Lucy Bryson

There’s so much more to Portugal than its (admittedly fabulous) two main cities. Find historic hill towns, sun-scorched beaches, rural escapes and more across Portugal’s seven regions – five on the mainland, plus the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores. Plus, you’ll rarely get the same meal twice: each of the country’s surprisingly diverse regions has its own culinary offerings, and take great pride in its local dishes (and its local wine). Despite Portugal’s fame, many corners of the country remain a mystery to even its biggest fans. Luckily, our editors have seen it all – and they’re determined to shout about it.  Where should you go for your first time in Portugal? It’s a big question, and we’re loathed to give just one place when there’s so much of this brilliant country to visit – but we’d say Porto is a really good place to start. Less busy (and expensive) and even more walkable than its big sister Lisbon, it’ll introduce you to city life in Portugal and give you a perfect base for exploring (plus, Lisbon is just a day trip away). From there, you can easily tour the Douro Valley and discover some gems in northern Portugal. But really, Porto just scratches the surface of what’s on offer here. For the absolute best spots in the country, read our full list below.  🇵🇹 RECOMMENDED: Our essential guide to Portugal Vera Moura is the editorial director at Time Out Portugal. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out

  Portugal isn’t all pastéis de nata and peri-peri chicken (although they’re great too). For a compact nation (including the islands of Madeira and the Azores), Portugal is home to more than its fair share of fantastic restaurants.  Here you’ll everything from Michelin-starred menus to family-run tascas and tavernas with very reasonable prices. Of course, it’s famous for fish and seafood, but vegetarians and vegans will find plenty of options too. Here are the best restaurants in Portugal worth travelling for, according to Lisbon local Lucy Bryson. RECOMMENDED:📍 The best things to do in Portugal🏖 The best beaches in Portugal☀️ The essential guide to Lisbon🐟 The essential guide to Porto Lucy Bryson is a travel writer based in Lisbon, Portugal. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

We all like the idea of summertime in Europe – long, lazy days in the Mediterranean sunshine, whiling away an evening people-watching in local bars – but the reality is often much less romantic, with overtourism, sky-high prices and heatwaves blighting many a Euro Summer fantasy. But it doesn’t have to be that way. To inspire your summer holiday plans this year, we asked writers across Europe to tell us about their favourite alternative summer trip ideas. From Croatia’s quieter island-hopping route to an Estonian spa break, here’s where to head for crowd-free bliss and unsung adventures right across the continent. You’re welcome. RECOMMENDED:🏝️ The best alternative Mediterranean beach breaks🗺️ Europe’s most underrated travel destinations

For a small country, Portugal punches well above its weight when it comes to food, history, unforgettable places and one-off experiences. We asked Lisbon local Lucy Bryson for her expert tips on the best way to spend ten days exploring the best of Portugal. And although a whistlestop tour of ten days isn’t nearly enough to see everything great the country has to offer, it’s just about enough to get a flavour – and leave you hankering for more. The good news for travellers pressed for time (and budget) is that much of the country is well served by public transport. Trains and buses are largely reliable, comfortable, and affordable. The bad news is that your ten-day adventure will only give you a couple of days each in Lisbon and Porto – two of Europe’s greatest city-break destinations – and you’ll miss out entirely on harder-to-reach inland destinations, not to mention the outlying Portuguese islands of Madeira and the Azores. But what’s a time-strapped traveller to do? You’ll just have to come back again soon. RECOMMENDED: 📍 The best things to do in Portugal🏖 The best beaches in Portugal