The Algarve is amongst those holiday destinations that is popular not only during the summer but also during the winter, and that is due to quite a few reasons, one of them being the fact that it is located firmly on the European continent – which makes it relatively easier to visit from within the continent, and the fact that it features a lot of golf courses – but more on that later.

The reason for the region’s popularity during the winter and autumn is mainly due to the fact that even during these seasons the temperatures during the day will rarely go below fifteen Centigrade, but on average it’s usually above that. Considering how in most of the rest of Europe at the same time temperatures during the day are below zero, one can understand the appeal just from that stand-point alone.

While the Atlantic can be a bit on the chilly side of things – although there are always some thrill-seekers who enjoy the colder waters – one can still get quite a few solid hours of sunlight during any given day which will allow for some beach-side lazing.

Going back to the golf for a bit, the Algarve is a well-known destination for golf enthusiasts, it has somewhere in the region of thirty great golf courses which span the entire range of experience. Golfers love engaging in their favorite pass-time at any time of year that’s true, but when they can do it in great circumstances during the winter, well that’s just an extra incentive to visit the region.

Keep our Algarve car rental services in mind when visiting the Algarve during autumn and winter breaks.

You can win a FREE Car Hire group A vehicle for a week during your rental period worth 130 Euro. In case the winner wants to rent a car from a different group, then he or she will only have to pay the difference between what would be the price of their chosen vehicle and the price of a group A vehicle.

In order to enter the competition for this FREE car hire for a week in Algarve, you’ll have to book online a car between 1 Nov 2012 and 31 March 2013 and also be a fan of our Facebook page which you’ll find here.

Free Car Hire – Algarve, Portugal

At the start of each month we’ll be randomly choosing a client who made a booking in the previous month, and they will then be notified via email and receive a FREE CAR HIRE voucher, and all that winner will have to do at that point is present the voucher at our office.

We’re running this competition as part of our winter promotion, during this very low season the prices that we offer are lower than those during the summer high season so this offer means that you could afford to rent a much bigger car, obviously that only makes sense if you need one.

As we’ve been talking on the site, and we’ll continue to do so, the Algarve is a great holiday destination in the off-season as well, thanks to its wonderful weather, celebrating Christmas here or just taking a break from the cold winter in the rest of Europe can prove to be a great choice, keep our Faro airport car hire services in mind.

Now from December through to February it does get a bit colder here as well, something around 16 Centigrade, for about six hours per day. Those living in the temperate climate of Europe already know that during those months temperatures in the minus digits are normal and going above freezing is rather abnormal for many days. In the Algarve you’ll have some of the most pleasant winter climate that Europe has to offer.

We’ve pretty much made it clear that the weather in the Algarve in the winter is absolutely stunning, but what can you do while enjoying the great weather? Well pretty much anything that you’d normally do here in the summer, maybe with a little less sunbathing, but many other outdoor activities are still available to you.

Anything and everything, from kayaking and golfing to rambling and exploring the countryside are options at your disposal, and keep in mind that you can also use some Algarve car rental services in order to explore more of the region at your own pace. This is particularly useful for those who want to visit certain sites in the region that are in different locations, or for enthusiast golfers who want to enjoy as many courses as possible.

Especially the South-Western corner of the Algarve is very popular with surfing enthusiasts from Europe and all across the world, because it is very similar to surfing a peninsula. The over twenty beaches in the region are all within maximum a half an hour drive of each other or your accommodation and they feature reefs, points, bowling beach breaks, not to mention warm blue waters.

The Algarve is a great destination both for those who are already experienced surfers as well as for those who want to start, with the summer months actually being ideal for a visitor to attend some surfing school courses.

The extra advantage offered by these surfing schools or surf camps is that they know the area extremely well, and as you might expect they’ll know where and when to go for the best surfing experience possible. It can take a while, even for experienced surfers, to learn on one’s own how the local breaks work best with the tides, wind and whatnot, and that is time that comes out of your holiday, not to mention money that you’ll be spending on fuel for the Algarve rental car that you’ll most likely be employing.

