Many people now worry about the idea of a bachelor night that involves a holiday.
But there is an answer.
Why not have a bachelor break in Portugal?
There is so much to offer. Besides a Mediterranean climate with over 300 sunny days per year, your break can be as adventurous or as relaxing as you choose. The opportunity to learn a new activity, take part in sport, visit cultural sites or enjoy a city. Maybe just relax in a private villa doing nothing at all but enjoying the time and company of your friends.
Portugal really does have everything you need for a luxury bachelor night.
Here are our top 5 choices:
Take a city break to Porto
Porto is Portugal’s second city, but this does not mean it is second best in any way. The city is an eclectic mix of stunning architecture and history combined with hip and modern bars.
Whatever you are looking for you will find it in this amazing city, if you are looking for somewhere to enjoy a drink, then Catraio is the city’s first dedicated craft beer bar, which offers over 100 varieties and a rotating selection of tap beers.
If you are looking for amazing views, a visit to 360º Terrace Lounge, found in Gaia (just a brief walk over the Dom Luís I bridge) offers a roof top bar, with stunning views, and as it is attached to one of Portugal’s port wine cellars, you will find a great selection of Port Cocktails. After all no visit to Porto is complete without trying a glass of Port!
If you are interested in visiting some historical sites and experiencing Portuguese culture, you can visit Livraria Lello, the worlds third most beautiful bookstore according to Lonely Planet, or the twelfth century Porto cathedral. You can wander though the Ribeira District, which is the stunning historical quarter of Porto and if you want to have some beach time, then Foz is the place, with blue flag beaches and a number of cafes and bars overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
A perfect place to stay is at The Yeatman Hotel, one of Portugal’s most iconic 5-star hotels, which also houses the city’s only two Michelin starred restaurant. Not only are you able to enjoy the gastronomic experience, but due to the substantial wine cellars, The Yeatman is considered as one of Europe’s Leading wine hotels.
Porto is the place to be, for any type of city break, but for a cultural, gastronomical and fine wine bachelor night, it really is hard to beat.
Why not learn a new sport?
Why not take this opportunity to learn or participate in a new sporting activity?
There are over 1200 kms of coastline and over 300 sunny days a year in Portugal, so why not try a water sport?
Could you see yourself as Rodrigo Koxa (Brazilian professional big wave surfer) riding the worlds largest wave ever surfed, at 80 feet tall which incidentally was in Nazaré, on the Silver Coast in Portugal.
Maybe not on your first attempt, but all along the coast of Portugal, the Atlantic provides the ideal location for surfing with many areas offering classes for the complete beginner through to the more experienced surfer.
Maybe you have wanted to try deep sea fishing, again most areas along the coast can arrange this for you, with many companies offering the the opportunity to charter the vessel to groups and parties. Imagine spending the day wresting that 460kg (1000lb) marlin or searching for sharks.
If you are looking for something more sedate, how about windsurfing? Glide along the water, blown by the wind, this activity can be extremely relaxing, however if you would like to add a little bit of excitement, try this activity when the north wind is blowing and feel the adrenaline pulse through you, as are lifted over the waves.
If you have had enough of participating you can also watch sports in action, Nazaré has the Worlds surf league, Big wave Tour. Here you can watch world records getting broken.
Tomar in central Portugal hosts an annual stop for WWA (World Wake Association) Wake Park World Series stop, called Tomar Pro wakeboard.
If you want to take a break from the water, Portugal has top class football teams in both Porto and Lisbon, where you can enjoy the match followed by dinner in the city.
Spend your time relaxing
After all the stress of organising, sorting and arranging (or listening to the stress of this being completed), maybe you would like the opportunity to totally relax. To not have to do anything, to have everything provided for you. Portugal is the ideal place to unwind and where better than in your own private villa?
There will be no other people there disturbing your peace, no shared hotel pools, no children and the opportunity to spend as much or as little time with your friends as you choose.
The range of villas is extensive, along with the amenities that are available.
The size of villa will depend on the size of your group but you can easily find a villa with 5 to 10 bedrooms which will provide all you require. Private pool, games and snooker rooms and access to almost any activity you can think of.
The last thing you want to be thinking about on your relaxing break, is cooking meals. Many villa owners can arrange for a chef to come and prepare, cook and serve you meals or have local restaurants deliver your meals to you.
