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From Port to Pastéis de Nata and Vinho Verde, Portugal is famous for a great many delights – but it’s not exactly a hidden gem.
In 2024, 31,600,000 tourists flocked to experience its charm, with a total of 80,300,000 overnight stays recorded.
But it’s no secret that Porto, Portugal’s second city, is struggling with overtourism, as last year, it confirmed that it would be raising traveller taxes by 50%.
Currently, non-resident stays are charged a rate of €2 (£1.69) per person per night for those aged 13 or over – the same as in Albufeira, Madeira and Setúbal.
Under new plans, however, the tax will be hiked to €3 (£2.53) per night, with the additional fees to be spent in areas like culture, heritage, the environment, energy, quality of life, town planning, housing and transport.
So, if you’re looking to experience all the joy that Portugal has to offer but want to dodge the touristy crowds, Metro has rounded up a few lesser-known alternatives to consider.
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Tavira
Affectionately known as ‘the Venice of the Algarve’ for its Italian-style plazas and meandering river, Tavira is one of the lesser-visited spots in Portugal.
It might have its own unique identity, but it’s also an excellent jumping-off point for exploring everything the Algarve has to offer – including white sandy beaches and historical landmarks dating back to the Medieval Age.
As Caroline Rowe, award-winning travel creator and founder of Pack the Suitcases previously told Metro, while Venice is synonymous with a ‘constant stream of tourists,’ Tavira is ‘much quieter and more laid back.’
‘It has its own charm, with classic Portuguese whitewashed buildings and bougainvillea-lined streets. It’s a beautiful town to wander around, popping into museums, galleries and churches before finding a cafe to sit outside and watch the world go by,’ she shared, reflecting on her recent month-long trip out there.
On a Saturday morning, she recommends visiting the market to sample delicious local produce, which you can then take for a picnic next to the River Gilão.
Culinary delights aside, there’s also Tavira Castle to explore, as well as the Santa Maria do Castelo Church and Praça da República, the town’s main square.
Aveiro
It’s not just Tavira that’s seen comparisons to the Floating City (or the Queen of the Adriatic): Aveiro has endearingly been labelled the ‘Venice of Portugal’ in its entirety.
Around 37 miles south of Porto, Aveiro is approximately 30 minutes away on the train – so even if you’re primarily visiting Portugal’s second largest city, there’s little to stop you from popping down for a day trip.
Of course, there’s plenty of reason it’s been compared to Venice: its picturesque canals, gondola-esque boats and stunning Art Nouveau architecture. Sound familiar?
The city’s moliceiro boats are one of the most widely recognised symbols of the region, thanks to their colourful artwork and curled fronts.
Throughout the 19th century, they were used to harvest moliço, a form of seaweed found in the Aveiro lagoon – and after drying, it was used to fertilise soil.
Naturally, it’s not as crowded as either its Venetian ‘sibling’ or the likes of Porto and Lisbon either – with Venice in particular visited by up to 30,000,000 people each year.
By comparison, though 2024 was record-breaking for Aveiro and its museums, 100,415 visitors in a six-month period has a much less crowded ring to it.
Comporta
The complete antithesis of busy Lisbon, Comporta is a village found on Portugal’s west coast – and over the years, it’s even attracted the likes of Madonna and Jose Mourinho. Now, that’s certainly range.
The town centre is known for its upmarket restaurants and boutique shops, many of which champion traditional fare but with Portuguese roots at their core.
AlmaLusa Comporta is known for its takeaway salads and wraps, while Cavalarica is nestled inside an old horse stable, with each individual yard transformed into elegant dining booths.
And of course, with its powdery white sand, the coastline is a quintessential part of the Comporta experience.
The Praia de Comporta alone stretches for 12 kilometres (7.5 miles), rendering it one of the longest beaches in Portugal, while the Sada Estuary offers the perfect spot for a bit of dolphin-watching.
Vila Viçosa
Warmly known as the ‘Princess of Alentejo,’ Vila Viçosa might be small, but it’s certainly steeped in plenty of history, found in the southern district of Évora, Alentejo.
Its name translates to ‘lush’ or ‘fertile’ village, a reference to the natural fertility of its local soils, but it’s also famous for its marble (particularly its stunning pink marble), being home to more than 150 quarries.
Naturally, there’s history all around, from the Ducal Palace to the Castle of Alandroal and Fortress Juromenha, the latter of which was built as a border fortification to protect the town from invasion.
It’s also the hometown of 20th-century poet Florbela Espanca, known for her avant-garde writing, which platformed feminist ideas years before women were granted the right to vote in Portugal in 1976. To this day, her statue towers over the town’s cobbled streets.
Bragança
Found in the north-east of Portugal, Bragança is yet another destination that’s witnessed countless historical events.
The origins of the city itself can be traced back to Roman times, when it was named Brigantia – and used for its proximity to trade routes across the Iberian Peninsula.
To this day, the 12th century castle is almost perfectly preserved and offers 360 views of the nearby countryside, overlooking the Montesinho and Sanabria mountain ranges.
And if you’ve hired a car and want to experience something even quieter, there’s also the quaint Rio de Onor Village on the banks of the river, inundated with flowers and, crucially, not a crowd in sight.
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