Bagintravel
Download
Algarve

Travel guide · The Atlantic, azulejos and fado

Travelling to Portugal

The Atlantic, azulejo tiles, fado and cooking that’s all about the produce. We tell you when to go, what not to miss, what to eat and what’s worth knowing.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • Best time: from September to June
  • Where to eat: a tasca
Photo: Unsplash

Portugal in 30 seconds

  • The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Portugal are from September to June.
  • Tram 28 is always packed: walk Alfama early.
  • To eat like a local: a tasca. Don’t leave without trying: Bacalhau, Pastel de nata, Francesinha.

Portugal in November

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Portugal. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

More destinations for November

When to travel to Portugal

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Portugal are from September to June.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul with warnings
  8. Aug with warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings

More destinations for those dates: where to travel in January · where to travel in February · where to travel in March · where to travel in April

  • July, August

    Heat inland and high season

    In July and August it’s very hot in the Alentejo and the Algarve gets crowded.

    What to do: Book well ahead on the coast and keep the middle of the day for the beach or a siesta.

Festivals and special moments

  • January

    Epiphany parades

    Parades and a family atmosphere in many European cities.

What to see in Portugal

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Lisbon
    Lisbon and Sintra

    Lisbon

    Seven hills with viewpoints, yellow trams and the Belém district by the Tagus.

    • Alfama · Miradouro da Senhora do Monte
    • Belém Tower
    • Jerónimos Monastery
    • Tram 28
    Lisbon guide
  • Porto
    North · Porto

    Porto

    The Ribeira, the bridges over the Douro and the port wine cellars across the river in Gaia.

    • Ribeira
    • Livraria Lello
    • Gaia wine cellars
    • São Bento Station
    Porto guide
  • Sintra
    Lisbon and Sintra

    Sintra

    Fairy-tale palaces among forests, about 40 minutes by train from Lisbon.

    • Pena Palace
    • Quinta da Regaleira
    • Moorish Castle
    • Cabo da Roca
    Sintra guide
  • Algarve
    Algarve

    Algarve

    Golden cliffs, sea caves and coves in the south of Portugal.

    • Ponta da Piedade
    • Benagil Cave
    • Tavira
    • Ria Formosa Natural Park
    Algarve guide
  • Madeira

    Madeira

    A volcanic island of green cliffs and a mild climate all year round, with Funchal as the gateway.

    • Funchal
    • Levadas
    • Pico do Arieiro
    • Cabo Girão
    Madeira guide
  • Azores

    Azores

    Nine volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic: crater lakes, whales, hot springs and endlessly green meadows.

    • Sete Cidades
    • Lagoa do Fogo
    • Furnas
    • Ponta Delgada
    Azores guide
  • Coimbra

    Coimbra

    One of the oldest universities in Europe, on a hilltop above the Mondego, with its own students’ fado.

    • University of Coimbra
    • Joanina Library
    • Sé Velha
    • Monastery of Santa Cruz
    Coimbra guide
  • Évora

    Évora

    A walled Alentejo city with a Roman temple at the top, entirely a World Heritage Site.

    • Roman temple
    • Chapel of Bones
    • Évora Cathedral
    • Praça do Giraldo
    Évora guide
  • Aveiro

    Aveiro

    The “Portuguese Venice”: canals with colourful moliceiro boats, art nouveau buildings and ovos moles sweets.

    • Canals and moliceiros
    • Costa Nova
    • Aveiro Museum
    • Old railway station
    Aveiro guide
  • Óbidos

    Óbidos

    A walled medieval village of white houses with blue and yellow trims, which you can walk around along the top of its walls.

    • The ramparts
    • Rua Direita
    • Óbidos Castle
    • Church of Santa Maria
    Óbidos guide
  • Braga

    Braga

    The “Portuguese Rome”: Baroque churches, a lively historic centre and the sanctuary of Bom Jesus with its staircase.

    • Bom Jesus do Monte
    • Cathedral
    • Santa Bárbara Garden
    • Sameiro Sanctuary
    Braga guide
  • Guimarães

    Guimarães

    The cradle of Portugal, with its castle, the Palace of the Dukes and a medieval centre that’s a World Heritage Site.

