2 Best Sights in Espinho, Northern Portugal

Right beside the beach, this casino has 500 slot machines, video blackjack, Portuguese dice, and French and American roulette. If these diversions don't do it for you, come for the dining, dancing, cabaret shows, and concerts. Foreign visitors must present their passports (and be 18 or older), and although there's no formal dress code, smart casual is most appropriate.

It may lack Lisbon’s sunshine, but the coast around Porto has picture-perfect beaches. Just 14 km (9 miles south of the city) is the pretty seaside town of Miramar, where a 17th-century chapel, the Capela do Senhor da Pedra, stands proudly on a rocky headland that juts out from the sandy beach. The Praia de Miramar is usually pleasantly uncrowded, and good for swimming in the summer, while the wind whips up surfer-pleasing waves in the chilly winter. The beach is a 10-minute walk from Miramar metro station. Amenities: parking (no fee); food and drink; water sports. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.