Portugal is one of my favourite countries to visit and it has become a famous travel destination in the recent years, Portugal has historic cities, world-renowned cuisine, natural landscapes, and spectacular beaches. The weather and the variety of landscapes is why you should visit, this is a great vacation location.
10 Reason Why You Should Visit Portugal
1. Ancient Castles
Portugal is filled with a lot of castles and it is the oldest country in Europe as well. The history has been preserved so you will feel like you are going back in time. Places like Guimarães where Portugal’s first king was born, and Coimbra which is the home to one of the oldest universities in the world, Lisbon with the amazing views from Castelo de São Jorge.
2. Picturesque Towns Such As Sintra
You will find a lot of picturesque places in Portugal, such as Sintra which is know for its narrow roads and alleyways, it's palaces and gardens, and much more. If you love photography; then Portugal is the perfect place for you.
3. Festivals
Every year in June; Portugal comes alive with the festivals in celebration of the three Catholic saints. You will find parades, traditional street dances, and much more. The Portuguese really love their festivals! Since Portugal's history is Catholic; they celebrate a many saints all year round.
4. The Beautiful Beaches
There are over 100 beaches in Portugal all along the west coats, you will find beautiful beaches in Algarve, Comporta and Figueirinha. Be aware that the water might be cold since it's the Atlantic ocean, but you will be rewarded in the end with a beautiful sunset on the ocean.
5. The Portuguese Venice
Do you want a gondola ride just like Venice in Portugal? Then you should visit Aveiro. Aveiro is a city located on the west coast of Portugal along Ria de Aveiro Lagoon known as the "Portuguese Venice". This city is distinguished by its canals that are navigated by colourful boats which are traditionally used to harvest seaweed.
6. The Nightlife
Portuguese people know how to party really well, the nightlife in Portugal lasts until the morning. You will find a lot of street bars especially in Lisbon as well as a lot of nightclubs especially in Vilamoura.
7. It Is A Budget Friendly Destination
Portugal is a great destination if you are looking for a budget friendly destination. Portugal has been named one of the bets budget friendly destinations in Europe, and since it is a country rich is history, you will enjoy your trip there and all the history for half the price!
8. Its Amazing People
Portuguese people are so friendly, kind, and warm. The hospitality of the locals in Portugal is incredible, people will always be happy to help, they will make sure you eat well, and they will make sure you have fun and enjoy your stay there.
9. The Weather
Portugal has nearly perfect temperatures nearly all year round, it is not too hot during the summer and also not that cold during the winter.
10. Endless Outdoor Activities
You will not run out of outdoor activities to do in Portugal, the diverse landscape helps mixed with the good weather. You will never want to be inside when visiting Portugal, you will be doing a lot of walking, hiking, climbing, and much more!
What To Do Before Travelling To Portugal
🪪 Get Your Visa
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✈️ Book Tickets
Book your flights seamlessly with WayAway. Compare prices, find the best deals, and jet off to Portugal with ease! — Get 10% off WayAway Plus membership with this code → TP-385219.
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📱 Buy A Travel SIM-Card
Stay connected easily with Airalo SIM-card. Activate one before your trip and enjoy hassle-free communication during your time in Portugal!
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🔒 Choose Insurance
Ensure peace of mind during your trip to Portugal by having comprehensive coverage against any unforeseen circumstances.
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How To Get To Portugal
There are 3 main international airports in Portugal that you can easily reach from anywhere in the world, and they are: Humberto Delgado Airport or Lisbon Airport (LIS) in Lisbon, Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport or Porto Airport (OPO) in Porto, and Faro International Airport (FAO) in the Algarve region. If you are an international traveller then you can reach Portugal through one of these airports.
You can also reach Portugal by train or bus depending on where you are in Europe, but you will easily be able to get to Portugal.
I like to use Omio to find either trains or buses whenever I am travelling in Europe. If you are looking for cheap flights to get to Portugal, then your best option would be to use WayAway.
How To Move Around Portugal
Public transportation is great to use in Portugal, and you can also use Uber which would be a great option then it is actually cheap in Portugal and available in most cities whether big as Lisbon & Porto, or even small like Aveiro. You can book trains or buses from one city to the other, and take public transport to move within each city. Some cities can be explored on foot so you wouldn’t need to worry about moving around them, and also some cities are bike friendly so if you like to bike you can do so. You can also use scooters in most cities to explore.
You can book trains and buses through Omio to move from one city to the other, which as I mentioned before is my favourite app to use whenever I am travelling in Europe, and I have used it multiple times when I was in Portugal.
Best Time To Visit Portugal
You can visit Portugal all year long, I visited it twice so far, once in the winter and another in summer and I enjoyed both times. The ideal time to visit would be fall and spring which would be between March & October, during those times there will be fewer tourists and the prices would be cheaper as well. Also, during those times the weather is nice, it is neither hot nor cold, and there still is sunshine. But keep in mind that it would depend even more based on each city.
The best times to travel Lisbon would be between September and November, or March and May. During these two periods the weather is nice and cool, and it is going to be less crowded compared to other times. High seasons months are July and August, which means the streets are much more crowded than usual and the accommodation prices are higher as well. If you are a fan of festival, then June is the month for you. June is the month of festivals in Lisbon so it would be a perfect time to visit.
In comparison to Lisbon, Sintra is a little bit cooler as it has its own microclimate. The best times to visit is from April to June, and from September to November, but keep in mind that Sintra will always be busy and crowded as it one of the best places to visit in Portugal.
Cascais is very busy during the summer times, which is why the best times to visit is during Spring specifically late spring, as well as early summer, before the holidays begin. During this time the weather will be warm and nice but the water will be cold all the time as Cascais sits at the mouth of river Tagus which is the opening of the Atlantic sea.
Porto is a beautiful place to visit any time of the year but during the winter it rains a lot there. The best times to visit would be late spring or early autumn as it is sunny and the temperatures are much cooler, and also it won't be as crowded as during the summer as there are less tourists during these times.
The best times to visit Aveiro would be between March and September, the weather is nice and sunny during that period. You need 2 days to stay in Aveiro so it would be great if you want to go during the weekend. If you plan to visit between September and March, be aware that it gets cold at night in Aveiro as well as windy.
Accommodations In Portugal
You can find a lot of different accommodations in Portugal that would suit every budget, so if you are on a budget you won’t have to worry, and also if you want something luxurious you will be able to find a lot. Be aware that some cities are more expensive than the others.
For example; Aveiro has gained a lot of international exposure during the past few years, most options can be found in the city centre but keep in mind that most hotels as well as family-run housings are a bit overpriced. You can find a lot of great Airbnbs in Aveiro and that would be my favourite option, but in comparison to Lisbon and Porto, Aveiro is slightly more expensive. Which is why it is better to stay in Porto and go on a day trip to Aveiro, which is what I did.
Same thing goes for Sintra & Cascais, it would be better to stay in Lisbon and go on a day trip there, since you only need one day to explore both of these locations.
You can book your accommodation through Booking.com, which is the one I use the most, or if you wan to stay in a hostel you can book through HostelWorld. You can also use Agoda, Trivago, or Vrbo to book your accommodations. I know most people have a favourite website or app to use, so just choose what you prefer best.