Alliance of International Property Owners

Menu

  • Home
  • Buyers
    • Freehold/Leasehold
    • Timeshare
    • Benefits of buying through an AIPP property professional
    • Overseas Mortgage Information
    • Currency Transfers
    • Financial Planning
    • Search the AIPP Member Directory
    • Downloads
  • Owners
    • Freehold/Leasehold
    • Timeshare
    • Downloads
    • Advice, information and offers from our professional partners
  • Timeshare
    • Timeshare – a short introduction
    • Buying a Timeshare
    • Owning a Timeshare
    • Exit your Timeshare
    • Buyer Beware
    • EUROC, RDO and The Timeshare Taskforce
  • Blog
  • Free Legal Advice for Buyers and Owners
  • Search Properties
  • Sign up
  • Search

The Alliance of International Property Owners

Home|Blog|7 Stunning Off The Beaten Track Places To Visit In Portugal

Search the Alliance for Information & Inspiration

Explore our site to find answers, offers, ideas and news

Close

Buy right, Own well

Association of International Property Professionals (AIPP)
AIPP is the trade body improving standards for buyers and is the key supporter of the AIPO; providing a safer environment for owners and buyers of a foreign property.

Search for an AIPP Member Search for Properties

Search the AIPP member directory with confidence for a member to assist your property purchase, or browse AIPP member agent properties for sale. Please note: The service to browse properties for sale is hosted in association with the Property Share Network and may not represent all AIPP member agents. Whilst we make our best efforts to ensure all properties listed are only those of AIPP members, some may have been provided by non-AIPP members in collaboration with AIPP members on a shared listings or some other basis. If you are in any doubt about the provenance of a property please ask your agent directly. AIPO and AIPP accept no liability for properties listed on the AIPO website, always use a good, independent lawyer to advise you on any property transaction.

Close

Download your guide

  • Download your free guide here (We’ll also send an email with a link to your guide so that you can read it anytime)
  • AIPO recognise that your privacy is important and are committed to protecting it. We therefore comply with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). For further information about how we store and use your personal data, please read our privacy policy.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Close

7 Stunning Off The Beaten Track Places To Visit In Portugal

Portugal accommodates all kinds of travellers, with it’s warm weather, good food and top-notch beaches; the welcoming people have turned this Atlantic-bordered country into a hotspot and its popularity remains consistent.

Fortunately, there are many more places to visit in Portugal than the tourist centres, and even in the crowded Algarve it is possible to find locations still relatively under the radar and less populated.

1. NAZARÉ

A traditional fishing village situated approximately in the mid-point of Portugal’s Atlantic coast, it is known for its historic and colourful traditions. It isn’t uncommon to encounter female fishmongers who will wear the traditional seven skirts (layers of petticoats to keep their legs warm) and the seafood in Nazaré is heavenly. If you are into surf, the wild Atlantic waves and the huge community of surf camps should make for a perfect fit.

  • An older style three-bedroom townhouse in Nazaré will cost in the region of €200,000, while a new-build townhouse on an upmarket development in Albufeira will start from around €450,000.

2. SÃO MIGUEL ISLAND

São Miguel is the largest island in the Azores archipelago, in the mid-North Atlantic ocean. This group of volcanic islands is a true gem for nature lovers, with lots of opportunities to explore its lakes, cliffs and hot springs and unusual cooking techniques from locals! There’s more to see there than you might expect, but Sao Miguel’s well-paved roads and relatively low numbers of visitors make it an easy place to explore.

3. COMPORTA

Just one hour away from Lisbon, this off-the-radar village is well-known by locals as a top-notch beach destination. There is an unique vibe of unpretentiousness combined with hip elegance in Comporta. José Mourinho and Monaco’s Royal Family, who are rumoured to own several properties in here, will surely agree. The 13km-long strip of golden sand situated at the heel of Tróia‘s peninsula is backed by dense forest and rice fields. It’s a lovely setting that accentuates that feeling of holiday getaway.

  • This area is pricier than the others, with apartments averaging at €500,000 and villas from €1m.