On the other hand, beginners with zero experience who have always wanted to learn how to surf will benefit tremendously from the courses offered in these types of schools. Getting the basics down quickly, such as getting on the board safely, surely and quickly, with the right equipments and in safe and controlled conditions, are all crucial to a beginner enjoying this thrilling activity.

One of the main reasons why Portugal is such a popular holiday destination is its absolutely wonderful climate. The average summer temperature hovers around thirty degrees Centigrade and while that may not sound like anything special since in the summertime it’s hot in most temperate zones and most of Europe.

The great weather is just part of Portugal’s popularity

There are so many other factors which make it a great holiday destination

Portugal Beach

It deserves mention that in those regions the average temperature might jump well over thirty and that makes for a solid amount of discomfort so an average summer temperature of thirty is great. Also coupled with this is the average winter temperature in Portugal which never falls below fifteen degrees Centigrade very often, and while that may not sound like anything special, one has to consider the average temperature in the rest of Europe during the winter months in order to truly appreciate it.

Now the great weather would be enough of a pull to visit a foreign country but that’s hardly the only thing that attracts people to Portugal, its other great feature is its eight hundred and fifty kilometers of coastline which offer some of the best beaches and resorts on the globe.

While the entire country has many attractions and interesting sights, when it comes to the best combination of weather and geography, that would be the Algarve region, which is situated in the southernmost part of the country.

The Algarve itself is possibly the most visited region in Europe, if not the world, and for good reasons because it features the most spectacular beaches possibly on the entire Mediterranean coast.

There are several places where you can start your Portugal adventure, however some of the more popular arrival destinations are Lisbon, Faro and Madeira. Their airports are very accessible from pretty much anywhere else in Europe or the rest of the world so that is part of why they are popular. The other part has to do with the fact that they themselves are interesting places to visit on their own, Faro for instance being used as something of a gateway to the Algarve for many tourists but it is also an attraction on its own.

The whitewashed buildings and cobbled streets coupled with plenty of museums make for a great introduction to the country as well as a good stepping-off point for other destinations in the Algarve region.

Portugal offers a lot of holidaying option to its visitors and it has something for everyone, it all depends on what it is that you are looking for when traveling to a foreign country. If you’re interested in lounging on a beach, soaking in the sun and enjoying some water sports then surely you can find it here; if you’re interested in having a more family-oriented relaxing trip in which you can explore the country’s culture, traditions and history, Portugal has that as well; if you happen to be a golfer, the Algarve region especially has over thirty world-class golf courses which await your swing.

Whether it’s summer or winter in your home country you can rest assured that the weather in Portugal will be at least fair and depending on what your goals and preferences are you can surely find a region or a particular place in the country that satisfies them, so make sure to strongly consider Portugal as the destination for your next holiday.

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Portugal is a very popular tourist destination amongst Europeans and Brits especially, but oftentimes most of the attention is directed at the southern region of the Algarve as that is the most popular, but the northern regions shouldn’t be overlooked when planning a trip there. The city of Porto for instance, is located in the north of the country and is a rather interesting tourist destination for several reasons.

 

The city of Porto

Porto Portugal

The city is most well known for the fact that it has given its name to a type of wine made from the local vineyards, the world renown Port wine, but Porto is a busy industrial and commercial center as well as being quite a great place for a holiday.

The city is built along the hills which overlook the Duoro river estuary and it has been continuously inhabited since at least the 4th century, the Romans referring to it as Portus Calle.

The city has always benefited from great weather, even though due to the influences of the Atlantic ocean it is considerably cooler than other cities within the same climate type; this has also made it a mercantile city and this is most evident in the style of the buildings which line the Avenida dos Aliados which is at the center of the downtown area. As opposed to most other old centers in Portugal who tend towards the Baroque style of architecture, the old center of Porto is populated with monumental granite buildings which reflect the increased wealth of its inhabitants.

Historically speaking, the city is known to some as “a Cidade Invicta”, which means the invincible city, a title bestowed upon it by Porto’s resistance against Napoleonic troops during the Peninsular war.

The city’s main tourist attractions can be found off the Avenida dos Aliados, the Rua Santa Catarina and the Rua Clube dos Denianos.

