Holiday Locations - Portugal

About Portugal

Portugal has its own distinct language, identity, customs, landscapes and scenery. Despite the encroachment of tourism, it remains one of the least spoilt corners of Europe. Portugal can conveniently be divided into five regions: Porto and the north, Beiras, Lisbon and the Tagus Valley, Alentejo and the Algarve. Portugal’s Atlantic islands, the Azores and Madeira, are covered separately in this guide. For more information, see their individual entries.

The northwest of portugal has mild winters with high levels of rainfall and fairly short summers. The northeast has longer winters and hot summers. In the south, summers (March to October) are warm with very little rain except in early spring and autumn. High temperatures are moderated by a permanent breeze in Estoril (July to August).

Lisbon (Lisboa), the capital of Portugal, enjoys one of the most dramatic settings of any European capital, clinging to a series of steep hillsides at the estuary of the River Tagus (Rio Tejo), just 10km (6 miles) from the Atlantic Ocean. Perched above the old Moorish quarter of Alfama, characterized by twisting, cobbled streets and whitewashed houses, is the magnificent Castle of Săo Jorge. Founded in the 12th century, its 10 towers crown the hill where the original colony was situated in Phoenician times. Lisbon Cathedral (Sé) dates from the same period as the castle and was an important element in the fortifications. The downtown Baixa district was built on a grid formation following the devastating earthquake in 1755. Today, it is one of Lisbon’s best areas for shopping (especially crafts – gold, silver and jewelry). This is a lively area with plenty of cafes and terrace restaurants.

There are two famous seaside resorts close to the capital. Estoril predates the tourist boom of the 1960s but has adapted well to changing tastes and demands. The elegant hotels, which fringe the glorious Tamariz Beach, maintain the standards of the pre-war era. The entertainment on offer includes a casino, restaurants and nightclubs, watersports, golf and riding. Cascais has changed even more quickly, from a small fishing village with fine but empty beaches to a lively resort with bars, nightclubs and good-value restaurants. Sintra (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), a mountain town 25km (15 miles) from Lisbon, boasts the former summer residence of the Portuguese royal family, the Monserrate gardens and a twice-monthly antique market. A classical music festival takes place every July and August. Colares is an attractive village, famous for its red wines. Queluz has an 18th-century rococo palace, supposedly modeled on Versailles. Mafra is home to a Baroque convent built in 1717. Ericeira and Sesimbra are busy fishing villages with good beaches and developing facilities for tourists. Tróia is a modern tourist complex, situated on a peninsula near to the industrial town of Setubal, with a casino, marina, good beaches and sports facilities. The village of Palmela has a 12th-century castle and monastery, which is now a pousada . There is a wine festival here in September.

The historic city of Porto (Oporto), famous for Port wine, the remarkably lush coast, the valleys of the Douro and the Minho and part of Portugal’s highest mountain range, the Serra da Estręla. Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal was nominated European City of Culture for 2001 and the historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded by the Romans at the mouth of the River Douro, modern Porto (Oporto) is an industrial city with a wonderful atmosphere and plenty to see. The sights of the old town include the Cathedral (Sé), dating from the 12th to the 18th centuries, the Church of Săo Francisco, famous for its rococo interior, a splendid example of Portuguese gilt-work (talha dourada), the 19th century Stock Exchange and the Torre Dos Clérigos, which offers wonderful views. The old waterfront, known as the Cais da Ribeira (a World Heritage Site), caters for tourists with cafes, restaurants and an open-air market. Across the river, the 18th century Port wine lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia are open to the public for tours and tastings.

Portugal’s southernmost region looks out onto the Atlantic on two sides. It is one of Europe’s favorite package destinations on account of its attractively rocky coastline and excellent sandy beaches. East of the capital, Faro, the beaches are interspersed with mud flats and sandbanks and the resorts are fewer in number and relatively low key. Watersports are one of the main attractions the portugese Algarve is also home to numerous world-class golf courses. The capital of the Portugese Algarve, Faro was devastated by the earthquake of 1755, but part of the old town has survived. Sights include the Cathedral (Sé), rebuilt in the 18th century, an Archaeological Museum and the Carmo Church and ossuary.

Albufeira is a busy market town and well-established resort. Armaçăo de Pęra is a fishing village with one of the biggest beaches on the Algarve. Carvoeiro is an old fishing village with a picturesque harbor. Portimăo is one of the largest towns and fishing ports in the Algarve, known for its furniture and wickerwork. Its beach resort is Praia da Rocha. Vilamoura is a modern purpose-built resort with marina and golf courses. Sagres is noted for lobster fishing. The village contains the remains of a 15th-century fort and there are beaches nearby. Cape St Vincent is the most southwesterly point of mainland Europe. Monte Gordo is a modern tourist resort with a casino, nightclubs, restaurants and a 20km- (12 mile-) long beach backed by pine forest. Tavira is one of the most attractive market towns in the Algarve with cobbled streets, several fine churches and a ruined castle. There are beaches at Cabanas and Pedras da Rainha. Inland, Monchique is set high in the mountains and has a spa. Silves is an old walled city with a 12th-century cathedral. Loulé is a market town famous for crafts such as leather and copper. The River Guadiana forms a natural boundary between Portugal and Spain. There are commanding hilltop views from the ruined fortresses at Castro Marim; nearby are the saltpans of the same name, now a nature reserve open for guided tours.

Portuguese Food

Seafood is popular, especially in Lisbon, but can be expensive.

