In the last 5 years tourism in Portugal has taken off, places that were once wild and mostly unknown are now full of people, and blog’s like ours play a big part of it by sharing breathtaking images of places in Portugal.
I have heard and talked to tourists coming here ever since I remember and most stories are about how the people are welcoming and how peaceful and unexplored it was. Well, it still is if you avoid large cities Portugal’s charm is still there.
Where to go?
If you want to go partying and are looking for nightlife cities like Lisbon, Porto or Algarve´s coastline are the places to go. If you are looking to see large monuments Sintra, Tomar, Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, and many other’s are perfect. But if you are looking for that authentic Portuguese experience forget it you won’t find it there. Places in Alentejo, Minho, or Beira Alta are your best bet at the real Portugal.
Why you should avoid big cities in Portugal
It’s relaxing
No traffic, no crowds, no stress. That’s got to be the number one reason for us. As we are travelling with a toddler, the fact that we can let him run around and explore without losing him in the crowds or watching over cars is priceless.
People are more friendly and welcoming
One of the reasons people have always fell in love with Portugal is the friendly locals, well… that’s not true anymore in places like Lisbon, it’s just not possible to be friendly when tourism grew to the point of becoming a stress on the lives of people living there. We go often to Lisbon and last times it took us more than 3 hours to get to downtown and when we finally got there, parking was simply not possible.
Cheaper
Not much to say about this, we don’t need to spend nearly €20 a person to have a good meal, instead, we can pay that much for all three of us and still get better service.
More time, no cues
In many off the beaten path places, we can visit 4, 5 places and still be thinking what to do next. In some of these super cool places, we get a personal guide and explanations about everything from the person there with no extra charge. And did I tell you can alone in a castle, underground cave or palace?
Surprising
No expectations mean everything is a surprise. Unlike going to very known places that you have seen pictures of online taken by pro’s, and upon arrival, you find that it’s crowded to the point of waiting in line to take a picture.
Perfect for families
It’s just a perfect way to recharge and enjoy the best Portugal has to offer, nature, peace and tranquillity away from the crowds.
Ok, so where should I go?
The places you see in the video are in Alentejo’s region, Nossa Senhora da Cola, Barragem de Odivelas and Serpa. But the truth is you can mostly pick any small town in Portugal and be surprised. We mostly look for places that have river’s or lakes for their views and then some historic locations nearby and I assure you there are hundreds of options just like what you see here. If you are looking for more or a specific region contact us, maybe we can help you out.