Eye-watering architecture, rolling vineyards and beaches that look like they’re straight from the Caribbean. See it all on a holiday to Portugal.
Porto and Lisbon are the popular cities ’round here, and for good reason. Both destinations serve up hip bars, beautiful buildings and classic European charm. Come on, who doesn’t love a cobbled street?
And there’s plenty more to see beyond the big hitters. You can roam like a Roman in the walled city of Evora. They were kind enough to leave the Temple of Diana behind, after all. Elsewhere, in Obidos, you’ll find a stunning Moorish castle along with a lot of bookshops and a three-mile lagoon!
If all your favourite things end with ing, you’re in the right place. Surfing, wakeboarding, sailing, diving are all on the itinerary in Portugal. The windswept Viana do Castelo coast offers plenty of watersports.
Life’s a beach and then you dive in the Algarve. Around Albufeira, the waters harbour all kinds of secrets: caves, coral, sardines and seahorses. It’s like swimming in an aquarium, minus the plastic treasure chest.
Technically, Portugal put the port in Porto which put the port in port. But you get the idea. There’s a lot of port out here, and there’s no better place to swig a glass or ten. Indulge in the city of Vila Nova de Gaia. With Taylor’s and Graham’s, Calem and Kope, it’s got tipples you’ve heard of and tipples you haven’t.
Whether you spend your holiday chasing adrenaline or mindfulness, do it outdoors. Activities range in intensity from scaling the cliff faces of Arrábida Natural Park to long, unspoiled walks in nature.
Douro Internacional Natural Park also takes your pulse down a notch. Cruise its calm waters with your nose in a book or break out the binoculars to spot vultures and eagles above your head.
Best for... A city break and beach holiday all in one 🏖️
Go... To Sintra for a city that doesn’t seem real
You have to... Eat pastel de nata between glasses of port 🍷
Holiday Inn Algarve Albufeira by IHG
4.3
Very Good
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Grande Real Santa Eulalia Resort & Hotel Spa
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Tivoli Lagos Algarve Resort
4.1
Very Good
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£164 ppCurrency
Euro
Language
Portuguese
Time difference
GMT +0
Cost of a beer
€1.92
3-course meal
Around €30
Flight time
2.5-3hrs
With more Blue Flag beaches than anywhere (apart from Spain, but Spain is huge), Portugal’s punching way above its weight. For jaw-to-the-floor beauty, it’s hard to beat the forests, coves and clear waters of Praia dos Galapinhos. But if you want ready access to bars while you’re bronzing, Praia Dona Ana is your best bet.
Over in the Algarve, the enormous stretch of sand and still, sheltered waters at Tavira are a firm fam fave.
It’s not lost its youthful good looks, but Portugal is one of the oldest countries on the continent. It shows its crow’s feet in the form of Lisbon’s 16th-century Belem Tower and the Roman Ruins of Troia.
Then there’s Sintra, slammed with so many sensational sights that they slapped a World Heritage sticker on it. Expect brightly-coloured palaces and crumbling castles wedged between winding hills. We mean it when we say winding hills, so expect tired legs too. Stop for a break with a pastel de nata pastry to make it all right again.
Portu-goers, you’re sorted for all nocturnal necessities in Lisbon’s Bairro Alto. Burn a hole in the carpet with your best moves at Incógnito until 4am, and there’ll still be somewhere open for a nightcap.
Not to be outdone, the Algarve’s got its fair share of up-all-night opportunities. Albufeira’s legendary strip means shots, shirts off and stags, if that’s your style. Beer&Co in Lagos is a better bet if you prefer independent brews to booze out of a bucket.
June, July and August. That’s the sweet spot if you’re here to beach, with temps in the mid-20s and above. The cities are alive and kicking with street parties and festivals in the summer months too.
There’s no bad time for a Portugal city break. But spring and autumn are the best bets if you want to see the sights without sweating through your shorts. The shoulder seasons in April-May and September-October, are perfect for a cheap holiday to Portugal too.