Lonely Planet Portugal Read online

  zFeira de São Mateus

  Folk music, traditional food and fireworks rule the day at St Matthew’s Fair (www.feirasaomateus.pt) in Viseu.

  3Folkfaro

  A musician’s treat, Folkfaro (www.folkfaro.com) brings local and international folk performers to the city of Faro for staged and impromptu performances across town. Street fairs accompany the event.

  3Noites Ritual Rock

  Towards the end of summer, Porto hosts a free weekend-long rock bash that sees up-and-coming bands from around Portugal work big crowds at the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal.

  zFesta da Ria

  Aveiro celebrates its canals and moliceiros (boats) in late August. Highlights include folk dancing and a moliceiro race, plus competitions for the best moliceiro murals.

  September

  Peak tourist season officially runs until mid-September, when ongoing warm weather ensures beaches remain packed. Things cool down a bit, and prices dip, as the crowds dissipate by late September.

  zFesta de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios

  Head to Lamego, in the Douro, for a mix of religious devotion and secular revelry. In early September, rock concerts and all-night celebrations coincide with pious processions winding through the streets.

  zNossa Senhora da Nazaré

  The festival of Our Lady of Nazaré brings much life to this eponymous town in Estremadura, with rich processions, folk music and dancing, bullfights and other competitions.

  zFeiras Novas

  One of Portugal’s oldest ongoing events, the New Fairs festival has a massive market and fair, with folk dances, fireworks and brass bands at Ponte de Lima.

  December

  December means rain and colder temperatures. Few travellers venture south, where many resorts close for the winter. Christmas and New Year’s Eve bring merriment to the somewhat dreary season.

  zFesta dos Rapazes

  Just after Christmas, the so-called Festival of the Lads is a rollicking time of merrymaking by young unmarried men, who light bonfires and rampage around in rags and wooden masks. Catch it in Miranda do Douro.

  Itineraries

  Highlights of Portugal

  2 Weeks

  This grand journey takes you from the vibrant Portuguese capital to the sunny beaches of the Algarve and up north to striking, riverside Porto. Along the way, you'll visit Unesco World Heritage Sites, stroll medieval town centres and sample the varied cuisines of the north, south and centre.

  Start in Lisbon, spending two days exploring the city’s enchanting neighbourhoods, fado-filled taverns, atmospheric cafes and restaurants, and late-night street parties. Take vertiginous tram rides, and visit the hilltop castle and viewing points, museums and historic sites. On day three, head to nearby Sintra, for quaint village life amid woodlands and palaces. Next, enjoy two days exploring fascinating Évora and its nearby megaliths. From there, go south and spend a day in peaceful Tavira, one of the Algarve’s prettiest towns, and then take the ferry out to car-free Ilha de Tavira. Continue west to beach- and nightlife-loving Lagos. Don't miss the pretty beaches (Batata, Dona Ana and Camilo) south of town. Keep going west until you hit laid-back Sagres, where you can visit its dramatically sited fort, surf good waves and contemplate the endless horizon at the cliffs near town. Go north back to Lisbon, stopping en route in the coastal town of Vila Nova de Milfontes, a great spot for uber-fresh seafood grilled to perfection. You can eat it right on the waterfront. Spend a day in Tomar, a sleepy river town that's home to the staggering Convento de Cristo. Then book two nights in the venerable university town of Coimbra, wandering the old quarters, visiting medieval convents and churches, and enjoying good meals, lively bars (during the academic year) and live music. Spend your last two days in Porto, Lisbon’s rival in beauty. Enjoy a day exploring the Ribeira, visiting avant-garde galleries and museums, and taking in the nightlife in the city centre. Then head across the river to Vila Nova de Gaia for an introduction to the country’s great ports. If time allows, take a boat trip along the Rio Douro, passing through dramatic gorge scenery and alongside centuries-old vineyards.

