Portugal is a small country on the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It’s popular because of its pretty coastline and history. Lots of people visit Portugal because it’s smaller and easier to travel around than Spain. The weather is mild all year, so it’s good for vacations. You can see Roman and Moorish ruins and other cool stuff there.
Alcobaca Monastery
The Alcobaça Monastery is a Catholic monastery in Alcobaça, Portugal. It was started by the first Portuguese King, Afonso Henriques, in 1153, and it has strong ties with the Kings of Portugal. The church and monastery are among the earliest Gothic buildings in Portugal and are very important in Portuguese medieval history.
University of Coimbra
The University of Coimbra is one of Europe’s oldest universities, founded in 1290. It’s also one of Portugal’s largest, with about 20,000 students. The university has many interesting parts to explore.
One notable building is the Biblioteca Joanina, built in the early 18th century by King Joao V. It’s a beautiful example of Baroque architecture. Another important spot is the Sala dos Capelos, which used to be the throne room and is now where doctorates are given.
Capela dos Ossos
The Capela dos Ossos may seem like something from a scary movie, but it’s actually a practical idea from 16th-century monks in Evora, Portugal. They had too many cemeteries taking up space, so they moved the bones to a special chapel called the Bone Chapel inside the Gothic Church of St. Francis. The walls and ceiling of the chapel are decorated with about 5,000 skeletons, including skulls.
Cabo Girao
Cabo Girão is on the southern coast of Madeira, a group of islands belonging to Portugal. It’s known for its cliff, which is about 570 meters (1,870 feet) high. Some say it’s the tallest sea cliff in Europe, but there are actually a few taller cliffs in Europe.
Even so, looking down from the cliff to the ocean below is still quite exciting. In 2012, they added a glass platform, which makes the view even scarier.
Sao Jorge Castle
São Jorge Castle is a popular tourist spot in Lisbon because you can see it from many parts of the city. It’s really old, going back to Roman times, but the Moors fixed it up in the 10th century. In 1147, during the Second Crusade, it was taken from the Moors.
After that, King Alfonso III lived there for a while. The castle has been damaged and fixed up many times. Now, there are walls and 18 towers that visitors can go up.
Obidos Castle
Obidos Castle is a big castle on a hill in Obidos, a small city by the Atlantic coast of Portugal. The Moors built it in the eighth century. It got some changes in the 14th century, like adding a keep. Now, it’s a fancy hotel called a pousada. Every July, there’s a medieval market in the castle.
Cais da Ribeira
Cais da Ribeira is a lovely old part of Porto, often called “the heart of Porto.” It has narrow streets from medieval times that lead to a square by the Douro River. The old buildings here are now home to bars, cafes, and restaurants, making Ribeira a great spot for food and drinks.
People love coming to Ribeira, especially during festivals when they gather to watch fireworks. In the middle of the square, there’s a bronze cube. Close by is the house where Prince Henry the Navigator was born in 1394.
Praia da Marinha
Praia da Marinha is one of Portugal’s prettiest beaches. It’s in the Algarve region along the Atlantic coast. There are beautiful blue waters on one side, and on the other, sandy beaches and tall cliffs.
People also call it Navy Beach. It’s a small cove that you often see in travel pictures. The water here is clear, so it’s great for snorkeling. You can get here by car in about 30 minutes from Albuferia, and there’s free parking available.
Belem Tower
Belem Tower, also called the Tower of St. Vincent, stands on an island in the Tagus River in Lisbon, Portugal’s capital. It was built in 1515 to protect Lisbon from attackers and greet friendly ships.
This tall tower was constructed during the Age of Discovery. It has four floors and a bastion with room for 17 cannons that could shoot far. A statue of Our Lady of Safe Homecoming, meant to keep sailors safe, faces the river.
Pena National Palace
The Pena National Palace looks like a castle from a fairy tale, especially when it’s above the clouds on cloudy days. It’s on a hill in Sintra and can be seen from Lisbon when the weather is clear.
King Ferdinand II built it, and it’s a great example of 19th-century Romanticism. It combines Moorish and Manueline styles of architecture. It was first a chapel to Our Lady of Pena in the Middle Ages and is now used for important events.
