One of the most popular tourist destinations in Portugal, Sintra-Cascais Natural Park contains a number of amazing attractions that will delight and astound any lucky visitor. While the sweeping Serra de Sintra Mountain Range is spectacular, the park is primarily known for its unbelievable historical sites.

1. Sintra-Cascais Natural Park  [SEE MAP]

Popular with beachgoers and bird watchers alike, Ria Formosa Natural Park’s stunning scenery is a beautiful setting in which to bask in the sun and enjoy everything that the park has to offer. Located right down in the south of Portugal in the Algarve, the lovely warm climate entices visitors to its shores throughout the year.

7. Ria Formosa Natural Park  [SEE MAP]

With its lazy features that slowly and tranquilly descend from a height of 1,339 meters at its maximum down to only 260 meters, Alvao Natural Park comprises two distinct topographies and as such the varying landscapes are beautiful to behold.Although small in size, its two distinctive and very different ecosystems make this park well worth a visit. In the Upper Zone, the mountainous area full of hills makes for great hiking and the rocky cliffs and granite formations dramatically cut away to reveal the Bazal Zone down below.

9. Alvao Natural Park  [SEE MAP]

Located on the border with Spain, this park actually is the border as it is the path the river takes that marks Portugal from Spain; hence the name Douro International Natural Park. The river stunningly cuts its way through the landscape, winding its way through the cliffs and ravines that the water has eroded away over the centuries.

8. Douro International Natural Park  [SEE MAP]

This amazing nature park certainly has a lot going for it. Comprising the largest mountain range in the country, Serra da Estrela is also home to Portugal’s highest peak, Torre, which towers at just less than 2000 metres in height.

5. Serra da Estrela Natural Park  [SEE MAP]

Located in the northwest of Portugal this delightful park looks out over the wild Atlantic. The ferocious winds that blow in from the ocean have helped to shape the expansive sand dunes that characterize the area.

10. Litoral Norte Natural Park  [SEE MAP]

Indeed the country is bathed in natural beauty and there are a plethora of unbelievable panoramas and views just waiting to be discovered. With that in mind, here are the ten most beautiful national and nature parks in Portugal.

If you head right down to the southwest corner of Portugal you will find sea, sun, sand and this astonishing natural park all just waiting to be explored. The endless beaches of the Algarve are bewitchingly beautiful and, framed by the cliffs that overlook them; you will never want to leave this part of the coast.

4. Southwest Alentejo and Vicenti Coast  [SEE MAP]

There are a number of lovely waterfalls to visit within Peneda-Geres and one of the most memorable sights is the ruins of Vilarinho das Furnas. This old village was deliberately submerged when filling a local reservoir and the ruins emerge during the dry season when the waters recede. Eerie to behold yet strangely beautiful, the ruins are a must-see in this unforgettable park that so perfectly highlights the full range of Portugal’s natural wonders.

2. Peneda-Geres National Park  [SEE MAP]

With lovely sandy beaches, beautiful rocky cliffs lining the shore and low-lying mountains covered in lush vegetation stretching inland, Arrabida Natural Park has a wealth of natural delights for visitors to revel in.

3. Arrabida Natural Park  [SEE MAP]

Located on the west coast of the Iberian peninsula, Portugal draws droves of tourists to its shores each and every year with its fantastic weather and wealth of things to see and do.    While many come to delight in the lively and picturesque cities of Lisbon, Porto and Sintra, others head to the be