Atlantic Coast Route: Porto to the Algarve

Porto is the city of port wine, where the historic Ribeira district along the Douro River tells its story. Walk past the 75-meter-high Torre dos Clérigos towering over the city, or admire the neo-Gothic architecture of Livraria Lello bookstore. The double-deck bridge Ponte Dom Luís I connects the city with Vila Nova de Gaia, where you can visit the port wine cellars. Traditional rabelo boats lie at the quay there, creating a lively image of the river.

Aveiro is located on the Ria de Aveiro lagoon and is traversed by the Central Canal where moliceiros sail, boats formerly used for seaweed harvesting. In the centre, you can admire Art Nouveau buildings and in the fishing district of Beira Mar, you can taste the local ovos moles. On the coast near Costa Nova, you'll find the striped wooden houses that served as storage for fishermen. The surrounding salt pans are still used for sea salt extraction.

Coimbra is the former capital of Portugal and home to the University of Coimbra, founded in 1290, making it one of the oldest universities in the world. On the university complex, you will find the 18th-century Biblioteca Joanina and the Sé Velha, a Romanesque cathedral from the 12th century with the appearance of a fortress. You can stroll through the narrow streets of the lower town along the Mondego River, where you can hear local Fado in the evening.

Nazaré on the Costa de Prata is known for Praia do Norte, where the 5,000-meter-deep Nazaré Canyon creates the highest surfable waves in the world. You will find the Sítio district on a 110-meter-high cliff, accessible by a cable car from 1889 that connects the lower town with the square above. At the Farol da Nazaré, you can look out over the ocean, while local women in the lower town dry fish on the beach.

Peniche is a peninsula on the Costa de Prata known for the limestone formations of Cabo Carvoeiro and surf beaches such as Praia dos Supertubos. Here you can visit the sixteenth-century Fortaleza de Peniche, a former state prison that now houses the National Museum of Resistance and Freedom. From the harbor, you can take a boat to the Berlengas Archipelago, a nature reserve that has been on the UNESCO list as a biosphere reserve since 2011.

Ericeira is a fishing village on sandstone cliffs by the Atlantic Ocean and is the only place in Europe declared a World Surfing Reserve. In the old town, you'll find whitewashed houses with blue trim and the Capela de São Sebastião, which is lined on the inside with white and blue tiles. You can walk along wooden paths along the coastline to beaches such as Praia Ribeira d'Ilhas, while in the local market hall you can buy fresh fish from the harbor.

Sintra is a city in the eponymous mountain range known for its nineteenth-century Romantic architecture and UNESCO World Heritage status. Here you can visit the colourful Palácio da Pena, built by King Ferdinand II on the foundations of an old monastery. On the ridge are the walls of the eighth-century Castelo dos Mouros, and in the lower-lying Quinta da Regaleira, you'll find a deep initiation well with a spiral staircase.

Lisbon, the city on seven hills along the Tagus River, surprises with its atmospheric mix of history and vibrancy. The sixteenth-century Torre de Belém and Mosteiro dos Jerónimos showcase the rich Manueline style. Yellow trams run through the old Alfama district, past walls adorned with azulejos. From Castelo de São Jorge, you overlook the city and the Tagus, while below, Praça do Comércio beckons by the water. The charming streets and views make every walk a discovery.

The Parque Natural da Arrábida is a limestone mountain range on the Portuguese coast where forested slopes merge into the Atlantic Ocean. On the southern slope stands the sixteenth-century Convento da Arrábida, and between white limestone cliffs lies the bay of Praia do Portinho. From panoramic roads, you can look out over the Tróia Peninsula and the Sado Estuary, while hiking trails lead through cork oak forests and along cliff edges.

Comporta is located at the foot of the Troia Peninsula in Alentejo Litoral and is characterized by rice fields and white houses with thatched roofs. In Carrasqueira, you will find the Cais Palafítico, a wooden fishing port on stilts from the 1950s that extends into the Sado River estuary. You can observe storks and flamingos in the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve or visit the white sandy beach Praia da Comporta on the Atlantic coast.

At the mouth of the Rio Mira, where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean, lies Vila Nova de Milfontes with its varied coastline. At Praia da Franquia, you can swim in the calm river water, while the beaches on the other side of the river directly border the open sea. The sixteenth-century Forte de Milfontes stands at the river mouth, surrounded by white houses with blue accents. This mix of river and sea landscape gives the village a lively atmosphere, visible from the quays along the Mira.

Praia da Bordeira is a wide sandy beach on the west coast of the Algarve where the Ribeira da Bordeira river flows into the Atlantic Ocean, forming a shallow lagoon. You can walk along wooden boardwalks through the Dunas da Bordeira or follow the unpaved paths over the limestone rocks of Pontal da Carrapateira. From these cliffs, you can see fishermen and surfers in the waves. The red rock faces characterize this part of the Costa Vicentina.

Sagres marks the southwesternmost point of Europe and, with its rugged coastline, attracts visitors to Ponta de Sagres. Here stands the fifteenth-century Fortaleza de Sagres, an impressive fort with a stone wind rose 43 meters in diameter. Surfers find perfect waves at Praia do Tonel, while at the sheltered Praia da Mareta you can quietly enjoy the ocean. The powerful wind and the expansive views over the Atlantic Ocean give this place a raw, untamed atmosphere.