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Portugal Travel Guide

Portugal Travel Guide

Portugal is a true less known gem of Europe. It surprised us time and again and exceeded all our expectations. If you are planning a trip to Portugal and not sure where to go and how to plan your trip, this guide will help you plan a perfect trip. Find out!

Our first introduction to Portugal was an island hopping trip in the Azores, years before we even started this blog. These little islands hidden in the middle of the Atlantic were still very much undiscovered to the big crowds at that time. It’s one of the most authentic locations we have visited in Europe.

Many years have passed until we finally decided to visit mainland Portugal as well. We booked the flights to Lisbon and made a 10-day road trip through Central Portugal. We were completely blown away! Every town, every village we visited was so lovely and each completely different from another. We never realized that Portugal had so much more to offer than a city break in Lisbon or Porto or a beach vacation in Algarve…

Talking about which. The moment we returned back home from our road trip, we knew we wanted to go back and explore more of Portugal. So we immediately booked the flights for next year and went back again.

This time we decided to visit the island of Madeira. At the same time, we made just a short stopover in Algarve and Alentejo coast. Just long enough to get us planning yet another trip to the region…

Yet a few years later, we traveled back to the Azores and loved it even more than the first time…

In the meantime, we go to Portugal several times a year, and we never want to leave.

It’s safe to say that Portugal truly captured our hearts. It has all of the ingredients for an unforgettable vacation for any type of traveler. Whether you are looking for history, architecture, food, local traditions, or beach and outdoors – Portugal has it all.

Below, you can find an overview of our blog posts about some of our most recent travel experiences in Portugal. It’s not a complete guide to Portugal, but it should give you plenty of ideas about the best places to see and the best things to do in various regions of Portugal. Find out!

Benagil cave in Algarve Portugal
Bussaco Palace Hotel at Mata do Bucaco Portugal
Ponta do Furado viewpoint at Ponta de São Lourenco hike in Madeira

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Portugal Travel Tips & Destination Guides

Central Portugal

Algarve

Madeira

The Azores

 

Plan Your Trip to Portugal

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Portugal depends on what you are planning to do.

For the best weather, sightseeing, as well as beaches, the best time to visit is between May and September. July and August are the peak months, especially at the beaches, and it gets really hot for sightseeing in the cities.

For milder weather for sightseeing, the best time to visit Portugal is in the shoulder season. April-May and September-November are great months for that.

Good to know: Both – Madeira and the Azores – are year-round destinations with milder weather than in mainland Portugal. In summer, it usually doesn’t get nearly as hot as in Portugal; and in winter, you can expect spring-like temperatures, but also more wind and some rain.

 

Flying to Portugal

There are many international flight carriers flying directly to Portugal and you can find the best flight deals by searching on the most popular flight comparison sites. There are also many airlines flying to Portugal, so a lot depends on where you are coming from/traveling to.

TIP: If you are looking for flights to Madeira, the Azores, but also for flights to Portugal from abroad, it’s usually best to check the FlyTAP website. TAP Air Portugal is the main airline in the country offering the best selection of flights to all Portuguese destinations.

Also, TAP sometimes has good deals for flights that include a free stopover in Lisbon. We once took advantage of that and could visit two Portuguese destinations in one trip at no extra cost.

Accommodation in Portugal

Accommodation is quite affordable in Portugal, especially outside of the biggest cities and the most popular tourist attractions. There are accommodations for all budgets and it’s quite easy to find good quality for a reasonable price. We always use Booking.com for hotels as well as private rentals in Portugal.

Car Rental in Portugal

Portugal is one of the most affordable countries in Europe for car hire too. Still, it’s best to book in advance or you risk paying a couple of times more, especially if traveling in the high season and booking last minute.

We always use the RentalCars website when renting a car and have often found some amazing deals in Portugal.

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Travel guide for visiting Portugal
 

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