For a Fun City Break: Porto

Porto – city of Port wine and Harry Potter inspiration – has been on the travel radar for a few years now. Its combination of charming streets, buzzy restaurants and proximity to the Douro wine region make it great city break choice. In summer, festivals like Primavera Sound (held in June) bring top-name alternative acts like Sigur Ros and PJ Harvey to the city, along with a music-loving crowd, while in winter wine bars draw romantic couples to their cosy corners.

The city is a great starting point for a drive into the Douro valley to taste full-bodied wines or learn how the famous port is made. The terraced vineyards winding along the river are delightfully picturesque as you drive by.

Back in town the famous Livaria Lello bookshop is said to be the inspiration behind JK Rowling’s Ollivander Wand Emporium (Rowling lived in the city for a short while), while the long gowns of the university’s students seemingly also made their way into the Potter books.

Porto – one of the best places to visit in Portugal for a city break © Benedikt Saxler/Shutterstock

For Top-Notch Seafood: The Algarve

OK, so the Algarve has a reputation for rowdy sunburned Brits, but outside of the major resort areas the region has a whole lot to offer. Especially when it comes to seafood. There are now 8 Michelin-starred restaurants in the region, enough for a week-long gourmet road trip. For us, that's reason enough to make the list of best places to visit in Portugal

One of our favourites is Henrique Leis in Almancil, a restaurant housed in a chic Swiss Chalet and run by a Brazilian cooking up a twist on French cuisine. Having been awarded a Michelin star every year for the past 18 years Leis is a giant on the food scene here, and his tasting menus look to both his South American heritage and French training combined with local, seasonal ingredients. You’ll find delicious dishes like a duo of red snapper and sea scallops and the wine list is hard to beat. The restaurant has two dining rooms –  a cosy one for winter, and a breezy open room for the summer – so you’ll enjoy the experience no matter when you visit. Reservations are recommended.