Portugal's most popular cities and towns described in just one word or image.
Portugal is a country full of wonders — charming castles, pristine beaches, and a metropolitan capital spattered in remnants of the past.
Its buildings are covered in thousands of intricately decorated tiles in countless colors and patterns. Its food is humble, elevating local ingredients and simple flavors to their greatest potential — and its pastries are divine recipes concocted by nuns. At times, its people are serenaded by intense ballads driven by feelings of saudade and at other times, called on to tap their feet in sync to cheeky folk music.
The words to describe Portugal are endless. But what if we stripped down all of those words to just one? Then we'd arrive at the true essence of a place. With that in mind, we asked our liveLUSO community to describe their favorites places in Portugal in just one word or emoji.
By compiling everyone's responses, we've created this quintessential snapshot of Portugal. If you've been to Portugal countless times, these words and images will transport you back to your favorite places. And if you're someone considering traveling to Portugal for the first time, our snapshot will inspire new places to explore and add to your itinerary.
LISBON & SURROUNDING AREAS: lively 🎶
Alfama Neighborhood
🎶
Ericeira
welcoming
Lisbon
lively, magical
Sesimbra
seafood
Sintra
magical
NORTHERN PORTUGAL: 🍷
Aveiro
moliceiros
Espinho
🐟
Porto
🍷
SOUTHERN PORTUGAL: paradise
Algarve
praia (beach)
paradise
Alentejo
languid
Cabo da Roca
breathtaking
AZORES: 🍃
⛰
São Miguel
🐄 🌄
enchanting, fabled
MADEIRA: 🌴
Funchal
🌴
A special thank you to our awesome liveLUSO community members for your submissions:
Facebook contributors: Elodie Joubert, Michelle Marques Oliveira, Tanya Olney, Cristina Pinto, Paulo Salgueiro Jr.
Instagram contributors: @celia_cabral, @isamichrisal, @manina83, @mpalmadotto, @raraditz, @s.n.b.p.j
Twitter contributors: @1amaralj, @ABananaRambling, @ShadowOfOsiris, @TourAzores, @VidaFadista
Planning a trip to Portugal? Here are some guides we've checked out & recommend for you:
1. Fodor's Essential Portugal offers the best presentation of information organized in a visually pleasing way.
2. With someone as well-traveled and globally curious as Rick Steves, you can never go wrong with one of his guides including Rick Steves: Portugal.
3. If you're looking more for a list of things to do and less detail on the history of Portugal, Portugal Hidden Gems may be the travel guide for you.
P.S. If you purchase one of the travel guides above, liveLUSO may receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us!