You really don’t have to travel far from Lisbon to find some amazing beaches. In fact, some of these Sintra beaches are among my all time favourite beaches in Portugal. All of them are within the beautiful Sintra Cascais Natural Park and therefore largely unspoilt. They range from hidden covesRead More →
Contributed by golf travel expert, Andy Waple (see bio below). These days it’s hard to imagine the Algarve without golf, yet a ball was not struck on this sunshine coast until 1966, when the first of many Algarve golf courses was laid out at the newly-emerging Penina resort near PortimãoRead More →
If you’re looking for somewhere to go hiking near Lisbon, Sintra Cascais Natural Park has a wide range of walking trails to suit different fitness levels and interests. You can opt for shaded forest paths in the Sintra Mountains near several UNESCO World Heritage monuments or explore the park’s fascinatingRead More →
I only went to São Vicente de Fora monastery because I’d heard it had a good viewpoint. “It’s the best view of Lisbon,” promised the man on reception, “But before the view, there is all this to see,” he said, waving his hand towards a faded poster showing the highlightsRead More →
If you only have one day to explore the Douro Valley, a day trip from Porto will give you a taste of its beauty, culture and gastronomy that will linger in your memory and make you yearn to return (see below for other options if you have more time to spare). Read More →
With so many fun things to do in Braga, it’s well worth incorporating into your Northern Portugal itinerary. The former Roman city of Bracara Augusta is now the capital of Northern Portugal’s Minho region and is well and truly steeped in history and architectural treasures. Try to allocate at leastRead More →
If you’re staying in Porto for more than a couple of days, you’ll find a variety of places you can visit as a day trip from Porto. As well as the amazing Douro Valley and Vinho Verde wine regions, you’ll find beaches, nature reserves, medieval cities, Celtic settlements, fishing villages andRead More →
You won’t find any scantily clad ladies parading the cobbled streets of Lazarim for carnival. This tiny village in northern Portugal draws the crowds for its more traditional pre-Lenten celebrations (entrudo in Portuguese), which it claims are the “most genuine in Portugal”. The Caretos of Podence might have something toRead More →
Descriptions of picturesque balconies overhanging a river were enough to lure Mike and I to the pretty riverside town of Amarante on our way home from Porto. This first visit revealed enough things to do in Amarante to warrant a return trip, including glimpses of local lifestyles and traditions andRead More →
