Portugal may be best known for its Algarve, that stretch of sandy beaches and sparkling seas that starts at Faro, runs to Cape St. Vincent and then stretches to the north. Add to that the fact that Portugal is one of the cheapest eurozone countries (cheaper than Spain) and there are plenty of cheap flights to Portugal from UK and Irish airports and so far, so summer holiday, but there is much more to it than that.
Apart from the perfect beaches, there are national parks and nature reserves, mountains and rivers. The Atlantic coast is wild and offers the swells so beloved of surfers. More gently, perhaps, the Algarve is heaven for golfers. The Azores, a group of nine volcanic islands 1,500km from the mainland, and Madeira are also part of Portugal.
Portugal's capital, Lisbon, is a beautiful old city, lying across seven hills and bordered by the River Tagus.
The Portuguese know how to live well, celebrating high days with gusto. Accompanying the hearty - and healthy - cuisine (salt cod is a specialty) and good wines (including Port and Madeira of course) there is a laidback "coffee and café" culture.
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Summers are hot and dry throughout Portugal, particularly in the Algarve, which gets very little rain. However, refreshing sea breezes make for pleasant conditions. Winters are cold and wet, particularly in the northern and west coast regions. Spring and autumn are good times to visit. Flights to Portugal and hotels are cheaper, and the beaches, restaurants and golf courses are less crowded.
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Peak Season:
The Algarve enjoys good temperatures year-round. Even the average winter temperature is a balmy 14 degrees Celsius. In summer average temperatures are in the mid-20s, but in July and August, they can reach 30 degrees. The Azores and Madeira enjoy mild temperatures year-round. Average temperatures range between 19 degrees in winter and 24 degrees in summer. In the north of the country summers can hit the mid-20s but winters are cool and rainy.
Off Season:
It's hard to pick a bad time to seek cheap flights to Portugal and its islands. The winters are milder than the UK's or Ireland's with temperatures of about 14 degrees in the Algarve and 19 degrees on Madeira. The further north you go the greater chance of cold weather and rain, and there is some snowfall mostly in the Serra da Estrela mountains.
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TAP Air Portugal, the national airline, offers domestic Portugal flights between Faro, Lisbon, Porto, the Azores and Madeira. If you are visiting the Azores, apart from airports in Ponta Delgada, Santa Maria and Angra, there are flights to the other islands and ferries between the islands.
Bus: there is a good, cheap bus system which connects the country's biggest cities and towns.
Train: the Alfa Pendular runs from Braga (north of Porto) to Lisbon and on to Faro. In addition, there are intercity and regional trains that offer a decent network throughout the country.
Lisbon also has an underground metro, and a ride in one of the city's ancient funicular railways (elevadores) is a tourist staple.
Taxis are cheap, but renting a car gives you complete freedom. Auto Jardim, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Nationa/Alamo, Rentauto and Sixt are some of the car rental companies that can be found at the major airports.
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- Madeira has a thriving ecotourism industry. There is, for example, a 2,500-acre ecological park above Funchal.
- Pay a visit to windswept Cape St. Vincent in the Algarve to look at the lighthouse. The cape - about 6km beyond Sagres (look out for the local lager) - is Europe's most southwestern point, and is where the ancients thought the world ended. It is also the site of the Battle of Cape St. Vincent (between Britain and Spain).
- Listen to some Fado - the Portuguese blues. The more popular forms of Fado are to be heard in cities by the sea, such as Lisbon or Porto.
- Portuguese souvenirs vary with the region. There's no such thing as a catch-all stick of rock really. From the Algarve bring back wicker crafts, straw hats and baskets, copper and tin objects, ceramics, and sweets made from figs, almonds and eggs. From the Azores, embroideries and lace, blankets and bedspreads, artificial flowers made with fish scales and blue and white ceramics. From Madeira, as well as embroideries, tapestries and wicker work, a pair of red-rimmed leather boots.
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All visitors must hold tickets and/or documents for their return or onward journey, and at least €74.82 plus €39.90 per day of stay, unless holding proof of paid accommodation. (Equivalent in convertible currency accepted). The borderless region known as the Schengen area includes the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. All these countries issue a standard Schengen visa that allows the holder, in principal, to travel freely within the borders of all.
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British citizens do not require a visa for a stay of up to 90 days.
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