So why visit Portugal? The simple answer is, Portugal has it all, including beautiful beaches to sun yourself on, championship golf courses, history and culture, an amazing interior to explore, an array of land and water activities and a great club scene. The Portuguese people have a deep respect for their heritage and traditions, hence the many festivals that are held throughout the country all through the year. These festivals and fiestas are a great way for you to experience the local culture, traditions and cuisine.

Algarve golf course

Portugal is well known for its great choice of golf courses with a number of courses designed by the 3-times British Open champion Sir Henry Cotton who lived in the Algarve. Most courses are found in the Algarve but there are good golf courses all over Portugal including the Lisbon area.

Mainland Portugal and its islands offer more than 500 miles of coastline making it a popular destination for water sports enthusiasts. Windsurfing, surfing and sailing are extremely popular with the more experienced surfers heading to the Lisbon Coast. Away from the sea Portugal’s rivers are becoming more and more popular with kayakers and canoeists. Read more »

Alentejo, meaning ‘Beyond the Tagus’ or ‘Across the Tagus’, is a region in south-central Portugal. Separated from the rest of Portugal by the Tagus River, the Alentjo is the largest region in Portugal, stretching southward where it borders the Algarve. The area is ideal for outdoor holidays and people who just want to explore the beautiful countryside that Portugal has to offer.

Walkers, hikers and cyclists can wander along the quiet roads and paths that are little-used and offer a tranquil break from the more visited areas of Portugal. Then there are the olive groves, cork and oak forests where you can take in the fragrant smells of the citrus trees and marvel

Porto Covo

at the fields of beautiful sunflowers. Read more »

The resort of Montechoro is located on Portugal’s beautiful Algarve, on the outskirts of Albufeira at the north end of the famous ‘strip’. The resort is ideally situated for the fantastic nightlife and beautiful sandy beaches in the region. In recent years the resort has seen lots of development and now has some great accommodation facilities including large hotels and apartment complexes.

The busy town of Montechoro is full of restaurants, bars and shops. When you crave some peace and quiet then visit the traditional Old Town of Albufeira which has some great fish restaurants and an open-air market where you can pick up a bargain or two.

The golden sandy beach at nearby Praia d’Oura is just 10 minutes from Montechoro. Located in a large bay, the beach is protected from the elements by colourful sandstone cliffs. Known as the Golden Beach, there are plenty of watersports available here including water-skiing, jet-skiing, windsurfing, paragliding, kite surfing and the firm family favourite banana boat rides. If you are looking for quieter more secluded beaches and coves there are plenty within easy reach of the resort including the small beach at Praia dos Averios which has a scuba diving school, Santa Eulalia and Praia Maria Luisa. Scuba diving lessons and excursions for all levels are also available at the diving centre at Albufeira. The beaches at Montechoro have Blue Flag status for cleanliness and water purity. Relax with a boat trip along the beautiful coastline here, at the same time trying your hand with a spot of fishing. Another great way to admire the coastline is by taking a horse ride along the beach on the famous Lustianos horses or by taking a hot air balloon ride and marvel at the views below. Take a Seafari from the marina at Albufeira to spot dolphins, explore the vast sea caves by dinghy and do some reef fishing.

Away from the beach there is plenty to do in Montechoro. Activities include ten-pin bowling, lawn bowling, tennis and golf. There are plenty of golf courses to chose from which are all within easy reach from Montechoro including the amazing 18-hole Salgados course with it’s lake features and the 9-hole courses of Pine Cliffs and Balaia. The whole family will enjoy Zoomarine Park where you can swim with the dolphins, Aqualand with exhilarating water rides and slides and Montechoro Park where you will find a swimming pool complex, mini golf, a play area for small children and restaurants.

There is so much to do and see around Montechoro that you will hardly have time to stop and take a breather on your last minute holidays to Portugal.

Whether you are looking for beautiful beaches, lively nightlife or a relaxing golfing holiday there are always lots of travel deals available to the Algarve throughout the internet.

