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Portugal makes many visitors happy, with its beautiful nature and lovely sunsets but also with its open and happy population. The large amount of small fishing villages fit perfectly into the idyllic landscape and gives you the feeling that the time stands still.

The Algarve is especially known for its beautiful bays and wonderful sandy beaches which you can have just for yourself with a bit of luck.  From all major airports many planes fly to Faro, the small and very idyllic capital of the Algarve. From there you can reach all important points of the region, especially the village Sagres which is on the most south-western point of Europe.

Portugal is ideal suitable for relaxation and recovery. Who wishes a more active journey should go to Lisbon, the Capital, and make us of the large amount of party and sightseeing options.

For all sportive visitors multiple options such as surfing, hiking or biking are available. The perfect wave conditions und numerous spots let especially the surfer hearts beat faster.

The climate is especially on the coast very mild, in the north cold and in the south warmer and drier. The large amount of annual rainfall in the north enables the growth of large forests; the south instead is only rarely covered with forest.

Basically the climate in Portugal is dominated by the Atlantic that makes it a rather humid zone in Europe. The temperatures vary depending on the height and reach their peak in the southern regions. In Portugal it is however never really hot or cold. In the winter the temperatures are about 8-16 degrees and the sun is shining 5-6 hours a day.

In the winter and in the spring you must count on some heavy rainfall. In the summer the average temperature is about 25 degrees and you can enjoy up to 12 hours of sunshine a day.

Portugal is one of the most well-known and popular surf destinations in Europe, therefore accordingly many surfer travel to Portugal each year. Due to this many spots are crowded in the summer.

But you cannot only find good waves on the famous places as Peniche or Ericeira on the west coast; also the Algarve in the south has some good spots to offer. The water temperature varies depending on the spot, during the winter month they are about 13 degrees and in the summer around 19.

The waves are best from October till April. However the cold water doesn’t allow surfing without wetsuit and booties, also in the summer month.

Best season for beginner: May – September
Best season for advanced surfer: October – April

Crowd factor: High in the summer month

The probably fastest and cheapest way to get to Portugal is by air. Travellers to the Algarve mostly fly to Faro otherwise depending on the destination Lisbon or Porto is the first choice. Scheduled flights operate from all major European airports to Portugal. But you can also easily reach Portugal by car or bus. The road infrastructure is good developed and allows travelling long distances in a short amount of time. Also the railway infrastructure is well developed: several lines connect Portugal with Spanish cities. The way via Irun is especially interesting for travellers using an Interrail-ticket. From there you can take a direct TGV-connection to Paris. Be careful: to take your board on board of the TGV is often not possible!