Portugal: Top 20 oceanfront attractions in the country

St. George's Castle (Lisbon)

It is from the site of St. George's Castle that the Portuguese capital of Lisbon once began. According to historians, the first fortifications were erected by the Romans shortly before Christ, but the hill was used as a defensive outpost by the Celts, Greeks and Carthaginians.

Several earthquakes have destroyed some of the fortifications and they have not survived to this day. Despite this, the Castle of St. George is still very well preserved and has long managed to become one of the main symbols of Lisbon, visible from many points of the city.

Douro River Valley

The Douro River Valley is a popular wine region in Portugal, near the city of Porto. Known for producing quality wine, the area does not utilize any modern technology or advanced advancements. Manual labor still thrives here as a way of reproducing all winemaking processes.

The Altu Dora area has long been known for producing wine of exceptional flavor and quality for 2,000 years. The local climatic conditions have such weather features that allow for abundant harvests of grapes of different varieties. The area is characterized by rather steep terrain, protected from winds and moisture by the Montemuro and Maran mountains, which creates a dry and hot climate and an unusually beautiful and recognizable landscape.

Traveling through Portugal's wine country, you can have a tasting at one of the local farms, buy a fine wine or port, take part in the harvest and attend a real wine festival.

Santa Maria de Alcobaça Abbey (Alcobaça)

The Monastery of St. Mary in Alcobaça was built in the 12th century by order of the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, to fulfill his vow that he would build a monastery if he recaptured the city of Santaren from the Moors.

Santa Maria de Alcobas is the first Gothic-style structure in Portugal. This monastery belonged to the Cistercian order, so its interior lacks any decorations and is dominated by simplicity, austerity and grandeur.

The Alcobaça Monastery served as a royal tomb for two centuries, housing Portuguese kings such as Afonso II, Afonso III and Pedro I. The entire complex is currently being restored. Nowadays, the entire complex is restored and visible. Sometimes chamber concerts are held in its halls.

Azores

Located on the ocean coast of Portugal, has many picturesque islands. The most popular among them are considered to be the Azores, which is a group of 9 volcanic islands in the center of the Atlantic Ocean.

Since 1976, the archipelago is an autonomous region of Portugal. On the largest island of São Miguel there is the Caldeira Velha reserve with thermal lakes. The island of Faial is home to recreational forests with many eco-trails. The local beaches are suitable for surfing and diving. From April to June there is a whale photo hunt near the archipelago.

Peneda Gerês National Park

As for the natural beauty of Portugal, there is a lot to see here: stunning mountain landscapes, numerous lakes, rivers and waterfalls, lush greenery of mountain meadows - in short, you will find something to see in Portugal. Despite the natural diversity, there is only one protected area in Portugal - the Peneda Gerês National Park. This protected area stretches between the Peneda and Gerês mountain ranges.

The park's territories are home to roe deer, Iberian wolf, stunted horses, brown bears, mountain goats, and barroza bulls. The luxurious vegetation is represented by varieties of oaks, birches, cherry trees, and the only oak-leaved forest in Portugal. There are many hiking trails through the reserve, in some places even an ancient Roman road has been preserved, on its side you can find ruins of centuries-old constructions.

Pena Palace (Sintra)

This architectural monument of the XIX century, in the past was a summer royal residence. The unusual colored palace is located on a high rock in the center of Sintra. The castle has Neo-Gothic and Moorish style features.

The customer of the construction was King Fernando II, later Princess Amelia of Orleans had a residence. Since 1910, the building has housed a museum, and the palace park offers a panoramic view of the city and mountains.

National Museum of Ancient Art (Lisbon)

Gregorio Lopes, Vascu Fernandes, Amadeu de Sosa-Cardoso - not everyone knows the names of these artists, but in their homeland, Portugal, they are considered among the greatest. Their works can be found in many museums around the world, in particular, in the National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon.

The museum was opened in 1884 and was initially enriched with paintings rescued from monasteries and temples liquidated after the Miguelist Wars (1828-1834). The collection was then enriched with works by other European artists, as well as art objects brought from the Portuguese colonies.

The Museum City of Évora

Évora is an ancient and beautiful city in the Alentejo region, whose appearance was shaped by the Romans, Moors and Portuguese kings of the Middle Ages. This is evidenced by the many architectural landmarks of the time, including Moorish palaces and around 30 surviving churches and monasteries.

Here you can see, for example, the famous Giralda Fearless Square, the Roman Temple of Diana and the real medieval city walls. Near the park is the church of San Franciscu with a chapel made of monks' bones, above the entrance of which is written: "We lay here bones awaiting yours".

Sanctuary of Bon Jesus (Braga)

The Sanctuary of Bon Jesus do Monti is located on the slopes of Mount Espinho, overlooking the city of Braga in northern Portugal. This cultural landscape, with the sacred mountain topped by a church at its base, is reminiscent of Christian Jerusalem. The sanctuary, which took over 600 years to build, is largely Baroque in style and illustrates the European architectural tradition of creating Sacri-Monti (sacred mountains).

The symbolic structures of this cultural site are granite buildings with plaster facades whitewashed and framed with masonry, as well as the famous staircase of the five senses, decorated with fountains, statues and other decorative elements.

The resort town of Cascais

When traveling in Portugal, one must pay tribute to the majestic ocean. This can be done not far from the Portuguese capital in the small beach resort town of Cascais. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Cascais was the summer residence of the royal family, making it a pioneer of tourism in Portugal. Today it is one of the most prestigious Portuguese resorts, which has preserved the unique atmosphere of the Middle Ages.