  Sunset over Porto | Patrik BergstrÖm / Getty Images /Flickr rf ©

  Itineraries

  Exploring the Atlantic Coast

  Aveiro | Alberto Loto / Shutterstock ©

  3 Weeks

  Scenic shorelines, captivating towns and staggering architectural monuments set the stage for this memorable journey down the Atlantic coast.

  Begin in Porto, the port-wine capital at the mouth of the Douro. Spend two days exploring its historic centre, museums, parks and gardens, plus the beach neighbourhood of Foz do Douro. On the third day go north to the seaside town of Vila do Conde, a quick and popular beach getaway. Next, head south to Aveiro, for rides along its scenic canals from high-prowed moliceiros (traditional boats). For a fine day trip from here, take a bus and ferry out to the Reserva Natural das Dunas de São Jacinto, a scenic nature reserve and birdwatching site. The popular resort town of Figueira da Foz is the next stop; you’ll find prime surfing, a touch of nightlife and wide people-packed beaches, with more isolated sands out of town. After a day of sunbaking, make an inland day trip to the striking mountaintop castle of Montemor-o-Velho. The picturesque and fun-loving beach town of Nazaré is next and here you can frolic in the waves, enjoy traditional seafood restaurants and take the funicular to a clifftop promontory for superb views. Nazaré is also a good base for exploring the architecturally stunning monasteries (and Unesco World Heritage Sites) in Alcobaça and Batalha. From there, head south to Óbidos, with its cobblestone lanes and upmarket inns. Go west back to the coast to reach Peniche, where you’ll find excellent beaches, particularly in nearby Baleal. From Peniche, be sure to take a boat out to the remote island of Berlenga Grande. You can even stay overnight (reserve well ahead). Continue south to Ericeira, a whitewashed village perched atop sandstone cliffs. Explore the beaches, feast on seafood, then continue on to the fairy-tale setting of Sintra, where picturesque guest houses make a fine overnight stay. Take the road to the coast, and follow it out to the dramatically set Cabo da Roca and down to the windswept beach of Praia do Guincho. The next stop is the pretty village of Cascais, home to narrow pedestrian lanes, lively outdoor restaurants and leafy gardens. End your journey in Lisbon, spending a few days exploring Portugal’s vibrant capital.

  Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça | Saiko3p / Shutterstock ©

  Itineraries

  Circling the Centre

  Mértola | Aitormmfoto / Shutterstock ©

  10 Days

  Dramatic scenery, frozen-in-time villages and clifftop castles make for a charming journey on this loop around Portugal's often overlooked interior.

  From Lisbon head 200km southeast to the historic village of Castro Verde. Visit the royal basilica in town then the LPN Interpretative and Environmental Centre, a great spot for birdwatching some 5km north of town. Drive east to Mértola, a picturesque medieval settlement perched high above the placid Rio Guadiana. Wander the old streets, go kayaking on the river, sample wild boar (a local speciality) and overnight in one of the area's charming inns. From Mértola, drive north to Beja, a lively town with a walled centre, intriguing museums and a 13th-century castle with sweeping views over golden wheat fields beyond town. Keep north to reach Évora, the most vibrant town in the Alentejo. Its large cobblestone centre is a great place to wander, and is packed with history (don't miss the Bone Chapel and Roman temple). Évora has great traditional restaurants and makes a good base for visiting Neolithic sites in the countryside. Head northeast to the marble town of Vila Viçosa, home to a staggering palace and a peaceful town centre. Next up is Castelo de Vide, a wildly remote-feeling town set on a clifftop. Wander through the sleepy streets, have lunch, and then continue to Monsanto, another photogenic castle-in-the-sky town. Leave early for the two-hour drive to Vila Nova de Foz Côa, gateway to some of Iberia's most extensive petroglyphs. From here, it's an easy detour to the vineyards along the Douro. Otherwise, he
ad southwest into the Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela, a scenic, mountainous area with great hiking, and peaceful guest houses where you can soak up the scenery. Manteigas makes a great base. After a day or two in the mountains, head west to the lively university town of Coimbra. Visit the historic campus, stroll the riverbank, feast on hearty Portuguese cooking and catch live Coimbra-style fado. Visit Conímbriga, southwest of Coimbra, for a look at Roman ruins, then continue to Santarém, with its Gothic architecture, atmospheric restaurants and panoramic views, before finishing the tour in Lisbon.

