cottages4you blog: inspiration for your cottage or villa holiday in UK, Ireland and Europe

Those of you planning holidays in Portugal will be pleased to hear you can enjoy your trip without having to spend too much money.

This is according to Paula Oliveira, director of the Lisbon Tourism Office, who suggested getting a Lisbon card if you’re heading to the capital.

Here at cottages4you we love a good bargain, so picking up one of these discount cards could be a wise move for many tourists.

Ms Oliveira says: “[It] gives you free access to all national and municipal museums and monuments and all local transport including trains to Sintra and Cascais. The card also ensures reduced rates on the private museums.”

And if your holiday in Portugal involves a weekend visit to the capital, it’s worth remembering you can get in to a lot of the museums and monuments free of charge on Sunday mornings, she adds.

TripAdvisor’s third annual European Cities Survey names Lisbon as the best-value city in Europe. Sounds good to us!

Posted by Andrew Hill, cottages4you

Here at cottages4you we’re always looking for ways to spend less on your holidays to Portugal and other great destinations, while still getting the most value from your trip.

There are plenty of ways to do this and sometimes the activities that cost nothing at all are the ones you enjoy the most.

Eating out and travelling around can see your expenditure rise, but this summer could be different.

According to Sarah Munro, head of Travel Money at the Post Office: "Those planning a trip to the Algarve or Costa del Sol this summer may find their pounds stretch further than they expected."

This is because living costs in Portugal and Spain have decreased by a massive 40 per cent since last year, she explains.

Why not make the most of this drop and book a stay in a holiday cottage in one of these fantastic destinations?

You could even come back to Blighty with money to spare, thanks to a stronger sterling.

The Post Office Travel Money Monitor: January-May 2010 recently found sterling gained ten per cent since March and is at its highest level for 18 months.

What are you waiting for?

Posted by Toby Lawrence, cottages4you

Car lovers jetting off on Portugal holidays soon could catch some of the world’s best drivers in action.

If you’re lucky enough to be staying in the Algarve from May 26th to 30th, watching the sixth stage of the International Automobile Federation’s World Rally Championship should be top of the list for petrolheads.

The Vodafone Rally de Portugal has received 75 entries from 33 countries spanning the world, so you could get a taste of the globe while holidaying in this exciting country.

If you don’t manage to catch all the individual races, you should certainly try to soak up the atmosphere of the closing ceremony, due to be held at the Algarve Stadium.

Heading out from your Portugal holiday cottage, you might like to spot some of the top-class drivers as they relax after competing.

And the celebratory atmosphere is sure to bring a level of excitement to the region for the days and weeks leading up to and following these thrilling festivities.

Swot up on what’s what in the world of rallying by visiting the event’s website.

Posted by Toby Lawrence