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Portugal Travel Guide

6 reasons to travel to Portugal

Taking a trip to Portugal means having the possibility to enjoy the sun without travelling too far or experiencing too great a culture shock. But that's not the whole story; here are 6 reasons to travel to Portugal.

1
Discover a country with a rich cultural heritage
2
Attend a bullfight where there's no bloodshed
3
Meet a welcoming people
4
Enjoy a sun-soaked coast
5
Listen to a real Fado
6
Try the delicious cuisine

1. Discover a country with a rich cultural heritage

Visiting Portugal means discovering a country with a unique heritage. Don't miss out on a trip to Porto or Lisbon, two history-filled cities. And it doesn't stop with those two visits; Portugal as a whole is superb!

2. Attend a bullfight where there's no bloodshed

If you're only familiar with classic bullfighting, as in Spain or the South of France, and if the idea of bloodshed has always put you off, make the most of your stay in Portugal to go and see a tourada. The spectacle is just as impressive, and the bulls in the arena aren't killed.

3. Meet a welcoming people

The stories are true: the Portuguese are incredibly friendly. They're very open to chatting, and you'll have no difficulty finding someone who speaks English. Which is very handy when you don't speak a word of Portuguese but still want to meet people!

4. Enjoy a sun-soaked coast

The charms of 800 km of Atlantic coastline are impossible to resist. You won't resist yielding to the appeal of one of the many beautiful Portuguese beaches. Hot in summer and mild throughout the rest of the year, the climate is ideal. But take care, as the water can be cold all the same!

5. Listen to a real Fado

Stroll around the alleys of the Alfama quarter of Lisbon at random. Walk into a small bar, seat yourself at the counter with the Portuguese locals and simply enjoy the melancholy sound of an authentic fado.

6. Try the delicious cuisine

During your trip to Portugal, you'll have the chance to indulge your foodie side. Let's drop the clichés: you'll eat more than just cod (although you've absolutely got to try it), as the country offers many diverse and delicious specialities. Portugal also produces very good wines. As for port wine, it's practically attained the status of a global legend.

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Why travel in Portugal

Just a few days to spare? Fancy a change of air without going too far from home? On the contrary, do you need a complete change of scenery at the other end of the planet? Here's our latest advice to decide if a trip to Portugal is for you or not.

You should go if...

You want sunshine not too far from home
You want to awaken your gourmet side
You imagine yourself listening to a real fado, with a glass of port in your hand
You love to meet friendly people
You find bullfights too cruel, but you can enjoy a bullfight without death at the end
You dream of riding in a yellow funicular tram in Lisbon

You shouldn't go if...

You like a total change of scenery
You love light cuisine
You're too depressed to hope of holding out for more than 2 fados in a row
You have no interest in historic sites
You believe that Ronaldo plays for Madrid because Lisbon is only good for retirees and there's nothing there to do there
You think that the restaurants only serve cod and you don't like fish

Customize your perfect trip to Portugal

Discover all our travel ideas for a trip in Portugal.

All our tours in Portugal

When to go in Portugal?

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The climate in Portugal is temperate and very comfortable. So there's no ideal time of year for a trip to Portugal: temperatures are favourable all year round. All the same, it's more pleasant to travel there in Spring or Autumn. In truth, winter can be cold inland, and summer is very hot almost everywhere. To make the most of this temperate country, then, we advise you travel in mid-season. The Algarve region, the furthest South in the country, can definitely be visited all year round. It offers splendid beaches, and temperatures never fall below 10 degrees!

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