Things to Do in Portugal (2026)

Portugal · PT

Praia de Mindelo

Mindelo Beach (Praia de Mindelo) lies on the Atlantic coast about six kilometres south of Vila do Conde, in the Porto district of northern Portugal, where a long stretch of fine granitic sand meets a scatter of dramatic rock outcrops. Those boulders are the beach's signature: they shelter the cove from the prevailing north winds, frame playful tidal rock pools at low tide, and make this one of the most family-friendly stretches of the northern coastline. To the north, the sand runs straight into the Reserva Ornitológica de Mindelo, one of Portugal's oldest protected areas, so a day here pairs swimming and sunbathing with dune boardwalks and birdlife. Around the shore, consistent Atlantic waves and a steady afternoon breeze draw surfers and windsurfers, while well-equipped facilities, a lifeguarded bathing season and a Blue Flag make it an easy, comfortable base for families exploring the northern beaches.

Hiking area

Portugal · PT

Waterval Cidreira

Tucked into the green north coast of São Miguel in the Azores, the Cidreira Waterfall (Salto da Cidreira, also shown as Waterval Cidreira on maps) is the quiet reward at the end of a short levada walk through Europe's oldest tea-growing landscape. A fern-and-moss gorge, a trickling cascade and the sound of running water feel a world away from the busy tea factory the path begins at. The falls are the turnaround point of the Trilho do Caminho de Água da Gorreana (TM05), an easy 1.7 km round trip of around 40 minutes that follows the irrigation channel carrying water from the Ribeira da Gorreana. It is one of the simplest and least crowded waterfalls to reach on the island, and a lovely pairing with a visit to the neighbouring Gorreana Tea Factory.

Religious destination

Portugal · PT

Santuário do Nosso Senhor dos Caminhos

The Santuário do Nosso Senhor dos Caminhos — the Shrine of Our Lord of the Roads — rises from open granite-country near the village of Rãs, in the municipality of Sátão (Viseu district, old Beira Alta), on the left bank of the Rio Vouga. What began as a wayside resting place for pilgrims has grown into one of the largest and most vividly traditional shrines in central Portugal, a grand chapel crowned by a tall bell tower and ringed by a haunting row of fifteen monumental granite columns. Its very name — "Lord of the Roads" — tells the story: this was a stopping point on the old routes of devotion toward the sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Lapa and the long road to Santiago de Compostela. Today it draws thousands of faithful, curious travellers and photographers, especially on the Sunday of the Most Holy Trinity, when its legendary romaria (pilgrimage-feast) turns the quiet hillsides into a sea of people, candles and colour.

Finding your next place…

A little more
of Portugal.

Praia de Mindelo

Waterval Cidreira

Santuário do Nosso Senhor dos Caminhos

Finding your next place…

A little more
of Portugal.

Praia de Mindelo

Waterval Cidreira

Santuário do Nosso Senhor dos Caminhos