New #TravelGoal: A Solo Trip to Portugal

If you are tired of your vacation plans getting shelved repeatedly as your friends always ditch you the last minute, here’s what you can do: Travel solo! And guess what? We have just the perfect destination for it—Portugal. A solo trip to Portugal will let you explore this magical destination your way, and feel more empowered than ever! Interestingly, Portugal has also been listed as one of the Best Budget Destinations in 2018.

Let us help you with the basics…

Take Advantage of the Pocket-Friendly Accommodations

Travelling solo has one big advantage—managing finances only for yourself! Portugal offers a variety of budget-friendly accommodations and has a growing culture of hostels, dorm beds and apartment rentals. Check-in to these hostels and get treated to chic amenities and a sense of security, without digging a hole in your pocket. Also, these offbeat accommodations give you an opportunity to meet the locals and other like-minded travellers.

#MMTRecommends these accommodations at popular locations:

Faro: Hostel Casa d'Alagoa, Hotel Faro & Beach Club

Lisbon: Residencial Florescente, Holiday Inn Express Lisbon - Oeiras

Coimbra: Hotel Ibn-Arrik, Sapientia Boutique Hotel

Braga: Mercure Braga Centro, Melia Braga Hotel & Spa

Porto: Star Inn Porto, Eurostars Oporto

Commute with Confidence

Worried about the local transportation system? Don’t sweat! Portugal flaunts a very well-connected transport infrastructure, with airplanes, trains, taxis and underground (metros) offering a hassle-free and enjoyable experience.

Airplanes: Due to Portugal’s geographical position, it is an ideal stopover for several international as well as domestic flights. TAP Air Portugal, the country’s chief airline connects over 50 domestic as well as international destinations. SATA too operates regular flights between the islands of the Azores and from Azores to Madeira and mainland Portugal.

Buses: Lisbon, Porto, Portimão, Leiria, Coimbra, Bragança, Faro and Aveiro are some of the cities which have the best bus connectivity in Portugal and yes, advance booking is highly recommended.

Trains: Portugal boasts of Alfa Pendular, an inter-region electric suburban train and inter-city high-speed or slow-speed train. The line between Lisbon and Porto is considered as the backbone of this train system. A boarding pass for this train ranges from 6 Euros to 30 Euros and definitely helps save a lot of time.

Underground (Metro): ‘Underground’ is an offbeat mode of public transport in Portugal. It operates in Lisbon and Oporto between 6:00 am and 1:00 am.

Taxis: Usually cream in color, taxi is another affordable and easily available mode of transport in Portugal. The prices are generally affixed in the taxi for your convenience or you can even ask the driver about it. The fare is reflected on the taximeter depending on your journey.

Ferries: You can commute to numerous places along the Tagus River via the Transtejo & Soflusa ferries. A ferry service also connects Setúbal and Troia, through the Sado River. On an average you’ll take anything between 10 to 30 minutes to reach a destination on a ferry.

Also, for a more fun-filled experience, you can always rent bikes, which are pretty affordable.

Enjoy Hassle-free Interaction with the Locals

Thinking how you’ll be talking to the locals? Well, you can breathe a sigh of relief as the locals in Portugal are very friendly, and a lot of them speak fluent English. Now, if you are visiting tourist hotspots like museums or art galleries where you need to grasp information, then audio guides will come to your rescue. You can always join groups where a tour guide will take you through places and explain everything to you in your language. And, if you are tech-savvy, then there are several paid voice maps available online which will help you get a better idea of the places you visit in Portugal.

You can also install apps like Google Translate, iTranslate, iTranslate Voice and TripLingo available on your iOS/Android phone.

#MMTTravelTip: Learn a few basic Portuguese words to make your solo trip a little easy.

Don’t Worry About Your Safety

Safety plays a major role while travelling solo, and Portugal, in that case, is a delight for solo travellers. Listed as one of the safest countries in the world, Portugal is safe for both male and female travellers. Popular tourist spots like the Cristiano Ronaldo Museum, called Museu CR7 in Madeira, Jerónimos Monastery, Convento de Cristo in Tomar and Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga among others are always thronged with tourists and can be easily visited during the day hours. Portugal is also famous as one of the biggest party destinations, so for a safe and fun night out, opt for the Algarve region or cities like Porto and Lisbon, flaunting popular bars and nightclubs.

Having said that, we recommend you to keep the following emergency contact details handy when heading out:

Ambulance: 112

Fire: 112

Police (national): 112

24/7 Health Line: 808 242 424

And of course, be alert!

Tick Off the Things To Do in Portugal

Portugal is home to a surfeit of both natural and man-made wonders, which you can explore on your own. Some of these are listed below.

Hop between outdoor cafes and enjoy the good weather.

• Stroll around the old quarters of Lisbon and Porto and be surprised by the fleeting, irreverent and unexpected street art works.
• Take a ride on the famous tram of Lisbon and visit  the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum or Berardo Collection Museum in Belém to get a taste of history.
• Click insta-worthy pictures during sunset at Tagus River or Douro River.
• Shop at the popular flea market namely Feira da Ladra or the traditional food market, Mercado da Ribeira in Lisbon.
• Explore the beautiful Jerónimos Monastery and visit the National Palace of Sintra, one of the oldest in Portugal.
• Take a stroll at the gorgeous beaches like Praia de Tavira, in the Algarve region, or Nazaré in the west coast, north of Lisbon.
• Enjoy the tunes of Fado – the Portuguese home-grown folk music, at local bars and restaurants. Also, don’t miss the famous music festivals of Portugal – be it NOS Alive, Europe’s most respected indie, rock and alternative music festival held near the capital city of Lisbon, or the Super Bock Super Rock music festival that has been entertaining people since 1994, each music festival has a vibe of its own.
• Admire the colourful sea creatures at Oceanário de Lisboa. Home to around 8,000 marine lives, it is the place where nature, art and beauty come together.

Can’t wait to grab the fun?

Book Your Flight to Portugal