Portugal Map & highlights

2 min summary When to go Map & highlights Things to do Families Alentejo Algarve Lisbon Maderia Sintra Advice Responsible tourism

Portugal map & highlights

Beyond the Algarve beaches and city break Lisbon or Porto, Portugal remains a beautiful easily-covered mystery. The Costa Vicentina's deserted golden shores contrast with the ravishing seaside towns of the Costa da Prata. National parks encompass the soaring peaks of the Serra da Estrela, the history-laden Sintra hills and the rural beguilements of Alentejo. Cycle paths and walking trails link distinctive country inns (quintas). Portugal's interior remains charmingly unspoilt yet accessible by improved transport links. Comfortable trains link Lisbon and Porto to inland gems like Evora, Coimbra and Guimaraes (Portugal's 12th century first capital).

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Our Portugal Holidays

1. Alentejo National Park
2. The Azores
3. Cape St Vincent
4. Coimbra
5. Costa da Prata
6. Costa Vicentina
7. Lagos
8. Lisbon
9. Madeira
10. Porto
11. Serra Da Estrela
12. Sintra-Cascais Natural Park

Alentejo National Park

1. Alentejo National Park

The Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina is the largest protected coastal Natural Park in Europe - a rolling sea of verdant hills, river valleys, dramatically eroded cliffs and virgin beaches. This is the haunt of rare fishing eagles, the world’s only shore-living white storks and sea otters, while unique indigenous plants offer botanical treasure.

Alentejo National Park

The Azores

2. The Azores

The Azores - a rugged Portuguese archipelago 1500km out in the Atlantic – are an eco-tourism beacon for walkers and wildlife watchers. On land, active volcanoes and crater lakes vie with moss-draped forest and dramatic lava-shaped shores, while the surrounding ocean teems with A-list sealife – blue whales to the fore. Distinctive island culture and food await back ashore.

Cape St Vincent

3. Cape St Vincent

The Romans considered Europe's most southwesterly point sacred, a view bolstered when 8th century Christians deposited relics of the eponymous saint. Be awe-struck today by a dramatic headland whose towering cliffs - topped by Europe's most powerful lighthouse – provide twitcher nirvana: eagles and peregrines, storks and rock doves. A 6km cliff walk links Sagres and its 15th century memorials to Henry the Navigator.

Cape St Vincent

Coimbra

4. Coimbra

This 12th century university town with its fado-singing black-caped students and ancient alleys twisting moodily between grand architecture is one of Portugal’s four historic capitals, along with Lisbon, Guimaraes and Porto. It’s also an atmospheric base for the nearby Silver Coast sands plus the hills of the Beira Litoral, home to Roman ruins at Conimbriga, the pretty spa town Luso and magical medieval Obidos.

Costa da Prata

5. Costa da Prata

The Silver Coast is far more than beaches. Ravishing historic towns wait just back from the sea – Gothic Batalha, artistic Caramulo, pilgrim Mecca Fatima and the canal-crossed lagoon beauty Aveiro. On shore, Peniche and Nazare are surfer beacons drawing pros from around the world to hang ten – no wonder, when the largest wave ever surfed rolled in here in 2013.

Costa da Prata

Costa Vicentina

6. Costa Vicentina

The Costa Vicentina enthralls with wild beaches, and the 120km Fishermen's Trail, the shoreline-hugging section of the breathtaking 350km Rota Vicentina. Colours enchant - turquoise sea, honey-hued cliffs, red and blue fishing boats, emerald-carpeted cliff tops. In spring, wildflowers carpet the dunes, while storks perch on precarious cliff nests. Pause in sleepy fishing villages like Azenha do Mar or laidback resorts like Milfontes.

Lagos

7. Lagos

Founded by the Phoenicians, Lagos was an important Moorish port until captured by Christian armies in 1241. Despite summer crowds, it stills feels like a fishing and market town inside medieval walls, where historic mementoes include Europe’s first slave market. Boat trips venture to startling purple-tinted rock formations rising from the Atlantic, complemented by atmospheric sea caves piercing rugged seacliffs.

Lagos

Lisbon

8. Lisbon

Portugal's capital is one of Europe's loveliest cities, draping contrasting neighbourhoods across historic hills by the wide Tagus estuary. Bairro Alto clusters chic boutiques and bars above the cosmopolitan bustle of Baixa, grandly rebuilt after the city's devastating 1755 earthquake. Alfama is a medieval melange of ramshackle cobbled streets enlivened by fado bars and outdoor markets – the vast Feria da Ladra (Tue/Sat) is a Lisbon institution.

Madeira

9. Madeira

1000km from mainland Portugal, the Madeiran islands – Madeira, Porto Santo and the uninhabited nature reserve of the Desertas - were claimed in 1419 by Henry the Navigator. Today these lush islands are famed for flowers, laurel forests, whale watching and historic viaducts (levadas) - plus New Year celebrations featuring some of the world's biggest firework displays.

Madeira

Porto

10. Porto

Porto’s multicoloured old quarter tumbles to the Douro riverfront where historic warehouses sell wine from the surrounding Minho region as well as the eponymous port. Porto’s hard-working reputation belies an atmospheric beauty and cultural clout from outstanding modern architecture alongside fine museums. It’s also a springboard for pretty northern coastal resorts like Vila do Conde and inland gems like Guimaraes – Portugal’s beguiling first capital.

