Portugal
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Portugal GALLERY

Nestled between Spain and the Atlantic Ocean, it's no surprise that Portugal has abundant seafood and beautiful beaches. Yet the landscape unfolds in astonishing variety from the coastline to the lush vineyards of the Douro River Valley to a mountainous, green interior dotted with castles. Celtic, Roman, and Islamic influences are evident in the land and its people, whose apparent reserve belies a welcoming and friendly nature. From big cities to tiny villages, a popular pursuit is to meet with friends and family and linger over strong coffee and pastries as the hours glide by.

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Fodor's Essential Portugal
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Coimbra and Central Portugal

While frequently sidestepped by tourists, this region is arguably the most unspoiled and quintessentially Portuguese part of the country. Even the coastal resorts have, as...

Coimbra

Coimbra is a fascinating city that combines a tangible sense of history with all of the vibrancy and street life typically associated with a university...

Estremadura and the Ribatejo

Estremadura and the Ribatejo are the two historical provinces north and northeast of Lisbon. Estremadura, with its green rural valleys, is characterized by a mix...

Óbidos

As you enter town through the massive, arched gates of Óbidos, it seems as if you've been transported to Portugal in the Middle Ages, when...

Santarém

Some historians believe that Santarém's beginnings date to as early as 1200 BC and the age of Ulysses. Its strategic location led several kings to...

Lisbon

...

Madeira

Floral scents fill Madeira's sea-washed air. Bird-of-paradise flowers grow wild, pink and purple fuchsia weave lacy patterns up pastel walls, and jacaranda trees create purple...

Funchal

When colonists arrived in Madeira in July 1419, the valley they settled in was a mass of bright yellow fennel, or funcho in Portuguese. Today...

Porto

Portugal's second-largest city, with a population of roughly 280,000, considers itself the north's capital and, more contentiously, the country's economic center. Locals support this claim...

Cascais and Boca do Inferno

Once a mere fishing village, the town of Cascais—with three small, sandy bays—is now a heavily developed resort town packed with shops, restaurants, and hotels...

The Algarve

The Algarve is deservedly popular, with millions of annual vacationers thronging here to enjoy sandy beaches, superb golf, and all the other enticements of seaside...

Coimbra and Central Portugal

While frequently sidestepped by tourists, this region is arguably the most unspoiled and quintessentially Portuguese part of the country. Even the coastal resorts have, as...

Estremadura and the Ribatejo

Estremadura and the Ribatejo are the two historical provinces north and northeast of Lisbon. Estremadura, with its green rural valleys, is characterized by a mix...

Madeira

Floral scents fill Madeira's sea-washed air. Bird-of-paradise flowers grow wild, pink and purple fuchsia weave lacy patterns up pastel walls, and jacaranda trees create purple...

Sintra, the Estoril Coast, and the Setúbal Peninsula

The capital’s backyard offers some seriously enticing side trips. A succession of attractive coastal resorts and camera-ready towns lie within a 50-km (31-mile) stretch north...

Cascais and Boca do Inferno

Once a mere fishing village, the town of Cascais—with three small, sandy bays—is now a heavily developed resort town packed with shops, restaurants, and hotels...

The Algarve

The Algarve is deservedly popular, with millions of annual vacationers thronging here to enjoy sandy beaches, superb golf, and all the other enticements of seaside...

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Coimbra and Central Portugal

Madeira

The Algarve

Estremadura and the Ribatejo

Porto

Lisbon

Sintra, the Estoril Coast, and the Setúbal Peninsula

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Fodor's Essential Portugal
For over 80 years, Fodor's Travel has been a trusted resource offering expert travel...

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Fodor's InFocus Lisbon
For over 80 years, Fodor's Travel has been a trusted resource offering expert travel...

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Fodor's Inside Lisbon
Hip, innovative, and affordable, Lisbon is a hub for cosmopolitan, design-minded makers...

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