Portugal’s Algarve has gone from being a cheap holiday destination for British tourists, to an attractive European family getaway, to an increasingly upmarket resort area. We just told you about Europe’s first 6-star hotel opening up in the region soon, and a growing number of luxurious and more sophisticated design hotels are popping up like mushrooms along the coast.

The rich and the famous have taken notice, and this year saw familiar faces like Hollywood actor Tim Robbins and French actress Catherine Deneuve descending towards the southern Portuguese shores. Joining the crowds then came Olympic medalist Michael Phelps, who flew straight from Beijing to Algarve for a few days of rest by the beach after his record-breaking performance in this year’s Olympics. It was reported that he spent €5,000 in drinks in just one night, but you don’t have to spend that much or be a celebrity to enjoy the best of Algarve. There are many reasons why you should go there this month, and these are the top 10:

1. The August crowds are gone, prices have gone slightly down, and the weather is still great! Summer goes on in September in Algarve, and in fact, lasts through October. These are the most enjoyable weeks in the region.

2. I stayed at the Memmo Baleeira Hotel last year and will return again next time I’m in Sagres. The rooms look out over the pool standing on top of a cliff which also offers a view to the coast that was known as “the end of the world” to the ancient Europeans before Prince Henry the Navigators’ exploration of the oceans. Even cooler is the modern design all throughout the hotel, including in the wellness center and spa.

3. An alternative to Memmo Baleeira is Pousada de Sagres, just a few steps away. It does not have the all-modern design but offers the elegance and top-notch service that the Pousadas de Portugal chain is known for. Look from your window or stand by the pool and you’ll see Prince Henry the Navigator’s fortress in the distance, which you may visit later in the day. Even better news is that in September there are good deals you can’t get during the traditional summer months.

4. I have stayed in six Pousadas de Portugal so far and the Pousada de Tavira was one of my favorites (which I wrote about here). Being housed in a former 16th century convent, it has the historical feel of other pousadas, but the contemporary décor gives it a light and fresh atmosphere which is just what you want when you’re so close to the beach. And speaking of the beach, the little island of Tavira just outside the town of Tavira is perfect under the still-warm September sun, minus the summer overcrowding!

5. Another sign of Algarve moving towards satisfying the more refined tastes of the modern traveler is Monte D’Oiro Refugio Design Hotel. It’s located just outside Lagos, arguably Algarve’s most beautiful town and with the best beaches. Every detail from the breakfast room to the outdoor swimming pool combines characteristics of the Algarve with stylish modern furnishings. A hotel of this calibre would cost you about 5 times more anywhere else, so the time to book it is now.

6. You no longer have to go to Miami or St. Tropez to experience the ultra-cool Nikki Beach. Now open in Algarve’s Vilamoura, this beach club and lounge is the place to see and be seen. Surrounded by the famous marina, you can relax in luxury at the lakeside restaurant and then stay all night long for drinks. It’s only open until October, so if you don’t want to have to wait until next year, go now.

7. Once you’ve been-there-done-that at Nikki Beach, head to Amo-te Pine Cliffs. Located in the Sheraton Pine Cliffs Resort, this 2-year-old space is one of the new places to be at night. The ambience may feel slightly formal when you look at some of the people but overall it manages to maintain a casual attitude in service. Have a caipirinha or a sangria as you listen to house music, or move to the more chilled-out zone in the open air.

8. From Septemer 26 to the 28th, the Grand Prix of Portugal Powerboat P1 World Championship will take place in Praia da Rocha, the postcard beach by the city of Portimão. As if there weren’t enough reasons to come to this big and beautiful beach, now you can watch the powerful boats cutting through the waves at speeds of over 160 kph in an exciting and spectacular contest.

9. Also in Portimão, the Formula Windsurfing World Championships will take place from September 9th to 14th. It’s the world’s largest annual windsurfing event, for which only the finest international windsurfers quality. Watch the thrilling competition from the beach, and work on your late-summer tan while you’re at it.

10. What would Algarve be like without golf? The two words are almost synonymous, as this is one of the top golfing destinations not just in Europe, but of the entire world. Check out the deals for this month at the Dona Maria San Lorenzo Resort, where you can golf in the stunning 18-hole course, or if you’re not into that, simply stay in the hotel with its breathtaking views of the Atlantic and world-class facilities at incredibly affordable prices. You have no excuse for not taking advantage of it.

