Introducing Portugal
While it's true that Portugal is no longer the Iberian Peninsula's best-kept secret, it's fairly easy to escape the crowds. Even at the busiest resorts in the Algarve, it only takes a short bus ride or a walk across countryside to reveal rarely visited places that still offer the feeling of discovery - a sentiment close to the Portuguese soul. Portugal has an old-fashioned charm, with medieval castles and picture-perfect villages scattered over meandering coastlines and flower-covered hillsides. From the ancient university town of Coimbra to Lord Byron's favourite Portuguese haunt, Sintra, the country's proud history can be felt everywhere.
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Sun-kissed beaches like Cascais and Sagres offer enticements of a more hedonistic sort. Indeed, the dramatic, end-of-the-world cliffs, wild dune-covered beaches, protected coves and long, sandy islands of Portugal's coastline have long enchanted visitors and locals alike. Meanwhile, the country's capital, Lisbon, and its northern rival, Porto, are magical places for the wanderer, with riverside views, cobblestone streets and rattling trams framed by looming cathedrals.
Ready to go?
These tours & activities make it easy:
- Explore Portugal's wine region on foot
- Experience the best of the Algarve at handlebar level
- Take a day trip from Sintra to Lisbon
Last updated: Mar 23, 2012
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Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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Exploring the Andalucia
by Moo_27 27 May 2012
Hi everyone, This is my first time on this forum and I'm hoping to drum up some ideas for our 10 days on the Andalucia coast - coming…
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Re: Lisbon in June
by Stav_ros 27 May 2012
There is plenty to see in Lisbon. On the first full day you are there definitely take a walking tour (get information at the tourist office)…
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RE: 12 days Portugal and Spain in July
by manuelramos 26 May 2012
Hi! I live in Lisbon and I travel quite a lot around Portugal so I think I can help you. If you start your trip in Lisbon you could then…
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Our Top Picks For Portugal
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1 Parque Nacional da Peneda Gerês
The crown jewel of Portugal’s national parks, with pine forests, boulder-strewn peaks and idyllic rivers
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2 Braga
A lively university town with a magnificent cathedral and dozens of splendid churches
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3 Porto
An enchanting and verve-filled historic city with Roman ramparts, Parisian-style squares and chic clubs
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4 Coimbra
Portugal’s ‘Oxford’, with a hallowed university, fado-singing students and marvellous Roman ruins nearby
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5 Lisbon
A picturesque city of old-world neighbourhoods, tiny fado clubs and myriad layers of untold secrets
Fast Facts about Portugal
- GDP
US$19,300
- Bottles of wine produced per annum
750 million
- Unemployment rate
7.6%
- Inflation
2.6%
- Population
10.6 million
- Per capita olive-oil consumption per annum
7.1kg
Our favourite Portugal Blogs (beta)
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The 5 Great Reasons to Visit Lisbon This Summer
Blog: Go Lisbon Blog - 14 May 2012
THE LISBON COAST You’d think that summer would be high tourism season for the city of Lisbon. But it’s not. Most locals go on vacation in August (many heading south to Algarve), and foreign tourists actually prefer to stay based by the beaches of Cascais and Estoril or in the refreshing hills of Sintra.
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The 10 Strangest Foods in Portugal
Blog: Go Lisbon Blog - 23 April 2012
Every culture has them: Foods that only a local could love. In case you’re brave and curious enough to try new things, or prefer to be informed of what can be avoided, here are the ten strangest foods in Portugal.
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Your Daily Bread in Lisbon
Blog: Go Lisbon Blog - 16 April 2012
The current business trend in Lisbon seems to be bakeries. Not ordinary bakeries but French-inspired or traditionally-Portuguese-inspired bakeries.