The Location you choose will depend on the type of break you are looking for, if you are looking to get away from it all, a villa such as Casa Mondaro is perfect, but if you still want to be close to a large selection of bars and restaurants, there are many villas on gated communities.
The joy of having your bachelor night at a luxury villa means you can do as much or as little as you choose.
Enjoy a Portuguese golfing break
What better way to enjoy your bachelor break than with a game of golf or 5!
Portugal is one of Europe’s leading golf destinations and it is easy to understand why. With luxury golf courses stretching from the Algarve all along the coast to Porto and beyond.
Porto may not be well known for its golf; in fact, it may be one of Portugal’s best kept secrets. Did you know that the oldest, uninterrupted competition played in the world is in Porto? Oporto Golf Club started in 1890. At this club the game is pleasant, but not competitive, so not necessarily for those with high handicaps, but extremely advisable if you want to enjoy a great weekend of golf tradition with friends.
The Algarve has long been renowned for golfing excellence and where better to sample a round than at Monte Rei, Golf and country club, consistently rated Portugal’s number 1 golf course. The Jack Nicolson signature golf course is set in 1,000 acres in the Eastern Algarve, with views of the Serra do Caldeirão mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. It is a par 72 Championship golf course measuring 6567m, and features a series of eight par-4s, five par-3s and five par-5s in a challenging and unique layout.
You can choose to stay in one of the luxury villas and where better to eat than onsite at the Vistas restaurant which offers the complete gourmet experience from chef Rui Silvestre.
Further along the coast you will find the Silver Coast where there are a number of top courses, each with the back drop of the Atlantic Ocean. Planet Golf lists 7 courses in this area to visit, so you will not be short of a good round.
At the Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort, Severiano Ballesteros was involved in the design of the 6,400 metre course. If you choose to spend your time at this course, you can also take advantage of the 5-star Boutique hotel on site.
Take a wine tour in the Douro Valley
Can you imagine a better weekend break than touring the Douro valley wine region? There are many options available to enjoy this region. The first option is to stay in Porto and take a day tour to visit one of the many vineyards for wine tasting and a meal of traditional Portuguese food.
But the best way to really enjoy this region is to stay there, and where better than the Quinta Nova Luxury Winery House.
Billed as the first wine hotel in Portugal, this renovated 19th century manor house offers a number of wine themed activities and was awarded the Luxury Hotel & Winery of the Year 2018 by the English-born Luxury Travel Guide.
Eat at the hotel, with no set menu, the food is prepared to perfectly compliment the wine, or spend your time exploring the UNESCO World Heritage-listed region, the area is renowned for its outstanding beauty with the hills covered in vineyards and the River Douro that flows to Porto where it meets the sea.
A river cruise is the ideal way to visit the area which is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world.
Can you imagine any better way to spend your bachelor weekend than in a selection of vineyards, tasting some of Portugal’s best wines?
Jenny Lovett is the Founder of Portugalholidays4u.com. Portugalholidays4u.com is a website showcasing all that Portugal has to offer with an extensive collection of villas, apartments and holiday accommodation.If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.
Jenny Lovett is the founder of Portugalholidays4u.com, a holiday advertising website in Portugal. After years of travelling Europe and living in the UK, France and Spain, she made her home in Portugal and is currently renovating an old manor house with her husband in a small rural village. She developed Portugalholidays4u.com through her love of Portugal, dedicated to showcasing the best that Portugal has to offer for everybody, from luxury holidays to budget bed and breakfasts and everything in between. The aim is to provide a dedicated hub for all holiday makers and travellers planning on visiting Portugal.
Did you enjoy this article?
Receive similar content direct to your inbox.
14 Comments
Bachelor nights and hotels do not always go easily together. Bachelor parties can be too loud for many regular guests and then the bachelors themselves are unlikely to make breakfast the next morning. A villa works much better.
A villa is a great way to spend a bachelor party, your also don’t have people disturbing you if you need a lie in
I reckon that 300 sunny days a year is the key stat. I’ve been on some grim stag weekends behind what used to be the Iron Curtain with freezing rain. I’d be happy to give sunny Portugal a go.
I just can’t see some of my friends trying their hand at surfing if I ever plan a bachelor night. Although having some focus or a theme to the weekend is a good idea. My mates would be very excited about watching a football match. I think you need to have some variety, a bit of culture in the mix too.
