I want emails from Lonely Planet with travel and product information, promotions, advertisements, third-party offers, and surveys. Oh, and not to mention, a lot of wine. Portugal has its share of boutique hotels and swanky beach resorts, but some of its most memorable lodging is found inside its lavish pousadas (upmarket inns). If there's one thing that a travel cum gastronomy guide book should do, it is make you want to go there and eat, and Lonely Planet's "World Food Guide - Portugal" does that with gusto. by Lynelle Scott-Aitken, Clara de Macedo Vitorino (Lonely Planet) ISBN: 1864501111 286 pp. Round a bend and catch sight of steeply pitched rooftops leading down to the glittering Tejo, and you'll know you’re hooked…. Ilha de Tavira has the lot for sunseekers, beach bums, nature lovers (and naturists): kilometre after kilometre of golden beach (think sand, sand, sand, as far as the eye can see), a designated nudist area, transport via miniature train, busy restaurants and a campground. Portugal's mix of the medieval and the maritime makes it a superb place for a road trip. The High Mountains of Portugal, by Yann Martel It’s 1904, and a young man named Tomás has discovered an old journal. Gnarled fishermen still mend their nets, and rustically clad women sell fish and produce in markets. Its fantastic architecture, diverse population, delicious seafood, intriguing tile-work and non-stop night-life bring together the best elements of Portuguese life. Besides the breath-taking landscapes you can enjoy in safety, you will find nice, welcoming people who will make your trip an unforgettable … Consult Travel and Leisure's Portugal travel guide, to pack in the best of Portugal's many delights. You’ll long to take one home. Depending on the length of your trip, assuming you're using public transportation, and taking geographic proximity into account, here are my recommended priorities: If you want Easter processions, head to Braga. Whether you get here by driving the impossibly scenic back roads, or by train or boat from Porto, take the time to hike, cruise and taste. Somehow, their appeal lies in not knowing. Wandering through the tangle of ancient streets and whitewashed houses of Óbidos is enchanting at any time of year, but come during one of its festivals and you’ll be in for a special treat. Days are spent playing in the waves, taking long oceanfront strolls and surfing memorable breaks. Here’s the remarkable 12th-century cathedral, there’s a 14th-century church. Portugal’s third-largest city enjoys terrific restaurants, a vibrant university and raucous festivals, but when it comes to historic sites it is unparalleled in Portugal. Portugal’s atmospheric college town, Coimbra rises steeply from the Rio Mondego to a medieval quarter housing one of Europe’s oldest universities. Copyright © Portugal Travel Guide. Scroll down for a range of articles about where to go and what to see and do in Europe's sun-blessed south-westernmost country. Portugal travel facts Geography: Including the perimeter of its islands, Portugal boasts 1793 kilometres of coastline. Always a seafaring culture, the Portuguese know a thing or two about cooking fish. If you like to travel on your own, include Portugal in your plans. Exquisite displays cover Porto’s train station and iconic churches, with larger-than-life stories painted on the ceramic surfaces. Whether attending a jousting match or climbing the castle walls at the medieval fair, searching for the next Pavarotti at the Festival de Ópera or delving into the written world at Folio – Portugal's newest international literature festival – you couldn’t ask for a better backdrop. Its age-old stone villages seem lost in time and, in remote areas, wolves still roam. Portugal’s highest mountains blend rugged scenery, outdoor adventure and vanishing traditional ways. Lisbon is perhaps Europe’s most pleasant and affordable city. Portugal Travel Guide. Its steeply terraced hills, stitched together with craggy vines that have produced luscious wines for centuries, loom either side of the Rio Douro. Do not travel to Portugal due to COVID-19.. Read the Department of State’s COVID-19 page before you plan any international travel.. The vast, rugged wilderness of Portugal’s northernmost park is home to dramatic peaks, meandering streams and rolling hillsides covered with wildflowers. For endless days of sun and refreshing ocean temperatures, come in summer; but to escape the crowds, plan a low-season visit, when prices dive and crowds disperse. The best place to