Serra Da Estrela

11. Serra Da Estrela

Portugal's highest range mixes craggy peaks (with winter skiing), alpine plateaux, hilly woods and deep-carved river valleys. It's a landscape tinged with history: Neolithic megaliths; Roman bridges; legends of "a lake in which the wrecks of ships floated up to the surface" (from Moby Dick). Look out too for its unique giant shaggy mountain dogs.

Serra Da Estrela

Sintra-Cascais Natural Park

12. Sintra-Cascais Natural Park

Full of fairytale 19th-century architecture, this UNESCO World Heritage natural park is 30 minutes from Lisbon. Contrasting towns – historic Sintra and cosmopolitan Cascais – nestle amid lush hills and aristocrat estates such as Castelo dos Mouros, Pena National Palace and folly-ringed Quinta de Regaleira. Wilderness stretches from the Serra de Sintra mountains to heart-stopping Cabo da Roca, Europe’s most westerly point.

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Portugal or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Portugal travel times

The following times give you a rough idea of the travel times between the main attractions in Portugal.

Lisbon - Porto: 2hrs 45 mins by train Lisbon – Evora (Alentejo): 1hr 30 mins by train Porto – Coimbra: 1 hour by train Faro – Lagos: 1 hr 30 mins by train or car

More about Portugal

Best time to visit Portugal

The best time to visit Portugal is spring season which starts in February to find hills bedecked in seasonal flowers and almond groves awash with pretty pink blossom.

Portugal travel guide

Our Portugal travel guide will point you in the right direction when it comes to what we rate and what we don't as well as offering a fair bit of insider info regarding the best beaches, walking and cycling trails, and a brief history of Portugal, warts and all.

Things to do in Portugal

There's no getting away from Portugal's wild and woolly coastline which is why things to do in Portugal usually start and finish with a day spent surfing, sunning or simply staring at the beach.

Yoga holidays in Portugal

There's just something about the warm weather and peaceful countryside that sets yoga holidays in Portugal aside from the rest of the pack with no end of additional activities and well-being therapies also helping to create an experience that's as spiritually inspirational as effortlessly relaxing.

Things to see & do in Sintra

Sintra, a fairytale tapestry of ancient castles, palaces and grand estates set into the wooded hills of the ‘Portuguese Riviera’ is the most popular day-trip from Lisbon.

Things to see & do in Alentejo

Holidays in Alentejo introduce you to one of Europe’s last remaining unspoilt landscapes.

Things to see & do in the Algarve

Whether you want a more active holiday, or a peaceful few days hanging around the pool with the family, Portugal’s famously sunny Algarve region fits the bill.

Things to see & do in the Azores

1,500km off the coast of Portugal, the Azores is a volcanic archipelago that’s all about the scenery and cetaceans.

Cycling in Portugal

We give Portugal an ‘A’ for cycling holidays: Algarve, Azores, Alentejo, Atlantic Coast – an incredible diversity of scenery.

Things to see & do in Lisbon

The Monument to the Discoveries, representing iconic figures of Portugal’s ‘Age of Discovery’, is among the most famous landmarks in Lisbon.

Things to see & do in Madeira

For such a small island Madeira boasts a stunning range of landscapes from volcanic lava pools to vineyards, emerald green forests, rivers and offshore reefs.

Walking holidays in Portugal

Walking holidays in Portugal introduce you to magnificent coastal and countryside routes, many of which can be approached at any time of year.

Portugal with kids

Finding the right beach is essential for anyone travelling to Portugal with kids as wave sense equals freedom to let little ones run wild amongst the surf and sand along the Atlantic coast.

Portugal travel advice

Portugal travel advice should always start with a few tidbits from friendly folks that we know and trust which is why this page is devoted to tips on how to eat, live and love like a local as well as a handy health & safety section to help you travel with confidence along Portugal's Atlantic coast.

Responsible tourism in Portugal

Hard times across the globe haven't helped Portugal's fragile economy although the responsible tourism industry in Portugal is doing its level best to entice travellers away from the resorts of the Algarve as well as encouraging travel outside of peak seasons and into the country's rural landscapes.

All our Portugal guides

All our Portugal guides. Find all of our Portugal guides in one place, for particular places in Portugal such as the Azores or Algarve. Or perhaps you would like to know more about the different types of Portugal holidays we offer such as walking or cycling in Portugal.

More relevant guides

Written by Norman Miller

ABTA member P7085 so you are fully protected

Photo credits: [Page banner: Ian_woodhead1] [Alentejo National Park: Francisco Antunes] [The Azores: Ferdinand Stöhr] [Cape St Vincent: Barni1] [Coimbra: Jairo] [Costa da Prata: Rogerio Camboim S A] [Costa Vicentina: Nuno Silva] [Lagos: Jerome Bon] [Lisbon: Andreas Brücker] [Madeira: Thibault Mokuenko] [Porto: LEMUR] [Serra Da Estrela: Luis Fonseca] [Sintra-Cascais Natural Park: Alina Chan]

Portugal Map & highlights