Portugal
in few words
The name Portugal comes from
a small town in the north, Portucale (the old Port), which in turn was
formed into a county that would give birth to the Portuguese nation, taking
the majority of the Atlantic coastline on the Iberian Peninsula. To the
north and east, a border of an approximate length of 1.300 kilometres
separates the Republic of Portugal from Spain, its only neighbour. The
development of mass tourism in this country is a recent phenomenon, but
already it is a significant part of the economy. Any time of the year
is the right time to choose Portugal as your destination. Its Mediterranean
climate is influnciated by its maritime location and its lowers the temperatures.
In spring the fronts of the houses full of flowers and in summer its is
hot and dry in the inside, but warm on the coastline so as to be able
to enjoy the wonderful beaches. In autumn, the natural landscapes take
on a unique tonality, and until winter it is mild and sunny in areas such
as the Algarve, the main Portuguese tourism area, and the island of Madeira.
The Portuguese are a pleasant people and are warm and friendly. They can often be seen eating. Drinking and enjoying themselves at some public holiday or at a gathering at a shrine in honour of a local Saint. Their cities combine the modern with the old. Many of them have their origins in a time before the Romans, such as Lisbon, Porto, Braga or Coimbra; others owe their origins to reasons of defence, such Elvas, Leiria; Guimarães, Santarém, Guarda or Lamego. In all of them the visitor will find vestiges of the history and the culture in the buildings, the monuments, the medieval inner parts of towns and walled enclosures. For the preservation and protection of this National Heritage. The United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organisation (UNESCO) has declared up to ten enclaves as The Heritage of Humanity; the historic centres of Porto and Évora; the monasteries of Batalha, Alcobaça and the Hieronymites of Lisbon, including the Belém Tower; the convent of Christ of Tomar, the cultural Landscape of Sintra and the city centre of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores and recently the area of Douro and Guimarães Historical Centre.
The Portuguese are a pleasant people and are warm and friendly. They can often be seen eating. Drinking and enjoying themselves at some public holiday or at a gathering at a shrine in honour of a local Saint. Their cities combine the modern with the old. Many of them have their origins in a time before the Romans, such as Lisbon, Porto, Braga or Coimbra; others owe their origins to reasons of defence, such Elvas, Leiria; Guimarães, Santarém, Guarda or Lamego. In all of them the visitor will find vestiges of the history and the culture in the buildings, the monuments, the medieval inner parts of towns and walled enclosures. For the preservation and protection of this National Heritage. The United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organisation (UNESCO) has declared up to ten enclaves as The Heritage of Humanity; the historic centres of Porto and Évora; the monasteries of Batalha, Alcobaça and the Hieronymites of Lisbon, including the Belém Tower; the convent of Christ of Tomar, the cultural Landscape of Sintra and the city centre of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores and recently the area of Douro and Guimarães Historical Centre.
in Guia Turística
"Portugal" Edições Turísticas, lda.