Home to a gorgeous Atlantic coast, where some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe can be found, ancient cities with origins lost to time, and a highly-reputed food scene, Portugal is currently one of the trendiest destinations for tourists across the pond.
Not only is it everything you’d expect a Southern European country to be, in terms of cultural offer and weather, but it is also renowned for being the cheapest of the bunch: it costs an average $1,033 to spend a week basking in the sun, and savoring your way through Portugal.
If the Iberian gem’s been on your radar for a while, and you’ve been wondering which Portuguese destinations will get you more bang for your buck – as well as blow your mind – these are 4 of the cheapest (and most incredible) spots:
Albufeira
The leading tourist destination in the sunny Algarve, mainland Portugal’s southernmost territory, Albufeira is nicknamed ‘Portuguese Santorini‘, due to its whitewashed Old Town resting on small cliffs facing the ocean, and bright blue shutters and doors.
Albufeira is both the nightlife capital of the Algarve and the gateway to its sandy coast.
It is teeming with tourists year-round, particularly Brits and Northern Europeans, and for a resort zone as lively and well-frequented, you’d assume prices would reflect the soaring demand.
That’s not necessarily the case, as tourists spend an average $1,305 for one week in Albufeira: the Velamar Boutique Hotel costs only $75 to book per night, while staying overnight at the adults-only Hotel California Urban Beach will set you back by an acceptable $132.
Naturally, you can go the all-inclusive resort or upscale restaurant route—there are plenty of those in Albufeira if you’re keen on splurging—but if you’re after a budget-friendly beach getaway, you will definitely find it here if you’re fine not getting pampered 24/7.
Porto Santo
We’ve all heard of Madeira at this point, the ‘Hawaii of Europe‘, but very little is said of its Maldives-like sister, the neighboring, much smaller Porto Santo, part of the same archipelago, where beaches are sandy instead of pebbly and the ocean’s a turquoise-blue.
Porto Santo is a natural oasis in the Atlantic, famous for its translucent waters, which rival the Indian Ocean in beauty, dramatic arid landscapes, year-round balmy weather due to its proximity to the African continent, and laid-back atmosphere.
While Madeira has become a globalized island, being home to multiple nationalities and hosting nonstop flights from America, Porto Santo is a lot more isolated, being served by a limited number of intra-Europe flights and Madeira ferries.
It’s somewhere you go for unwinding and soaking up nature, and for a destination as exclusive as this, you may be surprised to learn that you can find dormitory beds for as cheap as $29, only 450 meters from the beach, and double rooms in three-star hotels for a very reasonable $93.
The average hotel cost for a one-week stay in Porto Santo comes in at an affordable $744.
It’s not exactly cheap by Portuguese standards, but considering the complete lack of tourist crowds, the quality of the beaches, and the unlimited access to the wild nature, it’s a fair trade off.
Braga
Back to the Portuguese mainland, miles away from the resort-packed coast and the sunny islands, Braga is a historic city in the far north of the country, only reachable by train and best known for its religious importance and medieval heritage.
An imposing cathedral dominates the cobbled Old Town, and its adjacent Sacred Art Museum and landmark Kings’ Chapel, distinguished for being a textbook example of Gothic architecture, is sure to captivate history buffs.
Other attractions include well-preserved ancient walls, a neoclassical church perched atop a cascading stairway, possibly the most photographed in Portugal, and the lush Santa Barbara Garden, with its flower arrangements, and the nearby, monumental Archbishop’s Palace.
Fortunately for the culture-seekers, Braga is pretty affordable for a historically-charged city break of its status, with week-long stays setting travelers back $786 or a remarkably cheap $380 if you’re staying in shared dorms and eating in inexpensive local pastelarias.
Porto
The capital of Northern Portugal, the city of Porto has wooed passersby for years now, with its UNESCO-listed Historic Center, centuries-old tradition of wine-making, and fast-flowing Douro River, cutting through its very heart, providing an endless source of fascination.
Among some of the main Portenho landmarks, Clerigos Tower is perhaps the most noticeable one, rising above the maze of terracotta roofs below, though the iconic Dom Luis I Bridge, Lello Library, known to have inspired the Harry Potter saga, and the cathedral are not to be missed, either.
It is the only other Portuguese city that can stand up to Lisbon: it has Baroque churches that are just as ornate, a History that is just as ancient, and an equally vibrant multicultural scene.
With all the value it offers, the $59 you’ll spend per day visiting Porto on a budget sound like an absolute bargain.
From traditional Portuguese pastries costing less than a dollar to satisfying $16 lunch menus including a starter or dessert and a main dish, exploring the hilly, colorful Porto and the wider, vineyard-dotted Douro Valley will hardly break the bank.
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