Portugal Travel

Portugal travel is rewarding any time of year, thanks to a temperate climate that combines the best of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Whether your holiday takes you to the Algarve in the south, the Minho in the north, Madeira, the Azores, or the central region around Lisbon, there's a great deal to see and experience. Portugal travel is probably something you'll want to repeat at the earliest opportunity, because you can't absorb it all in one holiday.

Portugal Travel Itineraries: a Few Ideas

A tour of northern Portugal offers a number of memorable stops, including the medieval walled city of Óbidos with its narrow cobblestone streets, the Roman ruins of Conimbriga, the Sera da Estral Mountains, and the lovely gardens and staircases of Castelo Branco. Among the better known regional dishes are caldo verde (a cabbage and potato soup), and inland dishes of partridge, hare, and pork. Desserts--rich, smooth, and sugary--are a specialty of the north.

Central Portugal travel offers Lisbon, the capital of the country since 1256 and seat of its monarchy until King Carlos I was assassinated in Lisbon's main square in 1908. Lisbon is a delightful mixture of rich history and legend. Among the legends, given some credence by both Pliny the Elder and the poet Luis de Camões, is that the city was founded by Ulysses during his wanderings. It was in fact the Phoenicians who established it, about 1200 BC.

Southern Portugal offers, among many other wonderful provinces, the Algarve. Fish and shellfish are the staples of Algarve cuisine, especially tuna and squid. Its wonderful coastline has attracted visitors since the Phoenicians. The town of Sagres, Europe's most southwesterly point, is a standing tribute to Prince Henry the Navigator.