Your favourite bars, beaches, swimming spots and more: readers’ top 10 travel tips on Portugal

Beach retreat in northern Portugal

Chus, who owns the local bar where I used to live in Galicia, shuts every September and decamps to Portugal. This entails a journey of 10 miles to the seaside town of Moledo. On his recommendation we caught the ferry across the wide estuary and reached Moledo within 20 minutes. The town beach is sheltered by a fortress island and Monte de Santa Trega. It’s popular with Spaniards who can’t resist the lower prices on this side. Moledo has a long season because it’s a haven for kitesurfers. Think Donegal with warm weather. Chus recommended Hotel Porta do Sol (doubles from about €110). As with most things, he was right. Well-appointed and unpretentious. A bit like my old local.
Tom

Crystal clear waters in Alentejo

Follow a bumpy lane down from Aljezur to Praia da Amoreira in the Vicentine Coast natural park and you’ll discover a fantastic swimming spot, where a crystal clear river hits the roaring waves of the Atlantic, creating a natural water slide every few minutes as the tide ebbs and flows. Plenty of shallows for kids to play safely in too and nearby Aljezur is filled with super-hip vegan lunch spots set by the river in the old town.
Ellen Roberts

A monastery for sore feet on the Camino de Santiago

A converted 18th-century monastery, Albergue Casa do Sardão (from £15 for a dorm bed or £45 for a private room) offers rest mainly to walkers on the coastal Camino de Santiago, which passes its front door. Its swimming pool, local vinho verde and panoramic coastal sunsets from the spacious communal courtyard will help revive weary walkers. It’s in the village of Carreço (a five-minute walk away from the railway station with its regular trains to and from Porto), the next day’s walk reaches the Spanish border and the ferry – from Caminha (Matriz) e Vilarelho to A Guarda – across the mouth of the River Minho to coastal Galicia. Stephen

Food truck with a view in the Algarve

Ten minutes’ drive from the pretty little Algarve mountain town of Monchique is the easily missed but search-worthy Alecrim food truck, perched on the summit of 902-metre Mount Fóia with its 360-degree views. Grab a cold beer and a pão recheado – homemade bread stuffed with melted cheese, garlic, tomato and onion – and find a deckchair to soak in the stunning views extending down to the coastal towns and beaches miles below.
Alex

An archaeological treasure trove in Lisbon

Behind an anonymous door in a quiet street of the Baixa area of central Lisbon is an archaeological treasure trove that’s free to visit. Núcleo Arqueológico da Rua dos Correeiros reveals the previous occupants of the city over a period of 2,500 years from Roman through the medieval and Pombal (18th-century) eras. The building is owned by Millennium bcp bank and the artefacts were discovered by accident during renovations in the 1990s. The presentation of the history is outstanding, enhanced by sympathetic use of technology. Tours are offered twice a day, six days a week.
Andy Bridges

A capital bar

Hands down, our favourite place in Lisbon was the Lisboa Bar. It’s not really hidden, except that nothing about it really stands out as you walk past it behind the Rossio station, other than some neon lights. Inside (or upstairs on the rooftop terrace) you find well-made, reasonably priced cocktails and beer and the most friendly, chilled vibe in the city. By the end of the night, we were friends with fado singers, migrant workers and students. We didn’t even have to try.
Jonathan

A medieval masterpiece in Tomar

Convento do Cristo (entry is €15) in Tomar, 80 miles north-east of Lisbon, is a fabulous complex of buildings associated with the medieval Knights Templar. Famous for its round chapel, so the knights could attend services on horseback, our highlight was the refectory. With massive marble tables, barrel-vaulted stone ceiling, tiled floor and stone walls it has the most amazing echoes. After exploring, we found ourselves returning to it again and again so we could sing together. With the delay and reverb we sounded like a choir. Fantastic!
Derek Gale

Vinho verde and green walks in Alto Minho

Last August I discovered Alto Minho, Portugal’s greenest region hidden away in the north-west corner of the country. A cool cocktail of pleasant temperatures, plentiful rainfall and thermal springs keep it verdant all year round and on a hot summer’s day it’s easy to find a shady walking path through the forests or in the hills. I stopped at village tavernas to sample a glass or bottle of vinho verde – the famous wine of the region – finding that the locals were all to happy to chat; they don’t see many tourists in this area. The wine is slightly effervescent, with a hint of fruits, and to enjoy a glass on a summer’s day surrounded by woods and waterfalls is to feel in harmony with nature – an authentic Portuguese pleasure full of Lusitanian languor. Alto Minho’s main town is Viana do Castelo, in a pleasantly sleepy town with a medieval centre full of ancient mansions, winding streets, crumbling churches and somnolent squares. A perfect Portuguese watering hole and feeding station for a few days after exploring Alto Minho on foot.
Joe

Wild swimming in Peneda-Gerês national park

Tucked away in the stunning Peneda–Gerês national park, Poco Azul Gerês offers a serene wild swimming spot surrounded by majestic mountains. After a scenic hike up in the hills, it’s the perfect place to unwind, dip into the refreshing waters, and enjoy a packed lunch beside the shimmering blue pool.
Tessa

Winning tip: campsite near a stunning hilltop village

We stayed at Camping Asseiceira in the Parque Natural da Serra de São Mamede in the centre of Portugal in spring time. It was so serene with easy and beautiful walks, and bike rides from the site with views of hilltop castles, gorgeous rivers and remarkably biodiverse meadows. The sheer number of flowers in the verges of the quiet roads was astounding. It was incredibly peaceful and felt very safe with our small children. The owner of the site was helpful in suggesting walks and trips. The tiny but stunning hilltop village of Marvão was a short drive away.
Esme