PORTUGAL
Situated to the west of Spain, and sharing the Iberian peninsula with Spain, Portugal, till a few decades ago was one of Europe’s best kept secrets. Few people realised the beauty of this small isolated country, and it is only after it joined the European Union in 1986, that the influx of tourists began to increase manifold. However, despite it’s rapidly increasing popularity, it remains one of the best destinations in Europe and great value for money.
Within this small country you can travel within a day from the wonderful seaside resorts of the Algarve to the forest covered mountains of the north, you can go from a desert like area in Alentejo to spectacular slopes and waterfalls in the Central region.
Portugal is a golfer’s paradise. Among its many golf courses, 14 of them have been judged to be among the Top 100 courses in Europe. The climate is very conducive to yearlong golfing holidays.
Portugal still retains it’s old world charm, there are picturesque old villages which dot the countryside, there are medieval castles and sun kissed beaches and everywhere you can see signs of Portugal’s proud history.
Visitor suggestions:
Must see: Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, has Gothic cathedrals and great museums. The narrow backstreets do not seem to have changed over centuries and are a delight to walk in.
Must visit: The countryside in Portugal is always worth a visit. Drive around this area and visit places such as Viana Do Castelo and Chaves.
Must eat: Soup is one of the essential parts of their menu and the most popular soup is the ‘caldo verde‘. Fish is popular throughout Portugal, sardine escabeche is a popular recipe in the Algarve.
Must drink: Portugal is famous for its wines. Green wine is a light sparkling white produced in the north of the country. There are many good red wine groeing regions in Portugal such as Douro which produces Dao.
When to go:
The weather in Portugal is generally mild and sunny,especially in the Algarve. Inland in regions such as Alentejo, temperatures can be very high in the summer. The peak seasons extend from mid-June to mid-September, but if you want to avoid the crowds, then travel to Portugal in the spring or in late autumn. During winter many of the regions of Portugal experience rain, and it is particularly heavy in the north.
How to get there:
The three major airports in Portugal are Lisbon, Porto and Faro on the Algarve. There are flights here from all major European capitals and many cheaper charter flights also come to these airports. Blue Valley Car Hire provide car rental at all airports in Portugal
Sat Nav Hire in Portugal:
Hire a sat nav online for your holiday from our partners at Zintech