- Active rest in the resorts of Portugal
- Family vacation
- Take a break from the hustle and bustle
- TOP 3 best resorts in Portugal
Portugal is often called the end of the world. Indeed, looking at the waves crashing against the rocks at Cape Roca, it is not difficult to imagine that the American continent is almost visible on the horizon and the Western Hemisphere is literally a stone's throw away.
Despite the remoteness from the center of Europe, the best resorts in Portugal do not lack tourists at all. Every year, ten million travelers travel to the ends of the world in search of pleasures - contemplative and gastronomic, visual and bodily, as Portugal offers an extraordinary variety of vacation options, from beach holidays to ecotourism.
Active rest in the resorts of Portugal
The list of suitable Portuguese resorts for outdoor activities is consistently topped by the Azores. The archipelago, consisting of nine independent islands, is located quite far from the continent in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. The beauty of rest in the Azores lies in the distance from civilization: you cannot find ideal hotel service here, but you can merge with nature in the full sense of the word. In the resorts of the Azores, it is customary to walk among geysers and volcanoes, observe sea giants-sperm whales in their natural habitat and dive to the ocean floor to wander among the corals. The weather in the Azores is not very stable, and therefore true adventure seekers prefer to relax here. The water temperature, even at the height of summer, rarely exceeds + 22 ° С.
If you prefer a luxury vacation, but at the same time active and sporty, as befits modern millionaires, choose Vale do Lobo. This resort prides itself on its golf courses and tennis courts. In the first case, guests of the resort can count on two professional fields, set in picturesque places with magnificent views of the ocean. And tennis players vacationing in Vale do Lobo prefer to hone their skills in a club with fifteen courts. In their free time from golf and tennis, guests of luxury apartments go to sea on yachts and put themselves into the hands of professionals in the spa center with dozens of pools and saunas. Coming out refreshed and full of energy, guests of Vale do Loba taste the best wines of Portugal and appreciate the skills of the restaurant chefs of the famous resort. If your bank account doesn't go to infinity, don't despair! The town has something to do even for a mere mortal: the beaches of Vale do Loba are equipped in full accordance with the concepts of an ideal vacation by the ocean, and you can sunbathe on your own towel. The main thing is not to forget to roll over from side to side in time, so as not to get a sunburn in the active Portuguese sun.
Popular in Portugal, surfing as a sport began in the middle of the last century, and Carcavelos was one of the first resorts where a surf school was opened in the 60s. The town not far from Lisbon remains a Mecca for those who seek to conquer the wave even today. Instructors on its beaches are ready to teach the basics of this spectacular sport to everyone. In addition to surfers, on the sandy beach of Carcavelos you can meet volleyball and football players, yachtsmen and fishermen. In the evenings, the beaches of the resort bloom with numerous lights of discos, bars and nightclubs, where DJs from Europe come to play.
Family vacation
In Portugal, there are not too many tourists with children from Russia: the flight takes a sufficient amount of time, the cost of the tours is not very humane, and the ocean does not dispose to the serene floundering and sculpting of sand cakes. And yet, little guests at Portuguese resorts meet, moreover, they are quite satisfied with the organization of their leisure and life:
- Albufeira is ready to offer an ideal beach holiday for the whole family. There are several beaches in the resort and in the surrounding area, each of which is good and attractive in its own way. The city beaches are covered with clean fine sand and are equipped with all the necessary tourist infrastructure. On the beaches of Peneca, Inatel and Pescadores, you will find sun loungers and umbrellas, toilets and fresh showers, active recreation centers and life towers. Most of the beaches in and around the resort are proud of the Blue Flags awarded for their cleanliness. Albufeira also knows how to entertain the younger generation! In one of the best resorts in Portugal, the Zoo Marine Park has been opened, on the territory of which there are shows with the participation of marine life, a zoo and attractions. There are many playgrounds for children in the city squares and parks of Albufeira.
- It is best to spend your vacation in Quarteira with children of preschool age. There are not too many entertainments in the resort, but the wide and sandy beach of Quarteira is equipped with the most necessary infrastructure facilities, and the entrance to the water along its entire length is quite gentle and safe for beginner swimmers. The cafes along the coast offer famous local cuisine based on fish and seafood. The former fishing village has been famous for its seafood delicacies for decades, and the Quarteira market is buzzing every day from the early morning hours. The resort has an oceanarium displaying typical inhabitants of the local underwater fauna.
- The clear water of the Atlantic at Praia dash Masansh is not the only reason for its popularity with family tourists. The beach is located near Cape Roca - the westernmost point of Europe - and close to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sintra. A beach vacation on Praia dash Masansh can be successfully combined with a rich excursion, and such a vacation will undoubtedly appeal to any teenager interested in history and geography. Nearby is Grande, a beach called the center of water sports throughout Portugal. In the summer, the Grande hosts world-class championships, and tourists from all over the area come to cheer for the participants.
