Holiday destination

Portugal

Portugal is a friendly, easy-going choice, with golden Algarve beaches, the hilly streets of Lisbon and the riverside port lodges of Porto. Madeira offers mild weather all year, dramatic scenery and beautiful gardens. Being on UK time makes it especially easy for short breaks.

Region: Europe

Trip types on sale: Beach, City Break.

Places

Funchal (Madeira)
Madeira's capital, with gardens and a cable car to Monte.
View 3 holidays featuring Funchal
Albufeira
A lively Algarve resort with golden cliff-backed beaches.
View 2 holidays featuring Albufeira
Lisbon
Hilly lanes, historic trams and the monuments of Belém.
View 2 holidays featuring Lisbon
Porto
Port wine lodges and the riverside Ribeira district.
View 1 holiday featuring Porto

Best time to go

May to October for the Algarve. Lisbon and Porto suit spring and autumn city breaks, and Madeira is pleasant all year. Easter, the summer holidays and October half term are popular for families.

Who it suits

Families, couples, golfers, walkers and city-break fans.

Getting there

Flights run from London and many UK regional airports to Faro (FAO) and Lisbon (LIS) in about 2 hours 45 minutes, Porto (OPO) in about 2 hours 15 minutes and Funchal, Madeira (FNC) in about 4 hours.

Practical

Time: Same time as the UK all year.
Currency: Euro
Language: Portuguese; English is widely spoken.

Typical daytime highs

Algarve, summer (June to August). Typical daytime highs around 28 to 31°C in the Algarve in summer (June to August).
Algarve, spring and autumn. Typical daytime highs around 20 to 25°C in the Algarve in spring and autumn.
Algarve, winter (December to February). Typical daytime highs around 16 to 18°C in the Algarve in winter (December to February).
Madeira, winter (December to February). Typical daytime highs around 19 to 21°C in Madeira in winter (December to February).
Madeira, summer (June to August). Typical daytime highs around 23 to 26°C in Madeira in summer (June to August).

These are typical ranges, not a forecast.

Things to do

Relax on the Algarve's cliff-backed beaches
Ride a historic tram through Lisbon
Visit Belém Tower and the Jerónimos Monastery
Tour the port wine lodges of Porto
Walk Madeira's levada trails
Try a pastel de nata custard tart

Questions

Is Portugal on the same time as the UK?

Yes, mainland Portugal and Madeira share UK time.

How long is the flight to Portugal?

About 2 hours 45 minutes to Faro and Lisbon, and about 4 hours to Madeira.

Is Madeira warm in winter?

Yes, it is mild all year, making it a good winter sun choice.

UK passport holders should check the latest entry requirements on GOV.UK foreign travel advice before booking.