8 Portuguese villages and towns to see on your vacation in Portugal

June 26, 2021

Looking for a vacation in Portugal? You’ve all heard of Porto, Lisbon and the Algarve. But there are plenty of other small Portuguese towns waiting to seduce you. So why not take advantage of your vacation in Portugal to go off the beaten track?

Today, I’d like to highlight some of Portugal’s lesser-known towns. It’s obviously not possible to make an exhaustive list, but here are a few Portuguese towns and villages that are well worth a look during your vacation in Portugal.

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8 towns to discover

1- Ferreira do Zêzere

1h30 from Lisbon and 2h00 from Porto, in central Portugal, on a par with Coimbra and Leiria, lies the village of Ferreira do Zêzere. A place out of time, in the middle of nature, a kind of oasis amidst mountains and green valleys. It’s the ideal destination for those who want to enjoy a wild and tranquil place. It’s still a little-known and little-visited village, yet it’s full of treasures to explore. Don’t miss the pretty Lago Azul lake, with its many water sports activities, and the Torre Templária de Dornes: a tower towering above the Zêzere river, whose outdoor terrace offers a magnificent panorama of the village and the river beaches.

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Ferreira do Zêzere

2- Monsanto

Monsanto is a uniquely charming little village in eastern Portugal, close to the Spanish border, near Coimbra. Away from all the tourist circuits, this authentic, fun and surprising village can be a lovely interlude. Monsanto stands at the top of a hill. It’s a village with a unique charm, as the houses were built around and under huge boulders, using them as walls or roofs, hence the nickname “The Village of Boulders”. These houses built into the rocks make this village completely atypical, and it’s a great place to explore and discover these strange structures.

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Monsanto and its atypical houses.

3- Comporta

Sophisticated and wild, Comporta, just 120km south of Lisbon, is a small paradise where nature is omnipresent. Comporta offers turquoise seas and immaculate white sands. I talk about its beaches in my article Beaches in Portugal. Comporta is an ideal break from the crowded beaches of Lisbon during the summer months. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced rider, don’t forget to plan a horseback ride on the beach, a great moment for young and old alike.

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Comporta

4- Evora

Charming Evora, located in the Alentejo region, is one of Europe’s oldest cities. Its historic center has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. You’ll see many Gothic and medieval buildings, and breathtaking scenery. What’s more, Alentejana’s gastronomy is sure to enchant you. Take advantage of your stopover in Évora to stroll through its quiet, narrow streets. You’ll be charmed by the contrast between the exuberance of the historic monuments and the simplicity of the white houses with their colorful details.

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Evora

5- Sagres

With its craggy landscapes, steep cliffs, rolling waves and natural forests, you’ll love the charming Algarve village of Sagres, which is quieter in summer than some of the Algarve’s other seaside towns. This fishing port also offers incredible beaches. The name “Sagres” comes from “Promontorium Sacrum”, a designation given by Greek and Roman authors in the 4th century BC. Don’t miss a visit to the Fortaleza de Sagres and the cliffs of Cape São Vicente (the most south-westerly point in continental Europe).

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Sagres

6- Barcelos

Located on the route to Santiago de Compostela, Barcelos is a small town in northern Portugal. Barcelos is famous for the legend of the rooster. The rooster has become one of the symbols of Portugal. Legend has it that, at the time, several crimes took place in Barcelos and no culprit was arrested. One man, on his way to Santiago de Compostela, was found guilty by the court without evidence. He claimed his innocence, and went to see the judge. Seeing a rooster near him, the accused told the judge: “It’s just as true that I’m innocent as that your cooked rooster will rise and crow when I’m hanged! On the day of the man’s execution, the rooster crowed and the judge realized that the accused was indeed innocent. The judge ran to the place where the man had been hanged. As a result of the knot being tied incorrectly, the man escaped execution, was found innocent and set free.

Barcelos is also known for its crafts, particularly ceramics, including beautifully decorated roosters of all sizes, like the one in the photo below, which echo the legend told above.

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Barcelos

7- Tomar

The beautiful city of Tomar, in central Portugal, is known as the “City of the Knights Templar”. This former seat of the Knights Templar is a charming town with an intense artistic and cultural wealth. One of the town’s curiosities is that its historic center is laid out in a cross pattern, with a convent in each of the cardinal points. To the north is the ancient Convent of Anunciada; to the south, the Convent of São Francisco; to the east, the Convent of Santa Iria; and to the west, the magnificent Convent of Christ (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), one of Portugal’s most important Renaissance works. At the center of this cross is the Republic Square (Praça da República).

A city I haven’t yet had the chance to discover for “real”, but which attracts me a lot and to which I’ve been invited by a faithful blog reader 😉 If he passes by … i can’t wait to discover your city!

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Tomar

8- Aveiro

I couldn’t do this article without mentioning Aveiro. You know how much I appreciate this charming little town. I’ve already mentioned it in several of my blog posts. Nicknamed the “Venice of Portugal”, Aveiro is the second most important city in the central region of Portugal, just after Coimbra. Aveiro occupies a strategic position on the Porto-Lisbon axis. It’s a city worth visiting. Stroll along the quays, take a ride on the moliceiro, eat a delicious tripa or simply stroll past the pretty palheiros of Costa Nova. To find out more, I invite you to read my two articles: 4 towns in central Portugal and Biscuits falling from the sky

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Aveiro

In conclusion

There are plenty of Portuguese towns and villages to discover on your vacation in Portugal. Portugal abounds in magnificent landscapes, places and monuments, and will always surprise you. Don’t hesitate to take a road trip and get lost by car or on foot in less touristy places to discover the 1000 facets of this beautiful country. To find out more about other beautiful places to discover during your vacation in Portugal, I invite you to read these blog posts:

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