  Sardines, Castelo de Vide | Matt Munro / Lonely Planet ©

  Itineraries

  Southern Beauty

  Festival, Sesimbra | Stockphotosart / Shutterstock ©

  2 Weeks

  This trip will give you a chance to see spectacular contrasts in scenery by following Portugal’s southern rivers, beaches and ridges.

  From Lisbon head to the Costa da Caparica, taking in the festive beaches near the town, and then escaping the crowds on wilder beaches to the south. Next head down to Praia do Meco for more sandy action and some great seafood. Keep going south to reach the desolate cliffs of Cabo Espichel. A good place to stay for the night is at a rural guest house outside Sesimbra, a fishing village turned resort with open-air restaurants and family-friendly beaches. On the next day, continue east, stopping for a picnic on the forest-lined shores of Parque Natural da Arrábida. At night, stay in Setúbal for more seafood feasting and a wander through the sleepy old-town quarters. The next day, book a dolphin-watching boat trip along the Sado Estuary. From Setúbal, take the ferry across to handsomely sited Tróia. Continue south to overnight in Vila Nova de Milfontes, a lovely seaside town with fine beaches and charming places to stay. Next is Zambujeira do Mar, a tiny village perched above a pretty beach. Follow the coast to Aljezur, with its unspoilt, cliff-backed sands, and into the rustic town of Carrapateira, with more wild, untouched beaches, plus cafes and guest houses catering to the surf-loving crowd.

  Head south, and you’ll reach the southern coast at pretty, laid-back Sagres, another surfers town. Visit Sagres' sea-cliff fortress, then the surreal cliffs of Cabo de São Vicente.

  Go east to Lagos, one of the Algarve’s liveliest towns, with loads of good sleeping, eating and drinking options. Afterwards, go inland to Monchique, with its densely wooded hillsides that offer picturesque walking, cycling and pony-trekking opportunities, followed by a spa visit in Caldas de Monchique. Back on the coast, stay overnight in the old town centre of lively Faro, before journeying out to the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, a lagoon system full of marsh, creeks and dune islands. From there, head to Tavira, set with genteel 18th-century buildings straddling the Rio Gilão.

  Lisbon at night | Renaud Visage / Getty Images ©

  Plan Your Trip

  Portugal Outdoors

  Outdoors enthusiasts will find plenty to appreciate in Portugal. With 830km of coastline, there's first-rate surfing all along the coast. Inland, rolling cork fields, granite peaks and precipitous river gorges form the backdrop for a host of other activities – from walking and birdwatching to horse riding and paragliding.

  Best Outdoors

  Best Surf Spots

  Peniche

  Ribeira d'Ilhas

  Carrapateira

  Cabedelo, Viana do Castelo

  Meia Praia, Lagos

  Best Places to Walk

  Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês

  Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela

  Via Algarviana

  Parque Natural de Montesinho

  Rota Vicentina

  Best Places to Watch Wildlife

  Parque Natural da Ria Formosa

  Reserva Natural do Estuário do Sado

  Parque Natural do Douro Internacional

  Surfing

  Portugal has some of Europe’s most curvaceous surf, with 30 to 40 major reefs and beaches. It picks up swells from the north, south and west, giving it remarkable consistency. It also has a wide variety of waves and swell sizes, making it ideal for surfers of all levels. Numerous surf schools in the Algarve and along Portugal’s western Atlantic coast offer classes and all-inclusive packages for all skill levels, from beginners to advanced.

