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Wreathed in olive groves, vineyards and wheat
fields...
Imagine a proud, small, seafaring country whose empire once stretched
to India, the Far East, Brazil and Africa and whose language became one
of the most widely spoken in the world. This country is Portugal.
Lying immediately west of Spain, Portugal
is one of Europe’s smallest countries measuring a mere 560 km in
length and 220 km wide. Home to 10.5 million people, Portugal’s
small size belies its extraordinary history. Battered along its southern
and eastern coast by the wild Atlantic sea, it is not surprising that its
people became remarkable seafarers. In 1415, Portuguese mariners set sail
on an epic voyage that would see them the first to discover the ocean
routes to India, Brazil, China and Japan. They founded settlements on the
east and west coasts of Africa at the same time. This small country was
at the helm of an enormously powerful and wealthy empire in the 15th and
16th centuries. Its vast artistic and archaeological heritage bears
witness not only to its 850-year history of encounters with distant
cultures, but also to the ancient peoples who once lived in the
territory now known as Portugal - the Celts, Romans, Arabs and Visigoths.
The country is blessed with beautiful weather
and the spectacular golden beaches of the Algarve are ideal for swimming,
snorkeling, windsurfing and big-game fishing. The wilder, west coast is,
literally, a surfer’s paradise. Southern Portugal boasts many
championship-standard golf courses. You’ll not wander far before
encountering a romaria (religious pilgrimage), a festa (festival) or a
feira (fair) which bring entire towns to a standstill. Experience delicious
Portuguese specialities like pasties de bacalhau (cod fishcakes) and linguado
grelhado (grilled sole) washed down with some good-quality local wine or the
drink synonymous with Portugal - Port. Allow the Atlantic breeze, the feel of
the sun and the spirit of this country to sink into your skin.
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