Transport and accommodation in Portugal

Getting to Portugal couldn’t be easier: Portugal’s westerly position makes Lisbon a key hub for many trans-continental airlines, attracting many extra flights each day.

Driving in Portugal is simple, with a network of roads and modern motorways, many of which are less than twenty years old. But be warned, drivers are expected to carry all their relevant papers with them, with on the spot fines for those who don’t.

Public transport in Portugal is both efficient and excellent value, with a single fare on the swift and sophisticated Alfa Pendular trains from Faro to Lisbon just €24 first class or €18 standard. Both Lisbon and Porto have extensive underground metro systems, with a single journey on the Lisbon Metro costing just €0.85 and an unlimited monthly pass just €18.70. Lisbon also has a traditional tram network that has ferried residents and tourists around the streets of the city for over a hundred years.

Accommodation in Portugal is exactly what you would expect from a leading tourist destination, with a huge selection of hotels across the star grades in the main resorts. Away from the tourist centres, unusual accommodation can be found in historic manor houses and baronial strongholds, giving you a real taste of the history and heritage that Portugal is so rightly proud of.

For a real experience, you can book to stay in one of the vineyard hotels in the Douro Valley, seeing the winemaking process first hand and enjoying the fruits of their labours fresh from the barrel.