Discover Portugal

Portugal rewards travelers who slow down and pay attention. In Lisbon, yellow trams climb steep streets past tiled façades, grand monasteries, and miradouros overlooking the Tagus, while the mournful sound of fado drifts from intimate rooms in Alfama. Farther north, Porto tumbles toward the Douro in a colorful maze of lanes, churches, wine lodges, and riverside cafés. Beyond the cities, Portugal reveals an extraordinary range of landscapes: the vineyard-covered hills of the Douro Valley, the medieval walls of Óbidos, the rugged peaks of the Serra da Estrela, and the golden cliffs and beaches of the Algarve. Food is part of the discovery, from warm pastéis de nata in Belém to salt cod prepared in seemingly endless ways, fresh Atlantic seafood, and the country’s distinctive regional wines. Travelers can trace the artistry of Portugal through Lisbon’s azulejos and elaborate Manueline architecture, explore the volcanic scenery of the Azores, or wander through Madeira’s lush gardens and mountain trails. Book lovers will find another reason to linger in Porto at Livraria Lello, shown in the background image, where carved wood, stained glass, and its famous red staircase have made it one of the world’s most celebrated bookshops. Portugal may be compact, but its history, landscapes, literature, and deeply rooted traditions give every region a character of its own.