santchird's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Funchal, Portugal

Madeira Botanical Garden

A lush oasis full of vibrant plants and striking geometric displays.
Funchal, Portugal

Principality of Pontinha

A micronation on an islet along the coast of a Portuguese island.
Almeida, Portugal

Fortress of Almeida

The medieval town's star-shaped walls are geometrically dazzling, though not entirely impenetrable.
Porto, Portugal

Banco de Materiais (Bank of Materials)

Building owners can take out tiles for free at this repository for historic building materials.
Alcantarilha, Portugal

Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones)

This unassuming chapel in Portugal plays host to a ghoulish collection of bones.
Monsanto, Portugal

Necropolis of São Miguel

A windswept necropolis carved into the rocks overlooks the "most Portuguese town in Portugal."
Lisbon, Portugal

Church of Santa Engrácia

Portugal's National Pantheon has a history of curses, collapses and financial problems.
Lagoa, Portugal

Benagil Caves

Perhaps the most spectacular grotto along the Algarve coastline.
Esperança, Portugal

The World’s Shortest International Bridge

You can cross from one country to another in a single hop on this little bridge.
Monte, Portugal

Toboggan Ride from Monte to Funchal

Men in rubber-soled boots serve as your "brakes" on this toboggan ride Hemingway described as "exhilarating."
Elvas, Portugal

Fort of Graça

This star-shaped military outpost is now simply trying to protect itself from neglect.
Luso, Portugal

Palace Hotel Bussaco

A majestic hotel for dreamers rises from the center of a fairytale wood.
Vila Franca Do Campo, Portugal

Islet of Vila Franca do Campo

A perfectly circular lake is formed by the crater of an ancient underwater volcano.
Santa Luzia, Portugal

Cemetery of Anchors

Dead weights honor the dead of Portugal's fishing industry.
Colares, Portugal

Praia da Ursa

In Portugal, a secluded stretch of untouched natural beauty hides at the bottom of a steep hill.
Montalegre, Portugal

Ponte da Misarela (Misalera Bridge)

Local lore says the devil built this beautiful medieval bridge to help a fleeing bandit.
São Miguel, Portugal

Hotel Monte Palace

This abandoned five-star hotel is now a five-star urban exploration destination.
Portugal

Mina de São Domingos (Sao Domingos Mines)

An abandoned mine now resembles a post-apocalyptic landscape of derelict buildings and blood-red pools of water.
Leça da Palmeira, Portugal

Tidal Pools of Leça da Palmeira

An early work of the architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, these swimming pools blend into the beach.
Lisbon, Portugal

Bordallo Pinheiro Garden

A garden in Lisbon filled with giant porcelain creatures.
Colares, Portugal

Convent of the Capuchos

The verdant mossy ruins of a Franciscan monastery lie in the remote Sintra hills awaiting exploration.
Tomar, Portugal

Convento de Cristo

The medieval castle built as headquarters for the Pope's secretive Knights Templar.
São Miguel, Portugal

Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Vitórias

This fairy-tale, neo-Gothic church in the Azores is a world of magical realism.
Lisbon, Portugal

Caza das Vellas Loreto

This charming candle shop has been in business since 1789.