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Cities with ancient and contemporary attractions, colorful medieval villages, charming seaside towns; ancient castles,
romantic palaces, and a rich architectural and archaeological heritage. Constant sunshine, green natural parks and mountains,
grand rivers, and a vast coastline. It all adds up to Portugal's surprising variety of landscapes and cultural treasures --
an astonishing variety for such a small country, which combined with lower prices than in other European destinations,
makes it one of the most rewarding travel experiences in the world.
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See GoLisbon.com's selection of Portugal HOTELS to find the ideal hotel for you!
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1. LISBON -
The seductive
capital
2. SINTRA -
Enchanting fairytale town
3. EVORA -
A
museum-town
4. OBIDOS -
A medieval storybook
5. PORTO -
A
majestic port city
6. BATALHA and
ALCOBAÇA
-
World Heritage architecture
7. TOMAR -
Home of the knights
8. LAGOS
to SAGRES
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The waters at end of the world
9. MARVÃO -
A spectacular site, a spectacular sight
10. BRAGA -
The Baroque City
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Top 10 Portugal EXPERIENCES
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1. Feeling the spirit of the Age of Discovery in Lisbon and Sagres.
2. Experiencing a fairytale in Sintra and in ostentatious palaces in Mafra or Queluz.
3. Getting the royal treatment at a pousada in Alentejo.
4. Traveling back in time in medieval villages such as Obidos, Monsaraz, and Marvão.
5. Escaping to the coast, from Algarve's beautiful sandy beaches, to the westernmost coastline in Europe.
6. Taking a cruise down the Douro River for the magical landscapes of the wine country,
and ending at the majestic port city of Porto.
7. Marvelling at the unique ornate stonework of World Heritage monuments in Tomar and Batalha.
8. Becoming mesmerized by huge tile panels and magnificent gilt baroque art covering rich church interiors, from Braga in the north, to Almancil in the south.
9. Relaxing at charming fishing villages such as Nazaré, Tavira, or Ericeira,
and ending the day with a mouth-watering fresh seafood dinner.
10. Feeling nature at its purest in the volcanic islands of Azores and Madeira.
Portugal is proud of its UNESCO-protected World Heritage Sites, since no other country of
comparable size has more. There are currently 14 sites on the list, with several others
expected to join soon (Marvão,
Lisbon's Baixa district,
Vila Viçosa,
Arrabida,
Mafra Palace,
Coimbra University,
Buçaco Forest). Portugal's 14 World Heritage Sites are:
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THE SEVEN WONDERS OF Portugal
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On the 7th day of the 7th month of the year 2007, 7 national monuments were chosen as the 7 Wonders of Portugal, from a list of 21 finalists.
So what are the "7 maravilhas de Portugal"? Find out
here.
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These 3 experiences capture the essence of Portugal
THE AGE OF DISCOVERY
All of Portugal recalls the Age of Discovery -- in ornate stonework
inspired by India
(Batalha
Abbey, Convent of
Christ, Jeronimos
Monastery, Belem
Tower), in marvelous blue and white tile panels evocative of Chinese
porcelain, in the gastronomy influenced by the sea and with the flavors of
Africa and the Americas,
in the art, Indo-Portuguese furniture, and porcelain that decorate the royal
palaces and fill Lisbon's
museums, and in the fantastic gilt and baroque church interiors made
with the gold discovered in Brazil. And gazing into the horizon from
dramatic capes (Cabo de
São Vicente and Cabo da Roca)
is just as inspiring today as when Prince Henry the Navigator, Vasco da
Gama, or Magellan stood on the same spots and dreamed of discovering the
world.
MEDIEVAL ROMANCE
It is impossible not to become enchanted by Portugal's
perfectly-preserved medieval villages such as Obidos,
Marvão, and
Monsaraz.
It is inescapable falling under Sintra's
spell with its bewitching atmosphere of surrealist palaces and lush
vegetation. Portugal is a country that invites you to travel back in time
and scale walls of ancient castles and wander around extravagant royal
palaces, many of them converted into fabulous hotels where you can live like
a king amid lavish old furnishings or stylish modern design. It tells
tragic love stories and episodes of epic battles as you admire World
Heritage monuments in Alcobaça
and Batalha. In
Portugal it is possible to experience a fairytale.
SUN, SEA, & SAND
Algarve, the
southernmost province, has the most annual sunshine hours in Europe and some
of the continent's most beautiful beaches.
In the island of Madeira,
with its exuberant landscape, it is spring all year long. Throughout the
country, the climate is mild and the entire coastline offers sandy beaches,
many of them deserted, others among the most popular in the world for water
sports such as surfing and windsurfing. The islands of the Azores have
always been one of the world's best sites for whale-watching. The country's
golf courses were designed by the world's most renowned architects and rank
among the best in the world. In charming fishing villages it is still
possible to feel ultimate relaxation and the breeze and spray of the ocean
without maddening crowds. Award-winning resorts such as Vale do
Lobo, Quinta
do Lago, and Vilamoura
are among the best you'll find anywhere in Europe. Best of all, in Portugal
you can have a beach all for yourself – just head to the Alentejo
coast or to a secluded cove in Algarve.
-M.F.
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Our information about Portugal is divided into 3 sections:
CITIES AND
VILLAGES -
All the charming cities, picturesque coastal villages, enchanting medieval towns,
mystical sites, and magical landscapes around
Lisbon, in Central
Portugal, in Coimbra
and the east, Porto and
surroundings, Minho,
Tras-os-Montes,
and Alentejo.
ALGARVE -
The stunning coastline, golden beaches, and magnificent scenery of
Portugal's playground.
Some of the best beaches in Europe, crystal clear waters, secluded coves,
whitewashed villas, Moorish architecture, fishing villages, glamorous
resorts, Europe's largest leisure complex, golfing paradise, "the end of the
world".
THE
ISLANDS -
The wonders of Madeira and Azores islands, scattered in the middle
of the Atlantic and easily accessible from the mainland. Madeira and
Porto Santo are popular holiday destinations famous for their
subtropical flora and some of the world's greatest hotels, while the Azorean
archipelago has fascinating volcanic scenery, magnificent landscapes,
natural wonders, whale-watching, and a spectacular volcano.
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Choose the best hotels for you in
Lisbon,
Porto,
Sintra,
Cascais,
Estoril,
Fatima,
Albufeira,
Faro,
Lagos,
Vilamoura,
Funchal, and more.
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