4. GERÊS NATIONAL PARK

The Peneda-Gerês National Park is located in the extreme north-east of the country and displays an area of 70,000 metric acres of wild vegetation, scenic waterfalls and rapidly flowing small rivers. It’s the ideal place to try some outdoor adventures like zip-lining, rafting, canyoning, rock-climbing or simply go for a walk on nature.

5. ÓBIDOS

Óbidos is living heritage. This old village is a maze of cobbled-stone medieval streets, quaint handicrafts shops and bakeries that create a lovely setting. Walking the surrounding walls gives a completely different perspective of the city (on one side) and to the hills (on the other). While Óbidos can still be considered off the beaten track destination, it can get busy during the July and August. Try to go on the low season or early in the morning to have the whole walls for yourself. And don’t forget to try the local speciality, ginja: ginger in edible chocolate cups.

  • Houses range from €100,000 to €300,000.

6. SOUTHWEST ALENTEJO

This little-known region actually holds Europe’s largest coastal natural park, Alentejo’s coastline has endless wild Atlantic beaches alternating with quaint fishing villages and rocky cliffs. Some places are not to be missed:

  • Odeceixe: its wide awe-inspiring beach is a reason to visit by itself
  • Porto Covo: lovely small village with great food, just 5-min away from idyllic beaches with turquoise waters
  • Arrifana: looks more like a cove/bay due to the tall cliffs backing up the strip of golden sand

7. BERLENGA

This is as much as off the beaten track you can go in Portugal and you won’t be disappointed. 10km offshore – or an 30 min-long bumpy boat ride – from the Peniche region, lie the Berlenga islands. The largest one (Berlenga) has an area of only two and a half square kilometres, but what it lacks in size, it compensates for in wild beauty.

The whole island is a nature reserve and home to many protected species of plants and birds. You can expect several bays with turquoise waters, impressive rough cliffs and remote beaches you’ll share exclusively with seagulls. Around the island there are many ship wrecks, which makes diving or even snorkelling an interesting option.

  • Prices start at €1,600 per square meter to buy an apartment in the city centre, outside the city centre they start at €1,100.

For more in depth information on where to buy in Portugal, download our free Portugal Buyers guide. If you're ready to start your journey into Portuguese property, head to our members directory to find the most experienced Portuguese property specialists.

Related BLOG

View all
  • Buying, Currency, Guide to..., Madeira, Mortgages, Portugal, Retirement|04 Jul 2019

    Where in Portugal should I buy?

    Portugal is a great choice for a holiday or retirement home with its laid back lifestyle, great climate and affordable standard of living - but where is best to buy?

    Read more
  • Buying, Mortgages, Portugal, Retirement|25 Apr 2019

    4 reasons why you should choose a mortgage instead of cash to buy a property in Portugal

    There are some solid reasons why taking out a mortgage on a property overseas may be more beneficial than using cash

    Read more

Download our guides for free

View All
  • Guide to Property Buying in Portugal

    Our short guide answering your most-asked questions

    Download guide
  • The Definitive Guide to Buying Property in Portugal

    Our in-depth guide to buying property in Portugal - written by RICS Iberia/AIPP. Learn about the country, its regions, and take a much closer look at the buying process.

    Download guide
  • If you are looking for a home to buy overseas, you can do so by clicking on the button below

    Search Properties

  • Sign up to our monthly newsletter and receive a curation of our popular blogs, legal articles, latest industry and political news affecting owners of a property overseas PLUS details of any new offers or partners we have signed up - unsubscribe any time

Social feed

More from us

  • Buyers
    • Freehold/Leasehold
    • Timeshare
  • Owners
    • Freehold/Leasehold
    • Timeshare
  • Free Legal Advice
    • Buyers and Owners Legal Advice Enquiry Form
    • Downloadable Guides
  • About us
    • Advice, information and offers from our professional partners

Are you a property professional interested in joining AIPP?

Email: enquiries@aipp.org.uk
Web: www.aipp.org.uk

Alliance of International Property Owners Ltd
Email: info@aipo.org.uk

AIPO is registered at Companies House No. 10380594
AIPO is registered with the ICO - Information Commissioners Office No. ZA334523

  • Our Policies
  • Sitemap
Site by Valiant
This site uses cookies: Find out more.