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Holidays to Portugal

Portugal is situated on the Iberian Peninsula and has a long and varying coastline, with a warm balmy climate and luxurious sun kissed beaches, which makes Portugal holidays a very attractive choice for holidaymakers. The lifestyle is relaxed and the country is dotted with many picturesque towns and villages. The delight of Portugal is that although it is undeniably part of modern Europe, it retains some rural enclaves where time has stood still and traditions flourish. In the southern province of the Algarve, modern high-rise resorts line the coast. Check our Algarve holiday deals and enjoy some of the most spectacular beaches in Portugal.

The capital city, Lisbon, on the west coast, is a bright, busy, crowded metropolis surrounded by bustling tourist resorts. Travel a few miles north or east, however, and discover a largely undeveloped picturesque countryside full of medieval villages and towns where life has changed little over several centuries.

Portugal has a long history of seafarers and for centuries famous Portuguese mariners led the exploration into the Americas and Africa, and opened trade routes to the East. The country became a strong colonial power, and remained so until the mid-20th century, resulting in distinctive foreign influences on local culture and architecture. From Africa, for example, was imported the now traditional, sentimental fado music, which is one of the country's unique experiences for visitors, particularly in the cafés of Lisbon.

Portugal has often been overlooked as a top holiday destination but its enchanting coves and white-sandy beaches are fast becoming a new treasure, as the Portuguese now invest in ensuring the world discovers their land. This new age of discovery is paying off, as increasing numbers of visitors arrive each year, causing a boom in hotel and resort construction. From a visitor's point of view the size of the country makes it easy to take in all the best elements during holidays in Portugal: sandy beaches; scenery; history; wonderful cuisine; lively entertainment; charming handcrafts; thrilling nightlife; country fairs; excellent sporting facilities and warm, friendly people.

Portugal resorts offer idyllic and enchanting holidays in the sun. From the quaint cobbled streets of the medieval citadel in Lisbon and the lush cork forests in Alentejo, to the fishermen mending their nets on remote beaches, and the shopping malls and sophisticated glitzy resorts, Portugal is a country well worth discovering.



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Lisbon

Lisbon is the 'golden city' capital of Portugal and in recent years has reclaimed it's place as one of the most beautiful cities in southern Europe. After slumbering for decades, the city's modern, vibrant and cosmopolitan identity is today much similar to that which it enjoyed in the 15th and 16th centuries during the age of the great discoverers, when Lisbon was the centre of trade with the East and the starting point for maritime exploration of the globe.

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Lagos

Lagos is one of the most popular Algarve holiday resorts, consisting of an ancient port area and some spectacular beaches. Visitors to Lagos can also take time to discover some of the town's history, which goes back to the Carthaginians several centuries BC. During the great Portuguese age of discovery under Henry the Navigator, the port became a caravel shipyard and was the jumping-off point for many a voyage to the East. Few historic buildings remain, apart from some ruins in the old section of town, because of the devastating earthquake of 1755. Much of the central town area today consists of a sprawling flea market. Also to be seen is Customs House - within its arches Europe's first slave market was conducted in 1441. There is also the beautiful church of Igreja de Santo Antonio, restored in 1715 and decorated with fantasy-inspired carvings. The municipal museum in the town houses an interesting and varied collection from Roman artefacts to deformed animal foetuses. The most splendid beach is Meia Praia to the east of town; the southern promontory features some sheltered cove beaches; while Praia de Dona Ana is picturesque but usually very crowded in summer.

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The Azores

Untouched by tourist development the natural beauty of the nine islands in the Azores, which are part of Portugal, offer an enchanting tropical holiday on remote islands. International flights do make their way to the Azores, which lie 907 miles (1,460km) from the coast of Europe, but as yet tourism has not spoilt the traditional way of life of the islanders or marred the magnificent natural attractions. Those who visit soon manage to drop the words 'stress' and 'pollution' from their vocabulary, and give in totally to enjoying the islands' year round subtropical climate with mild temperatures and high humidity. The only concern that might arise is the odd earth tremor: the islands are rather geologically unstable and pitted with volcanoes and hot sulphur springs. The 250,000 inhabitants seem unperturbed by this, however, and go about their daily rounds much as their forefathers did hundreds of years before. The daily business is generally agricultural labour. The Azores is characterised by large tracts of vineyards and farmland, sprinkled with little settlements of whitewashed houses. The gently sloping hillsides are carpeted with vineyards and fruit orchards. The coast of the islands is, in the main, rather rugged, but there are bays and inlets with odd stretches of white sand for swimming and sunbathing. Island hopping is simple to achieve because all the islands are connected by ferry and local air services.

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All offers are subject to availability and are subject to change. Alternative dates may be available.