Lisbon
Climb to one of the city's viewpoints and a picture-perfect panorama of ancient ruins, domed churches, homes and mansions opens up before you.  Take a tram to the historic centre with its cobbled alleyways, bars, restaurants and vibrant nightlife and experience all this city on the Tejo with its wonderful waterfront location has to offer.

Alentejo
Covering a third of Portugal's land mass but with just 4% of its population, the Alentejo is an area of wild beauty, where tourists rarely visit despite endless beaches and authentic fishing villages.  Inland you will find golden plains and rolling hillsides with a sprinkling of traditional whitewashed villages, Roman ruins, Visigoth churches and Moorish castles.

Algarve
Spectacular cliffs, sun-drenched beaches, sandy islands make up Portugal's premier fun-in-the-sun holiday destination.  Turn inland and find hiking trails, fine castles lording it over historic villages and beautiful cork oak and flower-covered hills.

Sintra
Sintra’s "glorious Eden" is considered one of the most scenic places in the country.  Opulent palaces, lush gardens and country estates hide in hills that roll in to the blue Atlantic.  This is fairy-tale Portugal.

Évora 
UNESCO protected Évora is one of Portugal’s most historic and best-preserved towns - think Roman temple, narrow, winding lanes and Moorish alleys,  ancient walls, 16th-century mansions, a medieval cathedral and cloisters and ochre-trimmed, whitewashed houses.

Monsaraz 
Monsaraz is a little fortified hilltop village where many of the medieval homes have been converted into atmospheric guesthouses.

Villages of the Beiras
Portugal's most diverse region sits halfway down the Spanish border. Stone villages are scattered between the border and Portugal's highest mountains, overlooking beautiful olive and cork oak forests.

Óbidos 
Óbidos is a small town with a gorgeous historic centre completely enclosed by medieval walls.  It has lots of cobbled alleys and whitewashed houses.

Tomar

Tomar, midway between Lisbon and Coimbra, is one of Portugal's most appealing small towns, home to the 12th century Convento de Cristo.  This one-time headquarters of the mysterious Order of the Knights Templar displays a riot of different architectural styles, including a 16-sided Templar church, two cloisters decorated in ceramic Azulejo tilework.  

Coimbra
Coimbra, a former capital of Portugal, is a relatively small town with plenty of historical monuments, including ancient convents and two cathedrals.  It is home to the country's oldest university and an atmospheric town centre.  Coimbra is a great place to experience fado.

Douro Valley
The terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley invite you to visit wineries, stay in rural quintas (country estates) and taste the sweet, fortified wine, Port, or the intense red Barca Velha.  Throughout it all runs the Douro Line, a rail line which hugs the river and takes you on a spectacular ride through more than 20 tunnels and 30 bridges.

Porto 
A commercial city, with a pretty medieval centre, graceful bell towers, baroque churches and stately buildings, the attraction of Porto lies in just ambling and delving into the Porto way of life. Walk through the hilly backstreets, explore beautiful gardens, enjoy a thriving foodie scene, enjoy spectacular views from its many lookouts or duck in to the waterfront cafés and restaurants in the barrio of Ribeira.

Braga 
Portugal's third largest city is considered by many to be one of Portugal’s most stunning. It has long been a religious centre, and overflows with baroque churches, monasteries, and chapels.  Its narrow lanes and elegant plazas are closed to vehicles, letting you wander past handsome cafés, pretty boutiques and restaurants.

Guimarães
In Guimarães Portugal was born.  The country's first capital is host to medieval monuments, labyrinthine lanes, picturesque café-filled plazas, wonderful restaurants and honey-coloured houses.

Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês
Portugal's only national park, tucked against its remote northern border, features boulder-strewn peaks and fragrant forests. Shepherds and farmers inhabit remote granite villages, tending their flocks while their ancient customs and traditions are being preserved.

Madeira
Closer to North Africa than it is to Europe, the volcanic island of Madeira offers breathtaking views of the Atlantic, wonderfully fresh seafood, a chic nightlife, dolphin and whale watching and a 2000 kilometre network of levadas (irrigation channels) which hikers can follow deep into the interior of this beautiful volcanic island.

Azores
The remote archipelago of the Azores, situated in the middle of the Atlantic, is a wonderful playground of volcanic origin.  Crater lakes, caverns and thermal springs dot the islands, while the craggy coastline hides picturesque fishing villages.  Adventure activities such as hiking and canyoning are the order of the day.  Whales are numerous in the many marine reserves while on land a network of natural parks and biospheres protects the unspoiled environment