August is, for many people, the most eagerly anticipated month of the year. The country settles into a different rhythm, beaches fill up, villages come alive with local celebrations and pilgrimages, and the major cities quieten down as many Portuguese people head off on holiday.

At idealista, we like to highlight the premium areas of different Portuguese districts, looking at the places where comfort, refinement and exclusivity shape the local way of life.This time, the focus is on the Castelo Branco district, where luxury looks rather different from the usual seafront home

At idealista/news, we like looking for original homes, and this time we have found an apartment that does more than simply sit within a building.

Every Wednesday, idealista/news travels the globe in search of a hotel with character. This time, the compass points towards the Madeira Archipelago. The destination is Pestana Dunas Porto Santo – All Inclusive, a new seafront eco-resort promising uncomplicated holidays, fully all-inclusive, with Porto Santo’s seemingly endless sandy beach right on the doorstep.

If it feels as though there are no almost-deserted beaches left in Portugal, but one beach proves otherwise. Just a few minutes’ drive from Cabo da Roca, in the municipality of Sintra, this stretch of sand remains one of the great secrets of the Portuguese coast.

For many people, July is the “official” month for summer holidays. Schools are closed, the days are long, the sea is warmer, and the calendar fills up with festivals.

There’s a village in Serra da Estrela with more than a dozen natural swimming pools linked by hiking trails. Clean, icy water tumbles down the hillside, filling rock pools that look almost hand-carved.There’s no airport, no five-star hotels, and no queues outside museums.

If someone tells you that you can experience a tropical setting without leaving Europe, they’re not exaggerating.

When you first see the photos, it is easy to swear you are looking at some cove in Croatia: turquoise water, rocks and greenery in contrast.