See GoLisbon’s complete Algarve guide for all the information you’ll need about visiting Portugal’s southernmost province where it’s summer almost all year long.

As world travelers become more demanding and sophisticated, the regular 5-star treatment is just not enough. For a more exclusive luxurious experience, those who can afford it have been wanting something extra. The result was the creation of a 6-star service. But you’ll have to go to super-rich Dubai for that because there are still none in Europe – until next year.In 2009 Portugal will be home to Europe’s first 6-star accommodation, with the opening of Palacio da Quinta in Algarve. It will be located in Quinta do Lago, already an exclusive destination at the moment. It seems millionaire coach José Mourinho is one of the property’s investors, so you know you’ll be hearing a lot about it in the upcoming months.

Palacio da Quinta will not simply have hotels rooms. It will offer penthouses and apartments (from one to four-bedrooms) surrounded by 17 acres of subtropical gardens. For meals, guests do not have to worry about waking up for breakfast in time or having their choices limited by what’s available on the menu for dinner because they’ll have a private chef.

For other services they won’t need to call reception. Their butler will take care of whatever they need. Need to go somewhere? Their chauffeur will take them there. Need to go somewhere a little farther? Their private jet or yacht is waiting for them.

Of course you’re wondering if you can be one of them and how much it will all cost you. It will be a mere $1.9 million for a one-bedroom suite, all the way up to $5 million for the 4-bedroom penthouse. But don’t worry, if $1.9 million is all you can afford, everyone still gets a terrace spa bath with views of the garden, pools, and lakes included.

Now that you know what you’re paying for, you’re dying to know what it will all look like. Picture marble floors, an intelligent home system, and designer touches.

And since Portugal’s Algarve is one of the world’s top golf destinations, there are special discounts for the famous greens in Southern Portugal. That’s just to guarantee that you don’t miss all that Algarve has to offer.

After all, Portugal’s sunny province promotes itself in the tourism world with an extra “L” as “Allgarve,” reminding visitors that it’s got it all, not just beach and sun. And this new 6-star luxury leaves no room for doubt about that…

They don’t rhyme but they could very well be misspellings of each other. “Lisbon” and “Lesbian” are not etymologically related either, but you will start seeing those two words used in the same sentence more frequently from now on. That’s because Lisbon is discretely becoming a lesbian-friendly city. It’s not exactly a liberal place like Amsterdam, it’s not a hot lesbian destination like the island of Lesbos, and it’s still rather homophobic when compared to other big capitals.

But it’s homophobic in a strangely tolerant way.Portugal’s attitude towards same-sex couples can be described in an oxymoronic way –- homophobically tolerant as in “don’t ask, don’t tell.” That is, they seem to accept the existence of homosexual couples (there have never been anti-gay marches or major anti-gay movements in the country), as long as they are not confronted with them. Because when confronted, they’ll just have to comply with their good-old Catholic upbringing and manifest their disapproval.  

So if you’re a lesbian couple coming to Lisbon, you won’t see many women holding hands. You will end up thinking all Portuguese girls who like other girls just get married and live unhappily ever after. While that’s true to a great extent, it seems it won’t be so for much longer. A young television host recently came out as a lesbian in the country’s most respected newspaper, and the reaction was no reaction. Portugal’s “homophobic tolerance” allowed her to proceed with work and life as usual. No one said “good for you,” no one reacted with a “so what?,” but no one responded negatively either. It was like it never happened.

The country only reacted a couple of years ago when it was directly confronted with the issue. A lesbian couple challenged the courts to allow them to get married. The current legislation doesn’t allow it, so they were denied their wish. But the country was forced to talk about it and polls showed the majority of Portuguese oppose such unions.

But as Portugal faces the issue less directly maybe minds and tolerance levels will be expanded. Take the Lesboa parties as an example. They take place two or three times a year, and this October there will be another edition with female DJs providing the dance music to accompany a night of drinking and fun socializing for people of all ages and sexual orientations. It will be the 2nd anniversary celebration and includes major sponsorship from myspace.com and one of the country’s major radio stations.