start the hunt: Museu Nacional do Azulejo, home to azulejos dating back 400 years. There are sandy islands reachable only by boat, dramatic cliff-backed shores, rugged rarely visited beaches and people-packed sands near buzzing nightlife. This special spot feels like the middle of the wilderness, yet it’s right off the Algarvian coast. From schist-walled communities spilling down terraced hillsides to spiky-edged sentinels that once guarded the eastern border against Spanish incursions, the inland Beiras are filled with picturesque and historical villages: Piódão, Trancoso, Sortelha, Monsanto, Idanha-a-Velha… Today mostly devoid of residents but not yet overwhelmed by mass tourism, they are some of the country’s most peaceful and appealing destinations. Top things to do in Portugal 2021.4. Besides the breath-taking landscapes you can enjoy in safety, you will find nice, welcoming people who will make your trip an unforgettable … ), you can slalom down Portugal’s only ski slope. One of the great culinary wonders of Portugal, the cinnamon-dusted pastel de nata (custard tart), with its flaky crust and creamy centre, lurks irresistibly behind pastry counters across the country; the best are served piping hot in Belém, and draw foodies from all across the globe. Then wander downhill to Cais do Sodré, a former red-light district turned hipster playground, or to Bica for a lively local bar scene. Along Portugal's south coast, the Algarve is home to a wildly varied coastline. This page can't load Google Maps correctly. But along with the old, you'll also find the modern, especially in the culturally rich capital of Lisbon and the second city of Porto. 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. Get into football. Despite its years, fado remains a living art, heard in tiny family-run restaurants, like A Baiuca, and elegant music halls alike. The region is also home to fascinating mountain villages that make good bases for outdoor adventures. Lonely Planet’s Portugal is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. Visitors can inspect various ornate rooms, statues, fountains, underground tunnels, a chapel and even an aquarium. All rights reserved. Were they fertility symbols or proprietorial land boundaries? As its name implies, the lovely town of Caldas da Rainha (Queen’s Spa) an hour’s drive north of Lisbon in central Portugal preserves the eternal and loving memory of one […]. The windswept cape is redolent of history – if you squint hard (really hard), you will see the ghost of Vasco da Gama sailing past. The fog that sweeps in by night adds another layer of mystery, and cool evenings are best spent fireside in one of Sintra’s many charming B&Bs. Portugal is a land of pageants, processions, lively country fairs and other joyful folklore-based festivities where tourists who happen upon them by accident can expect the unexpected. Lisbon and Porto have become hot travel destinations in recent years, but there is so much more to see. String a few together into the perfect road trip – or, better yet, don your walking shoes and experience these ancient places at a medieval pace. From bar-lined city beaches to vast, empty stretches of golden sand, Portugal has sun-kissed shores of every type. Romantics will love Lisbon’s mid-June Festa de Santo António, with ubiquitous parties and locals plying sweethearts with poems and pots of aromatic basil. Portugal Travel Guide. Hikers can choose from a network of high-country trails with stupendous vistas. Famous for its creamy cheeses, Serpa is a peaceful agricultural hilltop town of lovely white houses huddled around an ancient castle in the south-eastern corner of the Alentejo. Discover the best hotels, restaurants and things to do with this highly curated Lisbon travel guide. It hints at an extraordinary artifact that could redefine history. Laced with narrow pedestrian laneways, Porto is blessed with baroque churches, epic theatres and sprawling plazas. Like chestnuts being roasted in the streets of Portugal during winter, the sight of sardines sizzling on a charcoal grill throughout the hot summer months is always a feast for […]. Roughly rectangular in shape and with a population of around ten million people, Portugal has much to offer the modern visitor – young and old alike. Of course, when it comes to dessert, Portugal is more than a one-hit wonder, with a dazzling array of regional sweets – from the jewel-like Algarve marzipan to Sintra’s heavenly almond-and-egg travesseiros to Serpa’s cheesecake-like queijadas. Nestled