Portugal's Best Hidden Gems

Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve are wonderful, but some of Portugal’s most memorable places are the ones most visitors never reach. Here are Portugal’s best hidden gems: fortress villages, wild coasts, river walkways and remote islands.

Quick answer: our favourite hidden gems are Marvão and Monsaraz in the Alentejo, the boulder village of Monsanto, the schist village of Piódão, the Paiva Walkways and the 516 Arouca suspension bridge, the wild Costa Vicentina, Ponte de Lima, the Berlengas islands, and Flores in the Azores.

Villages and towns

• Marvão: a clifftop fortress village with views across the plains into Spain.
• Monsaraz: a tiny walled village above Europe’s largest artificial lake. See Monsaraz.
• Monsanto: houses wedged between and under giant granite boulders.
• Piódão: a schist village stacked on a mountainside.
• Mértola: a Moorish-feeling town above the Guadiana river.
• Ponte de Lima: a gentle riverside town with a medieval bridge. See the Minho.
• Tomar: the Templar knights’ Convent of Christ. See Tomar.
• Cacela Velha: a whitewashed village above the lagoon in the eastern Algarve. See Algarve villages.

More: the most beautiful small towns and the historic villages.

Nature

• The Paiva Walkways and 516 Arouca: a boardwalk along a wild river gorge and one of the world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridges, near Arouca (book tickets in advance).
• The Costa Vicentina: Europe’s best-preserved coastline. See Costa Vicentina.
• Peneda-Gerês: waterfalls, wild horses and stone villages. See Peneda-Gerês.
• Serra da Estrela: glacial valleys and mountain cheese. See Serra da Estrela.
• The Berlengas: a rugged island reserve off Peniche. See Berlengas.
• Ilha Deserta and Culatra: car-free barrier islands in the Ria Formosa. See Faro.

Islands

• Flores: waterfalls and cliffs at Europe’s western edge. See Flores.
• São Jorge: cliffside fájãs and cheese. See São Jorge.
• Porto Santo: a 9km golden beach near Madeira. See Porto Santo.

In the cities

• Lisbon: see unusual things to do in Lisbon.
• Porto: Foz do Douro and Matosinhos’ fish grills. See things to do in Porto.

Tips

• Hire a car: most hidden gems are poorly served by public transport. See the best road trips.
• Stay overnight in the villages. Find places to stay.

More: the Portugal bucket list.

See also: Mertola.

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