Travel - Portugal rich with pleasures and treasures

With its rugged coastlines, exquisite cuisine and value to Canadian travellers, travel expert Ron Lonsdale from Collette Vacations said there has probably never been a better time to go to Portugal.

According to Lonsdale, Condé Nast Traveller rated Portugal one of the top European destinations, rich with “antiquities and treasures.”

Sisters Sue MacDonald and Judy Moggy, and their husbands, all from Manitoulin Island, liked Portugal so much, they went seven times in as many years. And MacDonald said she’d go back again tomorrow.

The sisters both agreed the views were spectacular and the weather was nice, but the people made it worthwhile every time.

“The people are lovely,” MacDonald said. “Every time we went back, it was like we were going back home.”

Moggy explained that in order to work in the public sector, people in Portugal must be able to speak English. She said since most of them are naturally helpful, it made for wonderful interactions with the Portuguese.

Lonsdale said the best times to visit Portugal are April, May, September and October, but the Manitoulin Island sisters visited between January and March without any complaints.

In the northern part of Portugal, vast mountain ranges fill the landscape. Travelling south, the mountains turn into rolling hills. Nestled in the diverse landscape are a number of impressive golf courses, according to Sears travel branch manager Debra Williamson, who said people go to Portugal strictly for the golf.

Although Lonsdale said the way of life in Portugal is “very simple,” parts of it are fairly modern. He described Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city, as a “cosmopolitan city” with “the look and feel of a smaller Paris.”

He spoke highly of Algarve, Portugal’s southern-most point.“You wouldn’t go to Portugal and not see Algarve.”

When the MacDonald and Moggy families stayed in Portugal, they stayed in the Albufeira region in Algarve.

MacDonald described the southern city as the “lakeside tourist area.”

She said other highlights, only a short drive away, include the religious city of Fatima, and the historical town of Sintra, complete with a castle that “actually looks like Cinderella’s.”

Moggy said she enjoyed visiting the walled city of Evora. A rock wall, too tall to see over, surrounds the entire historical city. “The architecture is something else,” she said.

Although she said they didn’t mind driving on roads and highways, MacDonald said there are “fabulous tours” equipped with translators and knowledgeable drivers, ready to take tourists anywhere they want to go.

Dining in Portugal is a treat, too.

“The Portugal cuisine is to die for,” Lonsdale said. Traditional Portuguese meals typically include lots of garlic, chili and olive oil.

Moggy said there was a number of “gypsy markets” where they could purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, among other things. She also noted there were a number of restaurants that catered to different ethnic tastes.

The vineyards in the central part of the country produce some fine wines.

MacDonald mentioned the wines, but said she preferred the beers served in the “wonderful pubs.” They served different brands of Portuguese and Spanish beers that MacDonald said were comparable to Canadian flavours.

“The beers are very good,” she said.

After visiting Portugal seven times, MacDonald and her husband Ron were planning to visit a new destination with Moggy and her husband Lyman. Unfortunately, Ron passed away before they could take their next trip.

MacDonald still carries fond memories of travelling with her husband, and said “if you want to go to a beautiful place, go to Portugal.”

Sears Travel has scheduled a group departure to Portugal from March 11 to 21, 2011. For more information, phone 566-3403.