"Exploring the edge of Europe" a Portugal Travel Page by SonOfLusus

Portugal is perfect in physical beauty. It has hundreds of miles of dramatic coastline with sandy beaches, mountains and hills in the interior and north, rolling plains, volcanic islands in the Atlantic with breathtaking scenery, and although it faces the Atlantic, it has a mild Mediterranean climate. This, added to its cultural treasures, make it one of the most fascinating countries in Europe. The great voyages of discovery and exploration began here, led by the famous Prince Henry the Navigator, and historical figures like Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, and Pedro Alvares Cabral were all born here.
Take time to explore this still little known and little understood corner of Europe, spending some time in places like Lisbon, Sintra, Evora, Obidos, Tomar, Porto, Marvão, Braga, Guimarães, and Lagos, and you'll discover one of the most interesting and rewarding places on Earth.If you're planning to travel to Portugal, I recommend you take a look at http://www.golisbon.com/portugal - Lisbon Portugal guide

My Top 12 Personal Favorite Portugal Experiences

1. Standing on mystical capes like Cabo da Roca, Cabo Espichel (my favorite), and Cabo de São Vicente and Algarve's dramatic coastline, especially by Lagos' Ponta da Piedade for their breathtaking views and to understand why Portugal always turned to the ocean, becoming a pioneer in world exploration.

2. Staying at a Pousada , former castles, palaces, or monasteries turned into luxurious hotels that also provide an historical perspective of the country. My favorites are the ones is Estremoz, Crato, Santa Marinha in Guimarães, Evora, Obidos, and Marvão.

3. Admiring the country's World Heritage Monuments with their unique Manueline architectural style, from Tomar's Knights Templar castle to Batalha's and Alcobaça's abbeys, to Lisbon's Jeronimos Monastery and Belem Tower.

4. Relaxing in timeless medieval villages such as Monsaraz or Marvão, in picturesque towns such as Ponte de Lima or Viana do Castelo, or during a late afternoon stroll on a fishing village such as Nazare, Cascais, Ericeira, or Tavira, followed by a fresh seafood dinner by the sea.

5. Being intrigued by odd sights such as Evora's and Faro's Chapels of Bones, the prehistoric sites around Evora filled with stone circles and including Europe's largest dolmen , the remains of Celtic settlements such as Citania de Briteiros outside Braga, and the world's largest array of prehistoric rock art in Côa Valley.

6. Visiting the opulent and ostentatious palaces such as the ones in Queluz and Mafra, and especially those in Sintra where the moonlight gives this enchanting town an even more spellbinding atmosphere.

7. Scaling the walls of ancient castles such as the ones in Obidos, Almourol, Sintra, and Santa Maria da Feira and taking in the views from the top of their towers.

8. Finding fascinating tile panels in the most unusual of places, from train stations in Porto or Aveiro, to simple houses façades, to church interiors such as in Algarve's Almansil or Lisbon's São Vicente de Fora Monastery, or covering palaces from Lisbon's Fronteira Palace to Sintra's National Palace.

9. Being dazzled by Baroque treasures such as the interiors of Porto's São Francisco Church or Braga's Cathedral, or the staircases of Braga's Bom Jesus or Lamego's Nossa Senhora dos Remédios sanctuaries.

10. Discovering unique and often quirky museums such as Sintra's Toy Museum, Tomar's Matchbox Museum, or Lisbon's Royal Coaches Museum and Tile Museums, and the capital's world-class collections in the Gulbenkian, Design, and Ancient Art museums.

11. Trying the sweet pastries and excellent coffee at magnificent turn-of-the-century cafés such as Porto's Café Majestic, Lisbon's Versailles and Antiga Confeitaria de Belém, Coimbra's Santa Cruz, Faro's Aliança or Braga's Astória.

12. Finding a solitary sandy beach with calm clear waters and beautiful ochre cliffs in Algarve.