After a long, and sometimes stressful, quarantine, there’s nothing like picking up old habits. And seeing new places and landscapes is one of them. So, if you are thinking of traveling as a family, check out our itineraries.
With the lack of confidence, the activity starts to reopen and many of the outdoor spaces invite for a walk. However, don’t forget that we depend on everyone for the fight against this pandemic to be effectively won. So, travel safely and in places comply with all the safety rules that leisure spaces are imposing. After all, it’s the best way to relax in peace.
7 best destinations in Portugal for family travel
Douro
The oldest Demarcated Region in the world is always an excellent option if you are planning a getaway and traveling as a family. Miguel Torga called the Douro an excess of nature, not only for the chilling beauty of some of its landscapes, but also for the friendliness and hospitality of the people. Traveling through the Douro is to know a little of the history of Portugal, from the fantastic farms, the train lines that are now deactivated but still full of charm, the villages that keep pieces of history.
Meander through the terraces of the vineyards, delight in a unique cuisine and get to know in depth a part of the country that still remains a secret for many people.
Minho
In normal times, it’s June and Minho smells of parties, pilgrimages, crackling firecrackers, green wine sliding down the throats. Just like icy water beaches, but always irresistible. Minho is an explosion of green, takes a considerable slice of the fantastic Gerês and runs up there to the northernmost point of Portugal.
Therefore, this is an excellent option for family travel, with an immense offer of rural tourism and superior quality hotel units. Take a look at some must-see Minho destinations and feel the fresh air entering through every pore.
Piódão
Piódão is that bijou village, a cascading crib carved in the strange mountains of Serra do Açor, in Arganil.
In addition to the vast architectural heritage that is well worth the visit, you will also find good accommodation, restaurants, and, of course, the beautiful landscapes and the friendliness of its people that leave anyone surrendered to its charms. Also noteworthy is the fabulous river beach, which invites you to take a dip when the temperature warms up, precisely what you should find if you are traveling as a family.
Bussaco e Curia
Those who do not know the Bussaco forest need to go there quickly. It is just one of the most fantastic green spaces in the country, surpassed only by the overwhelming Gerês. The hotel is charming, the gardens beautiful and the nearby military museum a great way to spend a couple of hours. Then, whoever descends down the mountain, comes to Curia, an ancient thermal area of excellence in Portugal.
The spa park is absolutely relaxing and you can also take a walk around the elegant hotels (not all of them operating) that in the middle of the last century received the cream of society for vacations and entertainment. Just to say that between Bussaco and Curia there is a huge stretch of road, always in a straight line, where every door, every door, you can eat an extraordinary suckling pig. That’s Bairrada.
Reguengos de Monsaraz
If your favorite destination for family travel is the vast Alentejo plains, the choice is long and illustrious. Our suggestion is a visit to Reguengos de Monsaraz, the area that houses the old Vila da Monsaraz, and which promises an absolutely incomparable rest.
Also known as Ninho das Águias (no football connotation, it should be noted), the fortified village has a few hundred inhabitants and is essentially pedestrian. But on every corner you can feel the weight of a history that goes back many centuries, as witnessed by the monoliths or the imposing castle. The Alqueva Observatory is also nearby, where you can always learn more about the largest artificial lake in Europe.
Porto Côvo
This was perhaps one of the best kept secrets of the Alentejo coast, until Carlos Tê (Rui Veloso’s songwriting partner) supposedly spent a vacation there and wrote lyrics that would become almost the official anthem of the land. Everyone found out that there was a peach tree on the island, planted by the vizier of Odemira, who say out of love he killed himself again, here in Porto Côvo.
But the land has a lot to offer. Fantastic beaches, accommodation for all tastes and budgets and the calm that only the cliffs of the Costa Vicentina can inspire. Another excellent suggestion for family travel.
Tavira
Finally, if your destination has to be the Algarve, then the suggestion might be Tavira. Some people call it the Venice of the Algarve, which is strange to say the least, since there is another Venice to the north, Aveiro, and none of them look quite like the original.
But Tavira is a fantastic city, a part of the Algarve that resisted the temptations of mass tourism, maintaining a substantial part of its identity. You are in the heart of a lesser known but fascinating Algarve coast. An absolutely enchanting destination that will hold you forever.
@ Ekonomista
