571 Best Sights in Portugal

The beautifully preserved convent buildings surrounding the Colegiada de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira house this museum, known for its beautiful displays of religious art, medieval statuary, and coats of arms. The highlight is a 14th-century silver triptych of the Nativity that's full of animation and power. It's said to have been captured from the king of Castile at the Battle of Aljubarrota and presented to the victorious Dom João I, whose tunic, worn at the battle, is preserved in a glass case nearby.

In the former Convent of São Francisco, this interesting museum tells the history of Terceira and its capital city, from the first settlers to the present day. Exhibits cover military history, transportation, furnishings, and artworks, but the wonderful collection of horse-drawn carriages is a definite highlight. Much, though not quite all, of the information is in English as well as Portuguese, and there are always museum staffers available if you have questions. The original chapel contains an 18th-century organ; if you’re lucky, your visit will coincide with a free concert.

Artifacts from the old Roman city known as Bracara Augusta (founded 15 BC), from which Braga derives its name, are showcased at this museum. A 1st-century mosaic found on-site during construction is impressive, but there are many other fascinating items dating from prehistoric through to medieval times.

Focusing on 20th-century artists, this museum is definitely worth a visit if you're curious about modern aesthetics in otherwise traditional Alentejo. The well-organized exhibits feature about 300 works that rotate throughout the year. The baroque-style building itself is also exquisite—it was once a hospital run by a religious order. 

Chaves-born Nadir Afonso (1920–2013) worked as an architect with the likes of Le Corbusier and Oscar Niemeyer, and also made waves as a painter. Many of his most important works are on display at this sleek museum, designed by his still more famous compatriot, Álvaro Siza Vieira.

Funchal's Museum of Sacred Art has Flemish paintings, polychrome wood statues, and other treasures displayed in a former bishop's palace. Most of the priceless paintings were commissioned by the first merchants of Madeira, who traded sugar for Flemish art so they could decorate their private chapels. The Adoration of the Magi was painted in 1518 for a wealthy trader from Machico and was paid for not in gold, but in sugar. You can tell how important this commodity was to the island by examining Funchal's coat of arms: it depicts five loaves of sugar in the shape of a cross. The museum offers guided tours in English on Tuesday and Friday at 10:15 am (book in advance).

A 10-minute walk west from the Praça da República takes you to the impressive mansion that houses the beautiful Museu de Artes Decorativas. The early-18th-century interior has been carefully preserved, including some lovely tile panels. The collection of 17th-century ceramics and ornate period furniture shows how wealthy many of Viana's merchants were.

In the center of town, the wax museum has 32 tableaux, with a total of 120 figures, depicting the events that took place in Fátima when the child shepherds first saw the apparitions in 1917, and other, related personalities.

This handsome museum is in a stately late-17th-century baroque building between the Sé and the Largo do Conde de Vila Flor. Once a palace that accommodated bishops, it contains a rich collection of sculpture and paintings as well as interesting archaeological and architectural artifacts. The first-floor galleries, arranged around a pleasant garden, include several excellent carved pillars and a fine Manueline doorway.

The Funchal Natural History Museum, the oldest museum in Madeira, displays more than 41,000 specimens of animals and plant life found on Madeira and in its seas—including a ferocious-looking collection of stuffed sharks. Attached is a small aquarium where you can watch the graceful movements of an octopus and view a family of sea turtles. The museum is just a short walk from the city center, near the Sao Pedro Church.

Housed in a former Augustinian monastery, Leiria's main museum presents the city's development from pre-Roman times through the construction of the castle and the planting of the region's vast pine forests at the behest of medieval kings. Among the most prized items is the "Lapedo child"—a skeleton from the early Upper Paleolithic, excavated locally in 1998, which has fueled debate about the origins of modern humans. Your ticket includes a free audio guide in English. A free nearby offshoot of the museum, the Moinho do Papel, is a beautifully restored watermill where you can see cereals being ground and paper made the traditional way.

Founded in 1853, the Maritime Museum is one of Lisbon's oldest and it showcases Portugal's important seafaring traditions. With its thousands of maps and maritime codes, navigational equipment, model ships, uniforms, and weapons, the museum appeals to visitors young and old.

A five-minute walk from the medieval bridge, this amazing museum has a collection comprising more than 9,000 pieces of pottery from various epochs and from all over the world, particularly Portuguese-language countries. It all makes for a fascinating showcase of traditional pottery techniques and styles. There are also workshops and a documentation center.  If you have trouble finding the place, look for the massive rooster out front.

Occupying an old house in the town center, the small Museu de Ovar has displays of traditional tiles and displays scenes from provincial life over the centuries. There's also a collection of mementos relating to popular 19th-century novelist Júlio Dinis, a native of Ovar and its most famous son.

One of the city's treasures, this museum occupies a former seminary next to the imposing 17th-century cathedral. Inside you'll find examples of religious art spanning the centuries, but the best reason to visit is the grandeur of the space itself, with its beautifully painted ceilings and tile panels.