If you want to be in Lisbon for that, stay at one of the gay or gay-friendly hotels in the city. You’ll mostly find men there, but if you want to avoid stares during a public display of affection at the reception or breakfast room, those are the places to book. The GoLisbon gay & lesbian page lists the accommodation you should consider.

For an all-girls night out, do as everyone else does, and go to Bairro Alto. Your first stop should be Primas (”female cousins”). The name brings to mind those closet days when two inseparable girls, who perhaps even lived together, identified themselves as “cousins” to the more close-minded members of society. At this bar however, the closet has no door to be closed, and girls freely display their devotion to other girls as they choose a tune on the jukebox, play pool, or grab a drink.

Then it’s time to move to Purex not far away. The house drink is the Cosmopolitan, and although the space is not very big, the area with no seats is used for spontaneous dancing. It has a number of straight and gay male clients, but this is where the lesbian locals gather.

Then move on to Chueca. No, not the gayborhood in Madrid. You’re staying in Bairro Alto. Chueca is a lesbian-owned bar with a stylish contemporary décor where you can sit with a drink or stand by the door along with everyone else.

It’s now time to go clubbing. You can go to the all-sexual-orientations-friendly Fragil or to the lesbian club Maria Lisboa. It’s pretty spacious with a hot décor, and a variety of sounds that range from 80s pop to house.

When you wake up mid-morning or even in the afternoon on the following day, have a meal at Les Mauvais Garçons, a small romantic gay café in Bairro Alto. It serves light meals in a space decorated with old tables and couches, and with black and white photos of Paris on the walls.

End your Lisbon visit with a night at a Fado restaurant. It’s your way of experiencing a little of the local culture, while also sensing that these fado divas are no ordinary women –- in between their melancholic laments, there is a certain strong masculine side that, well, makes it look like Lisbon does blend the traits of all genders and sexual orientations. It makes you think that Lisbon could very well have a very strong lesbian side. And it’s not just in the name.

Lisbon’s cheaper prices (as mentioned in the previous post) enable visitors to experience the pleasures of luxury that most could not afford to do in other capital cities such as Paris or London. Checking the prices for Palacio Belmonte or Pestana Palace (two of the most luxurious hotels in Lisbon), you will see that they cost as little as one-third of their equivalents in those other European capitals. Other top-end hotels include Avenida Palace, Sheraton Lisboa and Spa, Le Meridien Park Atlantic, Tivoli Lisboa, Corinthia Lisboa, and Dom Pedro. See Go Lisbon’s hotels section for more.

The money you save in accommodation may then be spent dining in refined and acclaimed restaurants such as Eleven and Bica do Sapato. The prices there are closer to what you’d find throughout Europe, but still tend to be slightly lower. Other high-end restaurants to consider include Tavares Rico, Terreiro do Paço, Casa da Comida, Alcantara Café, and Pragma. You may read more about them in Go Lisbon’s restaurants section.

Why not combine that with an extra splurge at a spa that matches the quality found anywhere else, but at more reasonable prices? Go Lisbon has a newly-created page listing Lisbon’s best spas, as well as recommendations on where to do yoga or pilates.

If you prefer a day on the golf course, Lisbon offers world-class golf in high-quality courses, many of which designed by Robert Trent Jones. Penha Longa in Sintra is the best option, but there are plenty more, as you will find in Go Lisbon’s golf page.

End your day with a world-class concert at the Gulbenkian Foundation, at the CCB, or at the opera in São Carlos Theater.

If you still have money to burn, walk down Avenida da Liberdade and up Rua Garrett for some exclusive shopping. You will see the Louis Vuitton, Hermés, Cartier, Mont Blanc, and most of the other luxury names you have back home, but with a few bargains here and there.

Lisbon is therefore the capital of bargains for both the budget traveller as well as the more hedonistic visitor looking for a luxurious experience.

The ever-increasing number of visitors to Lisbon now have yet another outstanding option to consider when looking for accommodation. VIP Grand Lisboa, a new 5-star hotel, has just opened uptown within walking distance of the Gulbenkian Museum and just minutes from downtown by metro.