Portugal is seeing a big increase in travellers looking for an alternative destination for their holidays due to the political unrest in Egypt which is now in it’s third week.

Algarve Beach

Although Portugal is one of the smallest countries in Europe, it still has a great deal to offer holidaymakers. Accommodation varies from great family orientated hotels on the Algarve to converted farmhouses in beautiful countryside of the north.

Most tourists head to the Algarve which has hundreds of sandy beaches and sheltered coves along it’s long coastline which are just perfect for sunbathing and swimming. In the north of the country is the Costa Verde or Green Coast where you can while your days away among the rolling hills and vineyards or just  lay back and enjoy sunbathing at the beautiful sandy beach. This part of Portugal is less touristy and cheaper than the Algarve so why not take advantage of the many bargain holidays that are on offer.

Lisbon

Millions of people holiday in Portugal each year which means that there are always lots of holiday packages around to experience not only the beaches but also the country’s history and culture in cities like Lisbon and Oporto.

Praia de Falesia in the Algarve is located about 30kms from Faro between Albufeira and Quarteira.

Set on a quiet clifftop, surrounded by beautiful countryside, Praia de Falesia offers quiet and relaxed holidays for the whole family.

Praia de Falesia

The golden sandy beach here has a backdrop of low cliffs and pine forests and is one of the longest in the Algarve, stretching for 6kms. With Albufeira to the west and Vilamoura to the east, the beach is so long that it never gets overcrowded. Because the beach has gentle shelving it is very safe for all the family to enjoy a dip in the beautiful azure waters or take advantage of one of the watersports on offer, including scuba diving, windsurfing and water skiing.

An alternative to lazing on this beautiful beach is a hike along the coastal

Olhos d'Agua

path which leads to the quiet villages of Acoteias and Olhos d’Agua.

There are boat excursions available from Albufeira and Vilamoura which include rides along the beautiful Algarve coastline, dolphin watching and fishing trips.

The coastline and the surrounding countryside can be explored either on foot or by bicycle.
 
Praia de Falesia holidays are popular with golfers as there are several championship golf courses in the area. The best time to visit for a golfing holiday is in the spring or autumn when there is around 6 hours a day sunshine and temperatures average around 18-23C.

Evenings here are usually spent enjoying a relaxing meal in one of the local

Algarve Coastline

 restaurants or having a drink or two in one of the bars. For livlier nightlife there is Albufeira or Vilamoura. Both have cafes, bars and discos and Vilamoura also has a casino.

Praia de Falesia has a typically Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and mild winters. May temperatures average around 22C which rise to 25C in June and up to 30C in July and August. During the summer the area enjoys around 12 hours of sunshine a day with virtually no rainfall. During the winter the temperature drops to around 18C with up to 6 hours of sunshine a day.

With something for everyone, Praia de Falesia is a great place to spend your family holidays.

Cheap holidays to the Algarve are always available throughout the internet.

One of the main pre-requisites for lots of holidaymakers for a holiday in Portugal is a nice beach to relax on.  It’s lucky then that Portugal has so many good beaches on offer along its 600miles of coast, making it ideal for both Summer holidays and Winter Sun.  In fact 18 of Portugal’s beaches are designated blue flag beaches and therefore ideal for families.

Praia de Falesia

Algarve :

One of the most well known beaches in this area is the 6km long Praia de Falesia (also known as ‘beach town’).  Located between the popular tourist resorts of Albufeira and Vilamoura, the beach is a haven for sunlovers and is set in a peaceful setting along Portugal’s South coast.  Other popular beaches in the Algarve area center around popular tourist spots such as Praia da Gale in Albufeira, Meia Praia in Lagos – particularly popular with families as it is sheltered by a large bay, Praia de Alvor near Praia da Rocha / Portimao – a blue flag beach popular for watersports, and the Praia de Garrao close to the luxury holiday resorts of Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo. 

