Get to know the perfect european holiday destination all year round - Portimão

Castelo Branco is the capital of the old province of Beira Baixa. Located just twenty kilometres from the Spanish border, most of the historical character of Castelo Branco has an attractive atmosphere to it, with generous parks, wide boulevards and bustling squares.  Full of history and with a heritage of infinite value, this secular city has a great diversity of spaces and multiple activities, with a close and familiar environment, where the mountains and the city come together. Castelo Branco is a very good foundation from which to explore the border region of central Portugal.

Located within 400 and 700 meters above sea level, Viseu, in the centre of Portugal, is a must-visit Portuguese city. It is surrounded by mountains and crossed by the rivers of Vouga and Dão, where the acclaimed wines of the region get their unique character.  With a vast historical heritage, the city was populated by different cultures through times, including the Romans, Subs, Visigoths and Moors. Viriathus, the rebel leader of the Lusitanians who resisted the Roman expansion, is believed to have lived and fought in Viseu. Viseu is also home to landmarks of sacred art and religious architecture. The numerous churches that adorn the historic centre, such as Viseu’s Cathedral and the Misericórdia Church, are magnificent.  Although known to be built in grey stone, the city conveys a fresh and harmonious feel, due to its large green spaces. Viseu baths are also one of the city’s main attractions, drawing holidaymakers every year to spend some refreshing days. The city is also a cultural centre, home to the nationally acclaimed Grão Vasco Museum and a pole of national universities, including the Catholic University of Portugal.

Overlooking the Mondego river, Coimbra is the fourth-largest urban centre in Portugal, after Lisbon, Porto and Braga. Also known as the university city of Portugal, Coimbra is home to the first university in the country and one of the oldest in Europe. Founded in 1290, the Coimbra’s University Alta and Sofia, are two architectural centres composed of 31 magnificent buildings. Thanks to its important legacy, the University was classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2013. Coimbra is filled with impressive constructions from different periods of history. The Roman occupation left an aqueduct, from which the remains were later incorporated into a medieval renovation. The Muslim settlement brought a fortified palace, that was later used by the early Portuguese Monarchs. During the Middle Ages, a lot of emblematic buildings were built. Examples of those are the Santa Cruz Monastery - the Patheon where the first kings of Portugal are buried - the old Cathedral and the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha - the most important Gothic work in the city. In the Renaissance period, Coimbra was considered one of the main artistic centres of Portugal, with several Manueline and Renaissance works in the town. Coimbra has also been an important musical centre in Portugal for centuries, acclaimed by its own musical genre called “Fado de Coimbra”. It is mostly related to academic traditions and is characterized by the use of a specific guitar, with a specific structure - “Portuguese guitar”.

Évora is the capital of Alentejo’s region. Filled with impressive historical and cultural landmarks, the city is one of the most popular places to visit in Alentejo. The Historic Centre of Évora was elected a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986. The city’s roots go as far back as Roman times. Évora still retains ruins from that period, such as from the Temple of Diana. Three centuries later, during the Moorish period, a fortified gate was built to improve the city’s defensive system, as well as a Kasbah. The presence of the Moors can also be felt through the old labyrinthine quarters of the city, which are filled with typical Moorish arches.  Évora is also home to a beautiful Cathedral built during medieval times, in the 13th century. In the 15th century, when Évora became the Portuguese king’s residence, a number of royal buildings started to pop up. St. Claire Convent, the royal church and the convent of São Francisco are some examples of those. The Manueline style of architecture characterises these remarkable buildings.Besides Évoras’s rich monumental heritage, the city is also known for its beautiful whitewashed houses decorated with tiles and wrought-iron balconies, its colourful handicraft stores and the family-run cafés and restaurants, which offer the tastiest gastronomy in the land.

The Lisbon South Bay area comprises three districts: Almada, Seixal and Barreiro. These three are known for their close historic connection to the Tagus River. From the ancient industries in Barreiro that fed the naval expeditions to África and Índia in the 16th century, to the amazing long sandy beaches of Caparica, Lisbon South Bay welcomes hundreds of thousands of tourists in summertime and surfers all through the year.  Seixal, the district between Almada and Barreiro, was where Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese explorer, built his expedition ships with the help of his brother and father. The Tagus river’s presence greatly affects the region’s economy and the professions that the locals choose. In this sense, this region saw a surge of professions like fishermen, sailors, millers, caulkers, ax carpenters, which, for years, constituted the main way of life of the populations.

