Our Portugal vacations
Portugal’s long coastline and under-explored interior are ideal for low carbon travel like cycling or walking. Our relaxed, carefully designed routes take you into rural areas of the Algarve and Alentejo, far from overcrowded resorts, or along the wild Atlantic Coast between Porto and Lisbon. The locally owned hotels and restaurants that we use benefit from vacations that typically bookend the peak season, and offer you a genuine taste of Portuguese culture. Our Portugal vacations also look to Madeira and the gorgeous Sintra Natural Park outside the capital for walking. This ever-popular family destination also offers plenty of expertly guided activity vacations.
Our top Portugal vacations
Whale watching in the Azores
From
£635 to £935
8 days
ex flights
Classic whale watching trip in the Azores archipelago
Tailor made
Portuguese Coastal Way walking vacation
From
€925 to €1075
8 days
ex flights
The scenic alternative to the classic Portuguese Way
Tailor made
Azores multi activity vacation
From
€950 to €1260
7 days
ex flights
Week of fun activities exploring Sao Miguel Island
Tailor made
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Island hopping in the Azores, small group
From
US $2980 to US $3790
14 days
ex flights
An easy walking vacation on the Azores
Small group2024: 16 May, 2 Jun, 16 Jun, 7 Jul, 21 Jul, 4 Aug, 18 Aug, 8 Sep, 22 Sep, 10 Oct
Blue whale watching in the Azores, Pico Island
From
£1190
8 days
ex flights
Best time to see Blue Whales on Pico, Azores
Small group2024: 27 Apr, 4 May
Azores tour, island explorer
From
£695 to £995
7 days
ex flights
Dolphins, whales and explore fiery volcanic islands!
Tailor made
Algarve vacation accommodation
From
€75 to €265
per accommodation per night
Enchanting agrotourism on 6 ha rural estate close to beach
Accommodation
Family activity vacation in the Azores
From
€990 to €1290
7 days
ex flights
A week full of fun activities for all the family in S.Miguel
Tailor made
Walking vacation in Madeira
From
US $1800 to US $2025
8 days
ex flights
Walk through the wild and varied scenery of Madeira
Small group2024: 30 Mar, 13 Apr, 4 May, 11 May, 18 May, 1 Jun, 15 Jun, 6 Jul, 31 Aug, 14 Sep, 21 Sep, 5 Oct, 12 Oct, 19 Oct, 2 Nov, 16 Nov, 2025: 4 Jan, 1 Feb, 8 Feb, 22 Feb, 1 Mar, 8 Mar, 15 Mar, 29 Mar, 5 Apr, 12 Apr, 3 May, 10 May, 17 May, 7 Jun, 14 Jun, 5 Jul, 30 Aug, 13 Sep, 20 Sep, 27 Sep, 4 Oct, 18 Oct, 1 Nov, 15 Nov, 27 Dec
About our Portugal vacations
Cycling in Portugal
Portugal is growing in popularity for cycling vacations, thanks to many magnificent coastal and inland routes, most of which seem to end in a sandy beach. Typically, our cycling options are tailor made, self guided trips with plenty of support and excellent route notes provided by locally-based experts. Portugal’s wild and windswept Atlantic Coast from Porto to Lisbon is a popular route, and there are lush trails in the Peneda-Gerês National Park in the north of the country. And if you want a really different destination, try our cycling trips in the Azores, an Atlantic archipelago where you can combine cycling with world-class whale watching. All of our cycling trips are committed to protecting the natural environment and minimising the effects of overcrowding in the destinations they visit.
Walking in Portugal
There’s more to Portugal than beach vacations, and one of the best ways to find that out is with a Responsible Travel walking vacation. You can follow levada water channels through UNESCO-protected forest on Madeira, watching out for dolphins dancing in the waves. In the Azores, walking and whale watching makes for a sublime combination. And in the Alentejo region you can leave the crowds behind, exploring aromatic pine groves, traditional fishing villages on the coast, and plains of cork oaks, olive trees and grapevines. Expect to cover around 20km a day on our walking vacations that are typically tailor made, self guided and supportive of the communities they visit.
Family vacations
The Algarve might be best-known for family vacations, but there’s also plenty of fun to be had elsewhere in Portugal. You can explore Roman and Arabic ruins, and learn the stories of Europe’s first great ocean explorers. And while the most popular beaches of the Algarve can get crowded during peak season, Portugal boasts some 1,800km of extraordinarily diverse coastline – ideal not just for sunbathing, but for surfing, scuba diving and kayaking too. There are many quieter, less touristy areas in the Algarve where you can get a taste of the real Portugal away from the resorts.
Flight free vacations to Portugal
Portugal is a lot closer than you might think, and you can easily get from London to Lisbon in under 24 hours on a flight free vacation. A typical journey from the UK might go through northern Spain by ferry and road from Portsmouth, or through Spain via Lyon or Paris by rail. And of course there are several scenic routes from other parts of Europe. Our friendly Travel Team are always happy to help with advice, and you’ll find details of suggested routes and approximate timings on many of our vacation pages.
Tours & vacations in Portugal
Most visitors to Portugal focus on the Algarve or Lisbon, but the country also has a fantastic reputation for walking vacations and cycling vacations. We offer tailor made walking and cycling trips for both and there are plenty of small group vacations to choose from too. And if you like to mix things up a little, you can also opt for one of Responsible Travel's multi activity vacations, whether that’s watersports in Alentejo or mountain biking with kayaking and whale watching in the Azores. Our adventure vacations cover everything from swimming with dolphins in crystal clear waters off Madeira, to cycling and surfing your way around the Costa Verde. You can be sure that your trip will benefit local communities and protect the natural environment you visit.
Where to go on vacation in Portugal
Inland Algarve, and the southwest coast, are a world apart from the golf resorts, high rises, time shares and crowded beaches found in other parts of the region. Instead, expect sleepy villages and seaside towns, and great expanses of countryside to explore. The Alentejo region borders the Algarve, and is largely overlooked by tourists. It offers tranquil, undeveloped landscapes perfect for cycling and walking, plus windy beaches to tempt surfers. And Madeira, to the west of Morocco, is a volcanic island with a coastline fringed with reefs and an interior composed of mountains, plunging valleys and lush forest.
[Cycling vacations : Marien van Os]
[Walking vacations: VinceTraveler]
[Family vacations: Ollie Harding]
[Flight free vacations : Ricardo Resende]
[Types of vacations : Web Summit]
[Where to go in Portugal : Mario Cruz]
