Couple book Europe holiday despite warnings and it was 'exactly what we needed'

Choosing where to head for your next holiday can be difficult. Regardless of how picture-perfect a destination might appear, there will always be somebody telling you it's not worth the trip, or recounting a nightmare holiday they experienced there - and that's before you make the fatal error of scrolling through the one-star reviews of any hotel you're considering booking.

One Reddit user brushed aside warnings about visiting a European country, and was ultimately thankful they did. Sharing their story on the social media platform, they said: "Recently, I took my girlfriend to the south of Portugal after she was diagnosed with burnout following a series of anxiety attacks at work. Honestly, I hesitated at first.

"A couple of people told me Portugal was 'poor' or disorganised, others said the south is only worth it in the summer. But I decided to ignore all that when we started researching European beach towns that felt calm, within our budget, and still nice, ideally with a spa because I thought she'd like that.

"We found a good deal on a four-star hotel and decided to go anyway, not to sightsee or rush around, just disconnect somewhere far from home. And it ended up being exactly what we needed!

"We stayed for two weeks, our room had an amazing view, there was a spa, beach nearby, and just that calm 'country by the sea' feeling. I worked a little bit remotely, but most of the time we just relaxed.

"One day we took a boat ride along the Algarve coast and it was one of the most impressive things we've seen. Oh and the food there!!! But I digress. We just got back (jet lag is hitting hardddd), but she told me she feels like a different person now. And honestly, I can see that too.

"I'm just really glad we didn't listen to the negative comments and went for it. Sometimes you don't need a packed itinerary or like the perfect place, just the right place and time for what we feel like we need."

In a subsequent comment, they added: "Because the Algarve is pretty empty in March, we got the hotel for way less than if we had gone to Lisbon, and I had never even been to a four-star, could only afford it because it was low season. Apart from that, the tickets were not super cheap because we bought only two weeks in advance, so that wasn't great (but needed).

"Food was amazingly good and very cheap, we didn't commute much... it was a veeery low-key trip. So I totally recommend the off-season and not central destination combo."

Commenters were full of praise for the user's choice to ignore the nay-sayers, reports the Mirror. One remarked: "This is exactly why I only take advice from people who know me well enough to provide useful, accurate, and personalised information, and who, of course, know first-hand what they are talking about. This being said Portugal is affordable, welcoming and extremely varied."

Another remarked: "What absolute fool told you not to visit Portugal??? It's an amazing country, so beautiful, safe, with incredible food and friendly people. And it's the most affordable country in western Europe, which is yet another reason to visit, not to stay away!"

A further commenter wrote: "Always visit Portugal. Even in the summer time when Lisbon is full, it's still a great place to be. And Algarve is one of the best places on Earth. It doesn't matter how poor you are: the sun, the beach, and the ocean [are] free."

While another chimed in: "You know where Northern Europeans go on holiday? Portugal. Especially the Algarve."