Portugal in 10 virtues
We travel to feel better, to experience new cultures, to improve our understanding of the world. When done correctly, travel is a virtuous experience — and in Portugal those virtues are plentiful. From innovation and design to art and gastronomy, Monocle presents 10 compelling reasons to explore all seven of the country’s regions.
From artisanal design boutiques and versatile fashion labels to dynamic statement architecture and thriving tech start-up hubs, Portugal takes pride in its rich landscape of creativity and innovation.
Add homely yet elegant hotels and authentic local cuisine, with established wine routes and natural beauty on your doorstep, and it is easy to see the appeal of this charming and dynamic country.
Portugal is…
1.
A hotbed of design
Thanks to a deep network of sustainable local suppliers and small-scale manufacturing services, Portugal has cultivated a diverse landscape of heritage brands, young designers and innovative architects. Experience the best of Álvaro Siza Vieira via the Casa da Arquitectura or pick up artisanal objects from one of Lisbon’s many carefully-curated boutiques.
2.
In no rush
Good things take time. Just ask the people of Alentejo. The region’s rolling plains have been farmed for centuries, the wildly beautiful views interrupted only by fortified old towns and winemakers. Join the Alentejo Wine Route in Évora, a 2027 European City of Culture, as you raise a nice glass of Vinho da Talha to a country that knows how to relax.
3.
Never out of fashion
Life in Portugal is pleasingly unexpected. The country’s many start-up and established fashion labels cater to this dynamism, crafting clothes as fit for a co-working space as a day at Santa Cruz beach. Proudly “Made in Portugal”, these brands draw on a vast infrastructure of premium suppliers, factories and tailors that have attracted major international labels.
4.
A home from home
That warm Portuguese hospitality is revealed across a country full of unique hotels, each with stories to tell. You’ll find five-star establishments in tastefully restored heritage buildings, stylish boutique stays with dazzling widescreen ocean views, and elegant properties stretched out across historic wine estates. Wherever you book, home comforts are guaranteed.
5.
Always innovating
Buoyed by a desire to experiment, Portugal has a thriving science and innovation landscape supported by tech hubs like Startup Braga and resulting in Lisbon being named European Capital of Innovation. Experience such industry at MAAT Lisbon, an agenda-setting exhibition space with curving waterfront architecture guaranteed to inspire further creativity.
6.
Crafted to perfection
Third-generation maker Ricardo Jerónimo typifies Portuguese craft. “The creativity, the imagination, the making, it was very present in my childhood,” he says. With his practice and his teaching, he’s never short of inspiration. “There is so much to see in Portugal. If I want to learn basket weaving, I head south. If I want to watch glass blowing, I go to Marinha Grande in the Center of Portugal.
7.
Carefully curated
Art and creativity courses through Portugal like the waters of the Tagus — and it isn’t just the national galleries in the largest cities where you can see it up close. In the north, the Centro Internacional das Artes José de Guimarães pairs contemporary art with pieces from ancient civilisations, while MUDAS brings late 20th-century masterpieces to a dramatic clifftop on the island of Madeira.
8.
Close to nature
Away from Portugal’s vibrant urban centres, there are countless places to experience unspoilt natural beauty. Feed your sense of discovery in the Azores, a lush paradise of vibrant greenery and hot springs, or venture to the Douro Valley, which is blessed not only with port wine vineyards open to visitors but also sobering views of endless rolling landscapes dotted with almond trees and ancient chapels.
9.
Full of flavour
It’s not just about Michelin stars; for the true measure of a country’s gastronomy, one must eat like a local. Portugal’s homely tascas serve authentic daily specials in informal settings that are ideal for striking up conversation, while Lisbon’s ornate iron quiosques are chic spots to grab a bica and something sweet or settle at sundown with a Porto tónico. Modest yet heartfelt, they sum up the country’s appeal.
10.
A gateway to the world
Nowhere are Portugal’s diverse influences more keenly felt than through the Moorish old towns that dot the Algarve — even the name derives from Al Gharb, “the West” in Arabic. With their whitewashed buildings, narrow streets and beautiful azulejos tiles, places like Aljezur and Olhão are ideal spots to absorb the rich heritage of this worldly nation.
While the benefits of visiting Portugal are varied and plentiful, many centre on the same qualities: a warm welcome, a restless creativity, an appreciation of the good life. It’s that character, that soulful spirit, which makes this place so special.
visitportugal.com
