THE ALGARVE

It's easy to see the allure of the Algarve: spectacular cliffs, golden sands, scalloped bays, and long sandy islands. Although over-development has blighted parts of the coast, head inland and you'll land solidly in lovely Portuguese countryside once again. Algarve highlights include the riverside town of Tavira, party-loving Lagos, and windswept Sagres with Faro the regional capital.

 

FARO is a charming town with a palm-clad waterfront, well-maintained plazas, and a small pedestrianized center dotted with outdoor cafes. There are no beaches in Faro itself, though it's an easy jaunt by ferry to a multitude of picturesque beaches nearby. A boat trip through the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa is a definite highlight.

 

Set on either side of the winding Rio Gilão river, TAVIRA is arguably the Algarve's most delightful town, with a hilltop castle, an old Roman bridge, and a handful of Gothic churches. The pretty sands of Ilha da Tavira are a short boat ride away.

 

In summer, the charming fishing port of LAGOS has a distinct party vibe; its picturesque cobbled streets and pretty nearby beaches, including Meia Praia to the east and Praia da Luz to the west, can be packed with revelers and sunseekers.

 

The one-time capital of Moorish Algarve, SILVES is a quaint town of jumbled orange rooftops scattered above the banks of the Rio Arade. Silves boasts one of the best-preserved castles in the Algarve, enchanting red-stone walls and winding, sleepy backstreets on a hillside. Thie russet-colored, Lego-like Castelo has great views over the town and surrounding countryside.

 

Just over 5km from Europe's southwestern (Cabo de São Vicente), the small, elongated village of SAGRES has an end-of-the-world feel with its sea-carved cliffs and empty, wind-whipped fortress high above the ocean. The coast in this area is popular for surfing and you can easily hire gear at sand-dune-fringed Praia do Martinhal.

 

CENTRAL PORTUGAL

The vast center region of Portugal is a burly swathe of rolling hillsides, white-washed villages, and olive groves and cork trees. Richly historic, it is scattered with prehistoric remnants and medieval castles. It's also home to one of Portugal's most architecturally rich towns, Évora, as well as several spectacular walled villages. There are fine local wines and, for the more energetic, plenty of outdoor exploring in the dramatic Beiras region.

 

EVORA is a delightful place to delve into the past of the region. Inside its 14th-century walls, Évora's narrow, winding lanes lead to a magnificent medieval cathedral, a Roman temple, and a picturesque town square. These sights make for an old-fashioned backdrop to an otherwise lively student town surrounded by wineries and dramatic countryside.

 

PENICHE is a popular destination for its nearby surfing beaches and also serves as a jumping-off point for Berlenga Grande, which is part of the splendid Ilhas Berlengas nature reserve. The coastal city of Peniche remains a working port, giving it a slightly grittier feel than its beach-resort neighbors. It has a walled historic center and a bunch of lovely beaches east of town. You will find good diving opportunities around Peniche, and especially around Berlenga.

 

OBIDOS’, surrounded by a classic crenelated wall, has a stunning historic center, a labyrinth of cobblestoned streets, and flower-bedecked, whitewashed houses dashed with vivid yellow and blue paint. It’s a wonderful place to pass an afternoon, but there are plenty of reasons to stay overnight in Óbidos’, as there's excellent accommodation available - including a hilltop castle now converted into one of Portugal’s most luxurious pousadas (upmarket hotels).

 

NAZARE has a bustling coastal setting with narrow cobbled lanes running down to a wide, cliff-backed beach. The town center is jammed with seafood restaurants and bars; you should expect huge crowds in July and August. The beaches are superb, although swimmers should be aware of dangerous currents. Climb or take the funicular to the clifftop Sítio, with its cluster of fishermen's cottages and a great view. Nazaré is a very popular surfing destination because of the very high breaking waves that form due to the presence of the underwater Nazaré Canyon. Due to the height of the waves - well over 20m - numerous surfing records have been set here.

 

TOMAR is one of central Portugal’s most appealing small towns. With its pedestrian-friendly historic center, its pretty riverside park frequented by swans, herons, and families of ducks, and its charming natural setting adjacent to the lush Mata Nacional dos Sete Montes (Seven Hills National Forest), it wins lots of points for aesthetics. Headquarters of the Knights Templar - which held enormous power in Portugal from the 12th to 16th centuries - the Convento de Cristo is a stony expression of historic magnificence, founded in 1160 by Gualdim Pais, Grand Master of the Templars. It has chapels, cloisters, and choirs in diverging styles, added over the centuries by successive kings and Grand Masters.

 

LUSO presides over a lush forest of century-old trees surrounded by countryside that's dappled with heather, wildflowers, and leafy ferns. You will even find a fairy-tale palace here, a 1907 neo-Manueline extravagance, where deep-pocketed visitors can dine or stay overnight. The palace lies amid the Mata Nacional do Buçaco, a forest crisscrossed with trails, dotted with crumbling chapels, and graced with ponds, fountains, and exotic trees. Buçaco was chosen as a retreat by 16th-century monks, and it surrounds the lovely spa town of Luso. From the center, it's a 2km walk through the forest up to the palace.

 

THE NORTH OF PORTUGAL

Northern Portugal is a land of lush river valleys, sparkling coastline, granite peaks, and virgin forests. This region is also pure heaven for wine lovers as it's the home of the sprightly vinho verde wine (a young, slightly sparkling white or red wine) and ancient vineyards along the dramatic Rio Douro. Gateway to the north is Porto, a beguiling riverside city blending both medieval and modern attractions. Smaller towns and villages also offer cultural allure, from majestic Braga, the country's religious heart, to the seaside beauty Viana do Castelo.

 

Romantic PORTO looks like a pop-up town – a colorful tumbledown dream with medieval relics, bell towers, extravagant baroque churches, and stately beaux-arts buildings piled on top of one another, illuminated by streaming shafts of sun. If you squint you might be able to make out the open windows, the narrow lanes, and the staircases zigzagging to nowhere. It's a lively walkable city with chatter in the air and a tangible sense of history, the old-world riverfront district is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

 

RIO DOURO Portugal's best-known river flows through the country's rural heartland wherein the upper reaches, port-wine grapes are grown on steep terraced hills, punctuated by remote stone villages and, in spring, splashes of dazzling white almond blossom. The Rio Douro is navigable right across Portugal and the recommended way to see it is by taking the train journey from Porto to Pinhão (2½ hours, five daily), the last 70km clinging to the river's edge. Cyclists and drivers can choose river-hugging roads along either bank and can visit wineries along the way.

 

VIANA DO CASTELO is the undisputed jewel of the Costa Verde (Green Coast) and offers an appealing medieval center and lovely beaches just outside the city. The stately heart of town is Praça da República, with its delicate fountain and grandiose buildings, including the 16th-century Misericórdia, a former almshouse. In addition to its natural beauty, Viana do Castelo whips up some excellent seafood and hosts some magnificent traditional festivals, including the spectacular Festa de Nossa Senhora da Agonia in August.

 

BRAGA, Portugal's third-largest city, boasts a fine array of churches, with their splendid baroque facades looming above the old plazas and narrow lanes of the historic center. Lively cafes, trim little boutiques, and some good restaurants add to the appeal. Braga’s extraordinary cathedral, the oldest in Portugal, was begun when the archdiocese was restored in 1070 and completed in the following century. It’s a rambling complex made up of differing styles, and architecture buffs could spend half a day happily distinguishing the Romanesque bones from Manueline musculature and baroque frippery.