Things to do in Olhao

2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

Royal Alcázar of Seville

•Step into the Royal Alcázar of Seville, a UNESCO World Heritage site with a history dating back to the Moorish era •Admire the prototype of Mudejar architecture perfectly blending Gothic and Renaissance styles, and check in at the filming location of Game of Thrones •Admire the 16th-century altarpiece "Virgin of the Navigators" and stroll through the grand hall of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V △ As a filming location for the famous TV series Game of Thrones, it attracts many historical drama fans to visit, allowing them to travel between history and film while reliving memorable moments from the show in the real world. △As one of the ancient palaces in Europe, this building combines Gothic architectural elements with Islamic clay construction styles, making it a prime example of Mudéjar architecture. △An architectural marvel shaped by centuries of history and culture, radiating breathtaking beauty. From enchanting gardens to magnificent courtyards, every corner holds fascinating surprises.

Parque Ribeirinho de Faro

Parque de Campismo Fuzeta

Garden of the Palace of Estoi

Jardim da Alameda João de Deus

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Portugal

Pena Park

Pena Park is a vast royal woodland garden that embraces the Pena Palace, spreading across the heights of the Sintra hills. Created in the mid-nineteenth century by King Ferdinand II of Portugal alongside the palace, it covers more than two hundred hectares of rolling terrain and deep forest. Paths crisscross the grounds like a maze, linking stone bridges, grottoes, fountains, and trellised pavilions; combined with the mist that often hangs over the hills, wandering here feels much like stepping into a fairy-tale forest. Looking down from one side of the palace, the whole expanse of greenery spreads across the slopes like a sea, with the red-and-yellow palace towers as the focal point of the scene. The garden has a distinctly Romantic character: the king ordered trees brought in from distant continents, and North American redwoods, Chinese ginkgos, Japanese cedars, and magnolias can all be seen here. In the ravine known as the "Queen's Fern Garden," groves of tree ferns from Australia and New Zealand grow along the stream in dense green profusion. On the lakes of the Lake Valley stand duck houses shaped like castles, one of them modeled after the Moorish Castle; in the woods stands a knight-like "Warrior Statue" by the sculptor Rusconi; and on the western side of the park, the "Countess's Chalet" is a Swiss mountain chalet style building, its exterior painted with wood-grain patterns and trimmed with cork, surrounded by camellias and azaleas and set among giant granite boulders—a retreat the king built for his second wife, a former opera singer. Visiting tips: the park is large, with many slopes and dense branching paths, so wear comfortable shoes and allow most of a day to stroll at leisure; don't just rush back and forth to the palace—follow the paths deeper into the woods, where the Lake Valley, the Fern Garden, and the Countess's Chalet are often quieter and more rewarding to explore, and good for photos too; when the camellias bloom in winter, the park's colors are especially rich.

No. 1 of Night Attractions in Portugal

National Palace of Pena

The National Palace of Pena is a royal retreat whose dazzling, eccentric, and ornate silhouette looks like a pleasure-palace castle. The palace itself is a medley of architectural styles, combining Gothic, Renaissance, Moorish, and Manueline (the style of the reign of King Manuel I of Portugal) elements, and it was the brainchild of Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, husband of Queen Maria II of Portugal in the nineteenth century. It is not only a Portuguese national monument but also one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal, standing on a hilltop in the parish of São Pedro de Penaferrim in the town of Sintra near Lisbon, and on clear days it is clearly visible from the city of Lisbon itself. In 1995, it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site as part of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra. It is now frequently used for state functions by the Portuguese president and other government officials. In the Middle Ages, this site was merely a small chapel of Our Lady. In 1493, King John II and his wife visited, and his successor, Manuel I, built a monastery, which fell into ruins after the great Lisbon earthquake of 1755; Ferdinand II bought the ruins and the surrounding hillside and commissioned the German engineer Eschwege to design a building blending Gothic, Manueline, Moorish, and Renaissance elements, with construction beginning in 1842 and completed around 1854, making it one of the representative works of European Romantic palace architecture.

Algarve Life Sciences Center

The Algarve Life Sciences Center, located in Faro, Portugal, is an engaging and educational destination dedicated to the exploration of biological sciences. The center offers interactive exhibits and hands-on activities that cater to visitors of all ages, making science accessible and fun. It features displays on local biodiversity, marine life, and environmental conservation, providing insights into the region's unique ecosystems. The center also hosts workshops and educational programs aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of life sciences. With its innovative approach, the Algarve Life Sciences Center inspires curiosity and promotes scientific learning in a dynamic environment.

Praia da Ilha da Culatra

2026 Global 100 - Night Attractions

Seville Cathedral

Seville Cathedral is one of the larger Gothic cathedrals in the world. Its site was originally occupied by a great mosque built during the Moorish rule. In the early 15th century, it was demolished and rebuilt on the mosque's foundation as a Gothic Catholic cathedral, taking more than a century to complete. The cathedral's main altar features a giant golden carved wooden altarpiece, a masterpiece of Gothic woodcarving art, presenting the life of Jesus and the deeds of the Virgin Mary through dozens of reliefs. The cathedral also houses the tomb of the navigator Columbus, whose coffin is held aloft by four statues of kings symbolizing Castile, León, Aragon, and Navarre respectively, making it a must-see iconic view for visitors. The church houses religious paintings such as Murillo's "The Apparition of Saint Anthony" and Goya's "Saints Justa and Rufina," displayed respectively in the Chapel of Saint Anthony and the sacristy. The Giralda Tower is another major highlight of the church. This bell tower, originally the minaret of a mosque, retains the Moorish architectural style and stands about 100 m tall. Following the gentle ramp inside, visitors can climb to the top and enjoy a panoramic view of Seville's old town. Although reaching the top requires some physical effort, the view is expansive, and on a clear day the cityscape of Andalusia can be taken in at a glance.