by Janis / 2 comments - Orginally published:31st May 2019
Why not go and discover them all?
As you may know, Gary and I love discovering snippets of history when we travel. So, it wouldn’t surprise you that when planning our road trip around Portugal in 2018 and our mini-break to Lisbon in 2017, we wanted to visit some of Portugal’s historic sites.
Usually, there are locations in a country you immediately want to visit; however, there may also be a few towns or significant sites you may be unaware of.
Take Évora, for example. This town is incredible, and I can’t believe there is a place with a chapel of bones that had nearly passed me by.
I’m so pleased we checked out the UNESCO World Heritage Site website before we left.
Why not Pin it for later?
Our list on UNESCO sites in Portugal
This is not the definitive list, just places we've visited. We'll be discovering the following;
You can click on the link to jump to the section, and to return, just click on the title.
Guimarães was the first stop on our Portuguese road trip and a real treat to find. We used this little historic city as a base for a couple of days to tour the region. However, there was so much to discover within its own colourful streets.
Largo da Oliveira - Guimarães
Guimarães was the first capital of Portugal in the 12th-century and believed to be where Portugal’s first King, Afonso Henriques, was born.
It has beautifully tiled squares and lanes and even with its many historical buildings, still has a very local feel about it.
A convent in Guimarães
Rua de Santa Maria, Guimarães
I’m actually quite surprised that Guimarães was only added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2001. I highly recommend visiting Guimarães, and if you want to know more about our visit then check out our post.
A family friend recommended Tomar to us, as they know we love searching out the history on the Knights Templars. The imposing 12th-century Convent of Christ sits high on a hill looking down on the attractive town of Tomar below. The convent was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1983.
The Convent of Christ - Tomar
You must take a step inside to see the incredibly ornate rotunda and the 16-sided Charola. Like many of the Knights Temples, it’s made to signify the Rotunda of Jerusalem’s Holy Sepulchre. It is so beautiful and colourful; it wasn’t how I expected it to be.
Cemetery Cloister in the Convent of Christ
The pulpit in the Convent of Christ
The convent itself is equally amazing, it has a maze of seven cloisters, two of which were built under the order of Henry the Navigator during the 15th–century. As the convent extended over the years, it has a rich mixture of styles including Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance, Moorish and Baroque.
For more on the convent and the wonderful town of Tomar, check out the post written to accompany our visit.
Our recent new found love is Portugal, it is such a beautiful country. While planning our trip, I used the DK Eyewitness books. I find them extremely informative, easy to follow and the pictures and maps tempt you into discovering more.
We used a previous version of this book to plan our north to south Portuguese road trip, now you can grab the revised copy.
Sintra is around 18 miles (30km) from Lisbon, and like us, many people take a day trip from Portugal’s beautiful capital, as it only takes about 45 minutes by train.
The enchanting palaces that this region is so famous for are set within an extremely lush landscape. Your main decision of the day is trying to decide which palaces to visit, as you won’t be able to see them all in one day.
A view of the Palace of Pena
The most famous and most colourful palace is Palácio Nacional da Pena and located high on a hillside with magnificent views for miles. This summer residence was built for the Portuguese royal family and not only has incredible architecture, but the gardens are also beautiful to stroll through.
The colours of the Palace of Pena
Looking up at the Palace of Pena
We also visited Quinta da Regaleira, and actually, this was our favourite; we loved discovering the caves, grottos, underground walkways and the amazing “subterranean towers”.
The gardens here felt quite magical, and you didn’t know what you were going to stumble upon next.
Plan ahead
Sintra can get very busy, and the most efficient way to get around is on the hop-on-hop-off buses, although you may have to be patient at times. I suggest picking up a bus timetable.
If time is not on your side, then jumping in a tuk-tuk is another alternative
The Quinta da Regaleira
The Cultural Landscape of Sintra was inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1995.
Of course, we have a post with a lot more detail on our visit to the Captivating Palaces of Sintra, so why not check it out?
Discovering Portugal by car
Portugal is a wonderful country to explore, from the north, south, east and west, and in our opinion a road trip is the best way.
If you're in the UK you can either follow our example, and jump aboard a Brittany Ferries ship to Northern Spain and head across to start your adventure.
Or you can fly into Portugal, check Booking.com for the best options for your flights, and then use Rental Cars to find the perfect car for your needs.
Then, if you need an itinerary, we have you covered - available in two parts;
The Monastery of Alcobaça in the heart of Portugal was founded in 1153 by Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal. When you arrive at the Gothic monastery, it is pretty imposing and dominates the whole square. It is the largest church in Portugal, so not too surprising.