If you think a 5-star hotel means prices out of your budget and stuffy treatment, think again. By booking online you pay what you would normally pay for a 4 or even 3-star hotel. This is also a young and modern hotel, meaning that staff knows that today’s traveller simply expects efficient and professional service, with none of the extra pompous attitudes.

Located in a 20th century building that once served as the headquarters of the national broadcaster RTP, it has been fully renovated and includes a spa.

Although the uptown location in the middle of the business district may indicate you’ll be surrounded by business travellers, this hotel’s amenities were placed with all types of guests in mind. Everyone will feel welcome and Go Lisbon recommends it to anyone wishing to stay a little away from the downtown bustle, but close enough to it for sightseeing.

Click here to check availability and further hotel details. For other hotel options and recommendations, see our Lisbon Hotels page.

It is now time to begin making summer vacation plans and that usually means a warm sunny place by the sea, plenty of leisure facilities, and nightlife fun. With the weak dollar, that also means a relatively inexpensive place for most Americans, although that also applies to pretty much everyone else in these uncertain economic times. All that essentially summarizes one destination: Algarve.Portugal’s southernmost coast was once known as the end of the world and remains quite a mystical place today. The coast of Sagres (known as the retreat of Prince Henry the Navigator) is just as breathtaking and stunning as in the 15th century, and whitewashed towns such as lovely Tavira remain as charming and timeless as ever.

The rock formations and blue-green waters around Lagos and Ponta da Piedade will remind you of Cabo San Lucas in the Mexican Riviera, but step into the old center of Lagos or Albufeira and you’ll find typically Mediterranean towns (although facing the Atlantic), and a laid-back European atmosphere mixing an exotic Moorish or North African flavor.

Those looking for a more luxurious experience should look for the upscale resorts of Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo, and Vilamoura, which offer world-class golf and just the right amount of pampering to guarantee that you’ll return home feeling refreshed and recharged.

Complete detailed information about all of Algarve is found on the special Portugal section of the Go Lisbon website. It ranks the area’s top 10 beaches and destinations, as well as offer plenty of accommodation options. Algarve has all that you need for the perfect holiday, and GoLisbon.com has all you need to plan it.

We are now in February which means one thing to those travelling this month: a romantic Valentine’s Day getaway. Those wishing to experience the romance of a European city without the cold and dark skies typical of the old continent at this time of the year only have one choice –- Lisbon.

Sculptures by famous artist Robert Indiana spelling “Love” and “Amor” are scattered around the city in places like Rossio Square and Avenida da Liberdade (they were previously displayed by New York’s MoMA museum), dimly-lit restaurants in Bairro Alto are awaiting bookings for a table for two, and the special Hermitage Museum exhibition is still showing regal splendour in Ajuda Palace until the 17th of February. All that combined with a horse-drawn tour of Sintra and its fairytale palaces make Lisbon the ideal place for a special getaway for two.

GoLisbon further recommends Chapitô restaurant for dinner overlooking the illuminated city and river, or Viagem de Sabores by the medieval cathedral in the charming Alfama quarter.
For a place to stay, choose from the cosiness of York House, Janelas Verdes, Solar do Castelo, or Palacio Belmonte.

Those with more time wishing to go beyond the city should consider Obidos, the perfect medieval village historically linked to romance, as it was a wedding present given to a Portuguese queen. Check to see if the pousada hotel in the ancient castle is available.

For more ideas, see the GoLisbon itineraries or sightseeing page.
You won’t find many other destinations in Europe as perfect as Lisbon for this special day.

GoLisbon.com offers a wide range of accommodation in Lisbon for all tastes and budgets, from basic guesthouses, to stylish hostels, to the standard hotels, to the most luxurious palaces.And recently it has added a few other options such as the Sheraton and Jeronimos 8. Both are great news, especially Jeronimos 8 –- it is the only hotel in Belem, Lisbon’s most monumental district, and it is no ordinary hotel. It just recently reopened as a design hotel, with modern minimalist décor found everywhere, from its stylish bar, to the elegant bedrooms.

With a 4-star rating, it is ideal for the more sophisticated travellers who don’t even have to break the bank to indulge in exclusive service. Its comfortable and tranquil atmosphere, along with its location make it one of Lisbon’s most special choices of accommodation (click here for more hotel information, price, and availability).

