1 month - december

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changinghorizon
changinghorizon

hello guys
bit of background, im 20, from australia, male, and have done a bit of traveling through asia (nepal, india, china, lao....)
anyway i am thinking of heading to portugal for a month as part of a round the world trip.
here are a few questions i have......

firstly, is it worth going there in winter? will places close down? will transport slow down?
secondly, is 50euros a day a good budget, hostels, cook own meals, bus transport.
thirdly, what is the transport in portugal like? compared to asia, will i find it easy to move around? bus or train? i wont be renting a car.

and lastly, given these questions, are there other countries in europe that you would recommend a cheap (50 euros a day) not too cold and lively place in december that i could visit.

thanks for you're help :)
nick

p.s are there trekking or outdoor options in portugal during december?

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visitingeu
visitingeu

Portugal is a great choice if you're on a budget. It is one of the least expensive countries in western Europe and you can definitely get by on 50 euros a day (or less). Lisbon has particularly good hostels (here's a page with some of the best Lisbon hostels) for under 25 euro/night.

Transport in the cities is really easy (Porto and Lisbon have good metro systems and Lisbon's tram system is also really extensive), and trains are good and inexpensive.

If you want outdoor activities, head for the Algarve, where it will be warmer in December than the rest of the country. There are plenty of outdoor opportunities there.

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changinghorizon
changinghorizon

what about transport in the country side?? bus or train? cost? and ease of use eg can you just catch a bus or train without booking anything or do you have to book days in advance for a spot.
thanks again

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explorem0re
explorem0re

In the country side you can use both train or bus (see www.cp.pt and www.rede-expressos.pt). Don’t expect a extensive offer but is enough to go everywhere, especially if you have 1 month to do it!
There’s no need to book previously if you don’t travel on Sundays and Fridays and the prices are fair enough (2,30€ train from Tavira to Faro – 30km and a little more expensive by bus).
For the Algarve see this webpage too www.eva-bus.com and the same mentioned previously for the trains (regional).
Have a nice trip!

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changinghorizon
changinghorizon

so whats winter like??
can i expect snow anywhere in the country?

as i mentioned im from australia and thus there isn't any world class football to see down here. i'd love to go to a game of football in portugal or even cross into spain and catch a live game of real madrid or barcelona. will there be games in decemeber?

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pow1972
pow1972

hi there,i was in the south of portugal last winter,and the weather is reasonally warm 15-16 celcius or above(most days!,im from the uk so anything above 5 degrees in winter is warm)genrally getting colder the further north you travel,i think i remember that there was real heavey snow fall in the north that caused major disruption to everything!
as for your 50 euro budget,you should live very comfortably,i found that the bus network is very extensive and travel wont be a great issue, enjoy portugal,its a fantastic country with fantastic people!happy travels!!!!!

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