Portugal Just Launched an Unlimited Monthly Rail Pass for Under €50

Porto, a coastal city in the northwest of Portugal, has long been relegated to Lisbon’s shadow, but it’s finally commanding global attention for its culinary offerings. 

The Japan Rail Pass, one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to travel around the country, is going up in price this fall. 

Portugal’s flag carrier TAP said on Wednesday that it swung to a net profit of $25 million (23 million euros) in the first half of 2023 on strong revenue growth, boosted by booming tourism, and forecast a strong performance for the remainder of the year.

Straddling the mouth of the Douro River with elegant bridges and painted houses tripping up gentle hillsides, Porto has soared in popularity with travellers in recent years. Many come to sip and slurp at the city’s historic port wine houses, climb the narrow streets lined with baroque churches and 19th-century merchants’ houses, and bounce between cafe terraces in the labyrinthine Ribeira district. But equally appealing is the call of the outdoors – Porto’s riverside views and coastal position encourage all manner of active pursuits, from paddleboarding and kayaking to bridge climbing and e-biking. Here’s the perfect itinerary for an active weekend break.

Rail travel is all the rage this summer and Portugal is getting on board with a new offer.

Spain’s national rail operator has recently launched new routes connecting to major cities in France.

There are few wine regions in the world as instantly recognisable as Portugal's Douro Valley. Its vineyards rise in striking symmetry from the banks of the Rio Douro, which charts a 557-mile-long course across northern Portugal before spilling out into the Atlantic at Porto. The Alto (Upper) Douro lies at the sweet spot where the Marão and Montemuro mountains meet, shielding the land from unforgiving westerly winds. In doing so, they create ideal microclimates for the area's 250,000-odd hectares of vertiginous vineyards, yielding super-concentrated, deeply flavoured grapes. 

Designated protected areas make up almost a quarter of Portugal's landmass, and while this Iberian country has just one national park — Peneda-Gerês, on the Spanish border in the far north — there are 24 natural parks and other protected landscapes for nature lovers to explore. Often etched with hiking trails that lead you through pine-clad hills, wildflower valleys and high pastures, these areas make prime spots to catch a glimpse of native fauna such as horses, eagles, lizards and even dolphins in the wild.

The number of foreign tourists visiting Portugal surpassed eight million in January-June, making it the best first half on record, official data showed on Monday.

Three travel tech startups raised $87.2 million this week. 

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German rail operator Deutsche Bahn saw demand for connections between its trains and flights operated by Lufthansa increase 25 percent last year. The increase comes after the railroad and airline expanded their partnership, including more direct trains to the Frankfurt airport, in 2021.