The Portugal Bucket List: 25 Things to Do

From riding tram 28 to tasting port in the cellars where it ages, these are the experiences that make a trip to Portugal unforgettable. Here’s our Portugal bucket list: 25 things to do at least once, with links to plan each one.

Quick answer: the top five are eating a warm pastel de nata in Belém, exploring Pena Palace in Sintra, tasting port in Gaia, taking a boat into the Benagil cave, and hearing fado in Alfama.

Lisbon and around

1. Ride tram 28 through Alfama. See the trams guide.
2. Eat pastel de nata warm from the oven in Belém. See the best pastel de nata.
3. Hear fado in a tiny Alfama tavern. See fado in Lisbon.
4. Watch sunset from a miradouro. See Lisbon viewpoints.
5. Explore Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra. See visiting Sintra.
6. Stand at Cabo da Roca, Europe’s westernmost point.
7. Drink ginjinha from a hole-in-the-wall bar. See the ginjinha guide.

Porto and the north

8. Taste port in the Gaia cellars. See the port wine guide.
9. Walk across the Dom Luís I Bridge at sunset. See Porto viewpoints.
10. Eat a francesinha. See what to eat in Porto.
11. Cruise or drive the Douro Valley at harvest time. See the Douro.
12. Ride the train along the Douro river. See the train guide.
13. Swim in a waterfall pool in Peneda-Gerês. See Peneda-Gerês.

Central Portugal and the Alentejo

14. See the giant waves at Nazaré in winter. See Nazaré.
15. Walk the walls of Óbidos. See Óbidos.
16. Visit the Chapel of Bones in Évora. See Évora.
17. Stargaze over the Alqueva dark sky reserve. See Monsaraz.

The Algarve

18. Take a boat into the Benagil cave. See Algarve boat trips.
19. Hike the Seven Hanging Valleys trail. See Algarve hikes.
20. Watch sunset at Cape St Vincent. See Sagres.
21. Eat cataplana by the sea. See the seafood guide.

The islands

22. Walk a levada in Madeira. See levada walks.
23. Toboggan down from Monte in Funchal. See Funchal.
24. See whales in the Azores. See Azores tours.
25. Look down on Sete Cidades and bathe in Furnas’ hot springs. See São Miguel.

Plan it

See 10 days in Portugal, 2 weeks by train and the best time to visit.

More: Portugal’s hidden gems and the most Instagrammable places.

See also: the best places to visit in Portugal.

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