The top 16 things to do in Lisbon and Porto

When it first opened in 2016, its curves totally changed the face of the city. MAAT – the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology – isn’t just one of the most photographed and shared attractions on social media, it’s a vibrant cultural hub where you can discover unconventional local and foreign artists. “Playmode”, for instance, runs until 2020 and showcases the work of artists such as Brad Downey, Gabriel Orozco and Ana Vieira.

The museum of contemporary art was designed by award-winning architect Siza Vieira and is just one of the many reasons you should immerse yourself in Serralves, in Porto. Visit Casa de Serralves, built in art déco style, and take an unhurried stroll around the park’s 18 hectares at any time of the year. The exhibition “Voyage to the Beginning and Back”, which marks the Fundação de Serralves collection’s 30th anniversary, is on until November 3.

You’ll come across Porto’s most emblematic sandwich at every turn – it’s an incredible combo of bread, steak, sausage, ham, cheese, egg and sauce. But don’t just throw yourself into just any one – Time Out Porto swears by Café Santiago’s. The queue for this unpretentious restaurant tends to be long, but whatever happens, don’t give up.

Never had one of these? Well you’re in for a treat. These Portuguese custard tarts are one of Lisbon’s very finest exports. If you find yourself wandering the cobbled streets of Bairro Alto, listen out for the bell, that’s how you’ll know a new batch is ready. Time Out elected Manteigaria’s pastéis de nata the very best in town, and the queue of both Lisbonites and tourists is a testament to that. The crispy pastry, creamy filling and just the right amount of sugar are worth the wait (1€/ each).

No other European capital can take pride in being surrounded by so many beaches. Just 25 minutes away from Lisbon’s city center, you can swim in Costa da Caparica, lay out on the sand in Cascais (40 minutes away) or venture up Sintra’s coast (35 minutes away). However, if you only have one day to soak up the rays, Arrábida is the most beautiful destination you can pick. It’s where mountains and the Atlantic ocean meet, providing beaches for every sensibility. So whether you’re the kind of person that doesn’t mind the tricky trails down to deserted beaches with crystal-clear waters, or you’re on a family day out and can’t do without a beach bar and sun lounger, you’re well set here. Lovers of water and extreme sports will find a world of possibilities such as coasteering (which combines trekking, climbing, abseiling, cliff diving and swimming). If you feel like a fish out of water, let Vertente Natural take care of everything.

Lisbonites are all for an early-evening tipple, preferably outside, to seize some of the 3,000 hours of sunlight the city is graced with every year. Quiosque Ribeira das Naus cafe is blessed by the proximity of the Tejo River. It has plenty of outdoor seating, loungers, sun shades and a bronze sculpture honoring Almada Negreiros, a Portuguese artist, framing the river. Besides hot drinks, they serve good cocktails and jugs of sangria, as well as pizzas, croissants and sandwiches for when hunger strikes. And to keep the spirits high of those who practice the art of outdoor lounging (esplanadar), record label Assemble Music brings in DJs and producers for evenings of electronic beats.

You’d be surprised at how old some of Portugal’s coolest shops are. Swap the typical souvenirs for classic Portuguese products like a pair of leather gloves from the teensy Luvaria Ulisses (open since 1925), some candles from Caza das Velas Loreto (open since 1789), painted tiles from Viúva Lamego (open since 1849), or linen from Paris em Lisboa (open since 1888). A Vida Portuguesa, which already has several branches in Lisbon (and one in Porto) wasn’t born a hundred years ago, but it did revive Portuguese brands that had been long lost, from Confiança soap bars to Minerva tinned goods. Here there’s a wide variety of products, including toys from the pre-electronic era, stationery of yesteryear, pottery, blankets, clothing and delicacies.

