Portugal is getting increasingly popular as a touristic destination, but it can be somewhat of an expensive place to visit, if you focus on the metropolitan areas such as oPorto, the capital Lisbon or the touristic beehive of Allgarve. However, if you stay out of the mainstream destinations, you may be surprised to find some genuine jewels and impressively low cost.
You will get a chance to explore luxurious natural landscapes and dwell in picturesque historical cities, if you look for some of the following cities and villages, all of which are located in the North of the Country.
Braga: one of the oldest cities in the country, internationally known as the town of arch-bishops. There is a strong Catholic tradition here, and religious holidays are traditionally lived with much intensity; especially Easter, at which time there are symbolic parades that draw in legions of visitors from across the globe. Most of the year, it’s a quiet city that showcases the warm hospitality which is available in the North of Portugal.
Viana do Castelo: if you’re looking for a peaceful little town with great beaches, river shores were you can fish, plenty of summer activities and a good measure of local culture, this is a place you should consider visiting. Its urban center is arguably one of the most peaceful and enjoyable in the entire country, and it’s one of the best places you can go for a romantic escapade in Portugal.
Guimaraes: this warm welcoming town has been mentioned in Time magazine as one of the most interesting and least known vacation sites in all of Europe. It’s known as the “cradle of the nation”, since it was from there the Portuguese declared national independence, nearly a thousand years ago; Guimaraes has a good offering of historical monuments and local gastronomy, and it does not fail to surprise tourists with its ancient looking streets, which often make you feel as though you’ve just traveled back in time.
Peneda-Geres national park: as far as natural landscapes go, this is simply one of the best Portuguese offerings, especially for visitors who enjoy trekking and mountaineering. There are lots of small villages nestled in this breath-taking mountain range, which are perfect for rural tourism. You can spend wonderful times here, canoeing at the dams, bathing in natural springs and contemplating nature’s works of art. If you are the adventurous type, you will certainly love to explore the vast mountains in this area, and try to catch a glimpse of the local wildlife.
To reach any of these places, you just have to book a flight to the oPorto airport, in which there’s usually a good offering of low cost destinations. All of the aforementioned towns are within a 100 mile radius from this airport. It you have to land at the Lisbon airport, it’s not a problem anyway, since you can get a train to oPorto and several of the other cities in the list (except for Geres, which is up in the mountains and away from the train tracks).
This guest post was brought to you by the Low Cost Airline Guide Website, where you will find a good selection of low cost flights to Portugal as well as most European countries. Image by pedrosimoes7
