Dreamlike beaches, vibrant towns and cities and fabulous weather – a trip to Portugal is the perfect idea all year round.
Best Portugal Tour Operators
Why Go
Portugal is located at the western edge of Europe, enjoys some of the best resorts, softest beaches and most alluring landscapes, all within relatively close proximity.
The skies are clear, the people are sunny and friendly, and the rugged, lonely landscape is just waiting be explored. The diversity of this beautiful holiday destination means you can sun yourself in The Algarve on one of the beautiful beach destinations, or be part of a bustling and culture-filled city break in the mediaeval city of Lisbon.
The choices of activities on your holiday in Portugal is equally diverse. It is one of the top golfing destinations, as well as being a prime spot for countryside and mountainous horseback riding or biking. You could hire a quad bike or car to explore inland, or take to the seas in a yacht or speedboat.
Talking of water – there is an abundance of watersports available at the beaches, including windsurfing, snorkelling, diving and surfing. There are many windsurfing centres which offer canoeing, kayaking and scuba diving.
Don’t miss listening to the local Fado folk music in one of the traditional tavernas – Portugal’s answer to soul music. In the summer, you’ll come across numerous country fairs, where old folk traditions are lovingly re-enacted and local wares are sold – just ask your travel agent where you can find the nearest one.
Portugal moves to its own rhythm – it’s a thrillingly exciting country, where drama, beauty and warm, year round sunshine combine to make a holiday destination that’s quite irresistible.
What To See
Lisbon
Lisbon is a shining example of the old and the new of Portugal. From the ancient Alama district with its traditional Fado clubs to the regenerated docks area and the trendy bars of the Expo site, Lisbon is a friendly city waiting to be explored! Proud of its maritime past, evidenced by the Monument to the Discoveries and a city rich in culture and history, it offers the visitor some spectacular sounds and sights.
The hilltop Castle of St George which overlooks the Tagus Estuary is a fantastic attraction. Archaeologists estimate that this site has been occupied since before the 6th Century BC and has been built, rebuilt and developed accordingly. An earthquake in 1531 damaged the castle, but since the 1940s there have been careful, gradual renovations. The Bairro Alto district is the place to head to sample the country’s burgeoning clubbing and cuisine scenes, too.
Madeira
Madeira is a gorgeous island cast adrift into the north Atlantic, but still connected to Portugal, spiritually at least. It has postcard-perfect, towering mountains – perfect for hiking – and acres of lush green forests. The towns and villages are quaint yet modern, with chic restaurants.
Holidays to Madeira evoke a real sense of times gone by, and the island has its own intriguing history and summer fiestas, but has a more laid-back feel than mainland Portugal. The resort of Canico with its Garajau National Marine Park waters is ideal for scuba diving.
In Funchal, you can visit the amazing Se Cathedral – a tall and breathtaking construction. Building started in 1913 for the Catholic Archdiocese, and is rumoured to be the fourth largest neo-gothic cathedral in the world.
The Algarve
The Algarve is one of the most beautiful regions of Europe with dramatic coastline, beaches and amazing resorts. Summer holidays to places like Albufuirea are really popular.
The Ponta da Piedade, with its beautiful arches, stacks and grottoes, is the most visited most visited rock formation in the Algarve, attracting boat tours from as far as Portimao.
In Lagos be sure to visit Fortaleza de Sagres which enjoys a dramatic location, perched on a narrow finger of land, which rises sheer, some 60 metres, above the roaring waves. In the 15th Century brave men made the first voyages of discovery to the New World from here, sponsored by Prince Henry “the Navigator”, whose statue sits proudly in the centre of Lagos. Today brave local fishermen dice with death on the cliff-edge, dangling lines from oversize rods, which plummet to the waters below.
In Vilamoura you can see the wonderful church of the Igreja de Sao Lourenzo. It resides in a lonely spot in its own small hamlet, atop a hill. The interior of the chirch is covered from floor to ceiling in traditional blue azulejos ceramic tiles. It has been described as “the most notable in the Algarve and one of the most extraordinary in Portugal”.