Flight Destinations
Flights to Portugal
Destinations In Portugal
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Portugal is situated in southwestern Europe on the western edge of the Iberian Peninsula which it shares with Spain. Though Portugal is not as developed as its neighbour, it is still a popular choice with the British, who make up 21% of the visitors, because of its beaches, resorts, landscapes and cities.
There are a number of airlines who offer flights from the UK to Portugal. Even if you are not buying a ‘package’ holiday you can still book seats on a charter flight such as Monarch, and you may be able to pick up some great last minute deals. Flights to Portugal are also available through the budget airlines: Easyjet and Ryanair and the three major international airports are Lisbon, Faro and Porto.
Northern Portugal
Portugal is split between north and south by the country’s longest river, the Tagus, and the two halves of the country offer quite differing landscapes.Northern Portugal is dominated by mountain ranges in the interior, in the region called Montanhas. The highest Portuguese mainland peak can be found in the central Serra da Estrela range (meaning ‘Mountain range of the Star’) where skiing is becoming popular. The Serra da Estrela Natural Park is situated here, and offers an alternative to the typical beach holidays which Portugal is most famous for. This area has not been particularly developed for tourism as yet, so if you’re looking for a rural holiday this would be a good place to visit.
The main city in the north is Porto (or Oporto), and there are flights to Porto from the UK with Ryanair who offer several routes, including from London, Bristol and Birmingham. Porto is the second largest city in the country and is an important financial and economic centre, though does offer plenty for tourists too. The historical centre of Porto, called Ribeira, has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers some fascinating architecture from periods throughout Portugal’s history, including the oldest surviving structure, Oporto Cathedral, and some 15th century houses.
The climate in the northern half of Portugal is classified as Oceanic. Summers are warm, though not as dry as in the south as summer showers can be fairly common. Typical summer temperatures range between 16C (60F) and 27C (80.6C) though heat waves of up to 40C (104F) can occur. Winters are fairly mild, typically between 5C (41F) and 16C (61F), though can drop below this at night.
Southern Portugal
Southern Portugal, below the River Tagus, is mainly rolling plains with some upper areas.The capital and largest city, Lisbon (Lisboa), is situated on the western coast, where the River Tagus meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is the culture, combined with mild climate and architecture which are the main appeals for tourists. Built on seven hills, Lisbon has a likeable transport system of trams dating back to the 1930’s, and funiculars which take you up into the hills. The city is easy to get to, with direct flights from the UK.
Portugal is perhaps best known for its coastal resorts, especially the Algarve, in the far south of the country. The main city here, and access point for tourists is Faro and many airlines offer direct flights from the UK into Faro international airport.
The southern coastline is almost 100 miles long and offers a bounty of beach resorts. Albufeira, Portimao and Lagos are amongst the most famous and popular. The Mediterranean climate, with year-round warmth is a big pull, and with more hours of sunshine than California the temperature stays around 30C (mid-80’s F) throughout the summer.