PORTUGAL

Unique Gem of Europe

Olá Portugal

THE AREA

Portugal is a small country with much to see and do, making it relatively easy to explore. From the cosmopolitan city of Lisbon to the traditional villages, visitors will find a diverse range of travel options. If you are traveling in the summer there are many beaches to enjoy, but the cultural and architectural attractions are a draw for tourists year round.

RESTAURANTS & CUISINE

Equally impressive, in its own unique way, is the city of Porto. The old town is picturesquely set on a hillside overlooking the River Douro. The Riberia area, with its colorfully painted houses, is one of the city's main tourist attractions. Around the Praça da Ribeira small shops and restaurants have set up in old restored houses. There are also many possible excursions from Porto. Somewhat off the beaten path in Portugal are the islands of Madeira and the Azores. Madeira has a pleasant year round climate and is well set up to handle visitors. It is a hot spot for Europeans from northern counties who come here in the winter months to escape from the cold. The main city is Funchal, which is also a big cruise ship port. The Azores, also highly dependent on tourism, are laid back islands of green rolling hills and mountains.

Portugal Facts

Europe's Oldest Country

Portugal has had the same defined borders since 1139, making it the oldest nation-state in Europe. Afonso Henriques was proclaimed the first King of Portugal in 1139 and the country remained a kingdom for almost 800 years thereafter, until 1910.

Portugal Conquers - Half of the New World

In 1494, the Treaty of Tordesillas was signed which essentially gave Portugal the eastern half of the "New Word", including Brazil, Africa, and Asia. The Portuguese Empire was actually the first global empire in history! It was also one of the longest-lived colonial powers, lasting for almost six centuries from when Ceuta was captured in 1415, until Macau (now China) was handed-over in 1999. In 1808, the King of Portugal, Dom João moved to Brazil and proclaimed a single state which included Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves. The single state was called the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves, which was effective from 1815-1822. The new capital of the kingdom was Rio de Janeiro. The kingdom was disestablished in 1822 after the King returned to Portugal in 1821, leaving his son, Prince Dom Pedro to rule Brazil who in turn declared independence from Portugal.

Country of Tiles

Portugal is also known as the “country of tiles.” The Portuguese have been decorating their walls and floors with tiles for a long time. To learn more about the history and artistic evolution of the Portuguese tiles, from early times to modern-day, you could also visit the National Tile Museum in Lisbon.

Portugal's Renewable Energy

Portugal is the world leader in the production of renewable energy. It manages to meet almost 70% of its energy needs through hydro, wind and solar power. The country is also able to convert the movement of ocean waves into electricity and energy. (They really have a safe future considering the shortage of energy the world is facing).

Power of Portuguese Language

One thing that may surprise you is that the Portuguese language is spoken by over 236 million people worldwide including 210 million natives. It is the eighth most spoken language in the world and is the official language in 9 countries which includes Portugal (of course), Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Principe, Sao Tome and Equatorial Guinea.

Oldest Bookstore in Portugal

This is a very random fact about Portugal. Who could imagine that the oldest bookstore in the world, is in Portugal? Yes, it’s true. The Bertrand Bookstore in Lisbon is the oldest bookstore in the world and was opened in 1732. This quirky little shop is 283 years old. You can find this piece of history in Lisbon´s Chiado, where it still stands. There are around 50 branches of the bookstore throughout Portugal. If you are around, why not check out the colourful mosaic tiled exterior!

Longest Bridge in Europe

Another interesting fact about Portugal. Have you ever crossed a bridge and thought, “Wow, this feels like forever!” Well, not only is Portugal the oldest nation, but it also has the longest bridge in all of Europe. The six-lane, cable-stayed Vasco da Gama bridge crossing the Tagus River to the north of Lisbon was opened in 1998 and is at 10.7 miles long (that’s almost 18 km!).

Portugal's Wine

If you like the delicious sweet fortified Port wine, this beverage is a favourite tradition for many during special occasions. The sweetness is made by adding grape spirit, or brandy, to the wine before fermentation ends. The wine is then aged in oak barrels or steel containers between two to six years before bottling. Port wine grapes are only grown on the terraced hillside of the Douro valley near Porto, which is one of the world’s oldest established wine producing regions and UNESCO World Heritage site. So cheers to Portugal!

Travel to Portugal

AIRPORTS

lying is also the best way to get to the islands, like the Azores and Madeira Island. A flight from Lisbon to the Azores costs as little as 30 EUR (35 USD), while Lisbon to Madeira Island starts at about 35 EUR (40 USD). TAP Air is Portugal’s official airline, but other budget airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet also service Portugal.

TRAIN

Portugal has a great rail system. Ticket prices are affordable, costing usually about 20-40 EUR (23-45 USD) to go from Porto to Lisbon. Even the high-speed rail is affordable, unlike other European countries – it’s about the same price between Porto and Lisbon as the regular train. A train trip between Braga (in the far north) to Faro (at the southern tip) will cost about 40-50 EUR (45-55 USD) for both high-speed and regular rail options.

FERRIES

You can ferry between the Portugal mainland and the islands as well. The Porto Santo Line services Madeira Island while Atlânticoline services the Azores islands. You can find routes for as little as 20 EUR (22 USD), while other popular routes like Funchal in the Madeira Islands to Porto Santo Island starts around 35 EUR (40 USD).