Portugal's many fascinations come at a sigh-of-relief low price. Portugal has a rich seafaring past, superb beach resorts, wistful towns and a landscape wreathed in olive groves, vineyards and wheat fields. Littered with UNESCO World Heritage sites and graced by one of Europe's most relaxed and attractive capitals, it also remains refreshingly affordable.
Portugal lies immediately west of Spain, and is buffeted along its southern coast by the Atlantic Ocean. To its west and southwest lie the islands of the Azores and Madeira, far out in the Atlantic. It measures just 350mi (560km) north to south and a paltry 135mi (220km) from east to west. The northern and central regions are heavily populated and characterised by rivers, valleys, forests and mountains - the highest range is the Serra da Estrela, peaking at Torre (6540ft/1993m). The south is less populated and, apart from the rocky backdrop of the Algarve, much flatter and drier.
Capital: Lisbon (pop 720,000)
President: Anibal Cavaco Silva
Prime Minister: Jose Socrates
Government: parliamentary democracy
Time zone: GMT 0
Area: 92391
Population: 10400000
People: 99% Portuguese, 1% African
Languages: 97% Roman Catholic, 2% Protestant, 1% other
Currency: Euro (€)
Major industries: Textiles, footwear, wood products, metalworking, oil refining, chemicals, fish canning, wine, tourism, agriculture
Major Trading Partners: EU (esp. Spain, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands & the UK), US
Daylight Saving: From last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October
Country Dialing Code: 351
You can jet in from overseas to several airports in Portugal, most notably Lisbon, but if you're coming in from neighbouring Spain or other proximal countries, then bus, train or car/motorcycle will suit you just fine.
If time is a consideration, Your best bet for circumnavigating the country by public transport is the efficient bus system. The train network is slower but more relaxing. Hire cars and planes are both expensive propositions.
Portugal's high season is mid-June to mid-September. The Atlantic tempers the Mediterranean climate down south, where summer temperatures regularly reach 30 ° C (86 ° F). The climate is temperate, and you'll find agreeable weather just about everywhere (except in the Alto Douro and the Alentejo where summers can be painfully hot and droughts common) from April to October, and nearly year-round in the Algarve. Overall the wettest season is from November to March: the soggiest regions are in the extreme north and in the Serra da Estrela mountain region in the country's centre. The ski season is from January to March, but February is best.
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