Discover the country that discovered half of the world!
Why visit Portugal?
Ancient history with more than 1200 years old;
Temperate clime with an average of 236 sunny days per year in the south;
Excellent and unique gastronomy;
English spoken well understood by local people;
Small country with huge cultural, architectural and nature contrasts;
Stable democratic government;
Very low crime rate;
Helpful friendly people, very welcoming to tourists;
Not an overrun tourism destination.
History
With such a long sea coast, it is not surprising that Portugal has witnessed so many sailings and arrivals. This is why we have been open to the world and to communication for so long. We have assimilated peoples of different origins since later then 1200 BC with the Phoenicians then the Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans (who left us our language), northern Europeans and peoples from Mauritania. In spite of all these mixtures, Portugal is one of the oldest nations in Europe. In the 12th century, the country gained its independence from the other kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula thanks to Count Afonso Henriques, who was our first king at his own wish. A century later, with the conquest of the Algarve to the moors, Portugal has definitively established its continental border.
In the late 13th century, King D. Dinis founded our first university, the second oldest in Europe, and took it to the beautiful city of Coimbra. In the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to sail and discover Africa, then the distant Orient and the heart of South America, from where we brought a wealth of treasures. Even before advancing along the coast of Africa, we discovered the archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira, which are part of our territory in the Atlantic. In the fifteen century Lisbon was the richest city in the all world with commerce routes from India, Brasil and Africa. In that period many astonishing buildings have been built and still prevail today, has the Jeronimo’s Monastery, Belem’s tower, etc.
After a dynastic crisis and a period under the rule of the Spanish crown, in 1640 a Portuguese king took the throne once more, because, although we are discrete, we have a strong sense of independence.
From this brief history, you will see that our art is a little different from that you already know.
Note some of the peculiarities, especially the "Manueline" style, which exalted the age of the discoveries, the way we have learned to work with tiles and our Fado, the song of nostalgia.
Weather
The average temperature in the coldest month (January) is 12Cº and 25Cº in the hottest (August). Algarve (South) has an average of 236 sunny days per year.
Currency Exchange
Portugal is one of 16 European Union countries whose common official currency is the Euro.
You can exchange money at banks, which are open from 8.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. five working days a week; at bureaux de change.
Credit cards
In Portugal, the most commonly used credit cards are: Visa, American Express, Diners Club, Europay / MasterCard, JCB and Maestro.
If your Visa or MasterCard credit card is lost or stolen, contact the following telephone numbers for assistance:
- Visa: Tel. 800 811 107
- MasterCard: Tel. 800 811 272
Safety
In terms of crime, Portugal is one of the safest countries in Europe. One can walk alone discovering the city even at night, with no major concerns.
Health
The current population on Portugal is around 10 millions.
The life expectancy is 76 years and 100% of the population has access to drinking water and sewers.
Political System
In the 19th century, the monarchy was weakened by clashes between different factions and, in 1910, it was overthrown. Since that year Portugal became a republic. Nowadays, Portugal has a parliament democracy, with a prime minister and a president.
We are members of the European Union since 1986.
