I am beginning to plan our first trip to Portugal for May 2026 and am looking for thr must visit places from people who have traveled there before. We will be in country for 4-5 weeks. Our main interests are art, history, architecture, and music. Thanks!
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7830 posts
Portugal isn’t that large, so you should be able to adequately see the entire country in five weeks.
You should do some basic research as only you know what constitutes a must visit place. If you’re into the Knights Templar, then visit Tomar and Almourol castle. If you like Roman ruins, go to Conimbriga. The eastern side of the country is dotted with Neolithic burial chambers. Many are not easy to reach. There are plenty of pretty buildings all over the country including some old convents (Alcobaca and Batalha) and a plethora of old chapels. I enjoyed the blue painted tiles found throughout the country.
While you don’t need a car in the large cities, a rental car comes in handy when visiting out of the way villages and sites that aren’t necessarily served regularly by public transportation, if at all.