Holiday destinations

There’s something special about climbing up onto a castle wall on a clear day, feeling the warm breeze and looking out across miles of open countryside. In summer, castles in Portugal take on a new energy. They become natural viewpoints, striking backdrops for photographs, and meeting points between history and landscape.

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.

Portugal might be famous for its long Atlantic beaches, but not everyone fancies sand in their shoes or battling windy afternoons. That’s where the country’s piscinas naturais come in.

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.

Portugal’s Atlantic coastline stretches for more than 800 kilometres, and it isn’t all wild surf and dramatic cliffs. There are plenty of safe beaches in Portugal for children, especially in the Algarve, around Lisbon and along the sheltered lagoons of the south.

Active family holidays are having a bit of a moment.

Out in the mid-Atlantic, there’s a wild Portuguese island where a single volcanic cone dominates the skyline.

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.

Travelling around Portugal in June is often one of the smartest ways to use your annual leave.

Portugal has become one of Europe’s strongest contenders for a proper stag weekend.

Portugal’s tourism industry started the year with record takings, with new figures pointing to strong demand from both European and North American visitors.According to data from the Bank of Portugal, foreign tourists spent around €5.2 billion in the country between January and March, an increase of

According to the 19th annual Post Office Travel Money Holiday Money Report, the Algarve is officially the best-value holiday destination for 2025.

The Algarve region has won 3rd place in the "Most Popular Hiking Regions in Europe 2026" award, given by the German magazine Trekking Magazine. The Portuguese region appears alongside historic mountain destinations such as the Dolomites/South Tyrol (1st place) and Brittany (2nd place).

Completely empty beaches are rare these days, especially in summer.

Portugal has once again positioned itself among the most desirable destinations in Europe for spring and summer 2026.

A beach in the Algarve has been considered the easiest beach in Europe for a quick getaway. The study “Europe’s Easiest Beach Getaways”, released by the international platform hoppa, places the Algarve beach in 1st place in the ranking, with a score of 9.79 out of 10.The main reason?

If you’re going to get to know Portugal properly, a road trip is still the best way to do it.

Road trips in Portugal are still going strong in 2026, and a road trip along the Costa Vicentina remains one of the best ways to see the country’s wild Atlantic edge.

Portugal has become one of the strongest options in Europe for a lads holiday.

As the days stretch out and the temperatures start to climb, the May bank holidays land at just the right moment for a short escape. It’s often around now that plans for a trip to Portugal in May begin to take shape.Skip Lisbon and Porto, and a different Portugal opens up.

Planning a family holiday in southern Europe comes down to a simple balance: reliable sunshine, safe beaches and enough to keep children engaged once the novelty wears off.

Portugal’s Atlantic archipelago, the Azores, has confirmed its official coastal bathing waters for the 2026 season.