Another idea would be to start your sightseeing in Porto with the river front Ribeira area, where you can join cruises on the Duoro river in traditional boats which were once used to ferry the wine from the vineyards. On a nearby hilltop you’ll find the 12th century Porto Cathedral which resembles a fortress and then after visiting that you can straight up hit the Praca da Ribeira which is a short walk away. In order to get some great views of the city you should also visit the Torre dos Clerigos which is also close to the Avenida dos Aliados.

As far as the architecture of the entire city goes, Porto is rather varied, with medieval and modern structures side by side but while it is pleasant to the eye, the city’s geography can be a bit hard on one’s feet since it is built in a hilly region and in fact several buildings are actually built into the cliff face which overlooks the river.

The locals are very friendly to outsiders, they are actually known in the region as Tripeiros because it is said that the entire city subsisted on tripe soup so that all the meat could provision the fleet left to conquer Ceuta in 1415, tripe soup has remained a specialty of the city till this day.

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Porto – Portugal – Travel Destination

The sunny shores of Spain offer a wonderful mix of great weather, rich culture, wonderful beaches and many world renowned attractions. This Iberian country has given the world Don Quixote, Pablo Picasso, bullfights, flamenco dancing and so much more that visiting it can only result in a great experience.

Spain’s popularity as a tourist destination stems from its diversity

Read a little bit about what you can expect from a Spanish holiday

Spain

Spain is a very popular tourist destination both for other Europeans as well as tourists from around the globe; considering the size of the place it should also be noted that Spain is popular for different reasons to different people, some will come to enjoy the weather and the beach resorts, others will be interested in the culture and history of the place, while others will be more interested in seeing some football (soccer) matches from some of the best teams in the world, all of these things and more can be found within the boundaries of Spain.

Those who fall in love with the country know that there are many facets to it, as is true about any other place on the face of the Earth, so many choose to repeatedly visit Spain or even retire there in order to enjoy the weather and its diverse range of attractions. However, for the first-time visitor to Spain, he or she might want to start with one of the main cities to visit first such as Madrid or Barcelona. Not to say that those are the only places that you could visit, far from it, there are many others such as Bibloa, Granada, Valencia, Andalucia and the list could continue, however those two can be great starting places for you to get introduced to Spain.

Madrid is the country’s capital and its largest city, it is defined by its ancient and medieval history and as such is well known for its artistic and cultural heritage as evidenced by the many great museums that you can find there.

Museo del Prado has one of the greatest art collections in the world and this isn’t true just for Spanish art, their Flemish and Dutch, Italian and German collections are just as world-class.

The Museo del Prado is part of the so called Golden Museum Triangle, alongside the Reina Sofia National Museum and Art Center where you’ll find some of the best collections of modern art, and the Theyssen-Bornemisza Museum of Art which features a varied and large collection of art including several masterpieces by the greats such as Renoir, Van Gogh, Picasso and Bacon.

Barcelona is Spain’s second-largest city, and while it is also an old city deeply steeped in its history, it is also a place where modern design concepts permeate all aspects of life. This is due to Barcelona being the host of the 1992 Olympic games which brought a huge number of tourists to the city and the effects of that event can still be felt today in the upper mentioned modern design as well as in the renovation of entire neighborhoods or leveling of others. Barcelona is an old city yet with a very modern look, a place where the 21st century meets the ancient while also preserving and celebrating it.

These two don’t even scratch the surface of The Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, or the Balearic Islands or Spains great food, all you can do is visit the place and see it all for yourself.

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Visit Spain – ESPAÑA – Espagne – Spagna – VideoClip

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal, a city located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and set on seven hills, as the legend says. The city is characterized by a particular type of charm which stems mostly from it’s strong links to its past as well as the presence of water as a defining element.

A charming city… built on seven hills

Lisbon Portugal

Lisbon’s weird and wonderful mix of cultures and architecture sets it apart from most other European capitals, with its cobble-stoned pavements, narrow streets and Art Nouveau cafes almost guaranteeing that there are many hidden things waiting to be discovered.

Keeping in mind its link to the past, you’ll be astounded at the sheer number of renovated palaces and fabulous churches that you’ll encounter during your stay, not to mention the impressive castle that overlooks the city from a hilltop.

