Portugal

Diverse landscapes and a mild, sunny climate makes Portugal an ideal place to visit. Located on the Iberian Peninsula, this European Union nation is bordered by Spain to the north and to the west. To the east is the Atlantic Ocean and with over 500 miles of coastline there are many great beaches.

The northern half of the Portugal is hilly and mountainous in nature while the southern part of the country is drier and arid. The Tagus River runs through central Portugal from Spain out to the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon. The Azores and Madeira Islands are also part of Portugal and are located in the Atlantic Ocean.

Major Cities of Portugal

Lisbon is the largest city as well as the Capital of Portugal. If you’ll be arriving into Portugal from overseas, Lisbon is the primary gateway and makes a good jumping off point with its cental location. From north to south, other major cities in Portugal include Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Aveiro, Coimbra, Barreiro, Setubal, Beja, and Faro.

Destinations of Interest in Portugal

If you’re looking for sun, beaches, and fun, you’ll want consider Faro in the south of Portugal in the Algarve region. Faro is a popular beach town and is popular among sun-seekers in the winter. In Faro you’ll also find a medieval wall and many stunning monuments. In the Algarve region you may want to visit Lagos – enclosed within 15-century walls there are the spectacular churches of São Sebastião, Santa Maria or Misericórdia, Santo António and the very old São João Chapel. The São João Chapel dates back to the 8th and 9th centuries.

Visit the city of Porto in the north of Portugal where you can take in the waterside and explore the city. Here you can visit several museums including the Soares dos Reis and the Casa de Serralves. While in this region, don’t miss the opportunity to sample some of the well-known port wine the city is named after.

Regardless of what region and city you visit, you’re sure to find many historic landmarks, castles, churches, museums, and activities you can participate in.

Getting to Portugal

Lisbon International Airport (LIS) is the primary gateway into the country for overseas visitors. In addition to the national carrier, TAP Air Portugal, most major international carriers provide service to Lisbon. There are also international airports in Porto and Faro, which have non-stop service from many European capital cities.

Getting around Portugal

Like other European countries, Portugal has good public transportation in the major cities such as Lisbon and Porto. To get between the major cities the easiest and most inexpensive was is by rail. If you’re looking to get outside of the major cities you’ll then most likely need to use a bus or even hire your own car to get around.