you’ve got the option to even camp nearby to make it a multi-day experience.
The UNESCO Site is the perfect spot for hiking, canyoning, climbing, and even white water rafting.
At the bottom is a golden sand beach with more blue waters and very few other people.
University of Coimbra in Portugal.Credit:Antonio Duarte/Getty Images
That’s where you’ll find Lagoa das Sete Cidades, located inside a dormant volcano.
The dual-colored lake is framed by emerald-green hills and rock formations, giving it an otherworldly vibe.
you could also get in the lake for an unforgettable paddle or swim.
Agroal river fluvial beach with a waterfall and water mill in Portugal.Luis/Adobe Stock
The cave is only accessible by boat, making it all the more alluring.
But the waves aren’t always this big.
Of course, the town is more than just its beach.
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Want to know more about this region?
Check out our story onwhere to stay, eat, and explore around the Douro Valley.
(Hot take: It’s better than the famedpastel de nata.)
Rocky beach ofPraia de Odeceixe.Juergen Schonnop / 500px/Getty Images
Serra da Estrela
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Did you know it’s possible for you to ski in Portugal?
And with more than 44,000 acres to explore, you could be paddling for quite some time.
They can alsotake a relaxing dipin natural thermal baths.
Wind turbines on hills in Arouca Geopark.LuisPinaPhotogrpahy/Getty Images
Obidos
Find more history inObidos, another picturesque town frozen in time.
Just confirm to stop into a tavern to try the local stew.
Surrounded by well-preserved medieval walls, the town atop the hill offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside.
The colorfully painted Pena Palace.Sophia Kravets/Travel + Leisure
Berlengas Islands
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The Berlengas Islands make for a fantastic day trip from the mainland.
Just confirm not tomiss your boat back otherwise, you may have to walk the plank.
The monastery is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and dates back to the early 1500s.
Rocky beach of Praia da Ursa.Artur Bogacki/Getty Images
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Vineyards in Douro Valley.Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure
Multi-colored vibrant striped beach houses in Aveiro, Portugal.Alexander Spatari/Getty Images
Village on a mountain in Serra da Estrella.EunikaSopotnicka/Getty Images
White buildings in Evora, Portugal.Gautier Houba/Travel + Leisure
People walking around the sand dunes of Ria Formosa Natural Park.Zu Sanchez Photography/Getty Images
Geysers in Furnas, Sao Miguel or Portugal’s Azores islands.Maya Karkalicheva/Getty Images
White buildings in Obidos, Portugal.Christopher Larson/Travel + Leisure
White buildings and cobblestone streets of Marvao, Portugal.Javier Jimenez Lopez/Getty Images
Seagulls on Berlenga island’s rocky cliffs.Luis Fonseca/Getty Images
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