Portugal Holidays 2012

Enjoy the best of Portuguese food, music, scenery and sun

Portugal is a stunning country with astonishing beaches, lush countryside and charming fishing villages. Known for many things, Portuguese holidays are however best known for the beaches. Portugal has always had inextricable connections with the sea, and once you set eyes on the astonishing coastline of either the ferocious Atlantic or the serene Mediterranean, you will instantly understand why the sea plays such a role in Portuguese food, music and lives.

People return to Portuguese villas year after year for the beaches alone. Portuguese beaches are among the very best in Europe, not just for sunbathing and scenery, but also for the surfing, deep sea fishing, water sports and sunshine. There is a Portuguese beach to suit every visitor, from the tiny, serene, white sand hideaways of the western Algarve to the wide surfing beaches of the Atlantic coast, and finding your own little piece of Portuguese beach heaven is always a delightful experience.

Great Portuguese Holidays

Top Five Portuguese Holiday Destinations

Portuguese Holidays in the Algarve

The Algarve is the most famous of Portuguese holiday destinations, famous for its jaw-dropping coastline, fantastic year round golf courses and of course, its sun-drenched beaches, perfect for families or couples.

Portuguese Holidays in Lisbon

The Portuguese capital is a hotbed of activity and culture. Known for both its history and nightlife, Lisbon is a real city of contrasts, and with the glorious expanses of the Costa de Lisboa on either side, its appeal is endless.

Portuguese Holidays in Alentejo

Alentejo, this is undiscovered Portugal, where beautiful countryside stretches as far as the eye can see, traditional food is lovingly prepared and beaches remain free of tourists. A Portuguese villa in Alentejo perfect for peace.

Portuguese Holidays in Northern Portugal

North Portugal, much like Alentejo, is a wild, unspoilt and undiscovered corner of Portugal, complimented by a way of life so relaxed that time seems meaningless. A north Portuguese villa is a walker's or nature lover's dream.

Portuguese Holidays in Madeira

Madeira, some 1,000km of the Portuguese coast, is an amazing island paradise, where café culture is at its most enjoyable, the fishing extraordinary, the landscape marked with charming ancient villages and the beaches unrivalled.

The sea also provides the very best of Portuguese food too. The cuisine is simply phenomenal, largely focusing on seafood and fresh fish, landed on the beach in the morning and served in Portuguese restaurants by the time evening falls. The opportunities to try your hand at cooking some of the more famous Portuguese food dishes are limitless, especially from a self catering Portuguese villa, but if you would prefer to be waited on hand and foot during your Portuguese holiday, you are never far from a gourmet Portuguese restaurant anywhere along the coast.

However, Portuguese holidays are certainly not just for beach lovers and water sport enthusiasts. The countryside is an absolute joy to explore from a Portuguese house rental. The lush, open countryside is carpeted in fragrant groves, orchards and vineyards giving the country a blissfully timeless feel and an appearance that tests every sense. As you walk, ride or cycle, the range of ancient sites nestled among the nature will astound and thrill, and for those wishing to play a round of golf, the opportunities, especially in the Algarve, are almost limitless.

If you are looking to rent a Portuguese villa for that perfect Portuguese holiday, you have an almost endless choice on HomeAway Holiday-Rentals. HomeAway Holiday-Rentals lists over 3,000 Portuguese houses for rent, including villas in Portugal, Portuguese apartments and local Portuguese properties for rent. By booking directly with the owner, you can ensure that you little piece of Portuguese luxury comes at with sensational value too.