Portugal travel guide

Braga is the third largest city in Portugal (after Lisbon and Porto) and like the other ones, has a lovely historical centre. However, the old town of Braga isn't as compact as some other Portuguese medieval towns, and contemporary concrete buildings and shopping malls have seeped in between the fine churches (there are lots) and the old dilapidated houses. Nevertheless, the city still has its fair share of faded decayed houses with crooked balconies that Portugal is so famous for.

In the 16th century, some monks got the crazy idea to dig up the town's graveyard and use the human bones and skulls to decorate a chapel's interior at St. Francis church in Evora. Each wall is covered in neatly stacked bones, while columns and arches are ornamental with lines of skulls. On one of the walls, a whole skeleton is dangling. It was a brave and artistic move to illustrate the 'transitory nature of human life', something the inscription above the entrance also points out: We bones that are here, are waiting for yours.

The fine university town of Coimbra is for Portugal what Oxford is for United Kingdom. Coimbra University is one of Europe's oldest, and some of the faculties' grand buildings and libraries can easily match those at Oxford. The lovely medieval old town is a confusing maze of narrow winding lanes running from one square to another while passing monasteries and other impressive buildings which could easily date back to the Middle Ages when Coimbra was the capital of Portugal. Due to the large student population, the city's vibe is arty and unpretentious, though you might catch a glimpse of students wrapped in the traditional black cloak - something you will for sure see during the Queima das Fitas, the rowdy student spree held in May.

Maybe it's the bad economy, but Portugal is a pretty good place to pick up some old crap - well, even new crap. Some stuff is fairly enough sold as antiques, curio or memento, but others are sold as brand new right off the assembly line in the factory, even though the product has been outdated in the rest of the western world for years, even decades. Typewriters, cassette tapes, film cameras... you name it, the Portuguese have it - all brand new and still in the box.

The well-preserved historical centre of Evora is considered one of the finest in Portugal - and is, of course, on UNESCO's World Heritage list. The old town, which dates back to Roman times, is still enclosed by 17th century walls and boasts a large amount of exquisite monuments and medieval buildings, including a Roman temple, a fine cathedral, and a chapel decorated with human bones. With cobblestone alleyways and houses kept in a strict white-and-yellow colour scheme, Evora is very picturesque - and popular with visitors. However, the town manages to tone down its status as a tourist magnet and keeps a humble attitude to its fine heritage.

Francesinha means 'little French girl' in Portuguese and is the Portuguese version of the croque-monsieur, the French interpretation of a ham and cheese sandwich. The story goes that a Portuguese man who lived in France returned to his hometown Porto and came up with this new concept, Francesinha. So a Francesinha is a ham and cheese sandwich with lots of additional meat, like sausage and roast meat, doused in (and here comes the secret ingredient) special tomato-beer sauce. This healthy mix is often topped off with an egg and covered in french fries. There is a lot of ritual and tradition involved in eating a Francesinha, but the golden rule is to never drink water with it.

The old part of Guimaraes is not just another charming medieval town in Portugal. The historical centre is UNESCO listed and includes ruins of a cute castle which is considered to be the birthplace of the Portuguese nation. The views from up here stretch beyond the pretty old town with its charming narrow lanes, lovely old houses and picturesque squares with cafes. Luckily, the tourist flow seems to be concentrated on a few sections, leaving other parts to the local people of Guimaraes - and the few curious visitors. Here, life goes on as it has done for decades, even centuries, in such ways that elderly ladies still do their laundry in the public outdoor washing basins.

Cute Lisbon doesn't feel like a western European capital. The pace is slow and there is nothing flashy about the lovely historical downtown. Here, a castle and grand buildings rise among decrepit, though charming, working-class neighbourhoods, where grannies yelling to each other from their windows, and there is a tavern at every other corner. The different quarters all have a different vibe. Some are decayed with lots of graffiti, while others are up-coming areas for the young and creative. Since Lisbon is built on sloping hills, you can find amazing panoramic views over the city's red roofs and blue sea, by ascending winding narrow streets and steep staircases. So, even though downtown Lisbon is very compact and walkable, it's easy to get lost (and out of breath) in the 3-dimensional maze of alleyways. Luckily, you can always jump on a tram and get back to a main square. Take a break here, have a pastry or a glass of port wine, before venturing into another quarter for some more exploration.

On a mountain peak outside Sintra stands the colourful Pena National Palace. It served as summer palace for the Portuguese royal family through the last centuries. The buildings you see today are mostly from the 19th-century, but the first construction on the site dates back to the Middle Ages. Pena Palace is part of the UNESCO listed Cultural Landscape of Sintra and stands out with its fairy tale style of oriental ornamentation, bright colours, wide gates and tall towers and spires. The surrounding wooded ground is grand with winding trails leading to magnificent view points. However, since the palace is perched on top of a mountain ridge facing the Atlantic Ocean, the panoramic views either stretch all the way to Lisbon - or equal likely, are obscured by dense fog from the clouds that are rolling over the ridge.

Right from the start, when you arrive in Porto, you get the feeling that the city has edge and character. Blue tiled churches and soaring towers rise over ramshackle houses with hanging clotheslines. Hilly streets and narrow alleyways wind their way through the UNESCO-listed historical centre. The fine university attracts a fair share of students, boosting the city with a youthful and arty vibe - and a large range of great cafes and bars. The tourists, however, seem to be spellbound by the picturesque riverfront right next to the iconic metal bridge, Ponte Luis I. A trip across Douro River will bring you to Vila Nova de Gaia, the main location for port wine cellars. A glass or two (or three or...) is of course inevitable.