| Destination |
The Perfect Portugal Travel Guide
Portugal is a beautiful blend of European and Moorish cultures. Combine that with miles of beaches and you have a great vacation destination for all types of travelers. You can hike for miles along beachfront cliffs, visit buildings from B.C. dates, eat world class food and visit plenty of castles. Keep reading if this melting pot of travel sounds like a place for you.
Why Visit Portugal?
Short answer, because it’s cheap.
Portugal is an amazing budget destination for travelers looking to experience European culture or Mediterranean beaches. All for lower prices than you’ll find elsewhere. This was our cheapest vacation we’ve taken in a decade. Amid soaring inflation and increasing popularity, the prices in Portugal have somehow managed to remain inexpensive. So for a sampler platter of Europe at discount prices, Portugal is the place to be.
Our Top 5 Things to do in Portugal
Wine Tasting In The Douro Valley: Spend a day enjoying the terraced hills and wineries of the Douro River Valley.
Beaches In The Algarve: So many sandy beaches tucked into cliffs, each one is beautiful in its own way.
Benagil Cave: Take a guided kayak or boat tour into Benagil Cave, in additional to other sea caves.
Eating: Enjoy slow paced multi-course meals at hole in the wall restaurants along with lots of great wine.
Seven Hanging Valleys Trail: Hike along the coast of the Algarve area and see beaches, caves and cliffs.
The best time to visit Portugal is in the spring and fall. Summers can be hot and winters get rainy and windy. For mild weather, autumn and spring are best. Particularly, May and September. In those months, you’ll get nice warm and sunny weather without it being unbearable hot. You’ll also escape the school holiday crowds.
The advantage of visiting outside of the school holidays and the summer is also those lower prices. Prices surge in summer as tourists flock to Europe.
Getting Around:
Public transportation is great in Portugal. Their train system is well operated and extends throughout the country. Public transportation in large cities is easy to use.
Taxis and Bolts are plentiful in large cities (Ubers and Lyfts are harder to find).
If visiting places outside of cities, you’ll likely want a car. Car rentals in Portugal are inexpensive and the roads are great. The downside of driving yourself in Portugal is the frequent road tolls on highways and expensive gas.
Language:
Portuguese is an official language of Portugal. However, English is widely spoken, especially in tourist regions. You can easily get along with English, but make sure to learn a few phrases, such as please and thank you.
Know Before You Go
Currency and Budget:
The Euro is the currency of Portugal.
Credit cards are frequently accepted. However, cash seems to be preferred at lots of smaller places. Make sure to carry small amounts of cash with you each day for small purchases.
When getting cash out of the ATM, look for ATMs that say Multibanco. These ATMs do not charge withdrawal fees. If they don’t say Multibanco, you’ll be charged a withdrawal fee, in addition to any fees your bank or credit card may charge you.
Portugal is an inexpensive place to travel. We budgeted $500/day for two people and came home with money at the end of our trip.
Safety:
According to the crime statistics, Portugal is a safe place. There is infrequent violent crime. However, petty crime like theft is frequent.
Unfortunately, we did see a lot of drug use and public drunkenness in Porto, especially late at night. While the statistics say Portugal is safe, we did not feel comfortable going out at night in Porto.
Read More Before You Go
A Beautiful Douro Valley Day Trip From Porto