Outside the Monastery of Alcobaça
Within its walls, there is a beautifully kept peaceful cloister, some amazing rooms once used by the resident monks and a kitchen like no other. The Monastery of Alcobaça was added to the UNESCO World Heritage site in 1989.
The nave of the Monastery of Alcobaça
The Cloister of Dom Dinis
We have more information from our visit to Alcobaça, and also the monastery of Batalha in our post, a Tale of two Monasteries.
Tourist information
For the latest information on Portugal, we always check in with the Vist Portugal site; it is always up to date and can help you find your niche, so why not check it out?
The Douro region in Portugal is probably one of the country’s most well-known areas, and it certainly isn’t surprising, as the scenery is beautiful.
The Grahams estate in the Douro Valley
You can jump on an organised trip to tour the terraced vineyards; however, I think the best way is on a road trip. Then you can stop when you want and soak up the incredible landscape and also visit some of the tranquil villages dotted through the countryside.
Outside the Sandeman estate in the Douro Valley
The meandering Douro River cuts through the steep valley, and the vineyards are laid out like a patchwork quilt. Once your trusty steed is parked up for the evening, you can then indulge in the local tipple.
The Alto Douro Wine Region was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2001.
It will come as no surprise we have a video on our experiences in the Douro Valley Wine Region of Portugal, so if you want to know a little more then check it out.
Finding the right accommodation in Portugal
We are big fans of Booking.Com. It's so easy to hit the right checkboxes to narrow down your search to find what works for you. For us, on a road trip, it's parking and, if possible, EV charging. Remember to read the reviews to find out how others have found the experience.
Visiting Lisbon on a mini-break was our first taste of Portugal, and from then, we were hooked. We wanted to discover more of the country, and that’s what spurred us on to embark on our north-to-south road trip.
Just a short hop from the centre of Lisbon is Belém where you’ll find the Monastery of the Hieronymites and the Tower. Oh, and also the Pastel de Nata (although not quite a UNESCO site, yet). The monastery and tower were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983.
The historic Torre de Belém
Standing at Lisbon's harbour entrance is the iconic Torre de Belém. Built in a Manueline style between 1514-20 to commemorate Vasco da Gama's expedition. I was used as a military outpost to protect the Tagus Estuary from enemy attacks.
The Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
Just beyond the tower is the Monastery of the Hieronymites, built in the same Manueline style as Torre de Belém. Construction of the monastery started in 1501 and took 100 years to complete. It is lovely from the outside; however, it is not until you step into the cloisters and an inner courtyard that the intricate detail can be really appreciated.
Inside the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
Outside view of Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
There's more on the whole Belém district, and why you may want to dedicate some of your time when you visit Lisbon. Why not take a look?
I really enjoyed visiting the Monastery of Batalha, it was built to commemorate the victory of the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota. When you stroll through the doors, the enormity of the central pillars along the nave is impressive.
The Monastery of Batalha
The unusual part is the monastery is the ‘Unfinished Chapels’; it’s a strange feeling as you wander in the octagonal chapel. From the outside, you wouldn’t really notice what was missing; however, as you enter, it’s glaringly obvious that it doesn’t have a roof.
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What was also quite touching in the Monastery of Batalha, was the vigil by two sentries, standing guard over the Tombs of the Unknown Soldiers from WWI and the flickering of the Eternal Flame.
The Monastery of Batalha was inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1983.
The small city of Évora was such an amazing find. The historic centre is full of monuments, beautiful squares and quaint cobbled lanes amongst the whitewashed homes.
The remains of the Roman Temple in Évora
Évora felt very family-orientated and quite undiscovered by the tourists. Who could resist the call of a Roman Temple, an ancient Cathedral, an aqueduct and a Chapel of Bones, not me?
Along the streets of Évora
The view inside the chapel of bones
The town squares here are also a delightful place to sit and watch the world go by. The Historic Centre of Évora has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1986.
For more check out our post - 'Évora, Portugal’s hidden gem'
Well, have I left the best until last?
The city of Porto is fantastic, full of rustic charm, incredible architecture, and friendly people. I know Porto is hilly; however, the best way to discover it, is on foot and you can even grab a glass of Port at the end of the day.
The Fonte dos Leões in front of the Igreja do Carmo and Igreja dos Carmelitas
Once you’ve wandered amongst the bustling historic lanes, with the wrought iron balconies teetering on the edge of the colourful homes, head to the Douro River.
The balconies along the Ribeira
The iconic view and unmistakable backdrop of Porto can be seen from Luiz I Bridge. For a little bit of a higher view, head up to Monastery of Serra do Pilar. You won’t regret it; it’s fantastic to watch the flat-bottomed wooden Rabelo boats below.
The view over Porto
The city of Oporto is a fantastic place to visit and definitely deserves being added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1996.
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