What Is Portugal Famous For? Top 23 Places & Things In Portugal

Portugal is one of the most sought-after and well-liked destinations on the renowned "Eurotrip". The landscape has everything you might want for a dream vacation. Moreover, Portugal is famous for mountains and vineyards in the north, farmlands and mediaeval villages in the centre, and gorgeous beaches along the southern coastline. 

Let’s take a look at all the famous things in Portugal that make it such a popular tourist destination.

If you are visiting Portugal for the first time, you must exchange your currency. This will save a lot of your time while travelling around the country. The official currency used in Portugal is Euro, and as of November 2022, EUR 1 equals to INR 85.47.

Here is a list of famous places in Portugal that must be on your checklist on the trip.

1. St George’s Castle

This is one of the top attractions in Portugal and one of the most well-liked destinations in Lisbon. This castle is situated close to Alfama on the top of a hill and served as the Royal Moorish residence. During the months of March to October, it is open from 9 AM to 9 PM, and from November to February, it remains open from 9 AM to 6 PM.

2. Jeronimos Monastery

The Jeronimos monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Lisbon from the 16th century, is a must-see on any trip to Portugal. The main reason behind building this monastery was to thank the Virgin Mary and commemorate Vasco da Gama’s voyage. This monastery is open from 10 AM to 5 PM during the months of October to April and 10 AM to 6 PM from May to September. 

3. The Lisbon Oceanarium

This aquarium is one of the most famous places in Portugal that should be on your list, particularly if you are doing a family vacation. It is one of Europe's biggest aquariums, housing a wide variety of fish species and other marine life including deep-sea creatures. You can visit this during summer from 10 AM to 8 PM and from 10 AM to 7 PM during winter.

4. Monserrate Palace

The lovely gardens of Monserrate must be included on any list of attractions in Portugal. This must be at the top of your list if you're in Portugal for your honeymoon. The park remains open every day of the year except on 1st January and 25th December. The operational hours of this park are from 10 AM to 6 PM. However, the last time to enter the park is 5 PM. 

5. Sintra National Palace

The palace was used during the Middle ages as an escape from outbreaks of diseases, as a hunting retreat or even as a summer resort. A pair of peculiar-looking conical chimneys characterise the outside of Sintra National Palace. It was constructed in the 14th century for then-King Joo I. It is operational every day of the year from 9:30 AM to 7 PM, while the last entrance is at 6:30 PM. 

6. News Museum

When you search for ‘What Portugal is famous for?’, one of the unique names you will find is the News Museum. The News Museum illustrates how important news, media, and communications are in the contemporary world. The equipment used to demonstrate the media coverage is very interactive and includes a small auditorium designed for educational visits from Wednesday to Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. 

7. Evora Cathedral

This Cathedral includes a 135 steps spiral staircase which is used to climb to the rooftop to get an amazing view of the surrounding countryside of Évora. Since 1204, the aged granite façade has held up well. Two massive, asymmetrical bell towers enhance the building's fortress-like appearance. You can also visit a sacred art museum separately as it is connected to the church

8. Porto Bridge

The Porto Bridge is among the most unusual places to see in Portugal. In order to climb the dizzying heights securely and pleasantly, the Porto Bridge Climb offers guided tours of this historic building with participants outfitted in harnesses and secure lifeline. This bridge was originally meant for traffic control; now, the upper span is a pedestrian walkway and carries Line D of the Porto metro.

9. Cais da Ribeira

One of Portugal's most picturesque locations is the Praça da Ribeira, often known as the Riverfront Square and a popular gathering spot for local youth. This place lights up even more during the evening and is a perfect spot to hang out. You can even find lively rooftop cafes and restaurants where you can enjoy Portuguese cuisine and an amazing view of the Dom Luís Bridge.

10. Roman Temple

The Roman Temple commonly referred to as the Temple of Diana, the Roman Goddess, is one of Portugal's most well-known places of worship. This Roman temple in Evora was built during the time of Caesar Augustus in the first century.  Make sure you visit this Temple during an early evening sunset to witness it being lit up by the sun.

11. Medieval Village

One may only explore the alleys of Sortelha, a little village in Portugal, to learn more about the authentic spirit of the Middle Ages. One would undoubtedly need some tough sports shoes to stroll around the vestiges of this historic site because the castle that covers most of this village's area gives a terrific vibe for all history enthusiasts.