between Spain and the Atlantic Ocean, it's no surprise that Portugal has abundant seafood and beautiful beaches. Some of Portugal’s most captivating works of art are out on the streets – free viewing for anyone who strolls past. No, U.S. citizens cannot travel directly from the United States to Portugal for non-essential travel (i.e. The Minho is famous for its sprawling outdoor markets, but the largest, oldest and most celebrated is the Feira de Barcelos, held every Thursday in this ancient town on the banks of the Rio Cávado. View CNN's Portugal Travel Guide to explore the best things to do and places to stay, plus get insider tips, watch video and read inspiring narratives. Portugal is a true less known gem of Europe.It surprised us time and again and exceeded all our expectations. Portugal has its share of boutique hotels and swanky beach resorts, but some of its most memorable lodging is found inside its lavish pousadas (upmarket inns). There’s always something to celebrate in Portugal. And it’s all accessible from various towns – have a boat drop you at a deserted beach, or amble along the nature trail among the precious wetland birdlife. Visit Lisbon for an unforgettable adventure. Inside the 14th-century walls, Évora’s narrow, winding lanes lead to striking architectural works including an elaborate medieval cathedral and cloisters, Roman ruins and a picturesque town square. © 2021 Lonely Planet. Its cuisine, fine wines, and hospitable people make this a great destination for the responsible traveller. Stroll over the Dom Luís I Bridge, … Its only neighbour is Spain, and it shares the same time zone as the UK. Perched in the foothills of the São Mamede mountains, Portalegre is a delightful 17th-century city of lovely old houses with wrought-iron grilles and balconies nestling in the north-eastern corner of […], Located 30km north of Abrantes, the small town of Vila de Rei (which means King’s Town) is a pretty place set in a wonderland of pinewoods, lakes, running streams and […]. Portugal travel guide About Portugal A rich and varied land of vibrant cities and traditional villages, visitors are astounded by the country’s stunning beaches, rolling countryside and cornucopia of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which range from prehistoric drawings at … Whether you want to take a beach holiday in the Algarve, sip wine in the Duoro Valley or surf big waves, find the best time to go to Portugal. Born in a working-class Lisbon neighbourhood, the melancholic music of fado has been around for centuries. After a long hike, you can recharge in refreshing swimming holes or steamy thermal springs. Medieval castles, cobblestone villages, captivating cities and golden beaches: the Portugal experience can be many things. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. How did such massive rocks get hauled into place? In One Week; In Two Weeks; For Families; The Algarve; Book Hotels. Students roam the narrow streets clad in black capes, while strolling fado musicians give free concerts beneath the Moorish town gate or under the stained-glass windows of Café Santa Cruz. Portugal Travel Guide Portugal is the perfect combination of white sandy beaches, architecturally beautiful cities, rugged coastlines, and a booming restaurant scene. One of Portugal’s most precious creatures is the remarkable Mediterranean chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) which inhabits the coastal areas of the country’s sun-drenched southern shoreline. Only Portuguese nationals, holders of Portuguese and EU-member residency permits, and holders of other long-term visas issued by Portuguese authorities may enter the country. The Portugal Guide - Portugal holiday information, accommodation, sections on towns, maps, photos, tourist attractions, beaches, history and weather. Hopping aboard one of Europe’s earliest automobiles, he goes in search of this new treasure. Things to Do; Planning a Trip; In Depth; Active Pursuits; Spectator Sports; Suggested Itineraries. It's a major hotspot for birdwatchers, as it's a key stopover on the migration between Europe and Africa. Despite its small geographic footprint, Portugal has had a rich past, which included a colonial empire that had holdings around the globe, from the Americas to the Far East. Portugal Perched on the Atlantic on the far edge of Europe, Portugal preserves a salty, traditional culture. We hope you enjoy what you read and wish you a very pleasant stay in Portugal. 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