Things to see in Portugal

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Port of Lisbon

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Portugal Attractions

Sightseeing in Portugal is a privilege and joy to those who've sampled the country’s warm climate, charming ports and friendly people.

Portugal’s prodigious sailors have historically chartered course for every foreign shore on the planet, but today the country has an altogether new focus – drawing the world to her shores. Marketing itself as 'Europe’s West Coast', everything from the hot springs of the Azore Islands to hiking and sailing in Madeira and the cultural sights of Lisbon have been revamped and are being served in true style to tourists from every corner of the globe. Portugal is the 7th most peaceful nation in the world according to the Global Peace Index, making its many marvellous sights safe to explore and conquer.

Portugal is known for its seafaring history and continued legacy as a coastal paradise. Jet skiing, diving, swimming, sailing, you name it and they cater for it. The Estoril Coast is a set of pristine blue-flag beaches ready for your worn feet. While the sea will always be Portugal’s first love, the country does boast the Sintra-Casais Natural Park, a World Heritage Site and the capital of Lisbon is as cosmopolitan and metropolitan city to rival the likes of Madrid and Paris.

Castelo de Sao Jorge

The walls of Saint George's Castle, sitting atop a hill guarding the Tagus, date from the Moorish occupation in the 10th century, but the site has been a fortress for centuries, possibly from 500 AD. The castle is regarded as the cradle of... see full details

Alfama

The oldest part of Lisbon, the Alfama quarter sprawls down the hillside from below the Castelo de Sao Jorge, retaining much of the traditional colour and atmosphere from the days when it was the ancient seat of the Saracens. Along the narrow cobblestone alleyways... see full details

Bairro Alto

The Bairro Alto district (literally the Upper City) is, like the Alfama, an historic enclave dating from 1513, which is reached in a novel way via the Santa Justa Elevator (a structure reminiscent of the Eiffel tower in Paris) from the lower city.... see full details

Monument to the Discoveries

One of the most famous sights in Lisbon is the imposing Padrão dos Descobrimentos, situated on the riverbank in the Avenida de Brasilia in the district of Belem and designed to commemorate the Portuguese Age of Discovery. Belem, where the Tagus meets the sea,... see full details

Tower of Belem

The famous Tower of Belem is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of Lisbon's most photographed landmarks because of the decoration on its exterior. The outer walls are adorned with a stone-carved rope and beautiful openwork balconies, along with Moorish watchtowers and... see full details

Fatima

In 1917 the Virgin Mary allegedly appeared above an oak tree and spoke to three peasant children in the valley of Cova da Iria, 88 miles (142km) north of Lisbon. The children claimed to have seen the apparition on five different occasions, and... see full details

Frederico de Freitas Museum

Named for the Madeiran lawyer who amassed the fascinating collections on display as a hobby, the Frederico de Freitas Museum in Funchal houses a vast array of decorative Turkish, Moorish and North African tiles, as well as about 2,000 mugs, trophies and vases. Besides... see full details

Funchal Cathedral

In the heart of the historic part of Funchal stands the cathedral (Sé do Funchal) which is the most impressive of Madeira's religious edifices. From outside the simple rough white stucco and brownish basalt is not all that impressive, but after entering through the... see full details

Guimaraes

This historic town is regarded as the birthplace of Portugal, because it was here in 1128 that Afonso Henriques became the first king of the country, which was still largely under Moorish control. The town has many medieval buildings and fortifications, and has been... see full details

Oceanario de Lisboa (Lisbon Oceanarium)

Marketed as the second best aquarium in the world, the world-class Lisbon Oceanarium is the most impressive achievement of EXPO '98, which used to be an abandoned waterfront. The centrepiece of the stone and glass building is the 1.3-million gallon (5-million litre) holding tank... see full details

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