Portugal, the romantic coast

Surprise your soul mate and visit Portugal. With captivating landscapes and secret
hideaways helping you to celebrate great moments.Take a long walk hand-in-hand
by the sea. The Atlantic Ocean will keep you company and there is every kind of
beach to choose from. They are more temperamental in the north and more docile in
the south. Fall in love with any one of them.

Choose the cities by the sea for a cosmopolitan and captivating atmosphere. Some
of them, like Lisbon and Porto, are divided between the river and the ocean, which
guarantees a particular light. Tthere is nothing like a boat trip to celebrate the best
moments. Great rivers that cross the country like the Douro, guardian of appetizing
tastes, traditions and wine, offer an array of beautiful scenery that is worth the trip.

Holidays in Portugal - Things to see

Beaches of the Alentejo

An immense golden plain on
the shores of the Atlantic, the
Alentejo coast hides
dozens of beaches just
waiting to be discovered.

The Nature Park of the South-
West Alentejo stands guard
over the regions wildly
beautiful beaches. Nestling
between rocks or stretching
out to form vast expanses
of sand that are perfect for long walks, these beaches are the ideal place for
enjoying complete rest and relaxation.

Along the coast roads you’ll find many small towns serving fish in various
restaurants that look out over the sea. Such as Porto Covo, a picturesque fishing
village, where visitors are immediately welcomed by a pretty square ringed by low,
one-storey houses. The beach is also very welcoming and in the village’s small
harbour, where you’ll see brightly coloured boats bobbing up and down, you can
ask one of the fishermen to take you to the Ilha do Pessegueiro.

If you’d prefer somewhere more lively, go to Vila Nova de Milfontes at the mouth of
the River Mira. Here you can choose between the ocean beaches and those along
the river. And you can also take an enjoyable canoe trip along its banks.

Walking in Buçaco

Buçaco Forest is a magical
place - a 16th century
monastic retreat isolated from
the rest of the world.

The Serra do Buçaco mountain
range is a botanical garden,
containing around 700 native
and exotic species of plants. It
is protected by a 17th century
papal decree that threatens to
ex-communicate anyone who
damages it. Of note among the many species are the Caucasus spruce, the Buçaco
cedar and the Californian redwood (a huge tree that can reach up to 100 metres in
height).

In the 16th century, the Vicar-General of the Barefoot Carmelites decided that this
location would be the ideal place to build a monastery where the monks could
dedicate themselves to a contemplative life in contact with nature. Thus, a modest
convent was built as well as a number of penitential hermitages and chapels
scattered throughout the forest, which, together with the numerous lakes and
crosses, lend this place a magical quality.

Lisboa, capital of Portugal

Lisbon is the Atlantic capital,
blessed with natural beauty
and steeped in fascinating
history. Lisbon is the only
European capital with Atlantic
beaches.

Take the train along the north
bank of the Tagus estuary and
you’ll discover mile after mile
of golden sandy beaches. At
the end of the line the beaches
of Estoril and Cascais are home to a number of royal castles - a stunning legacy of
the times when the kings of Portugal spent their summers here. Continue further and
the coast turns westwards - be sure not to miss the truly breath-taking Atlantic
sunsets.

Meanwhile Europe’s largest beach is on Lisbon’s doorstep. South of the River Tagus
and only half an hour from the city is the 30-kilometre long Costa de Caparica beach.
Finally, for those interested in history, Lisbon has a rich and colourful seafaring
heritage. In the 16th century, ships set sail from the beaches of the River Tagus to
chart a route to far-off India. And the city’s passion for the sea continues to this day.
Visit the Parque das Nações and you’ll discover Europe’s largest aquarium.

Discovering the Algarve

There’s more to the Algarve
than just its popular coastlines.
To discover a different
side of the Algarve, lose
yourself in the Costa Vicentina
Natural Park. Walk through
pathways of colourful flowers
and visit ancient castles, once
home to the Moors.

In Cabo de S. Vicente,
discover a land that was once
thought of as the “end of the world”. Climb up to Fóia, the highest point in the
Algarve, in the verdant Serra de Monchique hills. Take a rest by one of the region’s
many waterways in a truly beautiful landscape. Head inland to the Serra do
Caldeirão and enjoy the various regional crafts on show, ranging from palm leaf
basketwork and worked copper through to hand-painted earthenware.

Experience the warmth of the local people and share a glass of wine or medronho
grape spirit, or a filhó fritter with some smoked meat. And by the border, take a
cruise up the River Guadiana as it flows through a Natural Park that extends to its
mouth at Vila Real de Santo António.

Key Facts

Capital :Lisboa

Population :10,624,688 (approx.)

Language :Portugese

Currency :Euro

Religion :Catholic

Dialling Code :00 351

Time Difference :+1 GMT

Things to do on a Holiday in Portugal

Golf: With about
high-class courses,
the Algarve is
visited by golfers
from all over the
world. The many
hours of sunshine,
which allow you to
play until late, and
the fabulous
climate, make the
region a golfing
destination throughout the year. In the Algarve, the quality of the
fairways is a constant concern. The courses were designed by
respected names, such as Henry Cotton, Rocky Roquemore or Arnold
Palmer, and provide a good challenge. Accept and give wing to your
swing on flat or rough courses, nearly always with the ocean as a
backdrop.

Boating & Canoeing
The wetlands around Rio de Aveiro offer some interesting boat trips in
traditional Portuguese moliceiros (gondola-like sailing barges). Another
good boating destination is the Douro Valley, stretching from Oporto to
the Spanish border, where the River Douro is navigable. Canoeing is
available in the Peneda-Gerês National Park.

Cycling
Portugal offers
some excellent
cycling routes,
notably in the Minho
region in the north,
where the most
interesting villages
are sometimes not
accessible by car.
Mountain biking is
fashionable and
bikes can be rented in many tourist areas. Some locations even offer
guided bike travel such as the Algarve, Sintra Mountains and National
Parks.

Hiking & Walking
The Peneda-Gerês
National Park, in the
far north near the
Spanish border,
has many short-
distance walking
trails with places to
swim along the
way. The dense
Foia forest in the
Algarve highlands
also offers nice
scenic walks. Portugal’s highest peak, 1993-metre Torre is located in
Serra da Estrela National Park with a network of marked trails. Less
strenuous, yet more beautiful is the rarely visited Montesinho National
Park in Tras-os-Montes, and the tiny Alvao National Park near Vila Real.

Horse Riding
Portugal is the
birthplace of the
Lusitano
thoroughbred, the
world’s oldest
breed of saddle
horses. There are
many riding centres
and organised
treks, especially in
the Algarve and Alentejo. Horse riding is also available in the National
Parks as well as in many resorts throughout the country.

Surfing Portugal’s
west coast is one
of Europe's best
surfing destinations
with consistent
waves and no
shortage of
sunshine.
Praia do Guincho is
the best of all
Portugal's surfing
beaches within
easy access from Lisbon.
The beach at Guincho is big, beautiful and well supplied with all surf's
necessities, and has been the site of World Championships. Waves are
often big here and can be tricky for novices, as can the rip current. Kite
surfers also enjoy this location. Afife, north of Porto, is very popular
with young surfers and many regional surf events are held there. There
are no hotels at Afife, so it is best to stay nearby in Viana do Castello,
where there are many hotels. There are surf schools and gear rentals
in all major surf locations, from the Algarve in the south, on up to Viana
do Castelo in the north.