The land where the urban life in Cascais is raging today was settled by the first inhabitants in the 12th century. Today, this historic center is literally full of architectural treasures such as the Palacio de Conde de Castro Guimarães, the Museo do Mar, Palmela Park and Guinche Beach. The latter attracts windsurfers with its high waves.

City of Aveiro

The amazing Portuguese city of Aveiro is often referred to as the Venice of Portugal. There are three full-flowing canals that connect to the Rio de Aveiro lagoon. They are an integral part of tourist routes. And painted gondolas, called moliceiras, whiz along the canals, taking visitors on a fascinating journey. These boats were once used to collect seaweed.

The city is also known for its salt marshes and porcelain and ceramic products.

Marionette Museum

If you tire of Portugal's many cultural and historical attractions, Lisbon's Marionette Museum is the only one in the country dedicated to puppets and puppet theater. This is where you can be transported back to your childhood! Here under one roof are collected puppets from different countries and eras: Vietnamese, Portuguese, from Thailand, India and even from Africa.

Some exhibits entertained the public back in the Middle Ages. And after viewing the collection, you can make your own puppet in the circle, which is open to visitors, or learn how to manipulate the ready-made ones.

Madeira Island

Recently, the Portuguese island of Madeira has gained such unheard-of popularity among travelers that only the lazy have not heard of it.

It is located a thousand kilometers southwest of continental Portugal. Its lands, washed by the Atlantic Ocean, and the island itself is the top of an underwater volcano, a piece of land with an area of only 740 square kilometers, which strikes a riot of greenery and colors.

Year-round comfortable weather without debilitating heat, plenty of clear days make this island an ideal destination for a nature vacation. Perhaps the best way to explore the island is by hiking, as there are plenty of hiking trails, where you can see mysterious caves, turbulent waterfalls, virgin forests, visit fishing villages and small villages with white houses.

Monte Tropical Gardens (Funchal)

The Tropical Gardens in Funchal are one of the most interesting places in the whole of Portugal. The gardens are spread out on top of Monte Mountain, and its slopes are built up with residential houses.

The tropical gardens were opened to the public in 1991, many years before they were owned by different owners and then bought by Portuguese businessman Jose Manuel Rodrigues Berardo. He turned this place into a uniquely beautiful place.

The Monte Palace rises in the center of the tropical vegetation and houses two interesting exhibitions. The first is "African Passion", dedicated to the sculptures of Zimbabwe. The second exhibition is "Mother Nature's Secrets", a collection of mines from North and South America, Europe and South Africa.

Cape Rock

Hot tours to Cape Roca - one of the mysterious and enigmatic places, the westernmost edge of the European continent - are in constant demand. To visit this land - means, literally see the edge of the world, where from 150-meter high cliffs open magnificent panoramas of the bottomless and boundless Atlantic Ocean.

It is from this shore that numerous expeditions were once launched - brave sailors went to meet the sea elements, making expeditions to China, Africa and the New World. Among the notable places of the cape are an ancient lighthouse of the 18th century, a number of observation platforms along the coast, and the sparse and almost wild beach of Praia da Adraga.

São Bento train station (Porto)

It is often the train stations that play the role of mediator between the city and the newly arrived traveler. If this happens to you in Porto, believe me, you will be delighted!

Construction of the modern Porto train station building began in 1900, when King Carlos I laid the foundation stone on the site of an abandoned Benedictine monastery, not far from the temporary wooden train station.

The station building is built in the French neoclassical style and the main feature of the place is the interior decoration. The walls of the São Benta lobby are lined with 20,000 pieces of the famous Portuguese azulejo tiles depicting in blue and white colors episodes from the history of ʼPortugalʼ.

Livraria Lello Bookstore (Porto)

Lello is the oldest bookstore in Portugal and for many years has been in the top 5 most beautiful bookstores in the world. The facade and interior are neo-Gothic in style, with lots of small details, intricate carvings and lush decor.

The store's curved red staircases, carved walls, shelving and stained glass ceiling are said to be the inspiration for J.K. Rowling's Hogwarts Library in Harry Potter.

You can book a hotel in Portugal with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

Vasco da Gama Bridge (Tagus River)

The Vasco da Gama Bridge was commissioned in 1998, after which for 20 years it remained the longest bridge in Europe (17.2 km). The construction cost $1 billion dollars, which by today's standards, adjusted for inflation, is almost double that amount.

Not only is the bridge itself good, but the views from it are incredible. You can watch them with a breeze, because on this section of road you can travel at speeds of up to 120 km / h.

The Castle of the Moors (Sintra)

On top of a mountain near Sintra, the Moors built a fortress in the 9th or 10th century to protect the city, then considered one of the richest in the region. During the Crusades, the Castle of the Moors passed from Muslims to Christians and back again until the first king of Portugal, Afonso I, occupied Lisbon in 1147.

Subsequently, most of the inhabitants moved to the foot of the cliff where Sintra now stands, and the castle itself lost its military importance after another hundred years. The fortress stood neglected and deteriorated until its restoration in the 19th century by King Fernando II, who decided to give it the appearance of a medieval romantic castle.

Praia da Marinha Beach (Algarve)

According to Michelin, Praia da Marinha is one of the 10 best beaches in Europe and the 100 best beaches in the world, and it has won many awards. Moreover, many Portuguese travel guides list Praia da Marinha as one of the main symbols of Portugal.

What is its secret? - Here everything is simple: clean sand, blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean and a lot of rocks and caves of different sizes and bizarre shapes. What else is unique about the beach is the fact that it has managed to preserve a certain degree of primordiality of the place, while providing vacationers with all the benefits.