Located on the coast, about 36 kilometres west of Faro, Albufeira is synonymous with tourism and features some of southern Portugal's best beaches. The region was once a fishing village, and it still holds something of its classic character. A labyrinth of steep, narrow streets lined with whitewashed houses and fishermen's cottages leading down to the astonishing beaches is what the town of Albufeira looks like. The city's original Arabic name, Al-Buhera means "castle on the sea" and there are some beautiful Moorish arches in the towers. Modern Albufeira is, nonetheless, the Algarve's tourism capital, a thriving centre with hotels, restaurants and stores.

Castelo Branco is the capital of the old province of Beira Baixa. Located just twenty kilometres from the Spanish border, most of the historical character of Castelo Branco has an attractive atmosphere to it, with generous parks, wide boulevards and bustling squares.  Full of history and with a heritage of infinite value, this secular city has a great diversity of spaces and multiple activities, with a close and familiar environment, where the mountains and the city come together. Castelo Branco is a very good foundation from which to explore the border region of central Portugal.

Located within 400 and 700 meters above sea level, Viseu, in the centre of Portugal, is a must-visit Portuguese city. It is surrounded by mountains and crossed by the rivers of Vouga and Dão, where the acclaimed wines of the region get their unique character.  With a vast historical heritage, the city was populated by different cultures through times, including the Romans, Subs, Visigoths and Moors. Viriathus, the rebel leader of the Lusitanians who resisted the Roman expansion, is believed to have lived and fought in Viseu. Viseu is also home to landmarks of sacred art and religious architecture. The numerous churches that adorn the historic centre, such as Viseu’s Cathedral and the Misericórdia Church, are magnificent.  Although known to be built in grey stone, the city conveys a fresh and harmonious feel, due to its large green spaces. Viseu baths are also one of the city’s main attractions, drawing holidaymakers every year to spend some refreshing days. The city is also a cultural centre, home to the nationally acclaimed Grão Vasco Museum and a pole of national universities, including the Catholic University of Portugal.

Overlooking the Mondego river, Coimbra is the fourth-largest urban centre in Portugal, after Lisbon, Porto and Braga. Also known as the university city of Portugal, Coimbra is home to the first university in the country and one of the oldest in Europe. Founded in 1290, the Coimbra’s University Alta and Sofia, are two architectural centres composed of 31 magnificent buildings. Thanks to its important legacy, the University was classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2013. Coimbra is filled with impressive constructions from different periods of history. The Roman occupation left an aqueduct, from which the remains were later incorporated into a medieval renovation. The Muslim settlement brought a fortified palace, that was later used by the early Portuguese Monarchs. During the Middle Ages, a lot of emblematic buildings were built. Examples of those are the Santa Cruz Monastery - the Patheon where the first kings of Portugal are buried - the old Cathedral and the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha - the most important Gothic work in the city. In the Renaissance period, Coimbra was considered one of the main artistic centres of Portugal, with several Manueline and Renaissance works in the town. Coimbra has also been an important musical centre in Portugal for centuries, acclaimed by its own musical genre called “Fado de Coimbra”. It is mostly related to academic traditions and is characterized by the use of a specific guitar, with a specific structure - “Portuguese guitar”.

Évora is the capital of Alentejo’s region. Filled with impressive historical and cultural landmarks, the city is one of the most popular places to visit in Alentejo. The Historic Centre of Évora was elected a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986. The city’s roots go as far back as Roman times. Évora still retains ruins from that period, such as from the Temple of Diana. Three centuries later, during the Moorish period, a fortified gate was built to improve the city’s defensive system, as well as a Kasbah. The presence of the Moors can also be felt through the old labyrinthine quarters of the city, which are filled with typical Moorish arches.  Évora is also home to a beautiful Cathedral built during medieval times, in the 13th century. In the 15th century, when Évora became the Portuguese king’s residence, a number of royal buildings started to pop up. St. Claire Convent, the royal church and the convent of São Francisco are some examples of those. The Manueline style of architecture characterises these remarkable buildings.Besides Évoras’s rich monumental heritage, the city is also known for its beautiful whitewashed houses decorated with tiles and wrought-iron balconies, its colourful handicraft stores and the family-run cafés and restaurants, which offer the tastiest gastronomy in the land.