"Discover this land" a Portugal Travel Page by xicomelo

Most of you only know Portugal by the Algarve or Lisbon. But, Portugal is more than this. Or even more, Portugal is all but the Algarve, is all but Lisbon.

If you want to discover Portugal, you must visit every region from south to north. In every corner there are different customs, landscapes and people.

The best season to visit Portugal is Spring, then Autumn and Winter. These are all good seasons if you want to explore the country. You should avoid summer if you don't like to walk behind a 40C sun. Also the natural landscape is completely diferent.

Lisbon is the capital. As (almost) all the capitals of the world, it's not easy to meet stressed people. So, the best way to meet a portuguese person is in the countryside.

But it's in Lisbon where you will find History. When you walk in Baixa, you feel that History on the buildings, on the inumerous statues, on the electric tram, on the cafes (like Nicola and Brasileira)...

Leaving the capital, you'll find a diferent Portugal - the real Portugal.

It's the countryside, the less explored part of Portugal and also the most beautiful, in my opinion.

In the south, just above the Algarve, there's the Altenjo - North and South. This region is gorgeous from middle Autumn to middle Spring. Everything is just so green. Large flat mounts ending and begining far away... it's just so quiet and peaceful... You'll also find typical flat houses (white and blue) and a typical gastronomy using bread all the ways you can imagine. Try it! You should avoid Alentejo on summer days as temperatures always go up from 30C to 40C and everything is dry.

In the central part of Portugal everything changes. Soils are more rocky and typical houses are built using this resource. It's in the central Portugal where you'll see the tallest mountain of continental Portugal - Serra da Estrela - with 2.000 meters. In Beira Interior (Beira Baixa and Beira Alta) region you will be delighted with the Historical Villages. They are about a dozen and are also very typical and (somehow) well preserved. It's also in the Beiras region where Christmas has the true meaning of love, happiness and family union. In the small villages it's usual to spend the Christmas night close to the main church, around a firing wood, with the family and friends.

In the north, everything is even more green and also mountainious like Geres. In Minho everything is colorful. There are many local customs, great food, and pitoresque small towns.

The coast of Portugal is very beautiful. You may think that in a small country like Portugal, if you'll see one beach, you'll see all. But, that is completely wrong! There are rocky beaches just close to sandy ones. Or even places where there's no beach but a big hill. In resume, every beach is a surprise. Some are crowded in summer but there are rare jewels with no one. If you want to appreciate the beautiful beaches, go there all year but summers.

If this isn't enough for you, there's more! There are more 12 islands, 9 in Azores, 2 in Madeira and another in Berlengas. They are not refered here for now but they are not less interesting than the continental region.

Portugal is a land full of contrasts. It can be a Pandora Box for many people. I think there are things for every tastes in Portugal. There are historical places and monuments, beautiful lanscapes in countryside and near the ocean, a lot of cultural events, cultural and typical customs, great great food and lots of amusements. Night life is great in Algarve during summer and in Lisbon all year but August.

This country could be much much better if portuguese people cared about it. If people woudn't drop garbage everywhere, if people they din't park their cars everywhere, and if governors had some breaks to stop new horrible buildings everywhere, in historical towns, just close to beautiful and old typical houses.
Portugal has a lot to learn in tourism area. And it just needs to look to his neighbourgh Spain.