Holidays in Portugal

Braised cod fish, red potatoes, bell pepper & olives

Undoubtedly one of the highlights of any holiday in Portugal will be enjoying the diversity of fresh seafood, the locally made wine Portugal is famous for (Port, for example) and the custards and delicious egg-based tarts for dessert.

In the capital city of Lisbon, there are a multitude of restaurants and cafes, catering to many different dietary needs, including vegetarian and gluten-free.

For a full description of the mouth-watering dishes available in Portuguese cuisine, and a captivating video of Portuguese chef Marino Tavares, (he looks a bit like George Clooney!) making the traditional Seafood Cataplana, see the full article, at Portuguese Food.

Included also is a delightful video of Lucy Pepper, a bright young Englishwoman married to a Portuguese husband. She and her mother-in-law have collaborated in writing a guidebook; Eat Portugal: The Essential Guide to Portuguese Food. This wonderful resource helps travelers to navigate successfully through Portuguese menus, and translates many of the dish names, so you know what you’re ordering!

Portugal is a gorgeous country filled with beautiful places to see and experience and sumptuous cuisine to enjoy. Eat authentic and experience the wonders of Portuguese cuisine.

Bon Appetite and Viva Portugal!

Portugal is a diverse country with a talented, vibrant and artistic population. Portugal is a popular European tourist destination with a mild climate, a rich history, and over 500 miles of coastline.

This amazing country sets the stage for a variety of music festivals. The most popular ones take place in the summer; such as the Boom festival in July & August, Rock in Rio Lisboa, and the Super Bock Super Rock Festival in July. These festivals draw people from all over the world. Since most of them are outdoors, or at least open-air, they are well-suited for the summer weather.

Historic Lisbon is well-known for the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra, which has the privilege of playing in stunningly beautiful historic opera houses. Featuring various internationally renowned conductors and soloists,  the ‘Great Orchestras of the World’ series is presented in Lisbon’s Coliseu dos Recreios, November to April annually.

For more information on music festivals in Portugal, please visit my new page!

The mild climate in Portugal is well suited for pleasant holidays. The summer months (July and August) are the hottest and driest with a mean average temperature of 80 degrees. The winter months (November thru February) are the coldest and wettest, with an average temperature of 55 degrees.

Plenty of  fresh air is constantly wafting in off the Atlantic coast, bathing the island archipelagos Madeira Island and the Azores, and Portugal’s coastal areas in a balmy atmosphere that encourages deep breathing! Portugal’s islands are known for being pleasant all year round, with a spike in summer heat. The southern region of Portugal, called the Algarve, is also known for being dry and hot. The Algarve averages 300 sunny days per year, again with elevated temperatures in July and August which may be uncomfortably hot for some travelers.

The northern climatic zones get more rain and cooler temperatures in the winter, and even snowfall in the Serra da Estrela Mountains, where you can get in some winter skiing.

On many levels Portugal has it all!

For a truly unique and memorable holiday to Portugal, consider renting a villa! Staying in a villa can be an exceptionally unique and  special experience. In this wonderful introduction to Portuguese Villas, three different tempting villas in three different parts of the country are highlighted.

Villas are a great way to travel with a large family or group of friends. Not only do you get to have an beautiful home to yourselves, but it saves on expenses.  Sharing a kitchen and living quarters encourages camaraderie, too! When it comes to activities, they can be shared or separate, whatever suits your particular group.

Villas are available from the north to the south of Portugal, and on the offshore islands as well. One just needs to determine what region would best suit your interests.  Then determine what type of villa experience you’d prefer; do you want a once-in-a-lifetime holiday to a totally unique estate, or would you prefer the convenience of something more generic, but with standards of cleanliness and amenities you can count on?

The sky’s the limit!

View over Funchal, Madeira Island from Carbo Girao

If you venture out to Portugal’s island archipelago, Madeira Island, and stay at Choupana Hills Restort & Spa, you may spend your days hiking through the sub-tropical Botanical Gardens, exploring the nearby city of Funchal, long walks on the white sand beaches, or golfing at the two premium courses nearby.

Mainland Portugal offers all-inclusive resorts whose location reflects the character of the resort, and naturally the sort of side trips and adventures you might have.

So, for an entirely different experience, you could stay at the Grand Hotel de Paris in the historical city of Porto, in the north of Portugal along the Douro River.

Porto is one of the oldest cities in Europe, and has been designated a UNESCO world heritage site. A stay here would include a tour of the city, its museums and ancient history. An endless array of restaurants and cafes would tempt your tastebuds.

Visit my new page: All-Inclusive Portugal Holidays to find out more!