  When to Surf

  The best waves in southern Portugal generally occur in the winter from November to March. Further north, spring and autumn tend to be the best seasons for surfing action. Waves at these times range from 2m to 4.5m high. This is also the low season, meaning you’ll pay less for accommodation, and the beaches will be far less crowded. Even during the summer, however, the coast gets good waves (1m to 1.5m on average) and, despite the crowds, it’s fairly easy to head off and find your own spots (with your own wheels, you can often be on your own stretch of beach just by driving a few minutes up the road).

  Essential Gear

  The water temperature here is colder than it is in most other southern European countries, and even in the summer you’ll probably want a wetsuit. Board and wetsuit hire are widely available at surf shops and surf camps; you can usually score a discount if you rent long-term – otherwise, you’ll be paying around €20 to €30 per day for a board and wetsuit, or €15 to €25 per day for the board only.

  WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WAVES

  In 2009 Portugal’s surf scene got a real shot in the arm when Supertubos beach near Peniche was chosen as one of 10 stops on the ASP World Tour, the most prestigious international competitive surfing event. For 12 days in October, the beach was packed with surfers from around the world showing off their best moves. The event’s organisers apparently liked what they saw – Supertubos has hosted the international contest (today known as the WSL Championship Tour) every year since then.

  Supertubos isn't the only spot in Portugal with legendary breaks. Some 60km north of Peniche, you'll find some of the world's tallest waves, thanks to a deep-water canyon connected to the shoreline. Pro Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara set the world record for the largest wave ever ridden in 2011, when he surfed a wave reportedly 30.5m (100ft) high.

  Prime Spots

  One of Portugal’s best breaks is around Peniche, where you can count on good waves with just about any wind. An excellent hostel and several residential surf camps make this an affordable base. Supertubos and Baleal are the most popular local beaches.

  Other fabled surf spots include Ribeira d’Ilhas in Ericeira and Praia do Guincho ( GOOGLE MAP ) near Cascais, which often host international championships. Another break that’s famous among the global surfing community is Carrapateira in the western Algarve. Schools and clubs head over this way from Lagos and further afield to take advantage of the crashing waves. Nearby, the area around Praia do Penedo is a good choice for beginners.

  There are countless other good surf spots up and down the coast including, but by no means limited to, the following, from north to south: Viana do Castelo, Praia da Barra, Costa Nova, Figueira da Foz, Nazaré, Costa da Caparica, Sesimbra, Vila Nova de Milfontes and Zambujeira.

  Surf Schools & Operators

  There are dozens of schools that can help you improve your surfing game. Most offer weekly packages including simple accommodation (dorms, bungalows or camping), meals and transport to the beach.

  Recommended surf camps north of Lisbon include Ericeira’s Rapture Surf Camp and the camps at Baleal.

  In the Algarve you’ll have your pick of countless operators, many of them concentrated around Lagos, Sagres and Carrapateira.

  Online Resources

  For information on wave conditions, competitions and more, surf on over to one of these helpful sites.

  www.magicseaweed.com International site with English-language surf reports for many Portuguese beaches.

  www.surfingportugal.com Official site of the Portuguese Surfing Federation.

  www.surftotal.com Portuguese-language site with news about the national surf scene and webcams showing conditions at a dozen popular beaches around Portugal.

  Walking

  Po
rtugal’s wonderful walking potential is all the better because so few people know about it. Most organised walking clubs are in the Algarve, with marked trails and regular meetings. There is a cluster of organisations around Monchique but other good bases include Sagres and Vila Real de Santo António. Northern Portugal has more mountainous terrain and several lovely, little-visited natural parks.

  Best Reads Before Hitting the Trail

  The following books, available online or at bookshops in Lisbon and Porto, are great planning aids for some of the country’s best hikes.

  AWalking in the Algarve: 40 Coastal & Mountain Walks, by Julie Statham and June Parker (2006) − An excellent guide co-authored by British-born Algarve resident and tour leader Julie Statham.

  ALandscapes of Algarve: Car Tours and Walks, by Brian and Eileen Anderson (revised 2012) − Lots of useful information for exploring the southern coast.