Places jamesarvidson Wants to Go

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

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

At night, bats patrol this magnificent 18th-century space in search of book-eating pests.

This gaping hole in the middle of a remote mountain lake looks like a portal to another dimension.

A unique seaside cave where Aleister Crowley faked his own death.

Picturesque intersection of witchcraft and ancient Christianity.

A king's pet, a pope's gift, an artist's inspiration, and a tragic shipwreck.

A neolithic tomb converted into a tiny chapel.

Pagan monument converted to Christianity with the population.

This unreal Portuguese palace looks as though it's made from a pile of different castles.

This oddly shaped church resembles a rocket.

A hidden three-foot-wide house separates these two regal churches.

Nestled in the mountains of Portugal is a tiny village made almost entirely of schist.

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

This unique architectural wonder is also tied to one of the 20th-century's most renowned writers.

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

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

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

This glass skywalk offers vertiginous views down the volcanic cliffs to the beach below.

These small, triangular, colorful houses are a staple of Madeira Island.

Portugal’s highest lighthouse has one of the most impressive focal planes in the world.

Step back in time at this 19th-century kiosk.

Get in line for Lisbon’s most famous sandwich.

Eat the ultimate iteration of Portugal's most beloved pastry.