Is Portugal your new Florida? Plan your trip.

So you are looking to go to Portugal. But is Portugal for you?

You probably heard about lots of people going to Portugal these days. Portugal is the new Florida, for Canadians, lol! Portugal is great - the food, the weather, the people, the history! You have probably heard all of these statements from your friends or acquaintances. But are these true and is it for you? And how would I plan a trip if I have never been to Portugal or Europe? Lots of questions.

So Portugal is great, in our view. But it is probably not for everyone. It is NOT Florida, for many reasons. If you have always and only really travelled internationally to Florida, then Portugal may be a culture shock too far. In comparison to Florida, the weather is different, the language is different, the customs, culture and surroundings are very different. For some people these differences will be very good. For some being this out of their comfort zone may not. And you may not know until you go. There are ways to get a sense of is this for you. So how can you tell? This is where a bit of advance research is recommended.

There are several ways to investigate with little difficulty. There is Youtube! It has hundreds of videos about travel and living in Portugal. There are travel books and online written resources. If it still interests you after some research, then maybe do some research on how you might do a trip there. You could do an organized tour trip. That would eliminate lots of the planning and ease some fear of the unknown.

Tours - we have never done an organized tour travelling around Portugal but they are popular and we have talked to people that have had great experiences, but we would suggest, do your due diligence!

So here are some tour options (again, we have not done any of these personally):

-Air Canada vacations. This might be the safest choice, but perhaps more expensive than average.

-Rick Steves tour. Very popular, highly regarded and reviewed, but pricey.

-Approach Tours

-Senior Discovery Tours

Travel to Portugal on your own, without doing an organized tour.

Single area or travel around? Both of these options are doable in Portugal and may be of interest, depending on your interests and the type of travel you are comfortable with.

Single area: For people seeking warmer weather (and as close a substitute for Florida), a trip to the Algarve (south) of Portugal is very popular. You can fly from Canada via Toronto or Montreal (or other European cities), to the Faro International Airport on the Algarve. This will likely require three flight legs from YYT (to Toronto or Montreal, then to Lisbon, then to Faro). You might be able to get a seasonal flight on TAP or Air Transit or Air Canada directly from Toronto to Faro. From Faro Airport you can then get a private transfer (for about 35-50 Euros) or an Uber or a Bolt (Uber equivalent) to take you to your accommodations. The Algarve is about 2 hours total driving distance from the far west to farthest east, so not long distances where ever you stay. From Faro driving to popular destinations like Albufeira is about 40 minutes drive and to Lagos, is about a 1 hour drive.

There is also the option to rent a car directly at the Faro Airport. This is pretty easy and not too expensive. It is also possible to rent a car at a more local place or have a rental car delivered to your accommodations, if you only wanted it for part of your time there, though these options are probably more expensive, on a daily basis, in comparison to renting at Faro.

Renting a car is not required or necessary and you can do a great trip with or without a car. A car will add to the cost but gives lots of flexibility to see more things. Driving in Portugal is not difficult. They drive on the right, like north america. The roads are modern and well kept. There are lots of roundabouts on locals roads, some very busy ones in the larger cities and some drivers like to get close to your rear bumper now and then but that is like much of Europe. Rental cars are European models, small (with limited luggage space), but in good shape, though not always new models. Fuel is costly in Europe, but because the vehicles are smaller, with smaller more efficient engines, they burn less gas per gallon then north american vehicles.

There are multiple towns along the Algarve to stay in that suit different tastes and price ranges. There are also lots of day trip options that can be done by rental car, bus, train, Uber or organized tour from anywhere along the Algarve. The most popular towns to stay are probably Albufeira, Lagos, Portimao, Vilamoura, Ferragudo, Tavira (there are lots more, too many to mention them all).

There are also lots of activities and organized tours that can be done while in the Algarve - such as boat tours, water sports, hiking, wine tasting, etc.

Two (or three) stop trip: If you are interested in seeing a bit more of the historical part of Portugal then a stop in one (or more) of the two major cities (Lisbon or Porto), combined with a stay in the Algarve is very doable. Flights from Canada go year round directly from Toronto/Montreal to Lisbon and seasonally (usually spring through to early fall) to Porto. If you fly to either of these cities, you might look at booking a multi-leg flight itinerary. So for instance, your itinerary could look like this:

-Fly YYT to Toronto or Montreal, then into Lisbon, stay several days, then take either another flight (under 1 hour) or a train or bus or rental car (about 3 hours) to the Algarve. Then fly home through Faro International Airport or return via same options back to Lisbon and fly home from there.

-Fly YYT to Toronto or Montreal, then into Porto, stay several days, then take either another flight (under 2 hours direct on Ryanair or longer via TAP with stop in Lisbon) or a train or bus or rental car (about 6-7 hours) to the Algarve. Then fly home from Faro International Airport.

