The Atlas Obscura Guide To Portugal

166 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Portugal

Updated September 6, 2024

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Unusual Attractions in Portugal

Sintra, Portugal

Quinta da Regaleira

This eccentrically decorated palace is replete with grottoes, fountains, tunnels, and caves.

Porto, Portugal

Livraria Lello

One of the most beautiful bookstores in the world hides a neo-Gothic interior behind an art nouveau facade.

Lisbon, Portugal

Carmo Convent Ruins

Legacy of the earthquake that nearly wiped Lisbon off the face of the Earth.

Lisbon, Portugal

Pavilhão Chinês

Ring the bell to enter a bar that looks equal parts museum and old curiosity shop.

The interiors of the bookstore.

Lisbon, Portugal

Livraria Bertrand

The world's oldest bookshop still in operation.

Évora, Portugal

Portugal's Chapel of Bones

A 16th century chapel decorated with bones, skulls, and entire bodies hanging from the wall.

A roof for eternity.

Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal

The Village of Monsanto

Houses are tucked between, on, and underneath giant boulders.

Pena National Palace

Sintra, Portugal

Pena National Palace

This unreal Portuguese palace looks as though it's made from a pile of different castles.

See All 166 Things To Do in Portugal

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal

Pavilhão Chinês

Ring the bell to enter a bar that looks equal parts museum and old curiosity shop.

Close-up of the McDonalds marquee with the Imperial eagle

Porto, Portugal

McDonald's Imperial

This restored Portuguese cafe may well be the most beautiful place in the world to grab a Big Mac.

Lisbon, Portugal

Conserveira de Lisboa

The best place in the world to buy tinned fish.

A cup of tea outside at Chalet de tia Mercês.

São Miguel, Portugal

Violet Volcanic Tea

When Azorean green tea meets volcanic hot springs water, a luminous brew is born.

See all 20 Places to Eat in Portugal

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Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon

Explore Portugal through food, from the cities to the seaside.

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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

Lisbon

In the homeland of explorers, your best bet is to keep looking.

The dome of Estrela Basilica in Lisbon.

Explore Portugal

Architecture 25

Museums 15

History & Culture 15

Sacred Spaces 13

Geology 13

Churches 12

Art 11

Ruins 10

Collections 9

Architectural Oddities 9

Abandoned 9

History 9

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has been to Polychrome Augustus of Prima Porta
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has been to Bom Jesus do Monte
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has been to Espigueiros do Soajo
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has been to Portugal's Chapel of Bones
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updated Santuário de Santa Luzia

Stories About Portugal

Mafra Palace Library is home to a colony of itty-bitty bats that keep its many historic volumes safe from pests.

5 of Our Favorite Podcast Episodes About Wildlife in Unexpected Places

Life finds a way, from the bats that haunt and hunt in a majestic library to a bird sanctuary in one of the most dangerous places in the world.

by The Podcast Team

January 12, 2024

Dom Pedro's 224-year-old, 20-pound heart was sent from Portugal to Brazil for the 200th anniversary of the country's independence.

Why a 224-Year-Old Human Heart Is Touring Brazil

This piece of Dom Pedro I, who declared Brazil's independence, is causing controversy in two countries.

by Dania Rodrigues

August 25, 2022

Father Rui Sousa in the parish orchards.

The Priest Who Resurrected an Island’s Cider Tradition

Father Rui Sousa saw opportunity in the parish orchards.

by Rafael Tonon

So sweet and adorable, you almost forget it's based on an ancient bloodsucking sea creature.

Meet the Sweet Sea Monster of Portuguese Christmas

Lampreia de ovos comes loaded with sugar, eggs, and the long history of glorifying a most peculiar parasite.

by Dania Rodrigues

December 16, 2022

The team mixes salt and seawater to make brine.

The Team Resurrecting Ancient Rome's Favorite Condiment

Making umami inside 2,000-year-old ruins.

by Rafael Tonon

Podcast: Mafra Palace Library Bats

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

The bakers use copper pots and antique instruments used specifically by nuns for convent sweets.

At This Portuguese Bakery, the Recipes Were Written by Nuns Centuries Ago

The owner of Alcôa has devoted decades to recovering lost pastries.

by Dania Rodrigues

February 26, 2021

Medieval manuscripts were illuminated with folium, and one bore the instructions for recreating the ink.

The Mystery of a Medieval Blue Ink Has Been Solved

Turns out it was hiding in plain sight by the side of a Portuguese road.

by Isaac Schultz

Lists Featuring Portugal

Covão dos Conchos.

A roof for eternity.

Opening to a cave at Boca do Inferno.

16 Hidden Gems to Visit in Portugal

From bone houses to library bats, here are some of the most unique Portuguese locales that Atlas Obscura users want to visit.

Including Covão dos Conchos, The Village of Monsanto, and Livraria Lello

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