Stories & guides from our journal
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Lisbon in October: Weather, Crowds and What to Actually Pack (2026)
October gives you 22.5C days, a sea still warmer than June and thinning crowds, plus the year's first real rain and the evening the clocks take away on 25 October.
Things to Do in Albufeira: The Old Town, the Strip and the Quiet Ends (2026)
Albufeira works as three separate places: the whitewashed Old Town, the Strip at Areias de Sao Joao, and the marina. Here is where each one sits, which beaches are worth the walk, and the street rules that now carry fines.
Praia do Guincho: Wind, Dunes and Lisbon's Wildest Beach (2026)
The wildest beach within reach of Lisbon, where the wind runs the day. Which bus actually goes there, whether you can swim, and how to time the nortada.
Costa da Caparica: A Local's Guide to Lisbon's Long Beach (2026)
Lisbon's own beach is 15km of Atlantic sand across the bridge. Which bus to take, which stretch to pick, and why the famous beach train still isn't running.
Fanal Forest, Madeira: Fog, Ancient Laurels and the New Rules (2026)
Madeira's foggy laurel grove, explained: how the fog works, the PR13 and PR14 trails, and the exact state of Fanal's new protection rules as of July 2026.
Best Beaches in Portugal: A Local's Region-by-Region Guide (2026)
From the Algarve's warm lagoon islands to the empty Alentejo and Porto Santo's 9km of golden sand: where Portugal's best beaches really are, coast by coast.
Arrábida Natural Park: Beaches, Ridge Walks and How to Visit (2026)
White cliffs, lagoon-clear coves and a ridge of empty trails 40 minutes from Lisbon: how to do Arrábida right in 2026, including the summer access rules.
Hiking in Portugal: The Best Trails and Where to Find Them (2026)
Where to hike in Portugal: Madeira's PR1 ridge, the Azores, the Fisherman's Trail, Peneda-Gerês and the Camino, with honest numbers, fees and seasons for 2026.