    • Guimarães Castle
    • Palace of the Dukes of Braganza
    • Largo da Oliveira
    • Penha cable car
    Guimarães guide
  • Nazaré

    Nazaré

    A fishing village famous for the giant winter waves, with a viewpoint over the beach.

    • Lighthouse and Fort of São Miguel
    • Sítio
    • Nazaré beach
    • Lift
    Nazaré guide
  • Fátima

    Fátima

    One of the world’s great Marian shrines, with its esplanade, the Chapel of the Apparitions and the candlelight processions.

    • Chapel of the Apparitions
    • Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary
    • Basilica of the Holy Trinity
    • Aljustrel
    Fátima guide
  • Cascais

    Cascais

    A former fishing village turned elegant town near Lisbon, with beaches and the Boca do Inferno.

    • Cascais Bay
    • Boca do Inferno
    • Citadel
    • Guincho Beach
    Cascais guide
  • Douro Valley

    Douro Valley

    The terraced vineyard slopes where port wine is born, a World Heritage Site.

    • Pinhão
    • Quintas
    • Douro cruise
    • Peso da Régua
    Douro Valley guide
  • Tavira

    Tavira

    The prettiest town in the Algarve: a Roman bridge, churches and white houses by the river, and beaches on the island opposite.

    • Roman bridge
    • Castle
    • Ilha de Tavira
    • Praia do Barril
    Tavira guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Lisbon

From Porto

From Sintra

From the Algarve

From Madeira

From the Azores

From Coimbra

From Évora

From Aveiro

From Óbidos

From Braga

From Guimarães

From Nazaré

From Fátima

From Cascais

From the Douro Valley

From Tavira

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What to eat in Portugal

To eat like a local: a tasca, and order bacalhau or pastéis and a vinho verde. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Bacalhau

    They say there’s a recipe for every day of the year; start with bacalhau à brás.

  • Pastel de nata

    Custard and crisp puff pastry, best fresh from the oven with cinnamon.

  • Francesinha

    Porto’s hefty sandwich, with meats, melted cheese and sauce.

  • Grilled sardines

    The taste of the June festivals in Lisbon and Porto.

  • Bifana

    A marinated pork sandwich: cheap, quick and very much a bar-counter thing.

  • Cataplana

    The Algarve’s seafood stew, in its copper pot.

The typical dish of Portugal, at home

Bacalhau à Brás
Photo: Fpenteado at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0

Bacalhau à Brás

Portugal’s most popular salt cod dish (they say there’s a recipe for every day of the year): flaked cod with matchstick potatoes and egg, black olives and parsley.

  • Serves 4
  • 40 min

Ingredients

  • 400 g desalted salt cod
  • 300 g matchstick potatoes (homemade or from a bag)
  • 2 onions
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 6 eggs
  • Black olives
  • Chopped parsley
  • Olive oil, salt and pepper

How to make it at home

  1. Flake the cod, removing the skin and bones.
  2. Gently fry the sliced onion and the garlic in oil until soft.
  3. Add the cod and cook for a few minutes.
  4. Add the potatoes and, almost off the heat, the eggs beaten with pepper. Stir just enough for them to set while staying moist.
  5. Serve with parsley and black olives.

The trick: Take it off the heat before the egg sets completely: it should stay creamy.

The typical food of each city, with a recipe

Curious facts about Portugal

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • Lisbon is one of the oldest capitals in Western Europe: its first settlements predate Rome.
  • Fado is Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: you hear it in the fado houses of Alfama and Mouraria.
  • The pastel de nata of Belém has been made since 1837 with a recipe that’s still secret.
  • Cabo da Roca, near Sintra, is the westernmost point of mainland Europe.
  • Porto’s Livraria Lello charges for entry, and deducts the price if you buy a book.
  • The bread, olives and cheeses they put down when you sit (couvert) aren’t free: you pay for them if you touch them.

Traditions of Portugal

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • June Santos Populares

    Neighbourhood festivals with grilled sardines, bunting and music; in Lisbon, the big night is St Anthony’s (12 to 13 June).

  • Night of 23 to 24 June São João in Porto

    The whole city takes to the streets with plastic hammers and fireworks over the Douro.

  • Fado

    A song of longing (saudade) listened to in silence in small fado houses.

