200 species of plants covering 50 acres. There is also a foliage-filled greenhouse and a small botanical museum. The walk uphill along the marked trail takes takes around 45 minutes, or half that if you're headed down.

Lisbon's main botanical garden was first laid out in 1873 to teach students about botany, and it is still part of the University of Lisbon. Hidden behind the small Museu de História Natural, about 2 km (1 mile) north of Bairro Alto, the garden has 10 acres of paths through myriad species of subtropical plants. It's a pleasant place for a shaded stroll.

Steps from Belém’s Manueline monastery, this tropical botanical garden offers shady respite from the heat and the crowds outside. Towering palm trees provide a grand entrance to a flower-filled space that was created in 1906 as the Colonial Garden, housing some 600 species from Portugal’s tropical and subtropical former colonies. There are some grand colonial-style buildings, although most are closed to the public, and resident peacocks stroll amid the flowers and plants. Entrance is free on Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm.

Across the street from Basílica da Estrela is this romantic park dating back to 1852 and filled with exotic plants and trees. Although officially named after poet Abílio Manuel Guerra Junqueiro, everyone knows it as Jardim da Estrela. It’s one of Lisbon’s loveliest green spaces, where families take their kids to see ducks on the ponds and to run around on the playground as others jog and do their daily workout. At the center is a 19th-century wrought-iron bandstand that once stood in the Passeio Público, now Avenida da Liberdade. There’s a kiosk serving refreshments and a café with outdoor seating for light meals.

Also known as Miradouro do Torel, this garden-viewpoint is accessed through a gate at the top of a hill above Avenida da Liberdade. Unlike the other famous viewpoints in the city, it gets very few visitors, except for young couples and older folks from the neighborhood, who sit in the shade admiring the view, walk their dogs, or stop for coffee. The café is found down a few steps that lead to an 18th-century fountain and a terrace. That fountain often becomes a pool used by local children in the summer, when the terrace becomes a small “urban beach.”

These clearly labeled urban gardens, first created in 1882, showcase plants from around the world and make for a lovely stroll when wandering Angra’s historical city center. There are a few terraced levels to explore until you reach the highest point, where you’ll find a panoramic view of Angra. You’ll find an organic teahouse about halfway up (or down) if you need a reviving cup. There’s also a playground.

Off Rua 24 de Julho, the sprawling Jardim Público is a pleasant place to rest after the rigors of sightseeing. The extensive and verdant gardens are landscaped with plants and trees from all over the world. Here you'll find the lovely Palácio de Dom Manuel, known for its row of gracefully curved Manueline windows.

It takes a full day to explore this deservedly popular and well-maintained zoo, which is home to more than 3,000 animals from more than 330 species. The grounds are huge, but you can leap aboard a cable car to whiz from one attraction to another. If you don't have a head for heights, a miniature train (extra fee) trundles around the gardens. You'll also find a petting zoo; twice-daily animal shows featuring parrots, pelicans, dolphins, sea lions, reptiles, or lemurs; and a few cafés and picnic areas.

Although there's no longer an actual crystal palace here (the grand original building, built to host the city's 1865 International Exhibition, fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1952 to make room for the somewhat unsightly sports stadium dubbed "the UFO" by locals), the Crystal Palace Gardens remain a lovely place for a stroll in the shade. With ornate fountains and statues, strolling peacocks, hidden chapels, rose gardens, and views over the Douro, it's a romantic spot beloved of both locals and out-of-towners. 

The breathtaking Blue and Green Lakes (Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde) of Sete Cidades are one of the most photographed sights on the island of São Miguel—and for good reason. If at all possible, plan your visit for a clear day, when one lake appears to be robin’s-egg blue and the other jade green. The best way to see the lakes is from one of the vantage points high above, especially Miradouro da Vista do Rei, which has its own parking area. The viewpoint at Boca do Inferno offers what many visitors consider an even better view, overlooking not only the lakes but also the entire volcano-shaped landscape. You can start a hike from either viewpoint, or at Lagoa Verde itself—though keep in mind that while this hike starts off easy, it becomes more difficult as it climbs up and down through the woods.

One of Évora's most beautiful squares is characterized by paired stone towers that guard one of the principal entrances to the walled old city. The spires of the Sé rise above the towers, and in the center of the square is an unusual Renaissance fountain. The large white-marble sphere, supported by a single column, bears a commemorative inscription in Latin dated 1556. Overlooking the fountain is the Cordovil Mansion, on whose terrace are several particularly attractive arches decorated in the Manueline-Mudéjar style.

This bustling triangular plaza lined with cafés and restaurants sits at the foot of the Ponte Santa Clara over the Mondego River. The statue is of Joaquim António de Aguiar, and the pen in his hand represents the 1833 signing of a decree banning religious orders throughout Portugal.

This large square at the heart of Intendente is one of the most striking in the city. Neglected for many years, it became a major hipster hub starting in the 2010s. Now gentrification is pushing out some of the trendy cafés and creative spaces, but parts of that edginess remain. It also has some notable architecture, including the beautiful tile-covered facade of the former showroom for the historic ceramics company Viúva Lamego, and Lisbon's answer to New York's Flatiron Building, which is now a fashionable hotel.