Portugal Holidays

EACH year thousands of tourists flock to Portugal's Algarve coastline to enjoy its immaculately lawned golf courses and fabulous resorts. For those seeking sun, sea, sand and sporting relaxation it's an ideal holiday destination. But the more culturally inquisitive visitor should cast their net further afield. Portugal won’t disappoint - it’s a country packed full of achient towns and fortresses, Roman temples and opulent country estates. Visitors can delight in the wild, unspoilt country and coastlines or enjoy its host of charming and cosmopolitan cities. Either way Portugal is a country that provides a little something for everyone.



CITIES
Portugal's capital Lisbon and second city Porto are the perfect weekend break destinations. Easily reached from airports within the UK, they have plenty to keep the family occupied from fine dining in its many excellent restaurants to hopping on one of the ancient trams that still rumble across the cities.

A labyrinth of higgledy piggledy old lanes in the Alfama area below the city's castle are wonderfully charming and there are several firstclass museums. Lovers of art should pay a visit to Lisbon’s contemporary art museum gallery.

Porto's old town is unspoilt and the historic port cellars are well worth a visit. Don’t miss out on the old university town of Coimbra with its Baroque library, ancient alleyways and medieval cathedral.

SIGHTSEEING
Portugal's ancient towns are a visual feast to the senses: Wander around Évora’s Roman temple and Moorish alleys, watch the world go by in the many cafes of Alcobaça, Beja and Braga’s, towns steeped in religious history with medieval churches and cobbled streets. Charming Óbidos is a pretty village surrounded by a wall and green, verdant forests and Sintra boasts magnificent palaces and country estates. Its rural setting is also outstanding, from the picturesque coves and high tides of the Vila Nova de Milfontes to the stunning Douro river valley where colourful vineyards and old wolde cottages nestle alongside its banks. For the more adventurous, check out the wild mountainous region of the national parks of Serra da Estrela, Peneda-Gerês and Montesinho.

SHOPPING
Lisbon and Porto boast fantastic shopping malls, whist Lisbon's Baixa area offers traditional fare. Those in search of designer fashion should check out Rua Garrett in the Chiado, where there are fashionable boutiques galore. In Porto you will find an interesting mix of upmarket designer boutiques alongside traditional old shops and markets. While prices compare favourably with the UK, don’t expect to find the bargains that were around in the pre-euro days.

FOOD
Expect to find Portugese food hearty and flavoursom. With so many ports and harbours, it’s little surprise that fresh seasfood is exceptionally good with soups and stews as well as bakes and barbecues. The national dish bacalhau - dried cod, cooked in a variety of ways – is delicious, while local cheeses and smoked meats are also well worth sampling.

Portugal is heaven for those with a sweet tooth - pastries - particularly custard tarts and marzipan cakes, are a delicious treat. Portuguese beers are tastey and thirst-quenching and wine is of a good standard and is generally cheap. Sample Vinho Verde (green wine) which is fresh and lightly sparkling. Portugal is also famous for two of the world's most famous fortified wines - Madeira and Port.

FAMILY
Family is king in Portugal and it is not unusual to see young children dining in a restaurants, even late into the night. The same is true in hotels and guest houses, where children under six share their parents' room at no extra cost. Traffic is the only danger area for parents of young children - drivers are not very pedestrian-friendly. Also watch out for the fierce sunshine. Plenty of sunscreen and a hat are strongly recommended. The Algarve also boasts several theme parks and aquariums which the children will love.

RESORTS With is endless expanse of beaches, world-famous golf courses and fabulous villas, the Algarve is arguably one of the most popular holiday resorts in the world. The coastline around Lisbon is also being developed and upmarket Estoril and pituresque Cascais, both south of the city, are also attracting the tourists.

For a taste of real Portugese living head for the less developed but more exposed beaches that line the country's west coastline. Here, resorts are small-scale and authentic Portuguese.

Portugal's islands are also an area of outstanding natural beauty. The Azores are a haven for lovers of nature, consisting of nine lush green islands 1,000 miles out into the Atlantic, they offer whale and dolphin watching and volcanic scenery. Madeira's temperate climate makes a great environment for wellness and spa treatments all year round.

NIGHTLIFE
Nights on the town in Portugal are typically relaxed affairs with leisurely dining continuing late into the night. Lisbon and Porto claim the coolest bars and clubs with vibrant nightlife to rival anywhere else in Europe. On the Algarve coast, Albufeira's bars and clubs are bustling and exciting.

For a more authentic Portugese expereince check out the soulful laments of fado. There are fado houses in most towns, but in particular Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto.

GETTING THERE
Portugal is easily accessed from airports out of the UK, particularly Faro on the Algarve. Direct flights to Lisbon and Porto are also widely available from national carriers and low cost airlines and you can now fly direct to the Azores and Madeira from London airports.

The train network is efficient, reliable and cheap. Some lines are well worth a journey for the scenery alone, the stunning Tâmega, Corgo, Tua Valley and Douro routes in particular.

Hiring a car is also a popular option. While there is a network of fast toll roads connecting major cities and towns, beware of old national roads which can be narrow, winding and terrifying. Portuguese drivers are not known for a relaxed attitude to driving so take care!

THE PERFECT BEACH
Armacao de Pera and Portimao lay claim to pretty coves and sandstone cliffs, whilst East of Armacao de Pera there are wider, longer, uninterrupted beaches. In the west coast you'll find dramatic Atlantic rollers. With 100 miles of coastline to choose from, this is our guide to some of the best beaches in the Algarve.

Senhora da Rocha is an cosy bay with blush-tinted cliffs and an excllent cafe/restaurant on the beach and a charming chapel above it. A few minutes walk by a connecting tunnel to the next beach you will find space a plenty but watch out for incoming tides. Parking is good above the cliffs and there are plenty of restaurants.

Vale do Garrao is a sumptious sandy beach and in the waterfront Julia's restaurant you can star spot the many celebrities who own second homes in nearby Quinta do Lago.

Vale do Lobo is is one of the longest beaches in the Algarve, with picture postcard deep sands. You can hire banana boats and windsurf.

Praia da Luz is a swimmer and watersport paradise. Pretty fishing boats bob on the surface of the water. There is an attractive promenade with restaurants and shops. Parasols and sunbeds are easily obtained and there is plenty of good parking.

Praia do Castelinho is rugged and often empty, with plenty of Atlantic rollers and picturesque little pools, it is ideal for taking the kids crabbing. There's a no-nonsense cafe/ restaurant at the car park. Do take care of high waves, however, this beach is definitely only for strong swimmers.

Gaynor Pengelly is a business and travel journalist who writes for The Mail on Sunday, Independent, CityAM, Yorkshire Post and various glossy magazines. Previously, Gaynor worked as business travel editor at The Mail on Sunday and was also interviewer on The Mail on Sunday’s Rich Report, a glossy dossier on Britain's wealthy. In 2000 she was nominated for a British Press Award.