Portugal is about seven hours driving, top to Bottom. Lisbon is almost in the center from top to bottom, Porto near the top and the Algarve near the bottom. A train ride from Porto to the Algarve is 6-7 hours, from Lisbon to the Algarve about three hours.

There is also the option to take the direct seasonal flight from YYT to Dublin or Paris or Gatwick and then do a connecting flight to Portugal. This might involve multiple airlines and complicates things a bit but is certainly an option and might reduce flying time. You could even add in a stopover in Dublin or Paris or London (all obviously fantastic cities that we have visited).

Multi-stop trip on your own:

For the seasoned and/or adventurous travellers this is the ultimate way to experience Portugal. This is easily doable and common for many on their second or more trip to Portugal. But it can be done on your first time there too! Some itinerary examples to get you thinking:

-Fly YYT to Toronto or Montreal, then into Lisbon, stay several or multiple days. There is lots to see and do in Lisbon, with multiple day trip options nearby the city.

Then take either a train or bus or rental car for maximum flexibility and the closest thing to your own tour. Rent a car from Lisbon and make your way to one or more small towns in Portugal, either north or south of Lisbon, where things are less touristy and more authentic Portugal and explore! Then drive back to Lisbon and fly home.

To the north of Lisbon, between Lisbon and Porto there are a great number of interesting towns and places to stay and visit. As well, there are fewer but still a number of interesting towns you can visit and stay for 1 or more days between Lisbon and the Algarve.

How about Spain! If you are in the Algarve you can also throw in a trip to Spain! The south of Spain, Andalusia area, is easily reached from the Algarve via rental car, bus or organized tours. Southern Spain has many great cities. We have only been to Seville (it is beautiful and different from Portugal) but there are also Granada, Cordova, Rhonda, Malaga and more.

Why Portugal is not Florida:

-the weather is generally not as warm for the winter months. In Portugal you will get cool days and rain in the winter, usually intermixed with sunny days on the Algarve in the winter. Hopefully more sun than otherwise, but weather is variable - it is on the Atlantic Ocean. North of Lisbon the weather is greyer from fall to spring.

-the chain restaurants are missing! Except for fast food like McDonald’s and Burger King, there are no common chain restaurants like in Canada and the USA. There are lots of great restaurants that serve fresh made food, especially seafood, often from locally sourced and healthier ingredients. But customs are different - they may serve you a whole fish on your plate, it is up to you to fillet it! French fries often come standard as an accompaniment, perhaps a British influence, but you can easily request other options when you order.

-Coffee drinkers note - Portugal is a coffee culture, but not the same as north america. They love their coffee and there are many cafes and pastelarias throughout Portugal. There are many coffee sizes and options, so you might want to become aware. If you order a “cafe” you will probably get a small shot of espresso, their daily staple. You can however get an americano and cappuccino and many other options, so coffee lovers will not be disappointed.

-Portugal also love their pastel da nata, a famous and delicious custard tart, as well as many other pastries and desserts.

-the booze is cheap, but not as cheap as Florida. The Portuguese wine is really good though, and so is the beer, lol. Foreign made alcohol, such as rum and vodka and other spirits can be significantly more expensive than local made beer and wine.

-the gas is expensive.

-the rental cars are small and usually manual transmission. Automatic transmissions are available but cost more and can sell out. If they offer you a big rental vehicle, you need to be aware what areas you are driving and parking. If you rent an apartment with underground parking, not uncommon in Portugal near the coast or in cities, the garages are a tight squeeze for a large vehicle. Parking can be a tight squeeze in some other places as well. Also, when parking in public areas, look at the parking signs carefully, many near the beach or a city center are “pago” - pay to park, not usually expensive, but if you don't pay, don't be surprised by a parking ticket on your window. If you decide to drive in the hilly areas of the country or Madeira, the roads can become narrow in remote locations.

-the hotels rooms in big cities are often small. Less so on the Algarve, small towns or higher end hotels, but look for how many square metres a room or unit is. Multiply square metres by 10 to get the number of square feet.

-bring your own facecloths, they are not common in Europe.

-the power outlets are different. You will need an adapter for dual voltage items (phone or ipad, etc.) or a converter for single voltage items (power toothbrush). Sometimes older accommodations have few outlets.

-Dryers are virtually non existent in rentals. You might need to do laundry. Many rental units have clothes washers that work well, but drying clothes is hang to dry. There are self serve laundromats that do have dryers. We have used self serve laundromats occasionally without any problem.

-your airbnb or vrbo, might have limited heating for winter. Buildings in Portugal are not well insulated, for heat or sound. So if you are spending the winter there, make sure the accommodation has a heating source, such as a working mini-split unit in the rooms you will spend time (living space and bedroom). Hotels are usually fine but some rentals can be cold in winter.

-If your rental or hotel is near the party area of a town it might become noisey late into the night on a weekend.

