13 Best Things to do in Portugal

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Recommended activities

There is truly so much to do in Portugal! Read on for what to do in Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais, Porto and the Douro Valley and check out my post on what to pack for Portugal to make the most out of these activities. If you are thinking of going beyond the mainland adventure further to the Azores with my complete Azores travel guide.

Lisbon 

Jerónimos Monastery Cloisters

1. Belém and Jerónimos Monastery are a wonderful place to start your visit. Especially in the summer, consider buying skip the line tickets so you don’t have to wait in the sun. Though if you do have to wait there is probably a stand nearby with Azorean pineapple piña coladas to help you pass the time! Belém is accessible from Lisbon via a taxi or uber or via the train or tram or bus if you are feeling more adventurous. Enjoy the beautiful architecture of Belém tower and the monastery (probably best in that order ) and then walk over to the famous Pastéis de Belém for a pastel de nata. With any remaining time you can wander around the town or go back to the waterside to have a cold drink. If you prefer to have a more guided experience, a tour like this one will take you to both locations and to the pastry shop!

2. Museums! The National Tile Museum (Museu Nacional do Azulejo) is a lovely museum to stop by to learn about the beautiful tiles that are all over the city. Another nice museum is the Calouste Gulben Museum which houses a collection that includes works by Manet, Degas, Rubens, Rembrandt, Renoir, Monet, and more! Finally, another museum you can check out is the Aljube Museum of Resistance and Freedom (Museu do Aljube) which is housed in a former jail for dissidents and walks through the many examples of resistance of the Portuguese people.

3. For a bit of shopping, check out the Feira da Ladra flea market on Tuesdays and Saturdays or wander through the streets of Barrio Alto to find unique shops.

4. A fun way to experience the food scene in Lisbon is to take a wine and food tour like this one!

   Sintra

5. Each castle requires its own ticket and entry is timed! Be sure to book these in advance as they do run out. There are so many palaces and castles to see so definitely prioritize the few you want to see the most. We focused on Palacio Nacional da Pena, Quinta da Regaleira, and Castelo dos Mouros. Of these three, our favorite by FAR was the Castelo dos Mouros which is not only much older than the others but has a truly truly amazing set of views. If I went back I would spend the most time here and bring a lunch to enjoy with the view.

6. When taking a day trip to Sintra definitely plan to leave on the earlier side. Sintra is accessible from Lisbon by Train. When the train pulls into the town, note you will be quite a ways away from the castles. We chose to walk the whole way but note we greatly underestimated how far away we were and most importantly we underestimated the amount of the walk that would be directly uphill. We definitely would not have made it in the summer heat and I recommend using the shuttle buses even if there is a bit of a line from the town to the castles.

   • If you’d rather let someone else do the organizing for you, this tour will take care of the logistics but still allows you to choose which parts of Sintra you want to spend more time in.

7. The town itself is cute to explore on its own - stop at Piriquita to get Queijada de Sintra pastries or stop by Incomum for dinner or lunch. If you have more time, you can go to Cabo da Roca which is the westernmost point of mainland Europe.

   Cascais

8. Wander around the town! To get to this resort town, you will need to take the train for about 40 minutes. I recommend spending the morning walking around the town and shopping. Stop in for some brunch or coffee at House of Wonders and check out the shops on Rua Alfonso Sanches and Rua Frederico Arouca.

9. After the morning, take a walk over to Bocao do Inferno which is a rock formation on the ocean. The formation is cool but the walk from town is also lovely as you get to pass beautiful buildings, a historic lighthouse, and a coastline up against some impressive waves. You can opt for lunch at Mar do Inferno or take a picnic to eat in front of the cliffs.
   

   Another option if you are pressed for time is a tour of Sintra and Cascais like this one. This tour packs a lot into one day and you will definitely sacrifice your ability to wander around and do as you please, but if you are pressed for time this is really the only way you can do both in one day.

Porto

View from the Douro river at night

10. Port tastings! Most of these are hosted in Gaia across the river from central Porto. You should book these in advance and you can choose to do just a tasting or a tasting with a tour. Some good options are Graham’s Port Lodge, Churchill’s Lodge, and Caves Ferreira. You can also book a tour that will take you to multiple cellars.

11. Explore some lovely parks and gardens like the São Roque Gardens which also houses contemporary art or the Fundação de Serralves which also has a museum and park. The Jardins do Paládio de Critstal will allow you to see panoramic views of the city (expect to see some families of peacocks too!) or watch the sunset from Morro Garden over the city.

12. Shopping! Stop by Claus Porto which is a historic brand (more than 130 years!) to smell and buy amazing soaps, lotions etc! Buy a book at Livraria Lello — one of the most famous and beautiful bookstores in the world, or grab a print at Ó! Galeria which has super unique prints, totes, and more! A great place for some handmade unique gifts is Coração Alecrim.

Douro Valley

13. No trip to Porto is complete without an excursion to the Douro Valley. These can be pricey but are worth it and there is really no way to go about a wine tasting without a driver to take you around. This tour is private and includes 3 stops for wine tastings but if that isn’t in the budget, then this is a good option that only includes 2 stops and isn’t private.

• If you are feeling extra extravagant, I recommend booking a night in a Quinta (farm) in the Douro Valley and spending the night. The Valley is just so beautiful to wake up to! We personally visited the Quinta de São Bernando and their prices don’t break the bank if you book in the off season.

Wine tasting at Quinta de São Bernando