The painted Pena Palace on its hilltop in Sintra, Portugal.

Portugal

Portugal is the quiet alternative to Spain — the same latitude of light with a gentler volume knob. Lisbon rides its seven hills on wooden trams, Porto pours its name-brand fortified wine in riverside lodges, and Sintra piles romantic palaces onto a wooded ridge. The Atlantic keeps summers honest. We go in the long shoulders and eat like locals paid us to.

Best for

When to go

Mar–May
Spring: mild, green, jacaranda-lined.
Sep–Oct
Warm seas and harvest on the Douro.

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Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0