Portugal’s Formula 1 Return Comes With One Very Good Piece of Travel Advice

Formula 1 is returning to Portugal in 2027, but organizers have one request for fans planning the trip: do not just fly in for the race and leave.

“Come and stay for a week, not just for the race,” Jaime Costa, CEO of the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, said as the dates for the 2027 Portuguese Grand Prix were confirmed.

Costa’s advice makes sense in Portimão. The race may prompt the trip, but the Algarve gives travelers plenty of reasons to stay longer.

The Portuguese Grand Prix will take place June 18–20, 2027, at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão, returning Formula 1 to Portugal for the first time since 2021. The circuit will also host the race in 2028.

Known for steep gradients, blind corners and constant elevation changes, the 4.653-kilometer circuit has earned the nickname “roller coaster.” It also holds a notable place in Formula 1 history: Lewis Hamilton won there in both 2020 and 2021, and his 2020 victory was his 92nd Grand Prix win, surpassing Michael Schumacher’s previous record of 91.

Portimão puts race fans in one of Portugal’s easiest regions to linger after the checkered flag. The Algarve stretches across the country’s southern coast, where limestone cliffs drop toward Atlantic beaches, fishing villages sit beside polished resort towns and warm June weather makes it easy to tack a few beach days onto race weekend.

Getting there is straightforward, too. Faro Airport has direct connections from more than 30 European cities, so the Grand Prix can easily become one stop on a broader Portugal or European itinerary.

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For families, Martinhal Sagres Beach Family Resort is a practical base for a few extra days on the western Algarve. Located in Sagres, the resort has hotel rooms and larger villas for those who want more space after a weekend at the circuit. Five pools, kids' clubs, tennis and padel courts, water sports and easy beach access make it possible to spend a day doing very little beyond choosing between the pool and the Atlantic.

Martinhal also has properties elsewhere in the Algarve and in Lisbon, which may appeal to families who prefer the familiarity of the same hotel brand as they move around Portugal.

The Algarve can easily justify the extra days. Families can take a dolphin-watching trip from Portimão, Lagos or Alvor; explore the sea caves and sculpted cliffs around Ponta da Piedade by boat; spend an afternoon on Praia da Rocha; or head inland to Silves for its hilltop castle and Moorish past. Boats also travel up the Arade River from Portimão toward Silves, showing off a greener, quieter side of the Algarve beyond the beaches.

If the kids still have energy left after all of that, there are water parks, Zoomarine near Albufeira and hiking and cycling routes along the western coast, including sections of the Rota Vicentina.

The trip does not have to end in the Algarve, either.

Add a few days in Lisbon and the Grand Prix becomes one stop on a broader Portugal vacation. There, tiled streets, waterfront neighborhoods and historic trams replace race engines and beach days before the flight home.

That makes the 2027 race particularly appealing for families who want the energy of Formula 1 without dedicating an entire vacation to grandstands and paddocks. Tickets for the Portuguese Grand Prix go on sale Sept. 21, with three-day general admission, grandstand seating and hospitality packages available in the first sales phase.

Costa’s advice may be worth remembering before booking the flights. A weekend gets you Formula 1. A week gets you Portugal.