Ryanair has announced four new routes in Portugal. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has unveiled four new routes in Portugal for the winter - including one to an 'epic hidden gem'.

The airline's new routes will see flights go from Porto to Gothenburg and Porto to Polish capital Warsaw. It will also see flights run from Faro to Krakow in Poland, and from Funchal to Shannon in Ireland.

Krakow is seen by many as an unheralded but beautiful destination for tourists with stunning castles in the city and surrounding area. It has a medieval Old Town and a rich history.

The Sunshine Seeker travel website describes the city as an 'epic hidden gem'. In a glowing reference, it says "there's a treasure trove of hidden gems waiting to be discovered off the beaten path."

Charlotte, who runs the site, listed the breathtaking Zakrzówek Park and Lake, St. Joseph's Church and Tyniec Abbey as all spots well worth a visit. She also named museums, galleries and markets - and drew attention to the city's many moving landmarks to the Holocaust. At least three million Jewish Poles were killed during the Nazi occupation of Poland.

The airline is omitting Lisbon from the list for new routes. This is because, according to Ryanair's CEO, ANA, which operates most of the nation's airports, admits to having reached maximum capacity in the country's capital.

However, O'Leary insists that Lisbon airport can accommodate more traffic if it were given the slots for takeoff and landing permits that Portuguese airline TAP does not use. He said Montijo Airport, a new airport infrastructure in Lisbon, would be more viable than Alcochete, because it would be operational more quickly.

Meanwhile, Ryanair has bolstered its Madeira operations this winter by putting a third aircraft in Funchal (FNC) and adding a new route, part of 171 routes across Portugal. The news comes as man air carriers have increased their routes this winter to Spain.

That has happened after Ryanair said it would cut around 600,000 seats to and from the country, as well as about 400,000 seats to and from the Canary Islands. That change is part of a disagreement with another airport operator.

Vueling, Iberia Express, and Binter have added 434,000 extra seats compared to last autumn and winter already. Other airlines, including Volotea and Wizz Air, have also expressed a desire to fill part of this gap.

Ryanair has blamed the Spanish airport operator Aena for the move - and criticised its decision to raise the fees it imposes on airlines. Ryanair has, in addition, shut its two-aircraft base in Santiago, located in northwest Spain, and put a halt to all flights to Vigo and Tenerife North.

Ryanair's chief executive, Eddie Wilson, said AENA's decision to ramp up airport charges by 6.62% as "excessive". The Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, said if Ryanair leaves certain airports, other airlines will take on that capacity. "The king is dead, long live the king!" Puente said - attacking the Irish airline's alleged 'blackmail'.

AENA's president, Maurici Lucena, accused Ryanair of distorting the figures. He said the airline was attempting to 'make more money' at the expense of taxpayers.

Ryanair announces four new routes - including one to 'epic hidden gem' - The Mirror