Quick travel guide: Portugal
Nando's chicken, Lisbon, Algarve, Ronaldo, Sintra, Vasco Da Gama...
Visitors to Portuguese destinations can find the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, Porto, Faro, Cristiano Ronaldo, beaches, nature, and UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Location: Portugal is on the Iberian peninsula, which it shares with Spain. It is blessed with a wonderful location, having coast on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It borders only Spain.
Capital city: The capital of Portugal is Lisbon. It can be found on the north coast.An absolute treasure of a city, it can be found approximately two-thirds of the way down the Atlantic coast.
Other major cities: Other cities that can be visited in Portugal include the northern hub of Porto, which is famous for its port wines, and Faro in the south, which is the international gateway to the coastal resorts of the Algarve.
Population: Around ten million people live in Portugal, although the Portuguese are notoriously migratory, and up to four million of them are thought to live overseas. They are spread throughout the world, but Paris, France is a notable hotspot.
What we know it for: Most people go to Portugal for the weather, the beaches and the golf courses. The Algarve is one of Europe’s premier vacation spots, be it for couples, families or sporting getaways. The country also has a proud seafaring past – legendary explorer Vasco Da Gama was Portuguese, for example – and the spirit of adventure saw Portugal become one of the world’s great powers in the 15th century. Nowadays its global reach comes in terms of its football stars, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, and its chicken-heavy cuisine. It’s the country we have to thank for Nando’s.
Why you should go: The glorious thing about Portugal is that it has a little bit of everything. Whether you want buzzing cities, beautiful natural attractions or simply a nice beach to park your towel on, then you’ll be able to find it easily here. Also, by developed European standards, Portugal is relatively easy on the wallet.
Great place to visit: If you have to choose just one place to visit in Portugal (aside from its marvellous capital, of course), then Sintra would have to be the place to head for. The town centre was placed on UNESCO’s prestigious World Heritage list for the way the landscape and architecture intertwine, and the whole place is a delight. In a beautiful mountain setting, the prime draw is the Sintra National Palace. It’s the sort of building you can happily spend hours just staring at, but don’t forget about the nearby castle, which is also highly atmospheric.
MORE QUICK GUIDES: Andorra, Australia, Bolivia, East Timor, Indonesia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Spain, Paraguay, Portugal.
