Lauren Hill

Where to beat the crowds in Portugal

  • From Spectator Life
Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal (iStock)

Following the news that Portugal, including Madeira and the Azores, has a place on the UK’s green list, many of us are writing off other destinations and eyeing up its travel potential for the first time. There’s more to Portugal than the Algarve: whether you’re in search of vines, hiking trails or secluded shores, it’s possible to pull off an extremely varied break here. 

The Coast

As popular as Portugal is for its beaches, its long Atlantic coastline and wealth of islands means there’s plenty of coastal seclusion to be found. The Serra da Arrábida Natural Park near Lisbon covers more than 100 square kilometres and is the setting for several sandy stretches and smaller coves including Praia de Galapinhos. 

Quieter beaches in the popular Algarve then include those of the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, which stretches along the coast between Garrão and Manta Rota beaches. Boat trips from Faro—capital of the Algarve—introduce you to the uninhabited island of Ilha Deserta. 

Away from the mainland, the Azores are fringed with dramatic beaches that remain uncrowded. The archipelago’s largest island, São Miguel, is home to stretches of coast such as Praia de Santa Bárbara that are popular for water sports like surfing, along with more secluded dark-sand beaches like Praia da Viola. 

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Porto Santo, near Madeira

Over in Madeira, an archipelago of four islands, picturesque coastal spots include the nine-kilometre sandy stretch of the ‘golden isle,’ Porto Santo. In the Azores, stay at a coastal retreat like the Santa Bárbara eco-beach resort on São Miguel island, and in Madeira stay at a sea-view property such as Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel, which sits amid subtropical gardens on cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Wine tasting

Wine production has long been a part of Portugal’s cultural identity. Following the cultivation of Portugal’s first vineyard in what’s thought to be around 2000 BC, the country began exporting wine during the Roman Empire and the Douro Valley became the world’s first official demarcated wine-producing region in 1756.

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