Holiday rentals in Northern Portugal

Come away to this delightful, peaceful, scenic part of Portugal where you can experience the breathtaking natural beauty of the Minho and Douro regions as well as the breathtaking mountainous uplands of Gêres. Northern Portugal is full of charm with it´s beautiful, elegant historical towns and unforgettable views of the steep rugged terraces of the Douro wine valley. Escape to gorgeous scenery where Portuguese cuisine and the delightful historical ambience of this exceptional part of the world awaits you!

Find a peaceful holiday rental or letting for a perfect Northern Portugal holiday. Browse a selection of immaculate, spacious, refurbished historical and contemporary, villa style, rural rentals with upmarket, fully equipped, comfortably furnished interiors located close to the region's most beautiful towns and cities such as Viana do Castelo, Porto, Braga, Ponte de Lima and Amarante. Most of these lovely holiday rentals and lettings feature a lovely sparkling pool and garden area for relaxing after a day out and about. Find the perfect sized rental whether you are 2, 4, 6 or 8 guests and size up for a perfect stay for as many as 10 guests!

Come and holiday in this undiscovered region of Portugal that has so much to offer the visitor! With flight times of only 2 hours and 15 minutes from London and 2.5 hours from the Midlands directly to Porto you have so many reasons to visit this stunning part of the Iberian Peninsula! The Minho is a renowned heritage area famous for fine wines and exquisite historical cities like Braga, Guimarães and Ponte de Lima. In the far north you have the remote, rugged splendour of the Peneda Gêres National Park awaiting your discovery while the Atlantic Coast offers beautiful golden sand beaches, quaint fishing ports, delectable fresh seafood and the delightful old worldly charm of towns such as Viana do Castelo. The Douro Valley with its hand built terraces is a must for wine lovers and boasts some of the most magnificent natural scenery in the world.

The city of Porto with it´s splendid historical facades, narrow winding streets, famous riverfront port wine houses and wonderful romantic atmosphere is an absolutely enchanting starting point for your trip. Enjoy scenic drives and wonderful opportunities to sample local cuisine in the immaculate upmarket restaurants in the towns and cities of the region. Portugal is renowned for delectable, rich flavourful, freshly prepared food made from high quality ingredients. In the north you can feast on regional delicacies like Chanfana, an oven roasted mountain goat stew and a selection of grilled meats and seafood such as salt cod and melt in the mouth octopus salad or grilled octopus. You will be able to sample a variety of delicious regional cheeses and desserts.

If you are a wine lover you can enjoy a road trip of a lifetime through the lush heartland of where some of Portugal's most famous wines have been produced for centuries. Why not try the famous Vinho Verde route that begins in Porto where there is so much to see and explore! From Porto head to one of Portugal's oldest cities, Braga where you can admire the fabulous Baroque staircase of the Bom Jesus do Monte sanctuary. In Penafiel you can visit the renowned Quinta da Aveleda winery where you can stroll about the exquisite gardens and enjoy wine tastings. Be sure to stop at renowned wineries such as Quinta de Soalheiro in Melgaço and Adega de Monção for an opportunity to try exquisite regional wines and local cuisine!

Northern Portugal is a treasure trove of ancient towns, villages and historical attractions. Here you can immerse yourself in the charming ambience of towns and villages that are packed with character, old world charm and fascinating history. The region's rich Roman, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque heritage is on show everywhere you go. Soak up the wonderful atmosphere at sunny outdoor cafes on town squares and feast on fresh, wood oven baked, crusty bread, regional chouriço, delectable main courses and rich desserts and some of the world's noblest wines as you explore this delightful corner of Portugal!

Step into the old worldly charm of the beautiful city of Porto with it´s gorgeous medieval Ribeira district packed with iconic port houses on the Villa Nova de Gaia riverbank and splendid views of Henri Eiffel´s 1880 engineering masterpiece, the Luis I bridge. Wander steep cobbled streets and discover tiny cafes and restaurants with snowy tablecloths and sparkling cutlery for traditional fare. Be sure to stop by the famous Art Deco livraria Lello with it´s famous red staircase and the stunning Igreja do Carmo for a photo op alongside the blue tiled exterior!

Be enchanted by the magical, scenic splendour of the fabled Douro Valley, a listed World Heritage Site! Whether you choose to drive the scenic roads, take a fabulous train journey, enjoy a leisurely river cruise or even fly over the region in a helicopter you will be amazed by the beauty of this landmark region where the river twists and turns through a deep vertical valley lined by terraced vineyards. The Douro valley is the oldest demarcated wine area in the world and you can enjoy splendid wine tasting tours here that feature renowned wines!

The beautiful, picture postcard perfect, heritage town of Amarante nestled on the banks of the Tamega River just an hour west of Porto awaits your arrival! A high, graceful, neoclassical Baroque bridge spans the river and the exquisite 1725 church of São Gonçalo is an iconic feature of the dreamy Romanesque architectural skyline. Inside the church you can admire incredible gilded wood carving and opulent baroque ornamentation. This is the city of Vinho Verde, a wonderfully refreshing sparkling green wine particularly enjoyable ice cold with traditional grilled meats on a hot summer's day!

Enjoy a breathtaking adventure walk along an 8.7 km stunning wooden boardwalk that zigzags down the rocky slopes adjacent to the Paiva River at the Arouca Geopark, a UNESCO geological site a little over an hour south east of Porto. Here you will also find the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world spanning an incredible 516m across the valley, 175 m above the Paiva River. There are several beautiful river beaches nearby so pack picnic supplies and head out for a wonderful day!

Escape to an old world paradise of breathtaking rugged hills and remote villages where deer, wolves, wild horses and golden eagles roam free in the majestic scenery of this national park near the Spanish Border. Be sure to visit Ponte de Lima with it´s medieval buildings and Roman bridge where you can enjoy fabulous Minho cuisine and vinho verde wine. Neolithic tombs, Roman roads, bridges and milestones dot the breathtaking, lush landscapes. In Gêres you can see shepherds tending their cattle, goats and ponies in otherworldly, remote granite hamlets. The park is filled with beautiful woodland trails, lakes, rivers and waterfalls and roe deer sightings are very common.

How much does it cost to rent a holiday letting in Northern Portugal?

As indicated by an annual average price of £118, Northern Portugal is not a region that can be considered the most expensive or the cheapest in Portugal.

What time of year offers, on average, the best holiday rental prices in Northern Portugal?

If you are looking to get the most out of your money, the cheapest months to visit Northern Portugal are March (£108 per night for accommodation, on average), February (£110), and November (£112).

When does the price of holiday rentals in Northern Portugal go up the most?

Following the data observed last year, the cost per night for accommodation is usually higher, on average, during the months of August (£129), July (£126), and June (£123).

Is it necessary to plan a trip to Northern Portugal well in advance?

So you don't run out of accommodation options in Northern Portugal, we recommend you to think ahead, as 54% of rentals are usually booked, according to last year's data.

When are more holiday lettings available?

The months that offer the most accommodation options, on average, are April (with an availability of 60%), May (53%), and October (53%), according to the trends observed last year.

When are fewer lettings available?

The month with the highest average number of booked rentals is August (only 26% of properties were available on average in the previous year). Followed by July (33%), and December (42%).

How many lettings are available in Northern Portugal?

Holidu offers around 9,600 properties in Northern Portugal from 52 different partners, so you will find the perfect type of accommodation that you are looking for. We've got you covered!