Alentejo

Alentejo (South Portugal):

Stretching from the Algarve to the Sado Estuary this unspoilt coast has many small beautiful beaches to choose from.  With many situated in coves along the coast here a car may be a necessity to reach them.  Vila Nova de Milfontes is an exception in that you can get to it by bus from Lisbon.  Other pleasant beaches to visit include Gale, Melides, Santo Andre, Porto Covo,  Almograve and Zambujeira do Mar.

Lisbon/Sintra Coast:
The popular holiday area of Lisbon is served mainly by a large sandy beach

Sintra Coast

 called the Costa da Caparica which is very busy and popular during the peak Summer months in Portugal.  It is popular for sunbathing, drink/food at one of the many cafes and bars lining the coast here and also surfing - the strong currents and effects of the Atlantic Ocean here lend themselves to waves of all sizes.  Other beaches to visit along this coastal region include Sesimbra beach and Portinho da Arrabida beach – a beautiful and relatively quiet beach popular with scuba divers.

Costa Prata / Central Portugal:
Nazare is probably one of the most well known beaches in this area, with hoards of tourists flocking there every year with many hotels and apartments to choose from.  A lively and popular resort and beach, it can suffer from overcrowding in the height of Summer.  One of portugal’s

Nazare

 largest beaches (3km) also sits in this area of coast, in the town of Figueira da Foz. Nicknamed ‘Queen of Beaches’ it is a white sand beach lined with cafes, with parts of it awarded blue flag status.

Costa Verde / North Portugal:
With Summer waters usually calm and ideal for swimming Praia de Miramar is becoming more popular with tourists.  Already popular with locals, the beach here is also visited by surfers in the Winter season.  Further North along the coats, Praia do Cabedelo in Viana do Castelo, is the main beach for this lively and popular holiday

Praia de Miramar

resort, with numerous sand dunes and safe waters for swimming plus it’s a popular spot for watersports such as windsurfing.

If you are looking for summer or winter bargain holidays to Portugal, there are plenty of offers throughout the internet.

Watch out for the last minute holidays which offer great savings for the whole family.

Thinking of visiting Portugal for your summer holidays or might be considering visiting at a future date?

Personally, I love the Algarve in the south of Portugal and have just come across a really informative travel article for Portugal which may help you when planning your holidays.

The Algarve has everything, including beautiful beaches, great dining-out venues, 35 golf courses, watersports and outdoor activities, and lots of attractions for the whole family to enjoy.

With many tourist attractions, as well as the usual beaches, the Algarve offers a new world to explore if you book a holiday to this area, either for the renowned sports activities or just for a nice break away from home.

Trevor Butler set up his first ‘travel’ related business in 2004 and has written many other destination articles with tips and information. I have found these articles both interesting and helpful, hope you do too.

Review supplied to us by our reader Colette Moore

“We looked for cheap holidays to Portugal on the internet and found a week here at the Auramar was about the cheapest. We were a bit dubious as we had read some bad reviews but as it was so cheap decided to give it a go. We had a good clean room which was cleaned every day and a small kitchen which was sufficient for my mother and me. We had a lovely view and spent quite a bit of time just sitting on our balcony taking in the view and totally relaxing. Breakfast (we booked b&b) was plentiful and good and there were some very nice restaurants in the area where we ate in the evening, we particularly enjoyed the fish. Staff were friendly and helpfull although some struggled with our Yorkshire accent! We were told that you could walk along the beach to the old town but we didn’t try it as my mum wasn’t sure if she would make it!All in all we enjoyed our stay, you get what you pay for, and we will go back again one day and we do recommend the Auramar for a nice, cheap getaway.”

AURAMAR BEACH RESORT HOTEL OVERVIEW

Location

A few metres from the beach, 10 minutes away from Albufeira’s downtown and about 40 km from Faro airport.

Accommodation

All rooms have Air Conditioning, Bathroom with bathtub or Shower, Satellite or Cable TV, Telephone, Terrace Balcony.

