Hideaway Portugal

09/06/2020

Surfing, sailing and kayaking? Or golf, hiking and birding?

Read our little guide to outdoor pursuits in Portugal!
https://www.hideawayportugal.com/modules/home/great_outdoors.htm

07/06/2020

Good news! Portugal open for tourists. Starting 15th June airports, 1st July land border.

The process is gradual and dates of entry depend on country of origin (EU nations first). Airlines are increasing flights during the summer. Within Portugal, most things are already open, from accommodation, restaurants and shops to beaches, museums and transport.

Find updates, info on Portugal, holiday homes and B&Bs on Hideaway Portugal www.hideawayportugal.com and www.instagram.com/hideawayportugal

Please also check the websites of airlines and your embassy before travel.

04/06/2020

Thinking of visiting Portugal in the summer or autumn of 2020? Good news is that most things are already open and tourists may be able to enter the country after 15th June.

Travel updates & general info: www.hideawayportugal.com

30/05/2020

Updated 2nd June.

Hopefully, we can now start looking forward to some summer beach time in Portugal! The country's opening plan for tourists and in general is on the news page of www.hideawayportugal.com

Border restrictions are in place until 15th June. Only Portuguese citizens and foreign residents are currently allowed in.

The Portuguese authorities are keen to reopen the tourism trade in time for the summer, with the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs stating "Tourists are welcome in Portugal".

So, shortly after 15th June, it's possible that airlines will once again be able to bring in foreign visitors. The land crossing with Spain may take a few more weeks to open. As of 2nd June, this specific information has not been confirmed by the Portuguese government.

The entry rules can change at any time and will also depend on the country you're coming from. Madeira and the Azores have different rules to mainland Portugal.

Please check www.hideawayportugal.com plus Visit Portugal, airlines and your country's embassy in Portugal for updated information.

28/05/2020

A colourful shot from a Camellia show in Guimarães! Camellias thrive in Portugal, especially in the northwest where the climate is temperate and soils slightly acidic. Porto is even known as the City of Camellias, and their popularity here is thought to date back to the early 1800s and the community of British traders. These flowers are originally from China and Japan and there are over 100 species and up to 3000 hybrids! One of these species, Camellia sinensis is what gives us the popular beverage, tea! Find the land of camellias on www.hideawayportugal.com

27/05/2020

Late October in the Douro. After the harvest, vineyards take on beautiful autumn hues and the weather is gorgeous, generally dry and sunny during the day, cool in the evening. It’s easy to get to from Porto, where you’ll want a couple of days to see the historic quarter and port wine cellars. In the Douro, explore the area by car, bike or on foot. If you’re heading that way, check www.hideawayportugal.com to find some lovely places to stay.

26/05/2020

We love kayaking and here we are on Portugal’s northern frontier, the Minho River where it gushes out into the Atlantic. It’s actually possible that we were in Spain as we took the photo looking back towards Cabedelo beach and Ínsua island in Portugal, as the international boundary is midstream. It’s very tidal at this point and you can make out the upwellings of water in the photo where river is meeting sea. Apart from kayaking, this area is fab for kitesurfing, fresh seafood and hiking in rugged coastal hills. Head to the Minho, grab a kayak and find a nice place to stay on www.hideawayportugal.com

26/05/2020

At the end of August, the tiny 16th-century chapel of São Gregório gets decorated for the annual saint’s day celebration. Built of granite, as is typical of the Minho region, it overlooks the green valley of Covas in the far northwest of Portugal. It’s a bucolic area with charming stone villages, the clear Coura river and good hiking in surrounding mountains. There are lovely holiday homes to rent in the region on www.hideawayportugal.com, and it’s an hour’s drive north of Porto (a car is recommended for staying in this rural area). Beaches are about half an hour away. It’s also a good base for visiting nearby Galicia in Spain.

25/05/2020

A July shot of the Minho countryside with tall Vinho Verde vines, rugged granite mountains and blue sky! Portugal’s scenic northwest corner is a great spot for rural tourism, ideal for those into nature, villages and walking. There are plenty of farmer markets, beaches and rivers too. The region is easily accessible from Porto and we have lovely rustic holiday homes and B&Bs to stay in. www.hideawayportugal.com More info in the Minho section on our website.

