Plan a Portugal Honeymoon
Like the soulful, heart-stirring sounds of its famous Fado music, Portugal evokes old-world mystery and is poetry come to life. With cliffside castles, elaborate monasteries and treasures dating back to its storied "Age of Discovery," the coastal nation is also home to wine regions, modern cities and endless beaches. From the trendy Algarve region in the south to the quieter north, Portugal promises romance.
By: Becca Hensley
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Room at the Inn -153839
For an authentic stay, spend some nights in a pousada. This collection of 36 unique hotels once owned by the state, and now under the flag of one of Portugal’s leading hospitality companies, includes restored castles, palaces, monasteries and rustic lodges, set amid vineyards, atop ski mountains, on the seashore and encircled by Roman and Celtic ruins.
Photo Credit: Pousadas de Portugal
Cruising
Sometimes people argue about the best way to see a locale: From the water onboard a boat or pedaling through its landscape? They both offer a slow-motion, deeply immersive experience, and they both propel you from one point to another. Now, a trip by highly regarded outfitter Backroads combines the two. Beginning in Spain and ending in Porto, the tour has you cycle across sunbaked terrain by day and lounge in cruise ship comfort by night.
Photo Credit: Arquivo ICEP Portugal
Capital City
The Portuguese love their eye candy. Lisbon alone has more than 16 official viewpoints. A few scenic spots include Miradouro Nossa Senhora de Monte, poised at the highest point in the city, and Penedo de Saudade, which faces astonishing vistas of the eastern part of town and the Mondego river.
The word saudade only exists in the Portuguese language, and can’t be easily translated — it references an unspeakable yearning or longing for something lost or never acquired. While pondering that, check out the centuries-old love poems engraved on stones.
Photo Credit: Turismo de Lisboa/visitlisboa.com
A Room at the Inn
A favorite hotel is the Pousada Santa Marinha da Costo, a former 12th-century Augustine monastery (room rates start at $90 a night and include breakfast; pousadas.pt).
Photo Credit: Pousadas de Portugal
Hip Scene
Once upon a time, Algarve — the centuries-old fishing village — was awash in Moorish influences, with cobblestone streets and brightly colored, charming buildings. Then the artists came, followed quickly by the travelers. That brought golf courses and all-night parties, created just for vacationers. But here’s the thing: Some places get noticed for a reason. And, that’s Algarve. Here, intoxicating beaches are isolated from the world by rocky cliffs that shelter the sandy crescents like cupped hands.
Photo Credit: José Manuel
