Kayaking the Lisbon Coast
Taking to the sea in a kayak to explore the Lisbon coast is a rewarding marine adventure. Paddling the shoreline not only adds another depth to the tourist experience but also gives a good reason to exercise in a salt-laced, clean setting.
Indeed, Lisbon’s proximity to the sea provides for a variety of fascinating water activities and exploring the beaches, bays, and coves located between the Portuguese city and the resort town of Cascais is a fun-filled way to spend a day.
Beyond the region, the crystal-clear seas of the Serra da Arrábida Natural Park, which includes Setubal and Sesimbra, provide a one-of-a-kind environment of spectacular, historic coastal cliffs teeming with birds.
The majority of the coastline here is a protected marine reserve – a refuge that contains the stunningly beautiful Ribeira do Cavalo beach.
Hiking the Gerês Mountain Range
The Serra do Gerês is a magnificent mountain range in northern Portugal’s rural Minho area. The granite peaks that characterise the nature of this enormous national park, set inside the gorgeous Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês, one of the best locations to visit in Portugal, are among the tallest and most spectacular in the country.
The Gerês Mountains, one of Portugal’s most popular natural attractions, attract walkers, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts to one of Europe’s last great wildernesses, a stark and rugged landscape noted for its lush valleys dotted with shimmering lakes, a scattering of traditional villages, rare flora and fauna, and a way of life that has all but disappeared from the rest of the country’s mountain regions.
The region is crisscrossed with old granite routes that hikers may follow for a casual stroll or a demanding day excursion. The majority of the courses range in length from 10 to 16 kilometres and have varied gradients.
Alentejo by Horseback
Exploring the Alentejo on horseback is one of the best things to do, whether it’s following a tiny, babbling stream, traversing a flower-flecked meadow, or slogging over a soft, sandy pathway.
The area is recognised for its love of horses — the lovely and mild-mannered Lusitano breed is connected with this part of Portugal, particularly in villages like Alter do Chão, which is home to the Coudelaria de Alter stud.
Leisurely rides in the countryside or along the shore may be enjoyed with skilled guides who were almost born in the saddle. Comporta is a popular coastal resort; inland, visit Alcácer do Sal on the Sado River and Ourique, which lies deep in the wooded hinterland.
Cross-Border Zipline, Alcoutim
This is one of the country’s most adventurous and unconventional tourist attractions, spanning Spain and Portugal and currently the world’s only cross-border zipline. The 720-meter-long line connects Sanlcar de Guadiana in Spain’s Huelva province to Alcoutim in the extreme north of the Algarve. It spans the large and flowing River Guadiana.
Participants, who are fully equipped with safety harnesses and helmets, take off from a takeoff platform high above the river, overlooking the peaceful town of Sanlcar. They practically fly through time as they cross the river at speeds ranging from 70 to 80 kilometres per hour, gaining one hour due to the time difference between the two nations.
The journey is thrilling and completely unique, offering a completely distinct Algarve tourist experience, and it’s not every day that you can brag about moving from one nation to another in under one minute!
Paiva Walkways (Passadiços do Paiva), Arouca
This award-winning project, known as the Paiva Walkways, checks all the environmental boxes. The Paiva Walkways, located outside the town of Arouca, 70-kilometre drive north of Aveiro in central Portugal, offer a challenging but highly rewarding eight-kilometre hike along an elevated boardwalk that dips, climbs, and meanders through the Arouca Geopark – an unspoiled landscape of outstanding beauty and a biodiversity hotspot.
The trek begins at Areinho and follows the pristine River Paiva downstream for a portion of the route. You’re soon wandering through a difficult, rarely seen set of tranquil, lush woods and vast, gaping canyons.
You’ll encounter cascading waterfalls and tranquil, mirror-like ponds along the route. The walk frequently entails navigating long flights of zigzagging stairs over high inclines: the path truly tests the stamina and physical condition.
The trek takes around 2.5 hours and ends at Espiunca. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, energy foods, and lots of water.
Côa Valley Archaeological Park (Parque Arqueológico do Vale do Côa), Vila Nova de Foz Côa
In the early 1990s, a team of engineers surveying a valley of the River Côa in northern Portugal for the construction of a dam uncovered hundreds of prehistoric rock engravings carved into massive slabs of granite. It was an exceptional and unusual find.
The dam project was then abandoned, and the carvings — which depict horses, livestock, weaponry, and human and abstract forms and date back 22,000 years BCE – were finally proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Visitors may now appreciate this ancient rock art maintained in situ at the Côa Valley Archaeological Park by taking an all-terrain vehicle tour. They may also learn more about the history of the artwork and explore the valley through multimedia, photography, and photographs of the engravings at the fantastic Côa Museum, which is located at the park’s entrance.
