In this newsletter
Learn more about this region :
Introduction
Top destinations
Travel Basics
Recommended reading
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Portugal : destinations
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Tribute to the explorers
Lisbon |
| Lisbon's position on seven low hills beside a river once lured traders and settlers, and it's still a stunning site. Add to that its cultural diversity, laid-back feel and architectural time warp, and you have one of the most enjoyable cities in Europe - and also one of the most economical.
At its heart are wide, tree-lined avenues graced by Art Nouveau buildings, mosaic pavements and street cafes. Seen from the river - one of the city's many great viewpoints - Lisbon is an impressionist picture of low-rise ochre and pastel, punctuated by church towers |
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The wine region
Douro |
| The Douro is one of Portugal's scenic highlights, with some 200km (125mi) of bold, expansive panoramas stretching from the city of Porto all the way to the Spanish border. In the upper reaches, port-wine vineyards wrap around every crew-cut hillside, interrupted in parts by stark white manor houses.
The roads which wriggle along the banks of the Rio Douro can be crowded with day-trippers from Porto, but the river has been tamed by five dams and is now navigable along its entire length, making boat cruises an attractive way to soak up the atmosphere in peace. |
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Natural beauty
The Algarve |
| Algarve is one of the country's most popular tourist regions. Most visitors are drawn to the superb beaches, which include Meia Praia, a vast strip of sand to the east, and the more secluded Praia do Pinhão to the south.
The lively towns has abundant facilities for renting bicycles, mopeds and horses, and there are also boat trips from the main harbour. Apart from the sun and sand, the resort's other highlight is the Museu Municipal, which has eccentric displays of ecclesiastical treasures and other intriguing curios. |
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Tranquil plains
Alentejo |
| On the vast golden plains of Alentejo, the peaceful landscape is but a curtain that opens on to an unimaginable heritage.
The abounding traces of successive cultures: dolmens and cromlechs, Roman and Arab vestiges mingling with the most recent signs of Christianity, of which the numerous medieval castles that stand out in the vast plain are but one example of the region's beauty, dotted with sleepy, sun-drenched villages. |
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