Several years have gone by since my stag but one of the reasons for it being so great was that people did what they wanted. Sure surfing’s not for everyone, let the surfers go, maybe a few others will play golf, one or two cultured ones may want to do a museum. Go your separate ways and then get together in the evenings.
That is the joy of having your party in one of these types of locations, if you stay in Lisbon, there is surfing, culture and golf all within easy reach and a meet up later in the day for dinner
As most of my mates are footballers watching a game in Portugal would be the perfect centre-piece for the weekend. Probably better value than getting tickets for Barcelona or Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
Read a piece last week on how stag and hen weekends plus the costs of the wedding are plunging millennials into so much debt that some of them are having to go back and live with their parents. I want to have a stag weekend, something memorable, but I just don’t it to over the top. Portugal would probably be a sensible choice money wise.
Portugal is still one of the least expensive holiday locations in Southern Europe. I tis the perfect location to enjoy all the good things for a fraction of the cost
I’m sure there will be some women out there breathing a sigh of relief at the thought of their hubby to be taking their bachelor night in Portugal but doing more sedate things like golfing and not getting up to any mischief!
Yes Helen, it is definitely a suggestion worth putting forward for any future plans
Let’s be honest, most of the time these bachelor parties are mainly made up of guys in their 20s and early 30s. Put them on a great beach where they can have a kick about with a football in the sun and they’ll be happy. Give them a few beers for lunch, still in the sun, and they’ll be even happier. Also the last time I went to Cascais I remember there be loads of bikes for hire. What better way to enjoy yourself than cycling along that beautiful shoreline and stopping off every now and again at some of the bars and cafes.
A great suggestion Oscar. There are so many beach resorts that would be great, everything you could want minus the large, loud groups that can often spoil things
The north of Portugal doesn’t have 300 days of Sun… Not even close, but I think that doesn’t make it less attractive :) We love spending time in Portugual and enjoying everything it has to offer!
Whatever you are looking for you will find it in this amazing city, if you are looking for somewhere to enjoy a drink, then Catraio is the city’s first dedicated craft beer bar, which offers over 100 varieties and a rotating selection of tap beers.
If you are looking for amazing views, a visit to 360º Terrace Lounge, found in Gaia (just a brief walk over the Dom Luís I bridge) offers a roof top bar, with stunning views, and as it is attached to one of Portugal’s port wine cellars, you will find a great selection of Port Cocktails. After all no visit to Porto is complete without trying a glass of Port!
If you are interested in visiting some historical sites and experiencing Portuguese culture, you can visit Livraria Lello, the worlds third most beautiful bookstore according to Lonely Planet, or the twelfth century Porto cathedral. You can wander though the Ribeira District, which is the stunning historical quarter of Porto and if you want to have some beach time, then Foz is the place, with blue flag beaches and a number of cafes and bars overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
A perfect place to stay is at The Yeatman Hotel, one of Portugal’s most iconic 5-star hotels, which also houses the city’s only two Michelin starred restaurant. Not only are you able to enjoy the gastronomic experience, but due to the substantial wine cellars, The Yeatman is considered as one of Europe’s Leading wine hotels.
Porto is the place to be, for any type of city break, but for a cultural, gastronomical and fine wine bachelor night, it really is hard to beat.
Why not learn a new sport?
Why not take this opportunity to learn or participate in a new sporting activity?
There are over 1200 kms of coastline and over 300 sunny days a year in Portugal, so why not try a water sport?
Whatever you are looking for you will find it in this amazing city, if you are looking for somewhere to enjoy a drink, then Catraio is the city’s first dedicated craft beer bar, which offers over 100 varieties and a rotating selection of tap beers.
If you are looking for amazing views, a visit to 360º Terrace Lounge, found in Gaia (just a brief walk over the Dom Luís I bridge) offers a roof top bar, with stunning views, and as it is attached to one of Portugal’s port wine cellars, you will find a great selection of Port Cocktails. After all no visit to Porto is complete without trying a glass of Port!
