Travel Guide
Portugal
Old historic nation, with idyllic scenery, amazing coastline, delicious gastronomy and friendly people.
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Welcome to Portugal
Located in southwestern Europe, Portugal is a small country with so much to offer. Boarding with the Atlantic Ocean and Spain, its territory also includes Azores and Madeira, both autonomous regions with their regional governments.
Portugal is one of the oldest nations in the world. In the 15th and 16th (known as the Age of Discovery), they were one of the world major economic, political and military empire, establishing the first global empire. In 1974 the Revolução dos Cravos was organized, democracy was restored, putting an end at the Portuguese Colonial War. However, Portugal left its influence across the globe, cultural, architectural and linguistic.
Portugal is one of the sunniest places in Europe. With a Mediterranean climate and mild temperatures almost all year. The islands, Azores and Madeira have a subtropical climate. Natural landscaping can be observed, with endemic fauna and flora. Laurisilva subtropical rainforest is only restricted to the Iberian Peninsula, nowadays.
The gastronomy is so rich, traditional and full of flavours. In general, dry cod (bacalhau) is widely consumed, with hundreds of recipes. Portuguese pastry, original from medieval catholic monasteries is a must-try. Port wine is appreciated around the world. Portuguese folk music, Fado, it is melancholic urban music, very sentimental, that will leave you speechless. With so much to see and do, you just can’t get bored in Portugal.
General Info
Know More
Our Portugal travel guide will help you plan your trip. Before going here are some simple guidelines to make it easier
Capital: Lisbon
Language: Portuguese
Time-zone: UTC+0 and UTC+1
Currency: Euro
Borders: Spain
The country has modern and flexible telecommunications. There is a wide range of media companies. You can get Wi-Fi in most public places and the network have a good connection.
It’s recommended to have a SIM card; at the airport or in any shop in town. Vodafone is the most reliable provider. Normally, the card is free of charge, you only have to load.
Portugal is a very safe country in general. Although pickpocketing is common special in big cities, violent attacks are unusual.
Keep safe by always be aware of your surroundings in public places. Travel scams aren’t frequent. But, be wise, keep your personal documents in a safe place. Don’t pull yourself to a bad situation. In hotels or transportation check before you go.
The healthcare system is good with pharmacies and doctors in almost anywhere in the country. Europeans citizens are eligible for free emergency medical treatment with the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
Citizens for other countries should check information with authorities before going. An insurance plan is advisable
Be careful in summer with hot weather. Jellyfish is not a common problem, although sometimes they are seeing in southern beaches. Watch out for sea urchins.
Tap water is safe to drink.
Citizens of EU/EEA and Switzerland can easily enter in Portugal only with identity cards. All other foreign need a valid passport for the visa required.
Portuguese immigration sometimes will check randomly if you have enough funds for the trip in the country or even a proof of a return ticket. For more information about visas see all here.
attractions
Best Experiences
Best Experiences
Porto
Located along the Douro river, Porto is one of the oldest cities in Portugal. The city core was proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Notable for the port wine, it’s also home to some traditional dishes like francesinha. You can miss the amazing bridges, the Lello & Irmão bookstore, one of the oldest in Portugal and Majestic café. Make sure to lose yourself in the little alleys and fall in love with this beautiful city.
Lisboa
Portugal capital is rich in architecture. Home to numerous museums, galleries and monuments like Bélem Tower. Take a trip to the Castle of São Jorge to have a panoramic view of the city.
Visit the historic Bairros to know more about the traditional lifestyle and enjoy Fado, traditional Portuguese music.
Douro Region
The wine-producing region known for the acclaimed port wine and other quality wines. Here you can discover breath-taking landscaping ideal to relax and enjoy life at its best. Wine tasting is one of the experiences you can have almost in every farm of the region.
Serra da Estrela
Where the highest mountain range of mainland Portugal is located. It’s 1993 meters above sea level. The mountainous region offers good opportunities for winter sports. But, at summertime is also full of life, with Loriga being the most wanted spot to visit. Discover Covão dos Conchos, a unique natural sinkhole. Don’t leave without the traditional Serra da Estrela cheese, a recipe with more than 200 years old.
Sintra
Just a short trip from the capital, enchanted Sintra looks like a fairy tale. With imposing castles, mansions, centuries-old monasteries protected by forested hillsides and mysterious gardens. The Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira it's a must-visit. At night the fog brings even more enigmatic feeling.
