Several tips for organising your budget when travelling in Portugal.
Okay, here’s a way to take a great winter holiday in Portugal for a lot less than you might imagine, while avoiding the crowds and the over-developed tourist scene. There’s no need to book a package, you can customize your own low-cost winter get-away for as low (or lower) than the package deals and make your own itinerary designed to steer you away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist traps and packed beaches.
First, find a cheap flight - Ryanair flies to Portugal from many European cities at ridiculously low prices. For instance, you can find a round-trip flight from London to Faro for as low as 25 pounds per person in January. Of course, these obscenely low prices for flights is what has led to the overcrowding of the southern Portuguese coast, but there are plenty of destinations within an easy drive of Faro and the surrounding tourist areas.
The next step is to find a great rate on a hotel room or suite. Why not take advantage of the substantial discounts on rooms in the winter at some of the luxury hotels or resorts? There are winter rates that make 4 and 5 star accommodations affordable even for those on a budget and you can always hire a rental car to escape to the less populated areas in the Algarve and also the Alentejo region to the north. The Alentejo region is poised to become the new destination for tourists seeking to discover the unspoiled side of Portugal and is only a short drive from Faro and the resorts, making it possible to sleep in luxurious discounted resort comfort by night and explore the best of the off-the-beaten-track locales by day.
One resort in the vicinity of Faro that is offering discounted winter rates is the famous Vilamoura As Cascatas Portugal Hilton. This golf resort and spa facility is making rooms available this winter season for prices starting at around 120 euros per night. The Vilamoura Algarve Hilton is also featuring a Wine & Spa package that runs until December 31st, 2010.
Peter Merifield is a London-based
freelance journalist with a mission to make you a better and happier
human being. Drawing attention to the peculiarities of life in the
modern age is all part of the package. Check out his other articles for
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