Portugal Vacation Rentals

Typical Portugal vacation rentals are holiday apartments near the coast with sea or city views. Larger groups and travellers looking for peace may want to book one of the many countryside holiday villas, which often have several bedrooms, a swimming pool, and lovely views of the surrounding mountains or farmland.

Travel in Portugal

Portugal has several airports and it is possible to fly into Lisbon, Porto and Faro, the three major cities of the country. You can travel by train but this mostly between the major cities. In order to get around in the countryside and be more flexible, renting a car is highly recommended. When exploring the main cities, using the public transport is generally not necessary as everything is in walking distance. However, Lisbon and Porto both have underground systems and taxis are affordable.

Try Portugal’s Delicious Robalo and Caldo Verde

Portugal is known for its incredible seafood. Go to the harbour or fish market to buy some fresh local robalo, pargo, or dourada, and prepare it over the fire at your holiday rental. Garnish it with a light coating of salt and olive oil, and you'll have what may be one of the best dishes of your holiday. Try the sardines in June or July, the height of their season.

Caldo verde, one of Portugal's favourite soups, is a wonderful dish to warm up with in the cooler winter months. Dig into this potato-and-garlic broth finished with shredded kale and spicy smoked Portuguese sausage. You could also try alheira, a chicken sausage with an interesting history – it was created by Jewish people in 1498 to hide their tradition of not eating pork.

Explore the Ancient Castles of Sintra With Your Children

Explore the castles of Sintra on a day trip from Lisbon. There are three castles in the area – the Castle of the Moors, Quinta da Regaleira, and the Pena Palace – and you can easily walk between them and take in the surrounding countryside. Your children will have fun pretending they are royalty or knights while they learn about the history of Portugal.

You could also search for whales in the Azores, where several companies offer whale-watching boat trips on the Atlantic. Older children will love the experience, and the chances of seeing whales are fairly high throughout the year.

In Portugal, most children will be happy just playing on the beach and swimming in the ocean. There are plenty of lovely beaches in the Algarve. Worth a visit are Praia do Zavial and Prainha, which both offer calm water and long stretches of sand.

Visit the Ancient City of Braga

Braga, a small city close to Porto, showcases some of the best architecture from Portugal's golden age. Visit the impressive pilgrim sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte and climb the 116-meter Baroque staircase to take in views of the surrounding landscape.

Head to Ericeira, Portugal's surfing capital. The small fishing village attracts big-name surfers from all over the world. Enjoy the surf yourself or sit on the clifftops and watch people brave the waves. There are also some excellent seafood restaurants in town that make an excellent break from the beach.

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