If you are interested in visiting some historical sites and experiencing Portuguese culture, you can visit Livraria Lello, the worlds third most beautiful bookstore according to Lonely Planet, or the twelfth century Porto cathedral. You can wander though the Ribeira District, which is the stunning historical quarter of Porto and if you want to have some beach time, then Foz is the place, with blue flag beaches and a number of cafes and bars overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
A perfect place to stay is at The Yeatman Hotel, one of Portugal’s most iconic 5-star hotels, which also houses the city’s only two Michelin starred restaurant. Not only are you able to enjoy the gastronomic experience, but due to the substantial wine cellars, The Yeatman is considered as one of Europe’s Leading wine hotels.
Porto is the place to be, for any type of city break, but for a cultural, gastronomical and fine wine bachelor night, it really is hard to beat.
Why not learn a new sport?
Why not take this opportunity to learn or participate in a new sporting activity?
There are over 1200 kms of coastline and over 300 sunny days a year in Portugal, so why not try a water sport?
Could you see yourself as Rodrigo Koxa (Brazilian professional big wave surfer) riding the worlds largest wave ever surfed, at 80 feet tall which incidentally was in Nazaré, on the Silver Coast in Portugal.
Maybe not on your first attempt, but all along the coast of Portugal, the Atlantic provides the ideal location for surfing with many areas offering classes for the complete beginner through to the more experienced surfer.
Maybe you have wanted to try deep sea fishing, again most areas along the coast can arrange this for you, with many companies offering the the opportunity to charter the vessel to groups and parties. Imagine spending the day wresting that 460kg (1000lb) marlin or searching for sharks.
If you are looking for something more sedate, how about windsurfing? Glide along the water, blown by the wind, this activity can be extremely relaxing, however if you would like to add a little bit of excitement, try this activity when the north wind is blowing and feel the adrenaline pulse through you, as are lifted over the waves.
If you have had enough of participating you can also watch sports in action, Nazaré has the Worlds surf league, Big wave Tour. Here you can watch world records getting broken.
Tomar in central Portugal hosts an annual stop for WWA (World Wake Association) Wake Park World Series stop, called Tomar Pro wakeboard.
If you want to take a break from the water, Portugal has top class football teams in both Porto and Lisbon, where you can enjoy the match followed by dinner in the city.
Spend your time relaxing
After all the stress of organising, sorting and arranging (or listening to the stress of this being completed), maybe you would like the opportunity to totally relax. To not have to do anything, to have everything provided for you. Portugal is the ideal place to unwind and where better than in your own private villa?
There will be no other people there disturbing your peace, no shared hotel pools, no children and the opportunity to spend as much or as little time with your friends as you choose.
The range of villas is extensive, along with the amenities that are available.
The size of villa will depend on the size of your group but you can easily find a villa with 5 to 10 bedrooms which will provide all you require. Private pool, games and snooker rooms and access to almost any activity you can think of.
The last thing you want to be thinking about on your relaxing break, is cooking meals. Many villa owners can arrange for a chef to come and prepare, cook and serve you meals or have local restaurants deliver your meals to you.
The Location you choose will depend on the type of break you are looking for, if you are looking to get away from it all, a villa such as Casa Mondaro is perfect, but if you still want to be close to a large selection of bars and restaurants, there are many villas on gated communities.
The joy of having your bachelor night at a luxury villa means you can do as much or as little as you choose.
Enjoy a Portuguese golfing break
What better way to enjoy your bachelor break than with a game of golf or 5!
Portugal is one of Europe’s leading golf destinations and it is easy to understand why. With luxury golf courses stretching from the Algarve all along the coast to Porto and beyond.
Porto may not be well known for its golf; in fact, it may be one of Portugal’s best kept secrets. Did you know that the oldest, uninterrupted competition played in the world is in Porto? Oporto Golf Club started in 1890. At this club the game is pleasant, but not competitive, so not necessarily for those with high handicaps, but extremely advisable if you want to enjoy a great weekend of golf tradition with friends.
The Algarve has long been renowned for golfing excellence and where better to sample a round than at Monte Rei, Golf and country club, consistently rated Portugal’s number 1 golf course. The Jack Nicolson signature golf course is set in 1,000 acres in the Eastern Algarve, with views of the Serra do Caldeirão mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. It is a par 72 Championship golf course measuring 6567m, and features a series of eight par-4s, five par-3s and five par-5s in a challenging and unique layout.
