Pousada do Monte de Santa Luzia, Viana do Castelo

Advantages: It's got all you need and more
Disadvantages: nightlife not as active as you might want

...are in Viana, you might also want to look at Ponte de Lima, Âncora, Valença, Cerveira. They are all within reasonable driving distance. HOW TO GET THERE Viana do Castelo is about 60km from Porto, making it very assessible from the airport. A flight from London to Poro starts from GBP100, and from Manchester starts GBP170 return. In the airport you can rent a car (advisable), but there are also connesction by bus and taxi to train stations. There is a motorway that will take you to Viana. A taxi fare from the airport to Viana os about 25E. It is a wonderful city and it will keep you occupied all thoughout. The locals are great and I am in love with it (as you can see). I am visiting three times a year and it is still enchanting. However, if you expect a place like the Algarve, you will be disappointed. If you do go there... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: heaven on earth
Disadvantages: none

...I have been visiting Santa Luzia for more than 5 years now and enjoy the village so much that in august of 2006 i purchased a small house in rua Joao antonio chagas ferriera. It is opposite the best little seafood restaurant in the algarve "Alcatruz". The fish in this place is so fresh it is still wriggling and the algarvean speciality of seafood and rice "arroz marisco" is unsurpassed in even the swankiest of restaurants. The new promenade is half comleted (june 2007) and is due to be finished in the coming winter. Everything you need can be found in the many little local shops and cafe de ville in the church square provides daily fresh baked bread. You will not find english breakfast, beer or even cigarettes in the village though you can obtain english newspapers from about 11am onwards at the kiosk on the front in season and from... Read review

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Advantages: quiet fishing village
Disadvantages: ?

...Santa Luzia is the fishing village in Portugal that we stayed in at Easter. We flew from Luton to Faro picked up our rental car and drove the 25 k to Santa Luzia. Santa Luzia is near Tavira. Santa Luzia is only about 30k from the Spanish border. Santa Luzia is a quiet fishing village on the Ria Formosa, separated from the long sandy beach by a shallow lagoon that opens out to the Atlantic Ocean. Fishing boats and a ferry use this as a harbour. The long sandy beach called Barril beach is easily accessible by either foot, a 15 minute walk or by a small tourist train, (1 euro I think. cars are not allowed. This is a blue flag beech. . When we went at Easter the town and beach was very quiet. One day we walked onto the sand dunes behind the beach and then along the beach. There were a lot of resident and migrant birds, terns, ducks... Read review

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