Discover the enchanting, timeless country of Portugal

Diminutive Portugal has a long and captivating history.

The northern city of Porto offers an irresistible mix of medieval chaos and 18^th century elegance, with the River Douro at its heart. It’s part of a co-dependent triangle: a triumvirate whose lifeblood is port wine. Porto sits on the north bank of the river, whilst its sister-city, Vila Nova da Gaia, occupies the south. Porto needs Gaia and Gaia needs Porto – and thanks to port wine, they both need the Douro Valley.

The glacial mountains of Central Portugal attracted the Romans, the Suebi and the Moors – drawn by an abundance of fresh water, fertile grazing for cattle, and the opportunities for hunting. It’s ancient shepherds’ trails and preserved Aldeias do Xisto schist villages are a mecca for hikers and lovers of traditional, regional cuisine. The regional capital, Coimbra, is home to Portugal’s oldest university, and was the birthplace of kings for the country’s first royal dynasty: the House of Avis.

21^st century Lisbon is one Europe’s most exciting and engaging capital cities, bursting at the seams with contemporary culture: in art, music, theatre and cuisine – always accompanied by a typically Portuguese easy-going attitude.

To the south, the Algarve has been a popular beach destination for UK travellers since the 1960s. The secluded coves and sandy bays of the west coast are less well-known, and are home some of the quietest and best blue-flag beaches in Europe.

In between, the beautiful UNESCO-protected city of Evora is the gateway to Portugal’s rural Alentejo heartland, and its impressive architecture is a road map of the country’s colourful history. Known as the breadbasket of Portugal, the region’s sprawling agricultural landscape is celebrated for its cork forests, Romanesque vineyards, and fairytale hilltop castles.

Getting to Portugal

We remove the stress from booking flights to Portugal: flights are included in our tailor-made holiday packages, and we’ll recommend the best route from your closest airport. Your luggage is included, so there are no nasty surprises or extras to pay at the airport. We’re also here to help if there are any unexpected delays, and you can call us for advice on our twenty-four hour UK helpline.

Getting to Portugal from UK

There’s an excellent range of direct flights from the UK to Portugal’s three international airports. For Porto in the north, you can fly daily from Gatwick or Stanstead, and on selected days of the week from most regional airports. You can also fly daily into the capital Lisbon from Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Luton and Manchester, and from Edinburgh, Leeds, Birmingham and Bristol on selected days. Faro in the south is the best connected, with direct daily flights from most UK airports.

Getting to Portugal from elsewhere

From the USA and Canada, there are daily direct flights to the capital Lisbon from Toronto, Boston, Newark, Miami and Washington DC.