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Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Graça
Down an alley off Rua da República is the curious baroque facade of this church, topped by four ungainly stone giants – as if they’ve strayed from a mythological tale and landed on a religious building. An early example of the Renaissance style in Portugal is found in the cloister
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Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara
Hitch a ride on vintage Elevador da Glória from Praça dos Restauradores, or huff your way up steep Calçada da Glória to this terrific hilltop viewpoint. Fountains and Greek busts add a regal air to the surroundings, and the open-air cafe doles out wine, beer and snacks, which you c
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Citadel
The citadel is where the royal family used to spend the summer. Today it houses a luxury hotel (the Pousada de Cascais ), which has surprisingly little of interest beyond hotel rooms and a courtyard restaurant. Beyond lies the modern Marina de Cascais with its postcard-perfect ligh
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Aeroporto da Madeira
Few airports could be counted as true places of interest, but Madeiras runway sticking out on stilts into the Atlantic and surrounded on three sides by mountains definitely can be. From Santa Cruz head uphill along the ER207 which runs high above the runway for great views of plane
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Escadaria do Bom Jesus
At Bom Jesus do Monte, a hilltop pilgrimage site 5km from Braga, is an extraordinary stairway, with allegorical fountains, chapels and a superb view. City bus 2 runs frequently from Braga to the site, where you can climb the steps (pilgrims sometimes do this on their knees) or asce
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Jardim de São Martinho
Just below Igreja de São Martinho, youll discover the lovely Jardim de São Martinho, a south-facing, artificially created set of gardens with thousands of exotic plants tumbling down a terraced hillside to a childrens playground. Pathways zigzag through the palms, succulents and bu
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Museu Jorge Vieira
A charming, small museum, devoted to the work of renowned Portuguese sculptor Jorge Vieira, who donated his works to Beja. His monumental bulbous figures and strange creatures capture the imagination, calling to mind Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are . Look out for Viera’s
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Museu Etnográfico da Madeira
One of Madeiras best museums, the collections here look at every aspect of the islands traditional life, from espada fishing to wicker weaving, wine production to toboggan transport. Theres an old shop complete with till nostalgically still taking escudos , live weaving demonstrati
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Museu dos Fósforos
This museum, reached via the lovely courtyard of the Convento de São Francisco, contains Europe’s largest collection of matchboxes. Amassed by local ‘phillumenist’ Aquiles da Mota Lima, the 40,000-plus matchboxes from countries around the world depict everything from bullfighters t
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Parque da Cidade
The hum of traffic on the Avenida da Boavista soon fades as you enter the serene, green Parque da Cidade, Portugals largest urban park. Laced with 10km of walking and cycling trails, this is where locals come to unplug and recharge, picnic (especially at weekends), play ball, jog,
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Fortaleza de Santiago
The ochre and dark-pink fortress that caps the Zona Velha seafront was built in the first half of the 17th century when Funchal was vulnerable to pirate attack. The art museum inside isnt much to shout about but the fun here is scrambling around the various rooms, turrets, battleme
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Museu Municipal Santos Rocha
This modern museum, beside Parque das Abadias, houses a wonderfully wide-ranging collection featuring local archaeological finds, Roman coins, medieval statues, outlandish Indo-Portuguese furniture, objects documenting Portugal’s early African explorations, and rotating art exhibit
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Museu da Casa Grande
Archaeological finds from the Stone Age to the 18th century have been uncovered in the region around Freixo de Numão, 12km west of Vila Nova de Foz Côa. A good little display can be viewed in this baroque townhouse with Roman foundations. Some English and French are spoken. Guided
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Ruins
The only evidence of the Knights Templar is the Torre des Templários, made of massive chunks of stone and now surrounded by clucking hens. It sits on top of what was likely the pedestal of a Roman temple. Other Roman remains include the gracefully arched bridge on the east side of
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Jardim da Estrela
Seeking green respite? Opposite the Basílica da Estrela, this garden is perfect for a stroll, with paths weaving past pine, monkey puzzle and palm trees, rose and cacti beds and the centrepiece – a giant banyan tree. Kids love the duck ponds and animal-themed playground. There are
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Museu do Teatro Romano
The ultramodern Museu do Teatro Romano catapults you back to Emperor Augustus’ rule in Olisipo (Lisbon). Upstairs is the star attraction – a ruined Roman theatre extended in AD 57, buried in the 1755 earthquake and finally unearthed in 1964. The museum was closed for renovation wor
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Museu Arte Nova
Set in Aveiros most eye-catching art nouveau building, this small museum above a cafe has a modest one-room exhibition in Portuguese on art nouveau design and architecture. Larger temporary displays upstairs rotate every three months. Ask for the multilingual brochures mapping and
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Convento dos Lóios
The former Convento dos Lóios, to the right of Igreja de São João, has elegant Gothic cloisters topped by a Renaissance gallery. A national monument, the convent was converted into a top-end pousada (upmarket inn) in 1965. If you want to wander around, wear your wealthy-guest expre
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Borges
The smallest of Funchals Madeira wine operations, the diminutive, timber-rich tasting room at Borges feels like the furthest away from the tourist crush and is the quietest of the Funchal wineries. Any two of the excellent wines (up to 20 years old) can be tasted free of charge, of
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Praia do Cabedelo
This is one of the Minho’s best beaches: a 1km-long arch of blonde, powdery sand, which folds into grassy dunes backed by a grove of wind-blown pines. It’s across the river from town, best reached on a five-minute ferry trip (one-way/return €1.40/2.80; half-price for under-12s, fre
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