• Sopa de marisco (shellfish soup cooked and served with wine).

• Caldo verde (green soup made with finely shredded green kale leaves in broth).

• Bacalhau (dried cod, cooked in over 100 different ways).

• Caldeirada is a fish stew with as many as nine kinds of fish, cooked with onions and tomatoes.

• Carne de porco á Alentejana, in which bits of fried pork are covered with a sauce of clams stewed with tomato and onions.

• Puddings include arroz doce (rice pudding), Madeira pudding and nuvens (egg custard).

• Portugal’s sweet pastries (available in most cafes).

Portugal Land Marks

Săo Bento Palace - The original building of Săo Bento Palace was erected as a convent in 1598, but was later renovated as an enormous white Neoclassical building to become today's Portuguese Parliament. Tall columns support the pediment, and four statues on pedestals at the entrance represent Prudence, Strength, Justice, and Temperance. The interior is grandiose, with marble pillars, Neoclassical statues, and other works of art. You may look inside when parliament is in session and opens its debates to the public.

Saint George's Castle - Saint George's Castle can be seen from almost everywhere in the city of Lisbon. Its oldest parts date from the 6th century, when it was fortified by the Romans, Visigoths, and eventually the Moors. It served as a Moorish royal residence until Portugal's first king Afonso Henriques captured it in 1147 with the help of northern European crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. It was then dedicated to St. George, the patron saint of England, commemorating the Anglo-Portuguese pact dating from 1371, and became the royal palace until another one (that was destroyed in the Great Earthquake) was built in today's Comercio Square.

Fronteira Palace - Fronteira Palace is located northwest of the city in the suburb of Benfica. Built in 1640, it is still one of the most beautiful residences in Lisbon, containing splendid rooms with 17th and 18th century decorative tiles, frescoed panels and oil paintings. But it is most famous for its stunning formal gardens with even more tiles (some of the country's finest, depicting hunting, battles, and religious scenes), statuary (figures personifying the arts and mythological figures as well as busts of Portuguese kings), and fountains. It is still privately owned, and a guided tour conducts visitors around the rooms and gardens.

Jeronimos Monastery - The Jeronimos Monastery is the most impressive symbol of Portugal's power and wealth during the Age of Discovery. King Manuel I built it in 1502 on the site of a hermitage founded by Prince Henry the Navigator, where Vasco da Gama and his crew spent their last night in Portugal in prayer before leaving for India. It was built to commemorate Vasco Da Gama's voyage and to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for its success. Vasco da Gama's tomb was placed inside by the entrance, as was the tomb of poet Luis de Camőes, author of the epic The Lusiads in which he glorifies the triumphs of Da Gama and his compatriots. Other great figures in Portuguese history are also entombed here, like King Manuel and King Sebastiăo, and poets Fernando Pessoa and Alexandre Herculano.

The monastery was populated by monks of the Order of Saint Jerome (Hieronymites), whose spiritual job was to give guidance to sailors and pray for the king's soul. It is one of the great triumphs of European Gothic (UNESCO has classified it a World Heritage monument), with much of the design characterized by elaborate sculptural details and maritime motifs. This style of architecture became known as Manueline, a style of art that served to glorify the great discoveries of the age.

The church interior is spacious with octagonal piers richly decorated with reliefs, and outside is a garden laid out in 1940 consisting of hedges cut in the shape of various municipal coats of arms of Portugal. In the center is a large fountain also decorated with coats of arms, often illuminated on special occasions.

Marquis of Pombal - Like the Champs-Elysees and other great European boulevards, Lisbon's Avenida da Liberdade ends at a large roundabout and a monument. This is the monument to the Marquis of Pombal, the prime minister responsible for the rebuilding of Lisbon following the Great Earthquake in 1755, showing him standing on a column with his hand on a lion (symbol of power) and his eyes directed to the downtown area that he rebuilt. The base is decorated with allegorical images depicting Pombal's political, educational, and agricultural reforms. Broken blocks of stone at the foot of the monument and tidal waves flooding the city symbolize the effects of the earthquake. The surrounding paving stones are decorated with a mosaic of Lisbon's coat of arms.

Portugal Arts & Museums

Gulbenkian Museum - Northeast of Eduardo VII Park is the Gulbenkian Museum, one of the world's great museums and one of Europe's unsung treasures. Part of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, it houses a magnificent collection of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Islamic, Asian, and European art. It was substantially renovated and modernized in 2001 (many of its masterpieces were on display in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art during renovation), and can't be missed during a visit to Lisbon. This is one of the world's finest private art collections, amassed over a period of 40 years by oil magnate Calouste Gulbenkian, who was one of the 20th century's wealthiest men. In his later years he adopted Portugal as his home, and donated all of his stupendous art treasures to the country when he died in 1955 at the age of 86.

Of the many highlights is a haunting gold Egyptian mummy mask, an exquisite 2700-year-old alabaster bowl, a series of bronze cats and other priceless treasures in the Egyptian section, a stunning collection of Hellenic coins and a 2400-year-old Attic vase in the Greek and Roman section, rare pieces of Chinese porcelain, Japanese prints, and rich 16th and 17th century Persian tapestries.

Sharing the lovely serene gardens of the Gulbenkian Museum is the Modern Art Center, containing modern and contemporary Portuguese and foreign art displayed on two floors. There are more than 10,000 items, including works by Paula Rego, Almada Negreiros, Souza Cardoso, and Vieira da Silva.

Portugal Theme Parks & Zoos