The city is also home to a large number of great museums which focus on both ancient and modern art, most prominent among them being:

• - the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum: this is where you can find an interesting assortment of Egyptian artifacts alongside paintings from masters such as Rembrandt and Renoir;
• - the National Museum of Contemporary Art;
• - the National Coach Museum: housed in what used to be the palace’s riding school, the building now houses the largest collection of coaches and royal vehicles in the world;
• - the Berardo Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art;
• - the Carmo Archaeological Museum.

We mentioned earlier that water is a defining characteristic of the city and that is so because Lisbon is one of the very few European capitals to feature both a coastline and a river, the city boasts a very long maritime history. The Maritime Museum, or Museu de Marinha, focuses on the long naval history of the city and the country as a whole, featuring model ships, uniforms and nautical instruments. Interestingly enough the museum features the polished private quarters of the 1900 UK-built royal yacht Amelia as well as a series of ornate royal barges; just as a side-note to this, the city also has a Water Museum.

However Lisbon is so much more than museums, culture and architecture, it is also a modern European capital with all the bells and whistles that come with it, such as a very vibrant nightlife on the one hand, with bars and clubs catering to the current music scene, as well as establishments which feature the melancholic traditional Portuguese music called Fado.

When you get a bit tired of visiting museums and churches, take your time and enjoy a stroll through one or more of Lisbon’s parks and gardens, whether it’s the Zoo, or the Lisbon Botanical Garden which is actually one of the oldest such gardens in Europe and most likely the first one in Portugal.

The city is also a great place for shopping opportunities, especially when you consider that you can find the Centro Commercial Colombo which is in fact the largest shopping mall in the entire Iberian Peninsula and of course you can get to experience the more local way of doing things by shopping at the local markets and especially the flea market at Campo de Santa Clara.

One has to realize that this is simply a very general look on what Lisbon has to offer its visitors, rest assured that once you are there, you will not spend one moment doing nothing.

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Travel Guide – Lisbon, Portugal

Get a quick idea of what you should expect from your holiday trip to the Algarve, the region’s main characteristics, features and attractions, it’s so much more than simply sunny weather and white beaches.

Travelling to the Algarve

Things to see and do in the Algarve

Algarve

The Algarve is a world renowned travel destination being one of the top European destinations for those individuals who are looking for the warmth of summer all year long. This region of southern Portugal is popular due to many features, one of them being the great weather of course, but this is compounded by the over two hundred kilometers of clean beaches, clear water and not to mention a very diverse culture and heritage.

The region is also very diverse when it comes to the attractions that it offers its visitors, whether you are looking for a calm and tranquil holiday resort on the ocean coast or you are more interested in the idea of partying and the nightlife, you can find either of those option in the Algarve, as well as everything in between and more.

Those individuals who are into outdoor-type activities will be glad to know that the region has other geographical features besides white sandy beaches, it has coves, capes, cliffs, mountains and valleys, and many, many hiking trails, so whether you prefer to trek on foot, via bike, or with the aid of some type of motorized vehicle the Algarve will not disappoint.

Now if you thought those were enough reasons for most people to start seriously considering the Algarve as their next travel destination here is another reason that will absolutely clinch the deal for some of those yet to decide. The Algarve is the premiere golfing destination in Europe and arguably in the world, featuring over thirty world class golf courses, all of them within an easy one or two hour drive from any of the main resorts, no golf enthusiast will want to miss this opportunity.

These are only a short description of what the Algarve has to offer in regards to tourism potential, they only scratch the surface as it were and we haven’t talked at all about the diverse culture of the region, its interesting history, or the various places that you can visit while on your trip there. Not to mention the great and varied local culinary options that are available in any city, resort or village that you might find yourself visiting during meal time.

Algarve Beach

As mentioned earlier the region is a very popular tourist destination, in fact its population tends to triple during the peak of the holiday season, receiving up to seven million foreign tourists during this period and up to three million Portugal residents, so it is indeed a popular and depending on your choice of resort it could be rather crowded during this period. Of course some people enjoy it but even in this case you will want to book your accommodations earlier in the year so as to make sure that they will be available and not as expensive as they would be during the peak time.

The same advices would also apply if you are planning to use some Algarve car hire services while on your trip there, booking in advance will pretty much assure that you’ll have the type of car that you need available for you during your stay.

