Portugal Travel Guide

Portugal OVERVIEW

Still up high on board of your Boeing, look down to have a foretaste of what's awaiting. A patchwork of emerald waters, shimmering sand stretches, omnipresent whiteness of architecture, lush-green meadows, and sub-tropical volcanic islands resembles a most inspiring abstract work of art. As the machine starts to head for the runway, you begin to discern swaying palms, reddish roofs, and flower-covered hillsides. At this point you just can't wait to get off board.

Portugal is divided into several administrative regions, each inherently different but all fascinating and suitable for a remarkable holiday time. Algarve kindly welcomes all folks but it's the sun lovers and water sport enthusiasts that will find their summer refuge here. The blend of bustling resorts and tiny fishing villages gives it both a cosmopolitan and provincial character, while the city of Faro offers a historical perspective seasoned with a picturesque mosaic of styles, epochs and monuments. In Alentejo time stopped somewhere at the turn of the eras, and even if it does flow, it loses its way in the gigantic stretches of rolling plains and golden fields. Lisbon vibrates with music, the rambling of trams passing up and down the narrow cobblestones streets, and the cheerful clatter of crowds gathering outside pubs. Porto serves a head-whirling dose of architectural highlights mixed with best-quality wine, and Madeira is where Europe blends with the Tropics.

They call themselves a nation of brandos costumes (gentle ways). Don't be mislead though. As befits all self-respecting southerners, the Portuguese buzz with energy and have boiling blood running through their veins. It's just that a unique benign quality underpins both their attitude to life and relations with others, and the benevolent, laid-back culture of mañana is widespread the country allover. Partake in all this with an open mind, stop for a while and enjoy your time right here, right now; it's running through your fingers like the finest sand and there is nothing you can do about it.