The entrance to the municipal beaches, which are the majority in the resorts of Portugal, is absolutely free. But the beach equipment necessary for comfortable sunbathing is offered for rent for money. If you don't need a sun lounger, and you think panties invented the parasol, sunbathe on your own towel. But keep in mind that in the wind, which is invariably present on the Atlantic beaches of Portugal, sunburn happens many times more often than on the sand of quiet resorts in Italy or Spain. So you shouldn't neglect security measures at the end of the world.
Take a break from the hustle and bustle
Portugal justifies its geographical position, and it is quite possible to find a place where you can take a break from civilization. For example, on the island of Madeira, in its administrative center, Funchal, despite its lively atmosphere, there are beaches where civilization has hardly reached. Look for Praia de Sao Tiago and Praia do Gargoullo and you can be sure to sunbathe in splendid isolation on a weekday. The beaches are pebbly, but the fresh shower and toilet are working properly.
Sunbathing on da Rocha beach in Portimão is especially pleasant, as it offers views of the medieval fortress of Santa Catarina de Ribamar and the rock massifs surrounding the bay. The resort is not too crowded, although da Rocha Beach is consistently listed as the most beautiful in Portugal. You can wander alone and enjoy the smooth flow of time during an excursion to the ancient ruins: in Portimão, there are the ruins of a Roman villa and a necropolis built before the new era.
TOP 3 best resorts in Portugal
We want to immediately warn you against following the imposed stereotypes! In Portugal, it is impossible to choose the best resort, because each place is beautiful in its own way, and any resort is ideal for a person who has decided to reboot in order to return to the mainland with a refreshed body and soul. Therefore, our rating contains the resorts where there is the largest number of options for reloading. Moreover, it doesn't matter if you are resting in splendid isolation or a noisy company of like-minded people:
- Estoril is ideal for getting a glimpse of Portugal. This resort has a place for everyone: for a family with children, a romantic couple, venerable retirees or fans of an active and sporty life. Estoril's beaches stretch for several kilometers and each section is covered with soft fine sand and equipped for a comfortable stay. The resort's hotels are built in close proximity to the coastline, and its reputation as the largest center of the entertainment and gaming industry is supported by numerous casinos located right on the beaches. If you flew to Estoril with children, head to the water parks, of which there are eight in the resort. In each of them you will find water slides and attractions of different heights and difficulty, pools for the little ones and older children, restaurants with the favorite dishes of young tourists and animation programs that will make the younger generation of your family squeak with delight. And in Estoril, museum expositions of various directions are open and architectural sights built several centuries ago have been preserved.
- The string of stunning beaches in Cascais is not the only reason for the popularity of one of the best resorts in Portugal. European youth prefers to relax in Cascais, for whom summer is a great occasion to hang out with friends, fly on a board through the waves, get their portion of the sun, and in the evening to break loose in a nightclub where music is made by the most popular and professional DJs of the continent. Still, back to the beaches! In Cascais, they stretch for several kilometers and, choosing the site you like, you can be sure that you will find everything you need - from a fresh shower and changing rooms to sports equipment rental points. And sports in the resort are in great honor, because the most solid waves in the region are observed off the coast of Cascais. So its Guinho beach is favored by surfers of all specialties - both with the prefix "wind" and with the prefix "kite".
- The island of Porto Santo, a few tens of kilometers from Madeira, is an ideal place for those who decide to spend time on the ocean and take a break from civilization. In the sense that the tourist infrastructure of Porto Santo is quite decent, but on the beach you can feel yourself in sufficient seclusion. Especially if you come to one of the best resorts in Portugal in the first half of summer or in September, when the flow of those wishing to retire will subside. The beaches of the island stretch for a dozen kilometers. They are covered with golden sand, the mineral composition of which is considered to be healing. On the beaches of Porto Santo, it is useful to warm the bones for all those suffering from arthritis and other problems with joints. An active life on the coast is also present, and those who want to get it do not experience a shortage of entertainment. Water sports centers are open on the beaches, where water skis, catamarans, surfs with and without sails are offered for rent. There is also a good golf course on the island - the most professional in the entire Madeira archipelago. Fans of fishing are invited to go to sea on a yacht, on board of which they prepare a catch at the end of the trip. Guests can ride on the picturesque island by jeeps, bicycles or on horseback. There are not many attractions on Porto Santo, but in order to diversify your vacation with new knowledge, it is quite enough. Excursions are offered to the botanical garden, to the house-museum of the discoverer of America, citizen Columbus, and to the old church of the 15th century.
The capital of Portugal does not belong to the list of the best resorts, but if you find yourself in Lisbon, for example, on a business trip or during a long docking, you still have a chance to swim in the ocean. The nearest beaches to the city are 15-30 minutes away by train from the center. The Lisbon Riviera stretches from the confluence of the Tagus into the ocean to the resort of Cascais. The beaches in the vicinity of the Portuguese capital are free and equipped with everything you need, and the entrance to the water at the bathing places is relatively gentle, so even not very experienced swimmers can safely enjoy the Atlantic Ocean.
