When work and friends started bringing me to Portugal regularly, I focused on photographing the must-see sites: the cloister of Lisbon’s Jerónimos Monastery, the glamorous Sintra palaces, and Porto’s bustling streets. But I quickly grew tired of the tour-bus-filled parking lots and long, snaking lines. After all, Portugal’s popularity has been climbing, with a 9.3 percent increase last year in nonresident tourists, many of them seeking historic castles and port wine tastings. Instead, I started searching for remote places to shoot—the ones that required having my own set of wheels and a sense of adventure. These are five places that showed me how to dig deeper into Portugal’s history and jaw-dropping scenery in relative solitude.
The road to Almendres Cromlech, a 7,000-year-old circle of standing stones, is lined with cork trees and wildflowers.
Photo by Anna Mazurek
Almendres Cromlech, Évora
This 7,000-year-old circle of almond-shaped standing stones is two millennia older than Stonehenge. The prehistoric site lies nine miles west of Évora, the capital of the Alentejo region southeast of Lisbon. A visit to the megalithic monument involves parking along a rural road and taking a charming 15-minute stroll down a flat path between fields of cork trees. Built on the eastern-facing slope, the stones were a gathering space used for astronomical observation. Similarly, the nearby Menir dos Almendres is a lone 13-foot-high stone aligned with the summer solstice sunrise. Ebora Megalithic runs educational tours capped at seven people. The tours depart from Évora, and visit both sites, as well as the Anta Grande do Zambujeiro, an ancient burial chamber.
Where to stay: Convento do Espinheiro
This 15th-century convent is now a luxury five-star hotel on 23 acres of Évora’s countryside. Guests will find an indoor pool and spa, multi-tiered outdoor pool, wine bar, and three restaurants serving a range of dishes from Azorean tuna to Italian pizza.
Corvo, Azores
While Corvo might be the smallest and most remote of the nine Azorean islands, it rivals the other islands in terms of scenery. The 9.6-square-mile island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with a tranquil lake tucked in a caldera. Hike the island’s two official trails: the caldera rim (2.9 miles) and the Cara do Índio (6.4 miles), which connects the caldera to Vila do Corvo, the island’s only village and home to 435 residents.
Avian enthusiasts flock to the island for prime bird-watching and to visit the Corvo Wild Birds Interpretation Centre. The easiest way to reach Corvo is to fly to nearby Flores and take a 40-minute ferry.
Where to stay: Joe & Vera’s Vintage
There are few accommodations on this tiny island, but this attractive bed-and-breakfast is within walking distance of the port and brightens its rooms with vintage photos in pastel frames. Due to the limited options, local guides recommend booking up to a year in advance.
At the Côa Museum, both the building and the views from the building are snapshot worthy.
Photo by Takashi Images/Shutterstock
Côa Valley Archaeological Park, Vila Nova de Foz Côa
Across the Alto Douro region in northeastern Portugal, there are over 80 Paleolithic rock art sites in the roughly 77-square-mile Côa Valley Archaeological Park. The park is an active archaeological research area and part of a larger UNESCO site that includes similar rock engravings in nearby Siega Verde in Spain.
Don’t miss the Côa Museum, one of the country’s largest, perched at the mouth of the Côa River, a tributary of the Douro. The river valley views from the building are unmatched in the region, and even the on-site café—offering veal, codfish, and traditional smoked sausages—is touted by locals. Guided tours in all-terrain vehicles are required to visit the three main rock art sites open to the public: Canada do Inferno, Penascosa, and Ribeira de Piscos. Booking a few weeks in advance is recommended.
Where to stay: A Flor da Rosa
Nestled on the outskirts of the city of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, this bright yellow bed-and-breakfast features flower-lined terraces overlooking the adjacent vineyard. The setting is idyllic for a morning cup of coffee, along with fresh orange juice, bread, and cakes for breakfast.
Estasco Arquelogica do Prazo, Frexio de Numão
The Romans occupied Portugal for more than 700 years, leaving behind a significant number of ruins. While travelers often descend on the more accessible attractions like Ancient Conímbriga, which is the country’s largest and best-preserved Roman site, located near the central Portugal town of Coimbra, the remote ruins in the eastern edges of the Douro region see few visitors and offer scenic views of vineyard-clad hillsides. Located near the Spanish border, the Estasco Arquelogica do Prazo encompasses the ruins of a Roman villa and village, with standing sections of foundations, walls, and columns.
Archaeologists believe the site was originally Neolithic but was then repurposed several times over the centuries: The Romans created their villa in the same spot, then a Paleo-Christian temple was built over that, then a 15th-century country house was erected here. A visit involves an adventurous drive down single-track roads to a large dirt parking lot from which you can explore the ruins on foot.
Where to stay: Caso do Rio Wine Hotel
This secluded 10-room hotel sits between vineyards and the Douro River with an on-site restaurant, spa, and infinity pool. Guided winetastings, Jeep tours, water activities (boat tours, canoes, and paddleboarding), and walking trails make it easy to enjoy the scenery.
Bussaco Palace Hotel, a lavish hotel housed in a 1907 Manueline-Gothic palace, is in the Buçaco National Forest.
Photo by Anna Mazurek
Buçaco National Forest, Luso
This walled, 259-acre nature reprieve, 30 miles from the medieval university town of Coimbra, has four main trails featuring lush greenery and historic architecture, including a majestic stone staircase (Fonte Fria) and a series of small chapels. The origins of Buçaco National Forest date back to 1628, when Carmelite monks built a convent and launched a forest restoration project. Be prepared to break a light sweat—peak elevation is 1,800 feet—while exploring the well-maintained trails and unique microclimate with 250 species of trees and shrubs. The Via Sacra route rewards walkers with panoramic views from a hilltop cross, Cruz Alta. Hidden in the heart of the forest are the remains of the Convent of Santa Cruz and a grand, extremely photogenic 1907 royal palace (now the Palace Hotel Bussaco). The forest is accessible by a steep walk from the nearby resort town of Luso or by car.
Where to stay: Palace Hotel Bussaco
For easy access to the forest, snag a room at this lavish hotel housed in a 1907 Manueline-Gothic palace originally built by the last king of Portugal. Each of the 60 rooms is modernized, featuring art nouveau and art deco furnishings.
