Travel Guides: All Countries / Europe / Portugal
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| | | Great value for money |  | Why go on holiday to Portugal?
To lap up sunshine in the resorts but also to savour a rich variety of landscapes and historic towns. Visiting the undulating plains of the south, the dramatic mountain ranges, or the lush valleys of the north to take you far away from the crowds.
Portugal is great for kids - and the Portuguese are especially welcoming to them with lots of special kid-things for them to do. And Portugal offers great value for money!
How much does it cost?
At time of writing, you can expect to pay from £350 for a week self-catering in a villa in the Algarve in September (four sharing). Flights from £110 return. A double room in a mid-range hotel will cost you about £40 in high season and can drop as low as £25 in low season.
When should I go?
The Algarve is popular year-round and pleasant in the temperate winters (average temperature 16C/65F in Faro) as well as the scorching summers (28C/90F in July-August).
Portugal-wide the weather is good from April to October. The wettest season is November-March; the soggiest regions are in the extreme north and the central mountains.
The ski season runs between January-March and the only really good skiing is in February.
Braga's Easter or Holy Week Festival features colourful processions, and the Festa de Sao Joao in June is biggest in Porto where everyone dances through the streets. In Albufiera the Festa da Ourada on August 15 has a beach procession and party.
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| | | Laid-back capital |  | What should I do when I'm there?
Horseride in the Algarve and Alentejo, Lisbon and Ribatejo, Minho and Tras-os-Montes. Play golf in southern Portugal, which is jam-packed with championship-standard courses.
The more upmarket Algarve hotels offer tennis courts, professionals and lessons. The north (Minho, Moura, Castro, Laboreiro and Douro) has good fishing, the Algarve has deep-sea fishing.
Watersports include surfing, windsurfing, sailing and scuba diving. Walk in Portugal's 10 unspoiled, uncrowded national parks. Ski in Torre in the Parque Natural de Serra Estrela.
Where's best for beach holidays?
There are two main areas for beach holidays: the Algarve and the Lisbon coast around Estoril and the Caparica peninsula.
The Lisbon coast has an abundance of former palaces, mazes of cobbled streets, the cosmopolitan Estoril and sophisticated Cascais resorts. On the Setubal Peninsula you can get to hidden beaches by narrow-gauge railway during the season.
The main resorts in the Algarve surround Albufeira, which stretches 10km taking in many smaller villages. Ferragudo, Alvor and Praia do Vau are more peaceful resorts centred on tiny fishing villages.
Vilamoura is a purpose built resort with excellent sports facilities, which also serve nearby Almancil prettily nestling in olive and citrus groves. Cabanas has a beautiful beach and is 5km from the prettiest town in the Algarve - Tavira.
What else can I do?
Visit Lisbon. The laid-back capital has time-warp architecture, seven hills, waterside views, funiculars and trams.
See the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Museu do Azulejo, the Castelo Sao Jorge, the Capela de Sao Joao Baptista.
The lovely town of Sintra high on a hilltop, surrounded by lush woods and verdant valleys, has a beautiful medieval palace and grand mansions.
In the Algarve, visit Portimao's pretty squares and streets and Lagos' fortress and harbour. Take inland tours of the mountains and valleys, stopping at the tiny villages with their churches and squares.
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| | | Family friendly | | Where's good for nightlife?
Albufeira is the disco hot spot. Elsewhere in the Algarve, Lagos and Portimao have busy bars in the harbour areas, and Vilamour and Almancil share a happening scene with waterfront cafe-bars, discos and a casino.
Cabanas and Luzia have traditional bars and relaxed nightlife, Monte Gordo has lively bars and a casino.
On the Lisbon coast: Estoril is where the rich and famous hang out in genteel alfresco bars and restaurants, Cascais is for a more international youthful disco vibe.
Lisbon and Porto have clubs, discos and bars - in some of them the haunting 'fado' or Portuguese blues is performed. Bar hop through Lisbon's Bairro Alto.
What's the food like?
Portuguese food is cheap, delicious and served in gut-expanding portions.
Classic Portuguese meals include sardinhas assadas (charcoal-grilled sardines), pasteis de bacalhau (cod fishcakes) and caldo verde (a soup of cabbage and potatoes with slices of sausage).
Seafood dishes such as linguado grelhado (grilled sole) and bife de atun (tuna steak) are appetising staples. Meals can be washed down with Portugal's good-quality wines (vinhos) or port.
For breakfast try the delicious custard pastries and a cup of lovely coffee - you won't regret it.
What should I buy?
Port wine. Visit Vila nova de Gaia across the river from Porto to buy at source. Viana do Castelo in the Minho region has embroidered linen and cotton and lacework.
Ceramics -the black pots of Tras-os-Montes, the unique cabbage leaf crockery of Caldas da Rainha and earthenware jugs from Estremoz. Azulejos (decorated tiles) are made in Lisbon and the Algarve - they're not cheap but they are good value.
More expensive are the hand-stitched rugs of Arraiolos, woollen blankets from Alentejo, and the filigree jewellery of Porto. Leather goods are good value. Honey, olive oil and cork goods also make great gifts.
What is there for children to do?
The Algarve has at least three huge water slide parks along the N125 road. The Zoomarine aquatic park at Guia includes a dolphin show and performances from seals and parrots.
Kids love the Planeta Aventura which is a night-time theme park near Quarteira. Lisbon and Porto have tram museums, a naval museum and horse and cart rides all of which should appeal to children.
Portugal dos Pequenitos is a Coimbra theme park especially for kids. Portugal is generally child heaven.
Tourist office
Portuguese National Tourist Office, Portuguese Embassy, 11 Belgrave Square, London, SW1X 8PP. Tel: 0845 3551212.
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| | Available rental properties in Portugal |
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| |  | | No 2 Ocean View, Praia da Luz
Luxury airconditioned 3 bed, 2 bath townhouse with pool directly onto sea only 200 yards from centre of Luz with its beach, bars and restaurants.
|  | | Casa dos Bons
Outstanding 4 bedroom villa with a large swimming pool and large bright and airy rooms and set in a quiet village location, 7km north of Albufeira
|  | | Apt 98, Clube Nautilus
Luxurious apartment for up to 6 people, within 200m of the beach and situated in the middle of Portugal's stunning Algarve region.
|  | | Oporto City World Heritage Zone Apartment
Refurbished traditional dual-balconied apartment, 1st floor with elevator, situated within the UNESCO World Heritage Zone of Porto City.
|  | | Casa Katrina
Detatched private Villa, 3 bedrooms, with own private pool and garden in quiet location less than 30 minutes walk to Marina.
| | Click here for more properties... |
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