Portugal: Visits always give pleasure if not the arrival, the departure~Portuguese Proverb

I thought Portugal would be a good place to visit since it is conveniently located next to Spain......so just hop the train and visit Portugal.







cute house owned by an elderly with a scary knife in portugal

A Brief Look into Portugal's Past

a 17th century aqueduto de pegoes used to carry water to convento de christo

• AD 1179 under Muslim rule


• 1272 Alfonso III removes all Muslim communities


• 1297 King Dinis signs treaty with Ferdinand IV that defines borders between Spain and Portugal
• 1415 Portugal conquers cities of northern Africa starting African exploration and invasion


• 1580-1640 The Habsburg Dynasty~Spanish Rule~
• 1580 Philip II of Spain becomes Philip I of Portugal and Portugal is under Spanish rule
• 1640 Duke of Barganza becomes king and ends Spanish rule


• 1807 Portugal becomes the Kingdom of Portugal and still owns Brazil and Algarve
• 1822 Brazil declares independence


• 1926 Fascist leaders come into Portugal
• 1974 Carnation Revolution ends Fascist regime

Most popular/visited cities: Lisbon, Porto, Algarve, Sintra, Evora, Barga, Coimbra, and Fatima (there are many more....ay).

houses on a coast in portugal

alfama district houses

Most visited City: LISBON

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and the biggest city in Portugal. Lisbon is a very hilly area since it is located across the hillsides of RioTejo. Lisbon offers all the things any main attraction and busy city would: museums, history in old buildings likegothic cathedrals. However, they also have a touch of portugal like old quarters of the city with narrow lanes, tiny patio restaurants with fadisitas (traditional Portuguese singers) singing in the background. Many people that visit Lisbon like to visit Cascais a seaside town within Lisbon. It is filled with beautiful beaches and a carefree atmosphere with its numerous cafes and shops. They even have many fishing ports for the avid fisher because Cascais used to be a fishing village before the royal court came in 1870 and transformed it.

Looking for nightlife....go to Lisbon, Porto, and Albuferia..

You want a bit of country air and rolling hills...visit Viana do Castelo, Chaves, Miranda do Douro, Douro Valley, Lamego, Tomar, Leiria, Castelo Branco, Guarda, Portalegre, Évora, Elvas or Viseu.

beach at cascais

Portugal even has places where wildlife is preserved and the areas are kept in there natural state since the beginning of time......if you want to be one with nature.....visit the Madeira and Azores Islands.

calderia crater with cloud inside

*~Interesting side fact~* I found this mentioned in wikitravel---If you arrive in Lisbon International Airport don't use a taxi (unless you speak Portuguese and know the layout of the city) because you will be ripped off.....try the public bus if possible.

~other fact~ tipping at restaurants is optional yay =) if you liked the service tip 10% otherwise not necessary because waiters are considered professionals and tips are seen as notes of appreciation only, but taxi drivers on the other hand should be tipped 10% any less will be considered offensive.

FOOD~ the most important part of any trip ;)

Soup is the usually an important first course of a Portuguese meal

Bacalhau~dried codfish~ can be seen everywhere since the natives have many ways of cooking the fish and consider it a very important staple.

Portugal is similar to Spain in that they focus a lot on seafood and many main dishes contain a sea creature hehe.

If you walk by restaurants you will most likely see grills with chunks of smoked and grilled meat.......try the grilled chicken marinated in chili, garlic, and olive oil.....you won't regret it unless of course your vegetarian.

~side note about safety~ driving is very reckless in Portugal as it is in most of Europe, so be careful as well as avoid renting a car.

tower of belem

In summary:

Go horseback riding along the beach, learn to fish from a local, go to one of the many markets, listen to Fado music or any Portuguese music since the language and music is exquisite, go to Historic Centre of Oporto for a taste of history, beautiful views from Duoro River, many monuments, and medieval and modern architecture, feel the spiritual history in the convent of Christ in Tomar beautiful historic buildings a 75minute trip from Lisbon you are free to explore by yourself and really become in touch with the history and holy spiritual feel that seems to pervade even in the air....true fans of Fado visit Casa do Fado e da Guitarra Portuguesa in Alfama your one stop museum for Fado history and a never ending collection of purchasable Fado cds.

Typical Portuguese street signs.

P.S. I added a music player with songs from different countries, for a bit of cultural flair......anyone who knows a good song please let me know =)

All pictures from lonely planet~