Portugal travel guides by locals
Portugal beyond the obvious
Plan your trip with practical Portugal travel guides, local food tips, traditional recipes, hiking ideas and places worth discovering — written by two Portuguese travelers who know the country well.
Where to start?
Portugal is small on the map, but surprisingly varied on the ground. These are the easiest ways to start exploring — whether you are choosing places to visit, looking for nature and hiking ideas, planning what to eat, or trying to understand the country a little better.
PLACES TO VISIT
Destinations
Cities, villages, regions and ideas for exploring Portugal at your own pace.
OUTDOOR PORTUGAL
Nature & hiking
Trails, walkways, waterfalls, river beaches and mountain places worth exploring.
EAT LIKE A LOCAL
Food in Portugal
Typical dishes, desserts, recipes and places where eating is part of the trip.
UNDERSTAND PORTUGAL
Culture & traditions
History, customs, festivals and details that help Portugal make more sense.
Essential Portugal guides
Some of our most useful guides to help you plan a better trip — from practical travel tips to food, villages, cities and outdoor ideas.
Things to know before visiting →
Practical tips for planning your trip.
Renting a car →
Driving, tolls, parking and rental tips.
Most beautiful villages →
Historic villages and charming rural destinations.
Best hikes →
Trails, walkways and outdoor ideas.
Most beautiful cities →
Portugal’s cities worth spending time in.
Famous landmarks →
Castles, Palaces and other iconic places.
Explore Portugal
From the green north to the islands in the Atlantic, Portugal changes a lot from region to region. Start with the area you are planning to visit, or use these guides to discover where to go next.
FOOD & RECIPES
Food in Portugal
COMPLETE GUIDE
Portuguese food
The dishes, flavors and regional specialties that help explain Portugal at the table.
RECIPES
Portuguese recipes
Bacalhau à Brás, octopus rice, pão de ló, sonhos and other traditional recipes to make at home.
DESSERTS
Portuguese desserts
Custard tarts, pão de ló, convent sweets and regional desserts with plenty of history.
WHERE TO EAT
Restaurants
Tascas, pastry shops, francesinhas, brunch spots and other places worth stopping.
ABOUT US
Portugal seen by those who live here
We’re Cláudia and Jorge, two Portuguese travelers behind Portugal Things. We created this site to share the Portugal we know best: road trips, food, hiking trails, culture, villages, cities and places that often stay outside the obvious travel routes.
Everything here is written from our own experience, with practical tips, honest opinions and the kind of details that make a trip easier to plan.
Guides written by locals
More than 12,000 people follow our Portugal discoveries on Facebook. Here we bring together practical advice, real opinions and plenty of ideas to help you explore the country with more confidence.
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