Re: Portugal.

Marion darlin' welcome to our forum. With snow and ice all around us, I'm sure it would look most attractive.

Re: Portugal.

Thank you for the welcome.

It's not too brilliant over there at the moment, but certainly better than here. I think the temperatures got up to around 17 - 18 degrees today, although some rain was expected!!

I'm looking forward to June and a week of warmth!!

Re: Portugal.

Thanks Diamond lady.

Our daughter + partner have just returned from Porto and have recommended there. We shall have to see because living in the wilds of Aberdeenshire, working out flights can be problematic for some destinations. If we can't get direct flights, ideally we would change at Frankfurt or Amsterdam as there are regular flights from Aberdeen.

The last thing we want is somewhere too touristy, so we had discounted the Algarve. We're not beach people. We have great beaches here anytime we want and often have them to ourselves!. Can't stand the heat either, but hopefully mid Sept would be OK.

We never book much in advance, so we will possibly change our minds a dozen times before we go. We've got no idea where we're going this year - but being retired (that's a joke) we can go whenever we like.

Hope you enjoy the board.

Re: Portugal.

Hi Grumblewagon,

I've heard good reports on Porto too. Until recently I worked for IHG and last year they took over and renovated a lovely building in Porto for one of their hotels and colleagues who have been there overseeing the IT gave the area the thumbs up. Tbh, I've not met anyone who hasn't enjoyed all the various areas that the Algarve has on offer, and if you go in June or September as we do (as I cannot stand the heat either), there are not too many tourists. We stick to the Eastern side as a base as we go away on holiday to feel like we are somewhere other than the UK. I've never been keen on beaches (get bored far too quickly), but I make an exception to go a couple of times during the week for an hour or two as they are so inviting and I love the little boat ride!!

Anyway, wherever you decide to go on your vacation, I'm sure you will have a great time.

Re: Portugal.

We have been going to the Algarve every year for 20 years, may have missed two in that time, and missed not going.
We go middle to end of October when the weather is more like a British Summer i.e not too hot. November starts cooling down quickly.
We stay near Albufeira where the beaches have attractive rocky formations.
From there we have taken day trips to Lisbon and Gibraltar.
Couple of years ago we decided to try second half of May, and were surprised to find it a lot cooler than October, even though some other seasoned travellers told us, that the weather had been the best they had ever know in May.
Have in the past hired a car and been to several places including Travira, another place inland we liked was Silves for a visit.
Must say I don't care much for the eastern side as it is flat and not so interesting in my opinion.

Re: Portugal.

Grumblewagon I can highly recommend my area in the south of France, we are south so you get the good weather but also up a mountain so the air is fresh and normally a nice fresh breeze for walking, so much history and ruins to visit , pretty villages and country side. Beaches with in an hours drive or you have the lacs for swimming in. I love it

Re: Portugal.

Thanks for the recommendations....
Valice, glad you like the Algarve so much. Personally, we try to visit different places and would never dream of going to the same area year after year. The only real exception is going to Germany in Dec. for the Xmas markets, and even then we try to see different cities. (Hamburg is tops)

It's our 40th aniversary in Sept, so that's when we want to go, but we've not made any decision as to where. We'll book something nearer the time.

SWMBO fancies Portugal, but I fancy Austria.. It'll depend on what we can get. As for Xmas, maybe Berlin this year - maybe not.

Re: Portugal.

We had no intention of going to the Algarve every year, it just happened that way. We do have other holidays though where we go to different places.