With a warm embrace, Portugal welcomes its visitors like a member of the family. The Portuguese call it ‘um país de brandos costumes’ or a ‘country of gentle ways’, because of its laid-back lifestyle, and its hospitable atmosphere can be felt even on the shortest of visits to the country.
Portugal’s position, stretched out along the Atlantic Ocean on the western side of the Iberian Peninsula, has shaped the country’s culture, architecture and history. It has a rich tradition of sea explorers, who were the first to discover the ocean routes to India, Brazil, China and Japan, while at the same time founding settlements on both African coasts. As a consequence, vestiges of centuries of exposure to different world civilizations can be seen in the artistic and architectural heritage of the country today.
Traditionally a seafaring country, Portugal has experienced considerable economic change since it joined the European Union in 1986. Today its major exports are clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork, paper products and hides. Despite its change towards a more industrialised nation over the past few decades, Portugal has lost none of its traditional charm. Indeed, although small in size, Portugal packs a punch in terms of its sheer scenic and cultural diversity. Portugal has a vast coastline of breathtaking beaches, towering cliffs and secluded coves, while inland in the north and centre dazzling green forests and valleys are adorned with rivers, lakes and waterfall, and the dry plains of the Alentejo region are toned down by olive and orange groves, vineyards and montados or cork forests. In a country with such diverse scenery, there are plenty of outdoor activities such as hiking, surfing, windsurfing, horseriding, big game fishing, kayaking, diving and, of course, golfing – in fact, Portugal is home to over 60 golf courses.
Portugal’s towns, cities and villages are as varied as its scenery. Sophisticated resorts line the Lisbon and Estremaduran coast, as well as the southern Algarve, while old fishing villages provide a glimpse of traditional Portuguese life. Inland, the countryside is peppered with towns and villages, such as Évora, Coimbra, Guimarães and Braga, strewn with historical treasures and World Heritage sites, and cities where the modern and old world coexist.
The country’s capital city, Lisbon is one such place. Lisbon is a lively city with a cosmopolitan atmosphere on the one hand, while on the other, it is a charming traditional town. Beautiful mosaic pavements snake away from wide-open plazas, and wooden trams trundle up and down the city’s hillsides. Lisbon is a patchwork of picturesque neighbourhoods, such as the medieval quarter of Alfama, which sits below São Jorge castle, and is home to many museums, churches and palaces. It also has an appetising mix of restaurants and cafes, and the Bairro Alto or “upper town” area of Lisbon is particularly lively when the sun goes down, with the Lux, one of European’s coolest clubs, a popular place to dance until dawn.
Offering a similar mix of old and new is Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city, which sits on the mouth of the Rio Duoro. Its Ribeira area is a tangle of cobbled alleys and passageways from past times. Bars, cafes and restaurants abound especially along the Ribeira, Porto’s waterfront, where hundreds of tables look out over the river to the port wine lodges on the other side.
When it comes to food and drink there are plenty of specialities. Seafood is popular especially in Lisbon and along the coast, with Bacalhau (dried cod) begin a particular delicacy. Other dishes include Açorda de mariscos (shrimp stew cooked in a bread bowl) and Cabrito assado (roasted kid), not to mention the famous dessert, Pastel de nata (custard tart).
So relax and enjoy – Portugal truly is a destination to enliven all the senses.
