Rated Tourist Attractions in Portugal

Lisbon is blessed with some truly world-class museums, and one of the finest is the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian. The museum's collection numbers some 6,000 pieces, all of which belonged to just one man: Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian, a wealthy Armenian oil magnate who bequeathed his priceless hoard to the Portuguese nation upon his death in 1955.

The Universidade de Coimbra is Portugal's oldest seat of learning, founded in 1290 by King Dinis. Acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the historic buildings of the Velha Universidade, or old Coimbra University, surround a beautiful colonnaded central square, the Paço das Escolas.

The Serra do Gerês is a mountain range of breathtaking beauty found in northern Portugal's remote Minho region. Set within the glorious Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês, one of the top places to visit in Portugal, the granite peaks that define the character of this vast national park number among the highest and most spectacular in the country.

Comprising a monumental Baroque Escadaria (stairway) and the church of Bom Jesus, this spectacular complex also features several chapels adorned with sculptured scenes from the Passion of Christ; fountains positioned at various points on the long ascent; and statues of biblical, mythological, and symbolic figures.

Dominating the charming riverside town of Tomar is a mighty castle that shields the Convento do Cristo, one of Portugal's standout historic attractions.

One of Portugal's best-loved historic monuments and a Lisbon icon, the Torre de Belém stands as a symbol of the Age of Discovery and the voyages of exploration undertaken in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Taking to the sea by kayak to explore the Lisbon coast makes for a rewarding maritime excursion. Besides offering an extra dimension to the sightseeing experience, paddling the coastline provides an excellent excuse to exercise in a salt-laced, pristine environment.

Nestling in the lap of a wooded mountain range, Sintra's stunning location is reason enough to visit this charming, verdant town. Indeed, UNESCO acknowledges the destination as a World Heritage cultural landscape such is its beauty and the significance of the collection of historic visitor attractions clustered in and around the old town, Sintra Velha.

Arguably Portugal's most popular and family-friendly visitor attraction, Lisbon's oceanarium is brilliantly conceived to highlight the world's diverse ocean habitats. This is one of Europe's best and largest oceanariums, containing a vast array of fish and marine animals.

Belém is synonymous with Portugal's golden Age of Discovery. It's from the shores of this Lisbon suburb that intrepid navigators set sail in the 15th and 16th centuries on long and perilous voyages to chart unknown waters and map new territories.