Small in size and big in what they offer, the villages and towns of Portugal are places where we find peace and tranquillity. They are ideal places to catch our breath, to return to what connects us to the land, to give importance to the essential things in life and the beauty of simple things.

Big on time

Monsaraz, Évora

Time... surely you have felt that you used to have a lot of time and now you lack the time to do everything. In these places, time has another value. You can enjoy outdoor activities, go hiking, go for a swim, go canoeing or simply read a book without rushing and appreciate your surroundings: the sky, the landscape, the people, the flavours.

Suggested visits: Monsaraz and the villages around the Alqueva Lake, Marvão, Évoramonte, in the Alentejo region; the villages of the Peneda-Gerês National Park; Sistelo, near Arcos de Valdevez.

Big in silence

Cerdeira. Coimbra

It’s great to leave the city sounds for a few days and return to the silence of nature! And just listen to the birds at sunrise, the cicadas that accompany the hot days, the crickets in the cool of the night, the leaves on the trees as the breeze blows... Stay in a village and take the opportunity to pay attention to your inner voice and rediscover what actually makes you happy.

Suggested visits: the Schist Villages, the villages of Arouca Geopark / Montanhas Mágicas.

Big in history

Belmonte, Guarda

They are towns or villages, but they have castles and walls, stories of conquests, of kings and princesses. The Historical Villages are special places, situated in strategic locations. They guard small treasures of heritage where we discover works of art preserved for centuries, far from the more erudite artistic centres, but they also preserve the work of local artisans who keep alive the tradition and the know-how.

Suggested visits: Belmonte, Almeida, Marialva or Castelo Rodrigo, just to name a few of the Historical Villages.

Big in flavour

Lamas de Olo, Vila Real

One of the wonders of visiting the villages is to once again find the traditional flavours, made with the products of the land, authentic and genuine. The menu is composed of dishes made by those who know; or by those who want to recover the way of cooking adapted to more refined tastes. The gastronomic experience in the villages is a discovery that leaves good memories and the desire to return! You will see how bread baked in a wood oven has another flavour, as well as the seasoning and the way of cooking passed down from generation to generation.

Suggested visits: Lamas de Olo; the villages of the Alvão Natural Park (Vila Real).

Big in soul

Videmonte, Guarda

They seem like places lost in time, which have always been waiting for someone to discover them. But those who live there maintain the traditions, share what they know, give life to the places and welcome with open arms those who arrive. This human side, made up of simple people with a great soul, is in fact one of the greatest riches of Portuguese villages.

Suggested visits: Mountain villages of the Central Portugal region; villages of Montesinho Natural Park.

Big on space

Ponta do Sol, Madeira

Coastal villages and towns have stories of fishermen and life at sea, but they are also small refuges with a wide horizon and blue skies, inspiring to choose a new way of being. They are places where we can recharge or choose to work remotely, with more quality time to combine personal and professional life. And of course, not forgetting the pleasure of going to the beach, taking beautiful walks by the sea and tasting the fresh fish of the Atlantic coast.

Suggested visits: Ponta do Sol, in Madeira; the fishing villages of the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, the fishing villages of the west coast (north of Lisbon, along the Atlantic coast); the small towns of the Azores Islands; the North Coast Natural Park; São Jacinto Dunes Natural Park.

Visit the Portuguese villages and towns and go back home with your heart full!