Europe is home to some of the best countries in the world for visiting. This continent is full of life and has a rich culture where ever you go and one of the best gems in Europe would be Portugal.
Portugal is a must-see country in Europe that you definitely want to add to your bucket list 2020, especially after all of the COVID-19 pandemic and if you are American, the racism issues related to Goerge Floyd’s death, you need to relax for a few days and fuel up your soul and mind again!
Portugal has everything a traveler/tourist might desire like Portugal history, Portuguese cuisine, Portuguese beaches, and the most important thing, Portuguese people! Your trip to Portugal would be the one you’ll talk about for years (and possibly decades!!).
In this post, we’ll be talking about 10 Reasons why you should visit Portugal in 2020.
Let’s jump right in!
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1- The beaches of Algarve
The Algarve, in Southern Portugal, is one of the most beautiful regions in Europe with 150 stunning beaches all across the place! The Southern part of Algarve is usually loaded with people, but if you travel to the western side of Algarve which is less developed, you’d have very few other people at the beach with you (and sometimes the beach is all yours!) which is perfect for relaxation and surfing. Whether you are a professional surfer or an amateur, the Algarve beaches are the best spots in Europe to surf! (Praia do Amado, on the Costa Vicentina, is Portugal’s best-known surfing beach).
2- Portugal’s Festivals
Portugal has a lot of festivals throughout the year, especially in June.
Santo António Festival is one of the most popular festivals in Portugal which is held each year on the 12th and 13th of June. Santo António Festival is also known as the Sardines festival since a lot of Sardines get served during the festivals. In fact, there are lots of music, dancing, parade, and countless grilled meat and Sardines involved in the Santo António Festival!
Be careful! Maybe you have a lot of fun that book your next year’s vacation to Portugal again, at the spot!
3- Take a boat or a train along the Rio Douro valley
the valley of the river Douro has breathtaking steep hillsides that are covered with vines and some wine-producing farms so-called quintos. You can surf the area by car to visit some wineries and the beautiful landscapes or if you have more time, take the 200km train which connects Portugal’s second-largest city, Porto to Peso da Regua and multiple other towns along the Douro valley. You can also have a boat trip down the river between Porto and Alto Douro.
4- Get to know Lisbon, the capital
The capital of Portugal, Lisbon is an example of heaven-like cities on earth! You’d have some of the best dishes you ever had in Lisbon’s restaurants, or spend a few hours in the Lisbon’s plazas, take a ride with the city’s famous yellow trams, get fascinated by the icing-sugar cathedrals of the old Moorish Alfama quarter, and feel the Lisbon’s vibe as you look at the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge which is more beautiful than the Golden gate bridge in San Fransisco.
5- have a blast in Porto
Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. This city has its own charms like the tall old buildings near the coast or the countless wine caves that offer samples and the historic Roman places! But Porto is not all about history, this city hosts a lot of great rock, electro and jazz musicians which makes visiting Musea de Arte Contemporânea and the concert space the Casa da Música more interesting!
6- Go whale watching in the Azores
About 1,500km (930 miles) away from Lisbon, you can visit some of the biggest inhabitants of our planet, the whales and dolphins. The best time to go whale watching in the Azores is between April to June when most of the Atlantic ocean’s residents are chilling at Portugal’s water!
7- Visit the canals of Aveiro, the Venice of Portugal
Venice isn’t the only city to give you a pleasant feeling of boating along a city’s alleys! Aveiro is there to change your mind and make you go amazed when looking at its gorgeous buildings.
8- Portugal has Europe’s best climate
Portugal’s winters are very mild compared to most other European countries. The temperature rarely gets below 5°C which makes Portugal’s winters mild weather to still enjoy, plus the summers are long and warm. Portugal has one of the highest hours of sunshine in Europe. Amazing, right?
9- Portuguese people have good English skill
Since most of the Hollywood movies in Portugal are subtitled, a lot of people (especially the youth of Portugal) have good knowledge of English and can communicate with you easily! Even if you don’t find an English speaking Portuguese person, there’s always an English speaking expat community somewhere near to make it easier for you to communicate in Portugal!
10- People greet you like an old friend
Portuguese people are very hospitable and would actually do anything to make your vacation to Portugal, the one you’ll never forget. They easily get out of their way to make you feel welcome and would not ignore you if you need help with something!