Sport and Leisure

Aerobics, Aqua Aerobics, Beach Volley, Bike Rental, Darts, French Bowls, Gym, Mini Football, Mini Golf, Sauna, Swimming Pool for Children, Swimming Pool Indoor – Heated, Swimming Pool Outdoor – Fresh Water, Table Tennis, Tennis Court, Volleyball.

Facilities

24hrs Reception, Animation Programme (International), Bar(s), Buffet Restaurant, Car Rental, Childrens (Kids) Club, Childrens Playground, Conference Room Facilities, Currency Exchange Service, Games Room, Internet Services, Karaoke, Laundry Service, Massage, Mini Market, Parking, Pool Bar, Pool Table, Reading Room, Restaurant(s), Safety Box, Sauna, Snack Bar, Taxi Service, Turkish Bath, TV Lounge.

This hotel review was supplied to us by our reader Mark Walters

“The hotel was located close to the marina, restaurants and bars. We were on a bed and breakfast last minute holidays, so the hotel was ideally situated for going out for our evening meal. The buffet breakfast was ok, just the usual hotel offerings.Our room was clean, quite large and we had a good view of the marina and the sea from our balcony. The outdoor pool was quite large with plenty of sunbeds and there was also an indoor pool which we used once or twice.There wasn’t very much evening entertainment but we didn’t mind as we strolled into Vilamoura each evening, very pleasant. The hotel pool seemed very quiet during the day but we were told that the hotel is popular with golfers who are out most of the day! We would recommend this hotel and hope to return one day.”

VILA GALE MARINA HOTEL OVERVIEW

Location

100m to the marina, shops, bars and restaurants, 300m to Marina Beach, close to the casino, 2km to Falesia Beach, 150m to bus-stop, courtesy shuttle service to Vilamoura golf courses, 2.5km away.

Accommodation

243 rooms, all with air conditioning/heating, cable TV with radio channels, telephone, WiFi/internet access, hairdryer, minibar, safety deposit box, balcony.

Swimming pool

Swimming pool with terrace, indoor pool, sunbeds, towels and mattresses, pool bar (seasonal), outdoor Whirlpool Bath.

Dining

Restaurant with buffet service meals or table d’hote at dinner, a la carte menu available, snacks available 10:00-01:00.

Activities

Table tennis, pool table, video games, Health club with small gym, Turkish bath and whirlpool bath, spa, tennis and putting green available at sister hotel Vila Gale Ampalius, together with tennis and golf pro.

Entertainment

Daily entertainment programme, Evening entertainment includes live music and shows in high season only, lounge/bar.

For Families

Children’s section of pool, unsupervised Kids’ room (4 yrs and over), cots and highchairs.

Other facilities

Shop, laundry service, 24-hour room service.

The following review was supplied to us by our reader Ellis Ward

“Having read several reviews on this hotel we should not have been suprised with what we got! We booked the hotel for our last minute holidays and got a really good, cheap deal so we shouldn’t off been expecting too much. Still all in all we did have a good time and got what we paid for. The hotel was clean but a bit old fashioned. Tavira is a quaint, quiet little town but it was about a 30 minute walk and a ferry ride to the beach!We only ate at the hotel once as there were quite a few different restaurants close by, the food at the hotel was ok but nothing special. Wouldn’t like to go to Tavira with children because of the long drag to the beach but for us we had a nice relaxing break, not too sure if we would go again, but never say never”

Porta Nova Hotel

Situated near the centre of Tavira, the Porta Nova is just a short walk from the town centre and Tavira Castle. The beach is about 2 kms from the hotel.

Accommodation

All 137 rooms have a bath or shower, wc, satellite tv, internet access, minibar, safety deposit box, balcony or terrace.

Facilities and Activities

Pool and terrace, children’s pool, billiards, sauna, room service (8am-10pm), laundry service, baby-sitting (subject to availability).

Food and Drink

Buffet-style restaurant, a la carte dining on the outdoor terrace, bar serving snacks.