Those who come for tourism or to live here know how easy it is to fall in love with this country.
We’ve listed 11 reasons why everyone should!
- The most beautiful beach in the world is here.
Huffington Post described Ponta da Piedade as possibly the prettiest beach in the world. Although far from being the only amazing beach in Portugal, it deserves the title. - It is a great spot for surfers. In fact, the largest waves ever surfed in the world were in Portugal.
Carlos Burle, Garret McNamara, Andrew Cotton and other great surfers broke historical records here. - The famous and tasty Portuguese wines!
Portugal has a strong wine tradition. The most famous and internationally awarded wines are from the Douro, Madeira and Alentejo regions. The Port wine is possibly the most famous. Wine tourism experiences are many. - This is the best country in Europe!
USA Today voted Portugal the best country in Europe, saying that it ‘offers a lot of opportunities for travellers: charming villages, good food, regional and fascinating music, cultural opportunities, a beautiful coastline and even surf’. - It’s a great place to shop!
Freeport Outlet, the biggest outlet in Europe, is very close to Lisbon. It spans 75,000m2. Other very good options include the Armazéns do Chiado, the Centro Comercial Colombo and the Av. da Liberdade in Lisbon. In Porto, there is Rua Santa Catarina and Avenida dos Aliados. Street markets with vintage and second-hand items are everywhere. - For golf lovers, Portugal is also the best destination!
In 2013, 2014 and 2015, World Travel Awards named Portugal the ‘Best Golf Destination of the World’; and Algarve was named ‘European Golf Destination of the Year 2014’ by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) - Fado!
Born in 19th Century Lisbon, Fado is a world-renowned symbol of Portugal. The musical genre is melancholy and deeply felt by both the singer and listeners. It was listed in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2011. - Tastes of Portugal!
Portuguese cuisine offers many tasty dishes including sardines, codfish, bread with Chorizo, Francesinha, Alheira de Mirandela, Caldo Verde, Açorda de Marisco, Serra da Estrela cheese … the list is endless! Currently the country boasts 13 Michelin stars. - Pastries, deserts and sweets.
Begin with the famous Pastéis de Belém … and on to the travesseiros and queijadas from Sintra, the Pão de Ló, the Torta de Azeitão, the Bola de Berlim, the Bolo Rei and so on. Each region has its own specialties and typical flavours. - The weather
Portugal is one of the warmest countries in Europe and has over 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. It is the perfect place for beach lovers who can enjoy over 850km of coastline; and there’s no excuse for winter-lovers either. Enjoy a season of snow skiing at Serra da Estrela. - The palaces and castles!
Almost every city has its own. The famous Palácio da Pena in Sintra is but one. Others are Castle of Santa Maria da Feira, Castle of Tomar, Castle of Guimarães and Palace of Queluz just to mention a few.
Top 8 holiday
destinations
The Algarve is a spectacular coastline in southern Portugal, with golden sandy beaches, magnificent scenery, impressive fishing towns and a glorious climate.
The Alentejo region is the coastline to the west, which offers visitors magnificent Atlantic beaches, farmlands, vast wheat fields, cork oaks and olive trees.
Coimbra in the central region is one of Europe’s oldest university towns, for seekers of cultural heritage to explore the Romanesque-style Old Cathedral of Coimbra, the Machado de Castro Museum and more.
Also known as the ‘Venice of Portugal’, Aveiro town is criss-crossed by canals adorned with colourfully painted boats, which were traditionally used to harvest seaweed.
The vast Lisbon Region in the south-west provides something for every taste: beaches, water sports, golf courses, and open-air music festivals in the summer. The landscape changes from high, sweeping cliffs to beaches of white sand, backed by lagoons.
The Douro region got its name from the longest river in northern Portugal, which winds its way past mountains and cliffs until it reaches the Atlantic Ocean near the city of Porto. See all its beauty from the river as cruise boats depart from Porto to the valleys, where the most popular wines are made.
The Azores is an archipelago of nine islands in the north Atlantic Ocean,
about two hours flight from Europe. The islands are grouped as the eastern – São Miguel and Santa Maria islands, the central – Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial islands, and the western – Flores and Corvo islands.
Madeira island has an exceptional climate and outstanding natural beauty. An international airport provides an easy connection with mainland Portugal but when approached by ship, it offers an unforgettable sight: the mountains dropping straight into valleys dotted with white houses.