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Dine & Moimenta
Dine and Moimenta, two of the prettiest villages in the western half of the park, are connected by a high-altitude road with panoramic views of the windmill-speckled hills along the Spanish border. In well-preserved Dine, you can visit a tiny archaeological museum , which documents
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Convento dos Capuchos
Hidden in the woods is the bewitchingly hobbit-hole-like Convento dos Capuchos, which was originally built in 1560 to house 12 monks who lived in incredibly cramped conditions, their tiny cells having low, narrow doors. Byron mocked the monastery in his poem Childe Harold’s Pilgrim
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Campo Pequeno Bullring
This red-brick, neo-Moorish building hosts big concerts and other events, including bullfighting. Below the stadium is a shopping centre, cinema and food court – and its a popular destination all year long. In the Portuguese version of bullfighting the animal is not killed publicl
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Museu da Baleia
Once a minor exhibition housed in small seafront building, Caniçals Whale Museum was moved to a large, multi-million-euro ultra-modern complex in 2012, making it possibly the worlds best museum devoted to the topic. The fascinating exhibition is divided into two sections – whaling
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Monte de Santa Luzia
There are two good reasons to visit Viana’s 228m, eucalyptus-clad hill. One is the wondrous view down the coast and up the Lima valley. The other is the fabulously over-the-top, 20th-century, neo-Byzantine Templo do Sagrado Coração de Jesus . You can get a little closer to heaven o
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Tapada Nacional de Mafra
The 819-hectare Tapada Nacional de Mafra is where Dom João V used to go a-hunting. Enclosed by an original 21km wall, the grounds are now an environmentally aware game park, home to free-roaming wild boar and red deer, plus smaller numbers of foxes, badgers and eagles. To appreciat
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Penha
Some 7km southeast up a twisting, cobbled road – or a short ride on an ageing cable car – is the wooded summit of Penha (617m) overlooking Guimarães, the highest point for miles. Its cool woods make it a wonderful escape from the city and summer heat. Kids love losing themselves am
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Capela de São Pedro de Balsemão
Older than Portugal itself, this mysterious little chapel was probably built by Visigoths as early as the 6th century. With Corinthian columns, round arches and intriguing symbols etched into the walls, it certainly predates the introduction of even Romanesque architecture to Portu
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Feira de Barcelos
The largest, oldest and most celebrated of the Minhos markets is the Feira de Barcelos, held every Thursday in Barcelos, on the banks of the Rio Cávado.Despite attracting travellers, the market retains its rural soul. Villagers hawk everything from scrawny chickens to hand-embroide
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Museu da Tapeçaria de Portalegre Guy Fino
If there’s one thing you must visit in Portalegre, it’s this splendid museum. Opened in 2001, it contains brilliant contemporary creations from Portalegre’s unique tapestry factory. It’s named after the factory founder, who created an innovatory ‘stitch’ by hand weaving. The museum
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Cabo de São Vicente
Five kilometres from Sagres, Europe’s southwesternmost point is a barren, thrusting headland that was the last piece of home that nervous Portuguese sailors would have seen as they launched into the unknown. Its a spectacular spot: at sunset you can almost hear the hissing as the s
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Alfama
Wander down (to save your legs) through Alfamas steep, narrow, cobblestoned streets and catch a glimpse of the more traditional side of Lisbon before it too is gentrified. Linger in a backstreet cafe along the way and experience some local bonhomie without the tourist gloss. As far
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Promontório do Sítio
Until the 18th century the sea covered the present-day site of Nazaré; locals lived at this clifftop area 110m above the beach. Today this tourist-filled promontory is popular for its tremendous views and its religious associations. From Rua do Elevador, north of the turismo, an as
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Rio de Onor
This lovely little town of 70 souls situated in the eastern half of the park is entirely unfazed by the Spanish–Portuguese border splicing it down the middle. It’s interesting not just for its rustic stone buildings, whose ground floors still house straw-filled stables for goats, s
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Palácio Nacional de Sintra
The star of Sintra-Vila is this palace, with its iconic twin conical chimneys and lavish interior. The whimsical interior is a mix of Moorish and Manueline styles, with arabesque courtyards, barley-twist columns and 15th- and 16th-century geometric azulejos (hand-painted tiles) tha
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Vila Nova de Gaia
While technically its own municipality, Vila Nova de Gaia (Gaia) sits just across the Douro from Porto and is woven into the citys fabric both by a series of stunning bridges as well as its shared history of port-wine making. Since the mid-18th century, port-wine bottlers and expor
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Old Town
The Portas d’El Rei (King’s Gate), surmounted by the ancient coat of arms, was always the principal entrance, whose guillotine-like door sealed out unwelcome visitors. The walls run intact for over 1km around the medieval core, which is centred on the main square, Largo Padre Franc
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Milreu Ruins
Set in beautiful countryside a kilometre or so out of Estói, north of Faro, these are the ruins of a Roman villa so large and grand it was originally thought to have been a town. The villa, inhabited from the 1st century AD, has the characteristic peristyle form, with a gallery of
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Palácio Nacional de Mafra
Wild-spending Dom João V poured pots of Brazilian gold into this baroque palace, covering a mind-boggling 4 sq km and comprising a monastery and basilica. Begun in 1717, the exuberant mock-marble confection is the handiwork of German master Friedrich Ludwig, who trained in Italy an
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Paço Ducal
The dukes of Bragança built their palace in the early 16th century when the fourth duke, Dom Jaime, decided he had had enough of his uncomfortable hilltop castle. The wealthy Bragança family, originally from Bragança in Trás-os-Montes, had settled in Vila Viçosa in the 15th century
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