Ancient sites in Portugal off the beaten path.
Less-touristed ancient sites in Portugal, for travelers seeking fewer crowds but all the beauty.
Ribeira de Pena
Small town in northern Portugal's Vila Real District, Ribeira de Pena sits in transition country between the mountainous Trás-os-Montes and the greener Minho…
Almodovar
This pocket-sized Alentejo town in southern Portugal's Beja district is home to the Museum of Southwestern Writing, which holds ancient stones bearing what s…
Vila Nova de Foz Côa
A small Portuguese town at the confluence of the Douro and Côa rivers, Vila Nova de Foz Côa sits within the Douro wine region and borders the Côa Valley Arch…
Marvão
Sitting high on a quartzite crag of the Serra de São Mamede, Marvão is a walled hilltop village in Portugal's Alto Alentejo whose name traces back to Ibn Mar…
Cedovim
Little wine-country village in the municipality of Vila Nova de Foz Côa in northern Portugal, Cedovim sits alongside the water in a region ringed by UNESCO W…
Sever do Vouga
Known as the "Capital of Blueberry" for its blueberry cultivation and annual festival, Sever do Vouga is a modest town in Portugal's Aveiro District set amon…
Carapito
A compact granite-country hamlet in Portugal's Guarda District, set among pine-forested hills and open farmland, with a notable prehistoric dolmen drawing vi…
Vale de Figueira
A Ribatejo village in the municipality of Santarém where the river Alviela meets the Tagus, Vale de Figueira sits within the Lezíria meadowlands and is known…
Conímbriga
One of the largest excavated Roman settlements in Portugal, Conímbriga has been the country's most visited archaeological site and holds a National Monument…
Estoi
This small Algarve town where low stone walls and open excavated ruins of a Roman-era site sit against a backdrop of rolling scrub hills, with a modest café…
Vila Pouca de Aguiar
Between the Serra do Alvão and Serra da Padrela mountains in northern Portugal's Vila Real district, Vila Pouca de Aguiar is a small town with a café-filled…
Ruins of Tróia
A waterfront destination on Portugal's Atlantic coast where Roman ruins meet a lively café and restaurant scene, with UNESCO-listed sites and upland country…
Citânia de Sanfins
An ancient hilltop settlement in Portugal's Tâmega e Sousa uplands, Citânia de Sanfins offers visitors a rare encounter with well-preserved Iron Age ruins se…