Porto
Located along the Douro river, Porto is one of the oldest cities in Portugal. The city core was proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Notable for the port wine, it’s also home to some traditional dishes like francesinha. You can miss the amazing bridges, the Lello & Irmão bookstore, one of the oldest in Portugal and Majestic café. Make sure to lose yourself in the little alleys and fall in love with this beautiful city.
Lisboa
Portugal capital is rich in architecture. Home to numerous museums, galleries and monuments like Bélem Tower. Take a trip to the Castle of São Jorge to have a panoramic view of the city.
Visit the historic Bairros to know more about the traditional lifestyle and enjoy Fado, traditional Portuguese music.
Douro Region
The wine-producing region known for the acclaimed port wine and other quality wines. Here you can discover breath-taking landscaping ideal to relax and enjoy life at its best. Wine tasting is one of the experiences you can have almost in every farm of the region.
Serra da Estrela
Where the highest mountain range of mainland Portugal is located. It’s 1993 above sea level. The mountainous region offers good opportunities for winter sports. But, at summertime is also full of life, with Loriga being the most wanted spot to visit. Discover Covão dos Conchos, a unique natural sinkhole. Don’t leave without the traditional Serra da Estrela cheese, a recipe with more than 200 years old.
Sintra
Just a short trip from the capital, enchanted Sintra looks like a fairy tale. With imposing castles, mansions, centuries-old monasteries protected by forested hillsides and mysterious gardens. The Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira it's a must-visit. At night the fog brings even more enigmatic feeling.
Transportations
How to Move Around
Portugal is a very easy country to move around, as the country is not large. With a good connection of transportation. Only in the most rural areas, it is more complicated. Services like train or buses can be found almost everywhere. You can also rent a car or use a taxi.
Arrive & Leave
Get Around
Flights
Arriving or leaving to Portugal by plane is cheap and quick. Many airlines have been open routes across Europe to the country, like the low coast Ryanair, Easyjet or Wizz Air.
If you want to go to the islands, Azores and Madeira there are flights almost every day from Lisbon and Porto. For 40-60€ you can reach the islands. Lately, some airlines opened direct routes to the islands too. TAP, have multiple daily flights from Lisbon-Porto and Lisbon-Faro. Although most of the time is cheap, always check other options before going.
Train & Buses
There are train and buses services from Portugal to other European countries.
Flixbus is the main operator for buses. Departing mainly from Lisbon. For trains seek for information at CP Portugal.
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Accommodation
Where to Sleep
Accommodation in Portugal is very affordable. Depending on the season it’s wisely to book in advance, especially in summer months.
You can choose from a wide variety of properties. Hotels are the cheapest, with a good present in big cities like Lisbon on Porto. Many hotels are part of the Pousadas da Juventude. You can get a HI card to save money.
Pousadas de Portugal is a good option for staying in a historic building. The Pestana group turn the old buildings into beautiful places to stay with an elegant taste.
Guesthouses or Pensão usually family-run places with fair prices. You have also hostels, private rooms and apartments to rent and in summer it’s possible to camping.
The campground generally is run by Orbitur. One of the best experiences is to stay in a traditional property lodging. You can find them at Aldeias de Portugal, Casas no Campo and Solares de Portugal.
For book accommodation at the best prices and also helps us without any cost, please use the affiliated Booking search box.
Destinations
Best Time to Visit Portugal
As you can see below, peak season run between June and September. Good weather but, more crowd and prices rise. Low season from November to February is the cheapest, fewer people but the weather could be cold and rain.
The best time to visit is in shoulder season. October or between March and May, you will have nice weather, good prices and not so crowded.
Months |
|---|
January |
February |
March |
April |
May |
June |
July |
August |
Setember |
October |
November |
December |
Low Season | Shoulder Season | High Season | |
|---|---|---|---|
Prices | Cheapest | Cheap | Expensive |
Weather | Cold and Rain | Mild | Hot and Sun |
Crowds | Minimal | Moderate | Large |
Low Season | |
|---|---|
Prices | Cheapest |
Weather | Cold and Rain |
Crowds | Minimal |
Shoulder Season | |
|---|---|
Prices | Cheap |
Weather | Mild |
Crowds | Moderate |
High Season | |
|---|---|
Prices | Expensive |
Weather | Hot and Sun |
Crowds | Large |
Best months to visit Portugal
March, April, May and October
- Good weather with pleasing temperatures
- Fewer crowds
- Prices aren't as expensive as high season
- Days have enough daylight
strategy
Plan your trip
You can easily plan your next trip with the tools below. They are affiliated links, by using them you are helping us, without any cost, continue our work.
