Portugal in autumn offers the visitor a wealth of culture, landscape and history to discover and explore. Discover the 5 reasons which makes the country an excellent choice for an autumn getaway or a half-term holiday.
1. Climate
Portugal overall enjoys a very temperate climate that is dry and warm. An autumn visit means you can expect agreeable sunny days that aren’t overbearingly hot, and also miss out on the summer tourist crowds. The Algarve Coast boasts over 300 days of sunshine a year while Porto and Lisbon enjoy an average October temperature of 22°C that make them ideal for short city breaks.
2. Golf
The climate makes Portugal an ideal destination for autumn golfing breaks, as the Algarve and Estoril coasts boast world-class championship courses from leading designers. An added attraction for golf fiends is the Portugal Masters event, which for the last few years has welcomed some of the world’s greatest golfers to Vilamoura.3. Romance
Portugal is without doubt a sublimely romantic destination. The unique autumn colours will tempt you outdoors to explore the varied and beautiful landscape, which has inspired many an artist over the centuries. Historic palaces and manor houses are just waiting to be discovered, while Portuguese wine and food remains a firm favourite with epicures the world over.4. History and heritage
Portugal is bursting with sites of historical interest and from pre-historical sites to the modern day, you can see traces of past civilisations throughout the country. Roman and Arabic settlements have left their traces in the architecture, and an amazing variety of castles and fortresses date from the 12th century onwards. The great wealth brought back to the empire from adventurous seafarers has also left a rich wealth of buildings to discover, many of which are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites.5. Diving
If you would like to discover the great wealth of marine life that lies off the Portuguese coasts, then an autumn diving holiday is a great way to do it. Some of the memorable diving sites include shipwrecks, intricate reefs and a famous German U-Boat that was sunk at the end of World War II off Porto. Portugal’s clear waters are also home to everything from colourful anemones to dolphins and whales.Autumn events to watch out for
• Portugal Masters Golf Championship; Vilamoura
• Encontros da imagem Photography Festival; Braga
• Angra do Heroísmo Jazz Festival; Terceira
• National Gastronomy Festival; Santarém
• Sagres Birdwatching Festival
• Rip Curl Pro Portugal; Peniche
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