You can choose to stay in one of the luxury villas and where better to eat than onsite at the Vistas restaurant which offers the complete gourmet experience from chef Rui Silvestre.
Further along the coast you will find the Silver Coast where there are a number of top courses, each with the back drop of the Atlantic Ocean. Planet Golf lists 7 courses in this area to visit, so you will not be short of a good round.
At the Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort, Severiano Ballesteros was involved in the design of the 6,400 metre course. If you choose to spend your time at this course, you can also take advantage of the 5-star Boutique hotel on site.
Take a wine tour in the Douro Valley
Can you imagine a better weekend break than touring the Douro valley wine region? There are many options available to enjoy this region. The first option is to stay in Porto and take a day tour to visit one of the many vineyards for wine tasting and a meal of traditional Portuguese food.
But the best way to really enjoy this region is to stay there, and where better than the Quinta Nova Luxury Winery House.
Billed as the first wine hotel in Portugal, this renovated 19th century manor house offers a number of wine themed activities and was awarded the Luxury Hotel & Winery of the Year 2018 by the English-born Luxury Travel Guide.
Eat at the hotel, with no set menu, the food is prepared to perfectly compliment the wine, or spend your time exploring the UNESCO World Heritage-listed region, the area is renowned for its outstanding beauty with the hills covered in vineyards and the River Douro that flows to Porto where it meets the sea.
A river cruise is the ideal way to visit the area which is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world.
Can you imagine any better way to spend your bachelor weekend than in a selection of vineyards, tasting some of Portugal’s best wines?
Jenny Lovett is the Founder of Portugalholidays4u.com. Portugalholidays4u.com is a website showcasing all that Portugal has to offer with an extensive collection of villas, apartments and holiday accommodation.
If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.
Bachelor nights and hotels do not always go easily together. Bachelor parties can be too loud for many regular guests and then the bachelors themselves are unlikely to make breakfast the next morning. A villa works much better.
A villa is a great way to spend a bachelor party, your also don’t have people disturbing you if you need a lie in
I reckon that 300 sunny days a year is the key stat. I’ve been on some grim stag weekends behind what used to be the Iron Curtain with freezing rain. I’d be happy to give sunny Portugal a go.
The sun makes every break that much better
I just can’t see some of my friends trying their hand at surfing if I ever plan a bachelor night. Although having some focus or a theme to the weekend is a good idea. My mates would be very excited about watching a football match. I think you need to have some variety, a bit of culture in the mix too.
Several years have gone by since my stag but one of the reasons for it being so great was that people did what they wanted. Sure surfing’s not for everyone, let the surfers go, maybe a few others will play golf, one or two cultured ones may want to do a museum. Go your separate ways and then get together in the evenings.
That is the joy of having your party in one of these types of locations, if you stay in Lisbon, there is surfing, culture and golf all within easy reach and a meet up later in the day for dinner
As most of my mates are footballers watching a game in Portugal would be the perfect centre-piece for the weekend. Probably better value than getting tickets for Barcelona or Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
Read a piece last week on how stag and hen weekends plus the costs of the wedding are plunging millennials into so much debt that some of them are having to go back and live with their parents. I want to have a stag weekend, something memorable, but I just don’t it to over the top. Portugal would probably be a sensible choice money wise.
Portugal is still one of the least expensive holiday locations in Southern Europe. I tis the perfect location to enjoy all the good things for a fraction of the cost
I’m sure there will be some women out there breathing a sigh of relief at the thought of their hubby to be taking their bachelor night in Portugal but doing more sedate things like golfing and not getting up to any mischief!
Yes Helen, it is definitely a suggestion worth putting forward for any future plans
Let’s be honest, most of the time these bachelor parties are mainly made up of guys in their 20s and early 30s. Put them on a great beach where they can have a kick about with a football in the sun and they’ll be happy. Give them a few beers for lunch, still in the sun, and they’ll be even happier. Also the last time I went to Cascais I remember there be loads of bikes for hire. What better way to enjoy yourself than cycling along that beautiful shoreline and stopping off every now and again at some of the bars and cafes.
A great suggestion Oscar. There are so many beach resorts that would be great, everything you could want minus the large, loud groups that can often spoil things
The north of Portugal doesn’t have 300 days of Sun… Not even close, but I think that doesn’t make it less attractive :) We love spending time in Portugual and enjoying everything it has to offer!