  • November Magusto

    Roast chestnuts and new wine around St Martin’s Day.

What not to do in Portugal

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t eat the couvert if you don’t want it: it’s charged if you touch it; you can ask them to take it away.
  • Don’t take tram 28 at rush hour: it’s packed and pickpocket territory. Walk Alfama early.
  • Don’t drive to Sintra in summer: parking is almost impossible. The train from Lisbon is the easy way.
  • Don’t assume Portuguese is just Spanish: an “obrigado” and a little patience open a lot of doors.
  • Don’t underestimate the hills of Lisbon and Porto: wear comfortable shoes, the cobbles are slippery.
  • Don’t leave the Algarve for August if you want peace and quiet: the famous coves fill up.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

  • Entering the country

    Visas, electronic authorisations and health requirements for Portugal depend on your nationality. Check your government’s official travel advice and the embassy before you book.

    UK: foreign travel advice (GOV.UK) US: travel advisories (travel.state.gov)
  • Traveller tips

    Tram 28 is always packed: walk Alfama early.

    Pastel de nata in Belém: there’s a separate queue from the café.

    In the Algarve, a hire car makes the coves easier.

Frequently asked questions about Portugal

What people search for most before travelling to Portugal.

What’s the best time to travel to Portugal?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Portugal are from September to June.

What to see in Portugal in a week?

The essentials of Portugal: Lisbon, Porto, Sintra, Algarve and Madeira. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Portugal?

Bacalhau, Pastel de nata, Francesinha, Grilled sardines, Bifana, Cataplana. To eat like a local: a tasca.

What is the typical dish of Portugal?

Bacalhau à Brás. Portugal’s most popular salt cod dish (they say there’s a recipe for every day of the year): flaked cod with matchstick potatoes and egg, black olives and parsley.

What should you not do in Portugal?

Don’t eat the couvert if you don’t want it: it’s charged if you touch it; you can ask them to take it away. Don’t take tram 28 at rush hour: it’s packed and pickpocket territory. Walk Alfama early. Don’t drive to Sintra in summer: parking is almost impossible. The train from Lisbon is the easy way.

How do tolls work in Portugal?

Many motorways have electronic tolls, with no booths. You can use a compatible electronic toll device, register your number plate when you enter the country, or pay afterwards at post offices (CTT) within the stated deadline.

Madeira or the Azores?

Madeira is more mountainous, with levadas (paths along irrigation channels), a mild climate all year round and Funchal as a base. The Azores are nine volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic: crater lakes, whales and more changeable weather. For a first time with good weather, Madeira; for wild nature, the Azores.

What to see in Portugal at Christmas?

The lights of Lisbon and Porto, the Christmas village of Óbidos (Óbidos Vila Natal) and, to see the year out, the fireworks in Funchal, Madeira, among the most famous in the world.

Is it worth travelling to Portugal in November?

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Portugal. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

Bagintravel · We travel together

Shall we plan your trip to Portugal?

Tell us where and in under a minute you’ll have your day-by-day route, with places to stay, transport, expenses and tips. And we go with you in your pocket, offline too.

The app is currently available in Spanish.

Download Bagintravel See how it works

More guides

Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, Unsplash. Lisbon, Deensel (CC BY 2.0). Porto, Rititaneves (CC BY-SA 3.0). Sintra, Kent Wang (CC BY 4.0). Algarve, Dronepicr (CC BY 3.0). Madeira, Richard Bartz (CC BY-SA 3.0). Azores, Luis Ascenso from Lisbon, Portugal (CC BY 2.0). Coimbra, Leandro Neumann Ciuffo (CC BY 2.0). Évora, Nuno Curado from Belfast (CC BY 2.0). Aveiro, Joaomartinho63 (CC BY-SA 3.0). Óbidos, Francisco Restivo from Porto, Portugal (CC BY 2.0). Braga, GualdimG (CC BY-SA 4.0). Guimarães, RaquelRosa7 (CC BY-SA 4.0). Nazaré, Rob Bye robertbye (CC0). Fátima, Reis Quarteu (CC BY-SA 4.0). Cascais, pedrik (CC BY 2.0). Douro Valley, mat's eye (CC BY 2.0). Tavira, GanMed64 (CC BY 2.0).