The Most Instagrammable Places in Portugal

Portugal is one of Europe’s most photogenic countries, with colourful palaces, tiled churches, golden sea cliffs, striped beach houses and crater lakes. Here are the most Instagrammable places in Portugal, region by region, with links to our detailed photo guides.

Quick answer: the most iconic shots are Pena Palace and the Initiation Well in Sintra, tram 28 in Lisbon’s Alfama, Porto’s Ribeira from the Dom Luís I Bridge, the Benagil cave and Ponta da Piedade in the Algarve, the striped houses of Costa Nova, and the crater lakes of Sete Cidades in the Azores.

Lisbon

• Tram 28 rattling through Alfama.
• Miradouro de Santa Luzia with its tiles and bougainvillea.
• Pink Street in Cais do Sodré.
• Belém Tower and the cloister of the Jerónimos Monastery.
• Praça do Comércio’s arch at sunset.

See the best Instagram spots in Lisbon.

Sintra

• Pena Palace’s red and yellow terraces.
• The Initiation Well at Quinta da Regaleira.
• The Moorish Castle walls.
• Cabo da Roca, Europe’s westernmost point.

See the best Instagram spots in Sintra.

Porto

• Ribeira from the top of the Dom Luís I Bridge.
• The Capela das Almas and São Bento station tiles.
• Livraria Lello’s staircase.
• Jardim do Morro at sunset.

See the best Instagram spots in Porto.

The Algarve

• The Benagil cave’s skylight (by boat or kayak).
• Ponta da Piedade’s rock stacks.
• Praia da Marinha and its arches.
• Tavira’s Roman bridge and rooftops.

See the best Instagram spots in the Algarve.

Around Portugal

• Costa Nova’s candy-striped houses near Aveiro. See Aveiro.
• Óbidos’ white walls and flowers. See Óbidos.
• The Douro’s terraced vineyards. See the Douro.
• Monsanto’s boulder houses. See the historic villages.
• Nazaré’s giant waves from the lighthouse. See Nazaré.
• Bom Jesus’ baroque stairway in Braga. See Braga.

The islands

• Sete Cidades’ twin lakes on São Miguel. See São Miguel.
• Pico do Arieiro above the clouds in Madeira. See Madeira hikes.
• Porto Moniz’s lava pools. See Madeira.

Photo tips

• Go early: Pena, Regaleira and Lello are packed by mid-morning.
• Golden hour is magical on the Algarve cliffs and Porto’s riverfront.
• Drones are restricted in many places; check the rules.
• Join a photo tour to find the angles. See the Sintra photo tour.

More: the best sunset spots in Portugal and Portugal’s hidden gems.

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