24/05/2020

A stroll along the Tagus and under the iconic 25 de Abril suspension bridge. Always a good place to start a trip to Portugal! The bridge is close to Lisbon’s historic quarter, on the way out towards superb beaches, the palaces of Sintra and Cabo da Roca, Continental Europe’s westernmost point. // Find a place to stay in Lisbon on Hideaway Portugal. www.hideawayportugal.com

21/05/2020

Hopefully, we’ll all be doing more of this soon. Going to the beach! A September shot we took just goes to show how lovely and warm and sunny Portugal is at this time of year. If you’re planning on heading to Portugal at any time, check our website for places to stay. // Places to stay www.hideawayportugal.com //

20/05/2020

We love the quieter, more natural areas of the Algarve, with rivers, hills and uncrowded beaches. A few summers ago, we took this photo of the Seixe River just before it empties into the sea at Odeceixe’s gorgeous beach. // Places to stay in the Algarve on www.hideawayportugal.com //

19/05/2020

From the hilltop villages of the southern Alentejo region, there are magnificent views over vast plains dotted with ancient olive trees. // Alto Alentejo on www.hideawayportugal.com // # escape

24/04/2020

17/12/2017

A lovely summer's day on an Alentejo beach in SW Portugal.

If this is you, take a peek at www.hideawayportugal.com for places to stay in beautiful, tranquil and authentic areas of the country.

27/08/2017

Filmmaker Arvids Baranovs of Eaglewood Films loaded up his family of four and headed to the Portugal coast in search of some fine weather and solitude. During the summer, these beaches and parks c...

16/08/2017

Walking in the mountains of northern Portugal.

Stone villages, old olive trees, flocks of sheep and vines arching over clear streams.

If this is your cup of tea, fly into Porto, rent a car and head to the hills!

Find holiday homes and B&Bs in beautiful, tranquil and authentic areas of Portugal on www.hideawayportugal.com

04/08/2017

A noisy start to this weekend's São Sebastião Festival in Vila Nova de Cerveira!

"Grupo de bombos" drummers are a quintessential part of summer festivities around the country, alerting everyone for miles around that something major is happening!

More info on Portuguese festivals and culture here: http://hideawayportugal.com/modules/home/culture.htm

03/08/2017

The "Roman Bridge" at Ponte de Lima, a scenic market town in the Minho region. Its historic quarter is filled with cafes and restaurants serving local specialties (with Vinho Verde wine, of course!). The town has a bi-monthly market, a horse fair in June and the Feiras Novas Festival in September. There are also lovely gardens to wander around, a long riverside walkway/ cycle path and places to rent kayaks and bikes. 1 hour north of Porto.

More info, and places to stay, in the Minho region: http://hideawayportugal.com/modules/property/region_detail-1.htm

29/07/2017

Saturday, market day in Cerveira, NW Portugal!

Info about regional Portuguese food & wine, here: http://hideawayportugal.com/modules/home/food_wine_culture.htm

27/07/2017

A tranquil summer scene in the Minho region of NW Portugal.

Olive trees, vines and a village church fill this photo, in an area of rugged granite mountains and quiet country roads.

Click on Minho to find out more: www.hideawayportugal.com

In the northwest corner of Portugal, the Minho is green, scenic, quiet and bucolic. There are long empty beaches, gently-flowing rivers, mossy forests and granite hills with wild horses. Villages perch above green terraced fields and small historic market towns line the banks of the Minho and Lima rivers. Jewel in the crown for nature-lovers and walkers is Peneda-Gerês national park and the Minho is one of the best places in Europe for surfing and kite-surfing.

24/07/2017

04/11/2014

In the mountains of central Portugal. Stay in rustic stone houses in a medieval village. Walking trails, forest, rivers on your doorstep. Art and craft courses. Historic Coimbra nearby. More info here: http://www.hideawayportugal.com/modules/property/listing-1100.htm

08/05/2014

It's already apricot harvest time in the Algarve. These ones from a 7 hectare organic orchard within a B&B farm stay by beaches on the eastern border with Andalucia. More info here: http://www.hideawayportugal.com/modules/property/listing-1025.htm

02/05/2014

Adria's garden in May, in the Minho region of NW Portugal.

Here's her house in the country, for holiday rentals. http://www.hideawayportugal.com/modules/property/listing-1002.htm