-some rentals charge extra for electricity usage. Read through the fine print.

-some rentals units involve walking up stairs, look at the description closely.

-some rental units may come without an oven or a dishwasher, or other amenity you are used to, so read through the apartment amenities carefully.

-the shopping is very different. It is not really a shopping destination, such as with outlet malls in the USA. There are some north american chain stores, though not many. You will find some European chain stores, such as Decathlon and some malls in larger centers, including the Algarve. But you will also find unique many local products and crafts on offer, such as things made with cork. There are lots of local markets throughout Portugal with locally made items.

-there is a different language - from road signs to menus, things will be in a different language. Though you can sometimes get an english menu, not 100% of the time (google translate works great though). Most people under about age 40 speak very good english because they have learned it in school. They also learn it from foreign TV programs in Portugal, which are subtitled, in comparison to other European countries where they are dubbed. In regards to older Portuguese, some speak english very well, especially if they work in customer service, while elderly may not hardly at all. Taxi drivers appear to be the least english speaking. It is suggested to learn a basic few Portuguese words, which will bring you a better experience.

-Visa restrictions. Portugal is in the Schengen zone of 29 European countries. Visa restrictions for that group of countries have various requirements. The most notable for tourists is that visitors from Canada can only stay in the zone for 90 days out of a 180 day period. So if you visit for the full 90 consecutive days you have to leave the zone for 90 days before you can re-enter. Here is a link with some info:

https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/travelling-europe

-In fall 2025 the Schengen zone of Europe is installing electronic tracking of entry and exit.

-Supermarkets have different products. It can be viewed as frustrating or as part of a new adventure going to the supermarkets (of which the sizes range from small corner stores to large full size), because they do not carry north american brands or perhaps not your fav product at all. Supermarkets carry toiletries but they do not carry things like tylenol or advil or contact lens solution, etc. Those items are found Pharmacies or Farmacias. There are lots of Farmacias, but again, brands and selection will not be the same or as we are used to in north america.

-the terrain is hilly in Lisbon and Porto and some other areas (such as Albufeira).

-there are a lot of cobblestones and they are slippery when wet, sometimes even when dry. The sidewalks can also be sloped steeply or narrow in some spots. Wear comfortable, supportive footwear, with good gripe, not heels or smooth bottom shoes.

-the hiking is great in the Algarve and many other places in mainland Portugal. It is especially amazing on the Portuguese archipelago island of Madeira.

-the Algarve beaches are spectacular, but different from Florida. More like California. Personally we feel they are more interesting than Florida.

-you pay for things in Euros. ATM’s are readily available and credit cards are widely accepted.

-tipping is different. The good news, they are not a tipping culture, so only a small tip (5-10%) is very acceptable and appreciated. A large tip is not seen as acceptable as it sets a bad example for the locals. For some things that we tip for, they do not. Tips are usually preferred in cash and in fact restaurants often are not equipped to accept tips via credit card.

-restaurants serve meals at different times than north america. Supper is later. Restaurant's may be closed in mid-day. They often do not open for supper until 7pm and some restaurants are closed on 1 day a week, often Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. Breakfast is usually a light meal but you can get a great buffet breakfast at many better hotels in Portugal.

-Portugal is very safe. Pickpockets are the most frequent crime in big cities. But generally Portugal is way above the USA and large Canadian cities for safety. You can walk most all areas well into the evening after dark. Theft from rental cars left unlocked or with luggage or valuables in view does happen. Though it has never happened to us and that could happen in the Avalon Mall parking lot too!

-Portugal is very family friendly.

-Portugal is a very religious country, predominantly Roman Catholic. But it also has a history where the country was occupied by Moors and Romans and before them Iberians, Celts and Germanic people in its’ history. There are many old religious buildings throughout the country.

-there are many castles, churches and monasteries. Some hotels are in former castles or monasteries!

-Portugal has a diverse population of immigrants. However, immigration is becoming a hot button issue like many other parts of the world.

-the architecture is very old and interesting, most especially as you make your way north of the Algarve.

-golf is available in Portugal and while the prices are not cheap, the quality is very good. There are lots of courses and options available for golf packages. But while travelling to and around Portugal with golf clubs is possible, it is challenging (remember small rental vehicles). Club rentals are available widely and there are companies that rent by the day, week or month. There are also companies that will arrange for the pick up drop off and return of your party to a golf course.

-not all of Portugal embraces all tourists, though it is a large part of the economy. This is not as large an issue as in Spain but it is present in Lisbon and to a lessor extent Porto. Gentrification of central urban areas and with many local housing units having been turned into Airbnb rentals for tourists and locals therefore having affordability issues in city centres, thus having to move away from these urban centres is a controversial local topic. This should not deter anyone from visiting Lisbon or Porto, but be aware and respect the local concerns. Hotels might be the more respectful accommodation choice in Lisbon and Porto.

Portugal Map: