The most beautiful natural sites to discover Portugal

Following the Ria from the city centre southwards, we arrive at the beginning of the road to Praia Barril. The beach is reached in 15-20 minutes by foot or by a small train. The destination is popular, especially on weekends, but its miles of sand will allow you to find a place to yourself. Barril was an old fishing village, and today it remains a tuna museum and an anchor cemetery that the boats left there when the fishing stopped. On site also a restaurant, a bar and two snacks.

The road to Gerês Campo offers beautiful scenery on the Caniçada dam. The Junceda lookout is also a fabulous view of the Gerês Valley.

The car parked at the top of the cliff, only 200 meters left before walking to the tip.... Sit down, take the time to look at the small beach that has emerged over the centuries, on the left, before contemplating, on the right, the rest of the bay, immense. Here fresh and salt water meet to feed the marshes that give birth on the beach. In season, it will always be possible to rent canoes and venture out on the river to return inland to discover a very active wildlife.

Very nice excursion to pass through Confluent de Caniçada (N 308) and then by Gerês (very tourist resort), by Geira (remains of the Roman track that connected Braga to Astorga). Then you can go to the dam of Vilarinho das Furnas and continue to Portela do Homem, a border pass with Spain.

A little outside Cascais on the way to Guia and Guicho, there is a curiosity not to be missed. This "mouth of hell" has amazed and terrified its visitors since ancient times. The ocean, with its often violent comings and goings, has dug into the rock, forming an arch or rather a stone jaw in which an infernal soup bubbles. Striking, even if the spectators are sometimes a little too many at the edge of the pot... If you go there one day in bad weather, you will then understand very well the name of this place.

The beach of Sagres is the easiest to reach. Much less sheltered from the wind than the neighboring beach of Beliche, Tonel is a favorite spot for windsurfers. From the sand, you can see on the left the fortress of Henry the Navigator. The ochre-blond color of the cliffs and the clarity of the water contribute greatly to the beauty of the site. The access to the beach was dug naturally, thanks to water infiltrations. The regular fall of stones on the beach reminds us that erosion continues its work.

A 3 km walkway has been built on a pretty wooden footbridge, overlooking the immense Praia de Alvor on one side and the Ria do Alvor on the other. It is ideal for bird watching (especially during migration) and enjoying the calm of the area. All this while digesting a good meal taken in the village or before a sunbathing break. You will take the time you need to take this short walk, which is essential if you are travelling through Alvor.

A forest covered with forest (cedar, eucalyptus, acacias, pine). Its highest point reaches 261,88 m. From its miradouros it offers a beautiful view of the city and beaches. Beware! very uncertain signage: you get lost easily. This is where Parque Aventura is the country's largest park of treetop.

You may have noticed when arriving by plane or even looking westward that this mountain range (whose highest point is a rocky peak at 528 m above sea level) rises abruptly before plunging into the ocean at Cabo da Roca. Always a little foggy, the Serra de Sintra often escapes under a thick cloud. The 14,451 ha park, around the volcanic outcrop, allows the observation of innumerable species of trees and shrubs, among which one will recognize specimens of primitive flora, such as the Portuguese oak or the very characteristic "saudade" (Armeria pseudarmeria), an endemic plant of the Lusitanian flora. A space travelled by foxes and weasels and flown over by kestrels. Whether you write it with a C or an S, it is absolutely necessary to go to this "glorious Eden" because it is a small world apart, mysterious, somewhat enchanted. Its forest, where whispering waterfalls and springs, always seems full of spells. On the nature park website, you will find detailed information on the hiking trail that runs through this park (PR2). To do if you are a good walker and well equipped as it is classified as difficult and does not have trails all the time. It starts from the historical centre of Sintra and lasts about 2.5 hours and a half (for only 4.5 km, that is how difficult it is). It is a loop, so you will come back to the starting point, and possibly go back to Lisbon.

A quiet and unusual beach that Sagres surfers frequent assiduously. Small, it is also an excellent spot for snorkeling to observe the fish that roam around. The left side of the beach is quieter because it is protected by steep rocky walls, but it is also the naturist's corner. Part of Zavial is only accessible on foot. There are some small paths on the cliffs for those who like hiking, the opportunity to observe endemic plants and junipers

A playful green space and a trendy spot; We decomposes in the sun by listening to the water coming from the contemporary fountain, flirts it with a cocktail, sherbet or even a meal on the terrace, in one of the four cafés-restaurants.

Formerly known as Bracalândia, this great amusement park opened its doors in 2012 under the name Magikland. It has several thematic clusters: children can have fun in the Pirate Refuge, Medieval Village, Petit Paris, Enchanted Bois, Far West, Lost World, Orient, Africa, and Arabia.

This village can serve as a base for hiking and excursions in the park. A small lake will refresh you in the summer.

He is known for his production of oranges.

Very nice excursion that allows you to pass through Confluent de Caniçada (N 308) and then by Gerês (very tourist resort), by Geira (remains of the Roman track that connected Braga to Astorga). Then you can go to the dam of Vilarinho das Furnas and continue to Portela do Homem a pass that borders with Spain.

A few kilometres southeast of Setúbal, the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve extends around the Sado River and Estuary. In its canals and marshes, there is still a very varied fauna: rare birds, herons, flamingos, mammals such as foxes, otters and dolphins... There will also be Roman remains, including bread ovens, on Pinheiro's property. The Romans had built a pottery factory there.