Portugal Travel Guide
Portugal is one of the oldest countries in all Europe. Outstanding monuments, castles and churches meet the futuristic new buildings and technologies. Some say this country is one of the poorest and one of the most ancient, but who says this has to be bad? This is the magic of Portugal!
If you want relaxation look for the small villages spread all over the mainland, inside old castles walls or amidst untouched natural countryside.
If you're looking for a tan try the beautiful and long beaches on the Algarve, surrounded by amazing cliffs and crystal clear waters. This is the Portuguese region with the best weather all year round.
Porto is the country's second largest city and it is in itself full of interest, but the district it heads, though largely industrialized, offers the visitor plenty to see.
Along the coast there are lots of holiday resorts like the cosmopolitan beach of Espinho, busy ports like Matosinhos, with splendid seafood, or traditional fishing towns like Povoa de Varzim, but there is also an animated casino.
Porto is not only one of the biggest cities in Portugal but it is also the North's most important city lent its name to the famous wine and to Portugal.
Porto is situated by the Douro River, not far from the Atlantic. Porto is actually a mix of 5 cities: Porto, Gaia, Maia, Matosinhos and Gondomar; small cities in the surroundings that were "swallowed" by the city. The old Porto has a population of 350,000 inhabitants, but the metropolitan area has 1.2 million inhabitants. One of its most famous exportations is the Wine of Porto. This wine comes from the Douro Valley, 100 Km east of Porto.
Lisbon is the capital of Portugal. This city used to be the center of one of the biggest empires of all times, with colonies in America, Asia and Africa. Lisbon is currently a cosmopolitan city. After the emancipation of the old colonies, many of its citizens moved to the Capital.In the streets of Lisbon you see many black people - the most of them born in Angola or Mozambique, the African colonies.
The harbor of Lisbon is very active. It is the main stop in many transoceanic routes - especially to America and Africa.
Portugal is famous for its seafood cuisine. The most typical course in Lisbon is the "bacalhau cozido com grao e batatas" (cod with chick peas and boiled potatoes). If you are traveling on a low budget, you'll find many restaurants with the "Prato do dia" (a menu) for 6 Euro, or less.
So, you see, Portugal is a country with an amazing historical and cultural tradition, excellent hotels and resorts and a holiday destination for all the family! You should definitely go and visit it!
