If you’re looking for a quaint medieval town that’s not too far from Lisbon, try Óbidos. The various things to do in Óbidos itself include tasting the lip-smackingly good ginjinha de Obidos and exploring the pretty cobbled streets. Most people visit Obidos as part of a day trip but IRead More →
Much of the Douro Valley’s tourism is currently centred between Lamego and Pinhão but the wine-producing activity extends way beyond the Douro River, to the town of São João da Pesqueira and beyond. The small town in the hills to the south of the river, after which this Douro sub-districtRead More →
For years I had it in my head that Setúbal was a dreary industrial city of little interest. Happily, I was wrong. The research I did before we went revealed little in terms of things to do in Setúbal, apart from dolphin-watching, so it took Mike and I completely byRead More →
Leiria is another of those cities that I put off visiting for a long time for no good reason. I’d heard nothing that made me want to go out of my way to visit Leiria so when I finally got around to it, I was pleasantly surprised. This small cityRead More →
This small city in northern Portugal is famous for the legend that lies behind the painted souvenir rooster of Barcelos. Judging by the number of giant cockerels dotted around the historical centre, this is still its main claim to fame but there are more things to do in Barcelos thanRead More →
I’m always looking for an excuse to visit Guimarães. This ancient northern city is known as the cradle or birthplace of Portugal so its wealth of cultural heritage is hardly surprising, nor is its UNESCO World Heritage classification. There are plenty of things to do in Guimaraes and it’s road andRead More →
This pretty coastal resort town is one of the easiest day trips from Lisbon and worth the 40-minute train ride from Cais do Sodré station. Once you step off the train, you’ll find lots of things to do in Cascais. You’ll emerge in the centre of Cascais old town, filledRead More →
The pretty town of Caminha is still an under-the-radar destination in the far north of Portugal. You’ll find plenty of things to do in and around Caminha, which makes it a perfect base for enjoying beaches, rivers, mountains, forests, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture and fabulous food. Although tourism existsRead More →
Why should you visit Viseu in central Portugal? Well, perhaps because it’s such a lovely place that it’s been voted ‘Best city in Portugal to live in’. Twice. I won’t be moving up there any time soon but I am pleased to have got to know it a little better.Read More →