TOP 5 LESS-KNOWN TRAVEL DESTINATIONS IN PORTUGAL

This cobblestone village, literally carved into the rocks, is worth seeing: it is in the middle of the landscape of the Granitic Batolith of Penamacor (20 minutes east of the border with Spain, in Castelo Branco). And it is something like the perfect example of urban integration: its houses and even its castle (at an altitude of 758 meters) do not dodge the granite masses, but lean or even rise on them. A place as magical as it is authentic that boasts of being the most Portuguese village in Portugal since 1938.

It is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in Portugal, and yet the significance of this sanctuary located atop a lush hill just outside Braga has barely crossed the border. The most striking image is that of its very steep staircase, divided into several sections that go up to its neoclassical church. The views from up there are the best incentive to climb on foot, although those who do not want to make such an effort can use the funicular.

Remote, hidden between mountains and only accessible by winding roads. Perhaps that is why Piódão, with barely 200 inhabitants and in the Açor mountain range (at the foot of the highest point of the country, the Serra da Estrela), is still a great unknown. Its cobblestone streets, its black slate facades and the landscape drawn by its houses arranged as if cascading over the hill, are the stamp that makes it one of those picturesque places not to be missed (whether you are an adventurous traveler or not).

The north coast of Alentejo (the most elegant and wildest region of Portugal) is much more than Comporta (its most chic destination). Among beautiful beaches overlooking the Atlantic hide constructions as curious as the stilted port of Carrasqueira. A ramshackle sea of old wooden stakes in the Sado estuary (south of Setúbal) that seems to be abandoned ... until the tide rises and their boats stop resting on the mud to float again. Something so unprecedented that there is no other like it in the rest of Europe. If you want an idyllic photo, go at sunset.

If there is a 'hype' among the travel destinations of Portugal, that is the Algarve. And if you already know Tavira, Olhao or Faro, it's time to discover Carvoeiro. This small fishing village stretches along a rocky cliff with its own name: the Algar seco, a winding path of caves, grottoes and trails formed in the rock naturally. You can reach it without getting lost: just follow the wooden walkways from the parish of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación. Of course, finding the beach bar hidden in the algar is a must. A clue? It is called Boneca.