About Portugal
Portugal shares the Iberian Peninsula with Spain, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south. Its long, varied coastline, sunny climate, the relaxed lifestyle of its inhabitants and charming towns and villages have made it a sought after holiday destination.
Along the coast around Lisbon, and on the well-developed Algarve in the south, there are highly sophisticated resorts, while the vibrant capital Lisbon has enough going on to please most city devotees. But in its rural areas this is still a conspicuously underdeveloped country, and there are plenty of opportunities to experience smaller towns and countryside regions that have changed little in the past century.
Scenically, some of the most interesting parts of the country are in the north - the Minho, green and often startling in its rural customs and the sensational gorge and valley of the Douro, followed along its course by the railway, off which antiquated branch lines edge into remote Tras-os-Montes . For contemporary interest, spend some time in both Lisbon and Porto, the only two cities of real size. And if it's monuments you are after, the centre of the country - above all, Coimbra and Evora - retain a faded grandeur. The coast is virtually continuous beach, and apart from the Algarve and a few pockets around Lisbon and Porto, resorts remain low-key and thoroughly Portuguese, with great stretches of deserted sands between them. Perhaps the loveliest are along the northern Costa Verde, around Viana do Castelo, or, for isolation, the wild beaches of southern Alentejo.
The Portuguese have a close affinity to the sea; for centuries their famed mariners led the way in the exploration of Africa and the Americas, and opened trade routes to the East. The country became a strong colonial power, and remained so until the mid-20th century, resulting in distinctive foreign influences on the local culture and architecture. From Africa, for example, was imported the now traditional, sentimental fado music, which is one of the country’s unique experiences for visitors, particularly in the cafés of Lisbon.
In recent years Portugal, long overlooked on the list of the world’s top vacation spots, has been investing time, money and effort into ensuring it is discovered by the world’s travellers, just as once it was the Portuguese who discovered the world. This new age of discovery is paying off, as increasing numbers of visitors arrive each year and hotel and resort construction has exploded. From the visitor's point of view the compactness of the country makes it easy to take in all the best elements: sandy beaches, scenery, history, wonderful cuisine, lively entertainment, charming handcrafts, thrilling nightlife, country fairs, excellent sporting facilities and warm, friendly people.
From the cobbled winding streets of Lisbon’s medieval citadel to the cork forests in Alentejo, and from fishermen mending their nets on remote beaches to the shopping malls and sophisticated glitzy resorts, Portugal is a country well worth discovering.
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