Rough Guides - The Rough Guide to Portugal (Travel Guide eBook) (Rough Guides)

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Contents

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Introduction to

Portugal

Portugal is one of Europes oldest extant nations, an ancient kingdom defended by hilltop castles and dramatic walled towns. First-time visitors are usually struck by the friendliness of the people, the affordable food and wine, and the diversity of a country that is relatively easy to travel round in just a few days. Its cities notably Lisbon and Porto amply showcase Portugals former role as a maritime superpower that ruled the waves from Brazil to East Asia, though its not all about history: the cities boast some of Europes best clubs and most adventurous modern architecture. Head inland and there are endless possibilities, from touring wine estates to walking, cycling or kayaking down its many rivers. It is the coast, however, that is the biggest draw. From cliff -backed coves to endless stretches of sandy dunes, you are rarely far from a stunning beach. While its western Atlantic dunes are still relatively unknown to those outside the surfing community, the calmer waters of the Algarve off er the quintessential laidback beach experience.

Portugals borders have changed little since it became an independent country in the twelfth century. Mountains make up the bulk of the frontier with Spain, with the large rivers of the Minho in the north and the Guadiana in the south adding to this natural divide. Early Portuguese monarchs fortified the border with a series of walled towns , many sited on dramatic hilltops, and these make the border areas some of the most fascinating to visit.

Beaches and high mountains aside, the rest of Portugal is a diverse and verdant country of deep valleys and rolling hills dotted with stone-built villages. For generations, families have eked out a living from the steeply terraced vineyards of the mountainous north, and from the cork oak plantations roamed by wild boar that dominate the vast agricultural plains of the south.

Portugals prestige and economy have never regained the heights they attained during the golden ages of the fifteenth to eighteenth centuries. The country spent most of the twentieth century in deep poverty under the dictatorial rule of Prime Minister Dr. Salazar, and while joining the European Union had great initial benefits funding new roads and communications Portugal has struggled badly in the recent years of economic crisis. Yet although it remains one of the EUs weakest economies, Portugal is a remarkably unified country there are no minorities agitating for independence, while rivalry between the north and south consists of little more than gentle mockery. Indeed Portugal is generally a very tolerant nation, and has integrated a substantial population from its former colonies in Africa, Asia and Brazil with relative ease. Contemporary Portuguese tastes are influenced by the flavours, sounds and styles of Brazil, Angola and Mozambique in particular.

Fact file

• Including the perimeter of its islands, Portugal boasts 1793 kilometres of coastline . Its only neighbour is Spain, and it shares the same time zone as the UK.
• There are ten times more Portuguese living overseas than the ten millionstrong population that lives in Portugal itself the bulk of these live in Brazil, though the USA and France both also have over a million inhabitants of Portuguese descent .
• Portugals national dish is bacalhau , dried and salted cod, and there are reputed to be 365 different ways of cooking it one for each day of the year.
• Portugal is the earths eighth largest producer of wine and supplies fifty percent of the worlds cork .
• There are twelve UNESCO World Heritage Sites in mainland Portugal, including towns like vora and Guimares, the palaces of Sintra, rock art in the Ca valley, and national monuments at Batalha and Alcobaa.

Its a Catholic country there are ancient churches in every community and while support for the institutions of the Church may have waned, a belief in traditional values remains. The Portuguese have embraced contemporary life without ever quite getting rid of the more appealing aspects of previous centuries. Fully wired town centres have wi-fi hotspots and cell-phone shops by the score, but they also have a butcher, a baker and (quite literally) a candle-stick maker. Children will be both seen and heard at any time of the day or night, as the family remains at the centre of most things.

When times were hard at home, the Portuguese traditionally emigrated to pastures new, but their homelands blend of tolerance and tradition, its bucolic scenery and year-round sunshine, persuade most emigrants to return at some stage and it is this same allure that makes the country so appealing to visitors. Prepare to be charmed.

Where to go

The south-facing coast of the Algarve is the countrys tourist epicentre and justifiably so it is here that youll find the archetypal picturesque Portuguese cove beaches, fringed by rock stacks and gentle cliffs, and it doesnt take much to escape the high-rise resorts and golf courses. If it is beaches you are after, however, you have almost the entire west coast of the country to choose from. There are expansive stretches of sand not only on the Algarves western coast, but also in the southern Alentejo, on the coast around Lisbon and north to Figueira da Foz, and along the Minho coast north to the Spanish border.

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MARVO VILLAGE, THE ALENTEJO

PORTUGUESE AZULEJOS

Brightly-coloured decorative tiles have been used throughout Portugal since the birth of the nation, making up everything from immense religious scenes covering entire walls of churches to simple geometric patterns on the back of park benches. It was the Moors who introduced the craft in the eighth century the word derives from the Arabic al-zulecha , meaning small stone. Less studied than stained glass, less famous than frescoes, many azulejos are handcrafted works of art, though even mass-produced factory items add flamboyance to otherwise dull buildings. Youll find them all over the country on churches, houses, cafs and shops, even motorway bridges and metro stations. The Museu Nacional do Azulejo in Lisbon is dedicated to them, or you can marvel at the ingenuity and adaptability of the art while catching the train at Pinho station , spending the night in the Palcio do Buaco or visiting the church of So Laureno in the Algarve.

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Many of these beaches extend as far as the eye can see, and are rarely busy even in high summer, but as they face the full power of the Atlantic, they can be dangerous for swimming. Its no big surprise then that many attract serious surfers instead, with Peniche , Figueira da Foz and Nazar all major surf destinations.