Portugal offers breathtaking landscapes, intriguing history, stunning architecture, delightful gastronomy, and a friendly and welcoming environment.

With its political stability and low crime rates, it is ranked as the most peaceful country in the EU and the 3rd in the world. In 2019 Portugal won World’s Leading Destination.

 

 

FAST FACTS:

• POPULATION: Over 10 million
• CAPITAL: Lisbon
• CURRENCY: Euro
• TIME ZONE: Mainland Portugal is under Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), which is 5 hours ahead of the East Coast of the United States. The Azores are 4 hours ahead.
• CLIMATE: Portugal has an average of more than 300 sunny days per year, with temperatures averaging between 55°F in the winter and 85°F during the summer.
• AWARDS: Portugal has been awarded several and consecutive years by the World Travel Awards, which are the most distinctive awards in the Travel Industry. It has also been awarded by other entities, such as the European Commission, Sustainable Global Destinations, World Golf Awards, etc.

Portugal

Portugal, small in size but huge in culture, history, gastronomy, and traditions. It is most appreciated by these aspects and many others such as beaches, festivals, golf, the variety of landscapes, and especially the Portuguese people, who are known by being welcoming, open, and sincere. The country offers a huge variety of activities and different places to visit that fills every kind of needs and tastes.

Portugal is situated at the south-west point of Europe and has two beautiful archipelagos (Madeira and the Azores) in the Atlantic Ocean, with volcanic origins. It is defined as a Mediterranean climate and mixed oceanic climate along the northern half of the coastline, not too hot and not too cold, where the sun always shines, even during wintertime.

Portugal can be divided into three main parts: North, Centre, and South. The Northside is famous by the region Porto or Oporto, and the Center is where Portugal´s capital is located – Lisbon and the South, where you can enjoy the sunny Algarve.

Awards:

• World’s Leading Destination 2017 and 2018 Europe’s Leading Destination 2017, 2018 and 2019
• Best Golf Destination in Europe (from 2014 to 2019) by the World Golf Awards.
• Best Golf Destination in the World between 2014 and 2018.

Lisbon

Lisbon and Porto are the two largest cities in Portugal. Both are vibrant cities and a mix between historical and modern that combines different cultures, trends, and lifestyles.

These two cities have an excellent reputation for great food and restaurants, historic neighborhoods and streets, fado* houses, monuments, modern architecture and urban art, exciting matches, and a creative cultural agenda.

The city of Lisbon is also worthy of note for the second consecutive year as it won the prize for Best City Break in the World, surpassing cities such as Athens, Dubai, Las Vegas, New York, and Sydney.

Awards:

• World’s Leading City Break Destination 2009, 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2018
• World’s Leading City Destination 2018
• Europe’s Leading City Destination 2009, 2018 and 2019
• European 2020 Green Capital

Porto

Porto or Oporto,  which gave its name to a wine enjoyed all over the world - Porto Wine. This city is one of the oldest cities of the country, and whose historic center has been classified as World Heritage, it is the point of arrival of the River Douro, on whose valley slopes the famous Port wine is cultivated.

 

 

Algarve

Portugal’s favorite beach region. The Algarve coast is full of beautiful and sandy beaches and imposing cliffs forming bays and coves. Along the coast, there are many other excellent beaches, for example, in the Southwest Alentejo, where the beaches are almost wild, around the Lisbon region, that has the beaches of the Estoril Coast ( 20 min from the city center) and the endless beach at Costa da Caparica.

Madeira

 

Regarding the islands, the Madeira archipelago includes eight volcanic islands in the Atlantic, but only two are inhabited, Madeira and Porto Santo. This archipelago stands for the exotic colors of the flowers among the blue sea and the green and lush vegetation.

 

Awards:

• World’s Leading Island Destination 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
• Europe’s Leading Island Destination 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019

The Azores

The Azores, a paradise for nature lovers, is constituted by nine islands that extend in three groups over 400 miles in the mid-Atlantic. All of them are different and unique; however, there is one similarity between all - the friendliness of the locals, that makes every place looks nicer and brighter.

The Azores has been recognized by different entities for different reasons, such as:

• Green Destinations Standard: The Azores are considered the best destination in the Atlantic and one of the ten most sustainable destinations in the world.
• Having the most beautiful landscapes of Europe (by European best destination).
• One of the seven wonders of Portugal (by Maravilhas de Portugal).
• The most beautiful place in the world (by Belgian Dutch edition of National Geographic Traveler).
• One of the nine must visit-destinations this spring (by North American online magazine Family Travel).