Portugal Holidays

This slice of southern Europe has its fingers in a lot of pies. Getaway-wise, it’s got the cities with cobbled streets, the strapping sands, the family-friendly hotels and the tasty food and drink. Plus, it doesn’t stop when you step off the mainland, thanks to a duo of islands bringing even more goods to the table.

When it comes to beach holidays, the Algarve delivers. This bumper-beach region hogs most of Portugal’s south coast. Albufeira’s one of the big dogs, bringing a huge dose of Blue Flag-waving belts and a bar crawl-ready strip. There’s also a huddle of hush-hush villages still repping their fishing roots. Wherever you lay your head, you’ll never be far from a world-class golf course, either.

Portugal’s off-shore islands give it a few bonus points. First up, there’s natural beauty, Madeira. This place doesn’t need golden sand to win over tourists. Its toasty, year-round climate means it’s popular for hiking, botanical gardens and dolphin-spotting. Wine boffs go mad for its sweet wine, too – head to capital Funchal for a swig. Floating nearby, Porto Santo Island is more off the package holidays trail. And it’s the opposite of its neighbour, with tonnes of sandy coves and a 27-hole golf club.