Guide to Portugal

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Guide to Portugal

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Portugal is the perfect destination for any tourist or traveler looking to get off the beaten trail in Europe. Full of busy metropolitan cities, quiet little towns, great food, and white sandy beaches, Portugal has something to offer every traveler. Though surrounded by Spain, Portugal has a personality and feel all its own-- always unexpected, this country is full of surprises.

Lisbon

Located on the far western coast of Portugal (and therefore the far west of all of Continental Europe), Lisbon is called "the city of seven hills," and is one of the most appealing cities in Western Europe. Despite being a teeming European metropolis, Lisbon retains a provincial charm of its own-- packed with small markets and crossed by old tram cars, everything about the city and its inhabitants is refreshingly unpretentious.

As the city has its own particular personality, so does each of Lisbon's many neighborhoods. Alfama, for instance, is the oldest district in Lisbon; with its narrow, car-inaccessible streets and lingering Moorish architecture, it feels like a small village. On an opposite hill is Bairro Alto, another old neighborhood that fills at night with bars and party-goers the heart of the city's night-life.

Coasts of Lisbon

Portugal is well-known for its beaches; and the capital city is certainly not left out. There are also several long beaches and popular beach towns near Lisbon which are connected to the city by public transport.

Cascais was once a small fishing village and is now an elegant beach destination for visitors to Lisbon. Another coastal area, the Costa da Caparica, is also easily reached by bus. Caparica tends to get less crowded than Cascais, and even has a little train that stops along the 10 kilometers of Caparica's beaches, allowing visitors to get to the emptier beaches further from the city.

Sintra

Once frequented by the royalty of Portugal, Sintra, just a short trip from Lisbon, was once described by Hans Christian Anderson as "the most beautiful place in Portugal." Dotted with hidden palaces, horse-drawn carriages, and romance, Sinfra is full of a quiet beauty that is truly inspiring. The city is also full of history; high in the hills of Sintra are the remains of a Moorish Castle from the 8th century.

Costa de Prata (The Silver Coast)

Between Lisbon and Porto is the Costa de Prata, which runs along the western side of Central Portugal. The Silver Coast has the longest coastline in Portugal, and though it's somewhat northern location gives it a shorter summer than the beaches to the south, the Costa de Prata's endless stretches of golden sandy beaches make it one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.

Coimbra

Coimbra is Portugal's third city, and one of the country's most beautiful destinations. Home to the second oldest university in the world, Coimbra is proud of its history, its many medieval churches, and the beautiful old buildings overlooking the Mondego river. Coimbra also has the largest botanical gardens in all of Portugal, full of exotic plants and huge terraced gardens.

Families with children won't want to miss a stop at Portugal dos Pequinitos in Coimbra, a fantasy world full of tiny, fantastic recreations of the people and places of Portugal.

Porto

Porto, or Oporto, is the capital of the north of Portugal, and is the second largest city in the country. Porto, with its cobbled streets and old shops, has a particular atmosphere all its own-- a sort of run-down beauty that visitors (especially adults) will find immensely appealing and romantic.

For those with a love of Portugal's famous Port wine, a visit to Porto's famous Port cellars at Vila Nova de Gaia is an absolute necessity. Here are located the famous cellars of companies like Sandeman, Offley, Ramos Pint, and Taylors-- and most are open to visitors and even give wine tastings.

Braga

North of Porto is Braga, a beautiful old city famous for historical buildings and a long history of dedicated Catholicism. Full of gorgeous old churches, particularly the 12th century Se Cathedral, Braga is an important stop for anyone with a Catholic background. The best time to visit is during Semana Santa (Holy Week), a time of prayer, ceremony, and processions through the city.

Algarve

In the south of Portugal is the irresistible region of the Algarve. This is where visitors go for just one thing: beach. Algarve has more sunny, sandy beaches than visitors to fill them. This is the perfect place in Portugal to relax with sun, sand, and sport; as the Algarve gets an incredible amount of sunshine per year, it's become a center for water sports, bathing, and golf.

Albufeira

Albufeira is one of the most popular destinations in all of Portugal. While the outskirts of Albufeira is full of resorts and hotels, the center of town is made up of narrow streets, and a large town square.

Other than beach and sun, Albufeira is full of things to do. There are several world-class golf courses in the area. At night its many great bars and restaurants fill up with locals and tourists feasting on fresh-caught seafood and caldeirada, a fish stew. For those families with children, Zoomarine (a marine park) is only about ten kilometers from the city. Here, visitors can learn about wildlife and even play with dolphins.

Vilamoura

Vilamoura is one of Europe's largest and most popular beach resorts. Only 15 kilometers from Faro airport, it's simple for visitors to go from plane to beach in no time at all.

Vilamoura is the perfect place for sport and relaxation. With six golf courses, a mind-boggling variety of water sports, and a harbor perfect for yachting, Vilamoura is made for sport and relaxation. Throughout the city and along the harbor are tons of terrific little restaurants and bars, and there's no shortage of resort hotels and condos. At the marina, visitors can go on fishing and dolphin watching trips, and for the adults there's the Vilamoura Casino with over 500 slot machines.

Lagos

Over two and a half thousand years old, Lagos is full of history as well as sand and sun. The city has a wonderful Cultural Center, tons of beautiful monuments, and is dotted throughout with amazing architecture. But Lagos is also home to some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Portugal, from the soft sand of the Meia Praias beach to the beautiful, rocky beaches to the south


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