EACH year around 1.4million Brits head to Portugal’s Algarve – so why not explore a quieter Portuguese gem that is cheaper?
Portugal’s Silver Coast – also known as Costa de Prata – stretches for 155 miles from central to western Portugal.
And it offers several different holiday types.
Think dramatic landscapes to be explored, beaches to sunbathe on and historic towns to investigate.
Spanning from north of Lisbon to near Porto, the Silver Coast tends to be less crowded than the Algarve.
One spot you can head to is Nazare, known for having the world’s biggest surfable waves.
The old fishing town features a long, crescent shaped beach with white sand and crystal clear water.
And this is one of the spots in the town where you will find surfers tackling huge waves.
In fact, it is the Nazaré Canyon that is the largest underwater canyon in Europe, that produces the town’s colossal waves.
Away from the water, the town also has a lot of narrow streets to explore with cosy restaurants serving fresh seafood.
For example, you could head to Restaurante Maria do Mar, which is the best-rated restaurant on TripAdvisor in the area, serving ‘Maria do Mar’ fish stew for just €9.50 (£8.20).
Surfers should also head to Ericeira, which is another popular surf town.
It is widely known as the ‘surfing capital of Europe‘ and is home to one of only two World Surfing Reserves in Europe.
If you are not a surfer, then simply enjoy the town’s beautiful beaches such as Praia dos Pescadores (Fisherman’s Beach) or Praia do Norte.
There’s also Obidos, which has a charming, medieval walled town.
In the picturesque town you can walk through Moorish gates and see colourful houses covered in bright pink flowers in summer.
The medieval walls encircle the entire village, which you can explore.
There’s even a spot that is dubbed the ‘Venice of Portugal’ – Aveiro.
The nickname comes from the colourful boats that sail down canals in the town.
Originally, the boats – called moliceiros – were used to carry seaweed that had been harvested, but now they offer tours to visitors along the canals and past Art Nouveau buildings.
In the Old Town, you’ll find cobblestone streets with small fish and coastal images embedded into the cobbles.
Make sure to visit Ponte dos Laços de Amizade (Bridge of Friendship Ties) where couples tie ribbons on to the bridge.
And definitely grab some Ovos Moles which are sweets from the area.
They are egg yolk and sugar mixed together and then moulded into different shapes, like seashells.
Drop by Confeitaria Peixinho, the oldest Ovos Moles shop in Aveiro, which has been running since 1856 – each Ovos Mole costs about €1.60 (£1.38).
Nearby Aveiro there is another spot worth visiting called Costa Nova.
Here you will find rows upon rows of colourful striped beach cottages.
Elsewhere along the Silver Coast, you can visit the coastal village of Foz do Arelho and two beaches created by a saltwater lagoon.
Both feature white sand and are the ideal places to go paddleboarding.
If you want to grab a bite to eat, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants along the promenade.
Several of the pubs and bars along the Silver Coast sell beers for €1.25 (£1.08), like at Marcianus 3.0 in Foz do Arelho, where you can pick up a bottle of Imperial beer for this price.
Depending on where you wish to go on the Silver Coast, you can fly into either Lisbon or Porto Airports.
One-way flights from the UK to Lisbon or Porto cost as little as £15 per person in April.
Also, depending on where you want to visit, there are a number of different accommodation options.
The average cost for a night in a four-star hotel in the region costs between £65 and £80.
For more places to explore in Portugal, there’s a secret side to the country that has just been crowned one of the best places in Europe to visit this year.
Plus, the pretty city that was the birthplace of the first king of Portugal that is set to be big this year.