Housed in a former bishop's palace, the Museu do Abade de Baçal is named after Francisco Manuel Alves (1865–1948), a local abbot with a deep interest in the region's history and art, who contributed to the museum's creation. Its collections includes archaeological discoveries such as boar-shaped fertility symbols, tombstones with pinwheel patterns, and ancient coins.

The Money Museum is much more than a collection of coins and banknotes from Portugal and around the world, beautifully presented; its fascinating interactive displays cover topics ranging from pre-monetary conventions and the origins of money, through the manufacture of coins and notes, to the tasks of central banks today. You'll also get the chance to try to lift a gold bar. Housed in a deconsecrated church long used as the garage of the neighboring Bank of Portugal, it's a beautifully adapted space. Don't miss the basement, with the only known remnant of Lisbon's 13th-century city wall.

Visitors intrigued by the haunting sounds of fado can learn about the celebrated Portuguese music at this small but carefully curated museum. A permanent exhibition outlines the emergence of the style and its key artists, while occasional live performances provide a chance to hear modern day stars.

This small museum, next to the parish church, displays religious artifacts, well-preserved frescoes, and the original town charter, signed by Dom Manuel in 1512. The former tribunal contains an interesting 15th-century fresco that depicts Christ presiding over figures of Truth and Deception.

For an understanding of the maritime history of Cascais, head to this modern museum. Here, the town's role as a fishing village is traced through model boats and fishing gear, period clothing, old photographs, and exhibits of curious sea creatures.

This museum offers an interesting look at Alentejo's local marble industry, which has sustained Vila Viçosa and made it prosperous. It's on the site of a former quarry, near the road out of town toward Borba. There are free guided tours in Portuguese, Spanish, English, and French.

Housed in a former bacalhau (salt cod) warehouse with impressive bas-reliefs on its facade, the Museum of the Orient is one of Lisbon's most important cultural institutions. Funded by the Fundação Oriente (a legacy of colonial Macau and its gaming revenues), this dockside giant seeks to tell the story of the centuries-long Portuguese presence in Asia and to provide a showcase for Asian cultures. Highlights of the permanent collection include unique maps and charts from the golden age of Portuguese maritime exploration and stunning Chinese and Japanese painted screens. The museum hosts excellent inexpensive concerts in its cozy auditorium.

Housed in a 16th-century convent, this quirky little museum displays a collection of thousands of clocks acquired by local business owner António Tavares d’Almeida. There's also a working workshop where you can watch experts repairing old clocks, or bring in your own to be tinkered with.

The big draw at the shrine's official museum is the bejeweled, golden crown that contains the bullet extracted from the body of Pope John Paul II after the 1981 assassination attempt on his life. The image of Our Lady of Fatima wears this crown on days of large pilgrimages or special occasions. The museum also displays offerings made by pilgrims and Church dignitaries, such as the Golden Rose from Pope Benedict XVI.

This small museum near the cathedral showcases the remains of a 1st-century theatre built during the reign of Emperor Augustus with space for around 4,000 spectators. Abandoned in the Middle Ages and buried for centuries, it was uncovered during 18th-century reconstruction work. You can view original columns and architectural fragments; multilingual touch-screen kiosks provide historical context.

If fashion is your thing, then you'll love this collection of charmingly old-fashioned regional outfits from bygone eras. A short walk from the center of town, it's a great place to learn about the customs of various parts of the country.

Viana is known for its colorful traditional outfits, making the Costume Museum an important city landmark. Displays show how colors and patterns vary, even from village to village, as well as how the garments are made by hand. A separate room showcases the rich regional tradition of working in precious metals. The museum shop is an excellent place to pick up jewelry, traditional embroidery, and other craft items.

Marinha Grande, 11 km (7 miles) west of Leiria, is known for its fine-quality lead crystal, which has been produced in the region since the 17th century. The palatial 18th-century former home of William Stephens, the Englishman who re-established Portugal's Royal Glass Factory, now houses a museum showcasing glass and crystal from several periods and factories. There is a shop in the reception area.

Set inside and on the grounds of a former convent, this compact but comprehensive museum explains the history of wine on Pico, from its beginnings in the late 15th century to widespread Verdelho wine production—which lasted until the vines were hit by phylloxera in the mid-19th century—to the reintroduction of traditional grape varieties, including Verdelho, in the 1970s. In the adjoining gardens, you’ll find magnificent dragon trees—grown throughout the Azores and so named for their red-colored resin—along with examples of vineyards using Pico’s traditional “currais” method, where square-shaped areas of volcanic gravel are surrounded by low stone walls that protect them from wind while still allowing sunlight to enter.

Housed in an old winery just outside Alcobaça, the Wine Museum is the country's best showcase of antique implements and presses, dating from the 17th to 21st centuries. Guided tours are offered on the hour from 10 to 5 (except 1 pm); call ahead to check if the day's guide can do them in English (it is usually possible), and conclude with a wine tasting.