12. Convent of Christ, Tomar

One of the most famous places in Portugal is the Convent of Christ Monastery, situated in the charming town of Tomar. The monastery served as the main fortress of the Order of Knights and the Portuguese Templars and was founded in 1160. This monastery consists of one of the most outstanding architectural elements: the window built by the famous Portuguese sculptor Diogo de Arruda.

Apart from the destinations Portugal is also renowned for its cuisines, culture and sports. Some of them are as follows -

13. Port Wine

The most renowned beverage in Portugal is this common dessert wine. It has been made here for more than 250 years using grapes cultivated in the Douro Valley close to Porto. It is the nation's national beverage.

Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, and Tinta Cao are among the grapes used to make port wine.

14. Pastel de nata

Pastéis de nata, commonly known as pastel de nata, was invented by monks in the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém. They used the egg yolk that was left over after the egg whites were used to starch their clothes. Prior to the monastery's closure in 1834, the monks sold them to raise money for it.

15. Football

One of the most popular things in Portugal is football, and it has the best football teams in the world, having won the UEFA European Championship in 2016 and making seven FIFA World Cup final appearances. The three most successful football teams in Portugal, Sporting Lisbon, FC Porto, and Benfica, are collectively known as "The Big Three."

16. Golf

The Algarve region of Portugal is the most well-liked golfing destination in Europe. It received "best golf destination in Europe" and "best golf destination in the world" at the 2014 World Golf Awards. 'The Penina' can be found halfway between Portimao and Lagos. This course is the oldest in the Algarve and dates back to 1966.

17. Piri Piri Chicken

You may be familiar with piri-piri (or peri-peri, as it is also known) chicken if you've gone to Nando's. However, this chicken eatery is not Portuguese. Instead, it's a South African franchise that offers food with a Portuguese influence. This classic Portuguese dish uses piri piri peppers, which were originally imported from the Portuguese colonies of Mozambique and Angola.

18. Cork

Did you know that on 1.6 million acres of forest, Portugal is home to over half of the world's cork-producing oak trees? The Whistler Tree, the oldest and largest cork tree in the area, stands out in particular. With more than 100,000 individual corks produced, the 1991 harvest set a new record. This is greater than what some trees will yield during a 200-year period.

19. Azulejos Tiles

One of the things Portugal is known for across the globe is its Azulejos Tiles. The exquisite ceramic tiles are referred to as azulejos, which is Arabic for "little polished stone." It was first used when Portugal was ruled by the Moors and featured mostly neutral hues, mainly blue and white. These tiles are now used to decorate churches, restaurants, monasteries, pubs, stations, palaces, private residences, walls, seats and street signs.

20. Surfing

One of the best surfing locations in Europe is Portugal. Surfers from all over the world come here to ride some of the largest waves in the world. Lagos, the Algarve, Peniche, Oeste, and Matosinhos near Porto Hawaiian are some of the top surfing locations. Moreover, in 2012, Garrett McNamara surfed the tallest wave ever seen.

21. Fado

Fado is a style of singing with Portuguese origins that was added to UNESCO's list of the World's Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011. Thanks to Amália Rodrigues, also known as the Rainha do Fado or Queen of Fado, it gained popularity. The singing is frequently accompanied by an acoustic guitar and the Portuguese guitar. Casa de Linhars and O Faia are two well-known fado establishments in Lisbon.

22. Bacalhao/Codfish

Codfish is popular in Portugal and most people who travel to Portugal immediately discover why, spreading the word about how wonderful it is and how much the Portuguese like it. There are even rumours that Portugal has 365 different cod recipes, one for every day of the year. Cod is the main holiday dish in Portugal since it is so ingrained in the culture of the country.

23. Oranges

Sweet oranges were imported to Europe around the 15th century by Portuguese sailors from China and East Asia. These oranges were far superior to the others, and in order to prevent scurvy, the Portuguese planted orange trees alongside the trade routes. Portuguese oranges became so well-known that many nations now refer to the fruit by its origin in Portugal. 

So, as you see these are the famous things in Portugal which should be a part of your next trip. While you plan for the vacation, do not forget to purchase flight tickets early to avail best discounts. Spring and fall offer the best climates and are full of events.