The Sheraton is Lisbon’s tallest skyscraper in the city’s business district uptown, and just 15 minutes from the airport. Having been renovated not so long ago, it now offers an ultra-modern spa, with facilities including a heated outdoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, and sauna. On the top floor is a renowned gourmet restaurant affording fantastic views over the city.

If you’re interested in experiencing Lisbon’s Sheraton but don’t want to pay the full regular price, book through GoLisbon.com by clickig here.

For other special places to stay in the Portuguese capital, see GoLisbon’s hotels page.

In a few days Lisbon will be hosting the mega event that announces the new Seven Wonders of the World. Portugal will also be announcing the results of its nation-wide vote for the country’s own seven wonders. As I mentioned in a previous post, I voted for both the world and the Portuguese wonders, and the current publicity for the event led to a personal desire to visit a couple of the candidates on the Portuguese list.

So I got on the road from Lisbon and headed to the center of the country. My first stop was Batalha and its famous abbey. This World Heritage monument will undoubtedly rank among Portugal’s seven. It had been a while since I visited it, and now after seeing other similar Gothic cathedrals throughout the world, I can say with certainty that the World Heritage status for this particular Gothic construction is quite merited. The gigantic intricate portal of the “unfinished chapels” alone is a stonework masterpiece, and the cloisters that also mix the singular Manueline decoration make a trip here worth it for those who enjoy visiting architectural wonders.

Further north, but not too far away, is Tomar and its even more exceptional Castle and Convent of Christ. Here too, the Manueline mixes with other architectural styles, and one of its windows is officially a Manueline masterpiece. Just like Batalha, UNESCO recognized its architectural and historical significance (it once was the headquarters for Prince Henry the Navigator’s Knights Templar), and declared it a World Heritage Site. Just as outstanding as the Manueline window is the eight-sided chapel or “charola.” The magnificence of its decoration surely is one of Portugal’s highlights, and should also make it to Portugal’s top seven wonders.

In between the visits to these monuments, I stayed at the Pousada of Ourem. Of all the pousadas I have stayed at (which I also mentioned in a previous post), this one was the one that failed to impress the most. I have gotten used to the outstanding features of other more historical and better-designed pousadas, so this one (built into a series of medieval houses by the ruins of the castle of Ourem) just felt like any regular hotel. Still, it is perhaps the best choice for those touring the center of the country and who wish to visit Fatima, Tomar, and Batalha (you can have more information about this pousada and even book it here at GoLisbon.com).

The outcome of the world-wide 7 Wonders vote (as well as Portugal’s) will be announced this weekend, July 7th, and will have Hollywood guests such as Hillary Swank and Jennifer Lopez. I also hope to hear Batalha Abbey and Tomar’s Convent announced on stage as part of Portugal’s main wonders.

It only gets really cold in Lisbon for about ten days out of the year (meaning high temperatures below 10C/50F). It was on one of those days in February that I decided to escape to a warmer place. In Portugal, that means Algarve. It didn’t have swim-in-the-ocean temperatures either, but it was definitely warmer and sunnier.

I chose the town of Tavira. The reason was that it is one of the loveliest and calmest in Algarve, and there is a brand new pousada in town. Since my intent was not to sunbathe by the sea, I did not go to its superb sandy beach at Ilha de Tavira. Instead, I wandered around town, had long unhurried meals at its small traditional restaurants, and relaxed in the pousada.

This pousada is built into a former 16th century convent furnished with modern design, and its best feature in my opinion is the pool outside with views over the town and its whitewashed houses (see picture). It is also surrounded by parts of the town’s ancient wall.

As in other historical-design pousadas, meals (including the usual excellent breakfast) is served by the cloisters. The dinner menu consists of regional dishes mixed with international flavors, and there’s even a vegetarian option for the non-carnivorous.

Tavira itself is a great destination in Algarve. It sets itself apart from other towns in the region for its distinctive vernacular architecture, and in the smaller number of crowds. This is not bustling Albufeira. And its beach is also one of the least crowded in Algarve at any time of the year (even in the summer), and it is one of the most pleasant in the entire province.

See GoLisbon’s Eastern Algarve page for more about Tavira, and check out the Tavira pousada page for further information and booking deals.