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The Unknown Algarve

These town has over fifty museums, showcasing eternal collections of workings by designers really as Picasso, Joan Miró and Antoni Tàpies. At the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) you can view 1 of the world’s mainly principal collections of Romanesque art. It additionally has historic collections of contemporary art housed in museums really as the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) and CaixaForum. Most museums theater temporary exhibitions.

The city is also a showcase for the best of the country’s theatrical skills. It is the base for internationally popular companies like as Els Comediants, La Fura dels Baus, Els Joglars and El Tricicle. One of the a good number significant cultural trial is the “Grec” Summer Event: a date on theatre, music and dance.

The town additionally hosts a number of popular music festivals loyal to jazz, flamenco, classical and modern melody. The town additionally has two classical tune locations in addition to a notable-superiority programme of actions: the Palau de la Música and L’Auditori. In adding, the opera residence, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, homes one of Europe’s the majority impressive opera seasons.

In addition to that’s not all… You will in addition find spaces where you can play sporting activities in the go up space and a whole crowd of leisure landmarks, such as the Tibidabo Amusement Park and the old harbour quarter, the Port Vell. Barcelona is a pack of surprises that motivation stay you entertained on countless cultural and recreational actions.

About 4.5 million individuals stay in the Barcelona metropolitan area. The place enjoys a crucial location, bathed with the sea and inclueds exceptional transport relations on the relax of Europe. The Mediterranean and Europe are the significant traits of Catalonia.

Barcelona is a fresh, cosmopolitan city, but has inherited several centuries of history. Its geographic place and the free personality of its inhabitants are the factors why the city is organism ethnically enriched all the time. It has a significant architectural and enormous heritage, the largely splendid exponents of which are its Gothic and modernista architecture. Five of its pieces need been designated World Heritage Sites. The entire metropolitan guarantees that tourists will enjoy buying a promenade over its streets which are replete with charm.

This area is also fulled of surprises for you younger travellers. Barcelona has a magic mountain: Tibidabo. You could take your mother and father to the Tibidabo Amusement Park, where you can go the merry-go-round, and visit a marionette show.

At the zoo you can view how a lot of animals live and a dolphin explain! Other than one of the places where you can watch the a good number fish is L’Aquàrium. You can go through a tunnel under the water and visit sharks and fish of all shapes and sizes.

L’Aquarium de Barcelona is open year-round. Opening time is 9:30 AM daily, and closing times vary by season. Admission prices also vary by age, so check their website for full details. L’Aquarium can be considered to be one of the best touristic activities in Barcelona.

Barcelona is also opinion of you and you’ll find a lot of theatre shows, cinemas and parks to compete in for as long as you like. Insight at all the attractions you are do…

Barcelona inclueds museums dedicated to art, science, sport, origin, archaeology and supplementary fields. Be confident not to miss couple of the the majority interesting, really as the Museu Picasso, the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), the Fundació Joan Miró and the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC). The MNAC showcases the unique Romanesque frescoes from churches in the Catalan Pyrenees. If you desire to increase a superior insight into the story of Barcelona, you can trip the Museu d’Història de la Ciutat. You can also take a seem at the several art galleries dotted around the place.

And Barcelona doesn’t sleep at evening… You can hear all mode of music: all styles of electronic music for the youngest clubbers, and jazz and Latin rhythms for every ages. Barcelona attracts the world’s top DJs who play the most excellent dance grooves all through the evening at the discotheques around the capital.

Barcelona is a most important shopping showcase. Its variety of stores are a mixture of tradition and modernity. They are section of the city’s characteristics and individuality and, jointly with the main models around Spain and in scotland, make it a buying city of international position.

The capital is grand buying thoroughfare is known as the Barcelona Buying Line. Its exceptionality with stare to additional shopping areas deception in the verity really it encompasses an large part (some five kilometres), is mainly pedestrianised, and styles an important element of the metropolitan and the life of its inhabitants. This reasons that, as you walk through municipality is most charming streets and districts, you can build your products at its several top value shops. Now you can find all info approx Aeroporto Barcellona and also information about Barcelona car hire inside of the airport.

Visit this fantastic metropolis!