There are endless reasons to visit the mysterious, picturesque and romantic town of Sintra – good restaurants, stunning beaches and a handful of monuments entice locals and travelers alike throughout the seasons. But the one place you’ll never tire of is Palácio da Pena, a hill-top ode to 19th-century Romantic architecture. While you’re there, explore the surrounding Parque da Pena and spot the Chalet of the Countess of Edla, which looks like something out of Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Port wine tastings at the cellars where it is produced, strolls through terraced vineyards, astounding viewpoints, restaurants serving goat cooked in a wood-fired oven (a regional specialty), a riverside railway line and countless boutique hotels: this is Douro. The best way to discover its wonders is by boat, and companies ready to take you up and down the river abound. Douro Azul, for instance, organizes day trips from Porto to Régua, or seven-day trips stopping in Entre-os-Rios and including visits to Quinta da Aveleda, live music on board and barbecues out on the deck.

Seven hills, dozens of viewpoints. There are 19 official ones, but there are many, many more spots where you can get the best views of Lisbon: of the river and the south bank, of the city’s rooftops or its most majestic monuments. Let’s be honest though, some are so packed with tourists you can barely see beyond the end of your nose – literally. Opt for the ones with a lower selfie-stick count, like Miradouro do Recolhimento, or with paid entry, as they never fill up, such as Pilar 7, atop one of the pillars of Ponte 25 de Abril, in Alcântara.

Belcanto is the only restaurant in Lisbon to have been awarded two Michelin stars. But if two Michelin-star dining is too expensive? The chef, José Avillez, also owns other restaurants in the same neighborhood. Cantinho do Avillez serves traditional Portuguese dishes with a twist; Pizzaria Lisboa offers a good selection of pizzas made with the special ‘00’ flour, San Marzano tomato and fior di latte mozzarella, all straight from Italy; and Bairro do Avillez, which is divided into three areas: Taberna serves petiscos (like Portuguese tapas), Páteo focuses on seafood and Beco Cabaret Gourmet offers dinner with a side of burlesque.

The collection of Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga encompasses paintings, sculptures, drawings, jewelry, furniture, European decorative arts, Asian art and African art, which amounts to about 40,000 pieces from the period between the 12th and the 19th century. Painéis de São Vicente, by Nuno Gonçalves, or Tentações de Santo Antão, by Jheronymus Bosch, are two prominent examples. Before or after your visit, have a drink outside at Le Chat, with views of the Tejo and Cristo Rei.

Known to have inspired J. K. Rowling to write the Harry Potter saga, Livraria Lello was born in 1906 at 144 Rua das Carmelitas in Porto. And there it remains, with its distinguishing Neo-Gothic architecture, carved wood, golden pillars and ornate ceilings creating a unique atmosphere. But this historical building is not just for gawking at, as about 300,000 books fly off the two-story bookshop shelves every year. Entry is 5€, which get deducted from the total if you purchase a book.

A magazine you can eat. Can you imagine that? Time Out Market Lisboa, in Cais do Sodré, is a three-dimensional manifestation of Time Out Lisbon and an invitation to stop reading and start tasting. Getting lost among the pages – we mean, counters and restaurants – is easy. There are 10,000 square-meters of specialties for all taste buds and times of the day, and even an aisle of chefs – many of them Michelin-starred.

…and see Porto from across the river. Once you cross, you’ll be in Vila Nova de Gaia. Ask for directions to Jardim do Morro, sit comfortably on the grass with a beer in hand and watch the sunset over the city’s historical center. The place is usually lively – if you’re lucky, you might come across some live music, an open-air cinema session, some street food stalls or a market selling arts and crafts.

Have you heard the Portuguese national anthem? It starts with the words “heróis do mar”, which means heroes of the sea, in celebration of the time when the Portuguese set sail for the New World. They reached Brazil and India, ventured into Africa and even got to China and Japan. In Belém, you can travel back to the 15th and 16th centuries via impressive monuments like Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Torre de Belém and Padrão dos Descobrimentos. This neighbourhood is a real open-air history lesson.