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Curated itineraries, local tips and inspiration for your next adventure in Portugal.
Charcoal-grilled posta barrosã, two-thousand-year-old Roman milestones, and the genuine silence of the one night you should spend in Gerês. A 24-hour itinerary at the pace of someone who knows the park, no rush, no checklists.
In 1972, an entire village was submerged to build a dam in Gerês. The museum that tells its story is the best in the region, and costs just €2. But not every museum space in the serra deserves the detour.
Gerês keeps you captive, in the best way. But within an hour's drive, Barcelos, Ponte de Lima, Lindoso, and Braga are waiting with centuries-old markets, granite granaries, and food worth arguing about. Five tested day trips, all with time to spare for dinner back at base.
In Gerês, coffee comes in a thick cup and serves as an excuse to stay a little longer. From the fireplace at Gelataria do Gerês to the legendary meals at Lurdes Capela and the almond-and-cinnamon bolo de discos, here's what to order, and where.
Most people who visit Gerês do the same waterfall-and-selfie loop. This guide is for those who'd rather hike two-thousand-year-old Roman roads, go canyoning away from the crowds, and eat Barrosã steak the way it's meant to be eaten.
Santiago do Cacém won't give you a Lisbon-style night out, and that's exactly the point. Between weekend live music at Park Lounge Caffè, the Alexander's club in Valverde, and September festivals pulling names like Fernando Daniel and Bárbara Tinoco, the Alentejo after dark has more going on than you'd think.
Santiago do Cacém is the perfect base for exploring the Alentejo coast without the crowds. From Lagoa de Santo André to Porto Covo's cliffs, the Roman ruins of Miróbriga, and the start of the Rota Vicentina, how to get to each spot and what not to miss.
Santiago do Cacém in the rain isn't a backup plan, it's a different plan. Between a museum housed in a former prison, Roman ruins with a covered interpretation centre, and alcomonias eaten at the counter, there's more to do indoors than you'd think.
A free castle with views to the sea, Roman ruins that cost less than a Lisbon coffee, and full lunches for under €12. Santiago do Cacém is proof that budget travel in the Alentejo doesn't mean bad travel, it just means the rest of the country hasn't caught on yet.
Praia da Fonte do Cortiço has a maximum capacity of 400 people and access via an unpaved road, in August, that's practically a private beach. A complete guide to Santiago do Cacém's beaches, with real strategies for dodging the crowds.
In Lanhelas, a few kilometres from Caminha, the traditional sweet factory fires up the ovens at six in the morning during Easter week. Rosquinhas, cavacas, papudos, and trembling pão de ló, all handmade with recipes passed from mother-in-law to daughter-in-law. This is the guide for anyone serious about Easter pastry.
Twenty-four granite granaries on a communal threshing floor, a 13th-century Romanesque bridge that once bore the weight of retreating armies, and the terraced hillsides of Sistelo that earned a Wonders of Portugal title. Arcos de Valdevez is the Alto Minho unfiltered, but you have to want to get there.