Best Time to Visit Portugal

Tourism in Portugal is vibrant and serves millions of customers every year, and the best time to travel to Portugal depends on your preference. The country’s history & culture, gastronomy and wines are among the main attractions. Tourists often go sightseeing, visit historic landmarks, enjoy being on the beaches, taste local delicacies or visit religious sites. Some of the most popular destinations are Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, Sintra and more. Portugal is still a top choice to spend your holidays, acknowledged by bloggers, travel writers, guides etc. Portugal tour packages have a wide range of places to visit and activities to do for a breathtaking experience.

From gorgeous beach resorts to lush green national parks, towns and villages are appreciated for their diversity. There are various places to visit in Portugal that can be visited with kids and family such as the cathedral, churches, museums, palaces and more. The best time of year to go to Portugal is during events and festivals. To understand the traditions and vibrant culture, your trip to Portugal would be incomplete if not visited during festivals. There are numerous festivals and events taking part every month for more than half of the year.

Reasons for Portugal’s Popularity

Mentioned below are a few things that Portugal is famous for when it comes to tourism.

1. Delicious Cuisine:

   Some of the most unique and tasty dishes in the whole of Europe can be found in Portugal. Explore all the flavours on your visit to Portugal for a good time.

2. Beautiful Landscapes:

   In its entirety, the sheer beauty of this country would not be disappointing. Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal is one of the most beautiful cosmopolitan cities in Europe. Another historical heritage is the city of Leiria is considered to be one of the secret treasures in Portugal.

3. Monumental Castles:

   Having around 150 castles, it has something for tourists in every castle, looking to visit Portugal for a good time. Castles in Portugal are top tourist sites. Located on a hilltop above Lisbon, Castelo de Sao Jorge or St George’s Castle is one of the top attractions in the country and the most treasured in the world.

4. Fine Wines:

   Douro Valley Wine Region and Pico Island Wine Region are two wine-producing regions in Portugal protected by UNESCO as World Heritage. Whether you enjoy red wine or white, you will find something that suits your taste.

Places to Visit and Things To-do in Portugal

These four destinations mentioned below are among the most interesting places to visit in Portugal.

Explore the cities of Lisbon and Porto

If you are in the country and limited to a few days of exploration, then visiting Lisbon and Porto would be an ideal destination for you. These two are the most attractive cities in Portugal, to go to for a good time that you want to spend with your loved ones. There are many places with good hospitality and neighbourhoods with a rich history and architectural landmarks. Lisbon is also considered one of the oldest cities in the World and both Lisbon & Porto has a favourable climate throughout the year. Famous for Port wine, Porto is an ancient city which is also the second largest city in Portugal with historic centres that have been classified as World Heritage. The best time to visit these cities in Portugal is from May to September. You can immerse yourself in the experiences the nearby beaches have to offer.

Take a stroll around Braga

With over 2000 years of rich history, Braga is a beautiful city that is rich with heritage and innovation combined with tradition. Braga presents itself as a mandatory benchmark to visit in Portugal. The Sanctuary of Sameiro, the Bom Jesus and the Falperra are surrounded by landscapes that resemble paradise. The best time to visit Portugal, particularly Braga, is during the spring season that starts from March till the end of May. The city centres of Braga are spacious and attractive. There are lots of independent shops to explore and as you wander around, you will notice sculptures that are distinctive and give a character to the city.

Explore the town of Amarante

It is a great place to explore the history of the region, independent restaurants and cafes while wandering the riverside route and the gorgeous arched bridge of Ponte Sao Goncalo. The best time to visit Amarante, Portugal is in June. You can embark on a river cruise journey from Porto through the Douro Valley and stop in Amarante either for lunch or dinner. You can also spend your time exploring wines as the town has two wine estates that allow guided tours and tasting. The town of Amarante is also an interesting stop for food lovers. Moreover, visiting the Amarante water park ensures that your day is filled with fun.

Festivals and Events in Portugal

Celebrations unite people irrespective of their background and the best time considered to travel to any destination has to be the times of celebrations during festivals or events. Your trip to Portugal would be incomplete without these festivals mentioned below:

Carnival

Tracing its roots back to the 16^th century, Portugal’s Carnival is one of the most important and popular festival in the country. The festival takes place somewhere between March and April every year, 47 days before Easter, Carnival marks the beginning of the Lent season, it is a tradition where people give up eating meat and other luxuries in preparation for Easter. The best time to go to Portugal is during the Carnival, as people would celebrate with communal feasts and gatherings.

Holy Week

Just like other Christian countries across the world, people in Portugal celebrate the arrival of Easter with a week of festivities. Parades and processions take place around the country in honour of this religious festival between April and May. Most of the festivities take place in Braga.

Fatima Pilgrimage

You can go on a pilgrimage to Fatima throughout the year. On May 13th 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared in an apparition to three local children in Fatima, and to mark the date huge crowds gather at Fatima every year to pay homage to this miraculous event. Due to this reason, the pilgrimage that takes place in the month of May is more important.

Festa de São João do Porto

It is a Midsummer celebration in honour of an ancient pagan tradition that later became a Christian festival. It is a tribute to Saint John the Baptist, Festa de São João is most widely celebrated in the Portuguese city of Porto in the month of June. There will be free concerts throughout the city and you can find street vendors selling traditional snacks and drinks.

Festival of Sardines

Another summer festival that is celebrated in honour of 13^th century saint known as Saint Anthony. It is celebrated in the Alfama district of Lisbon, this festival has a theme of romance because Saint Anthony was known as the ‘matchmaking saint’. On this day, Men offer ladies love poems, as everybody takes delight in dining on freshly grilled sardines.

Tourism in Portugal provokes millions of people each year. The best time of year to go to Portugal is during events and festivals. You can enjoy communal feasts, and gatherings, celebrate the arrival of Easter and more. Other festivals such as Festa de São João do Porto and Festival of Sardines are some of the summer festivals that you cannot afford to miss if you are looking for a good time in Portugal.

Whether you want to contemplate while gazing at the beautiful landscapes or immerse yourself in the flavours of delicious cuisines. Portugal has something to offer to every visitor. Such a lovely destination is bound to feed your urge to travel. The question is, are you ready to give in?!