Portugal - Regions
ABOVE: Fishing boats in Nazare,
Portugal.
Alentejo
Portugal Travel: Alentejo
The golden plains and hills of Alentejo are dotted with cork and olive trees,
herds of cattle and sheep, tiny villages, and historic towns--including two of
my favorites:
Évora and
Marvão.
Algarve
Algarve
europeforvisitors.com
From Europe for Visitors, an illustrated article with links to tourism pages,
hotel guides, transportation information, and other Algarve resources on the
Web.
Dave's
Alternative Guide to the Algarve
David Lynch offers descriptions of many towns and resorts in the Algarve,
often with readers' reports on hotels and restaurants.
Azores
Açores
The Açores islands, or
Azores, are a
third of the way between Portugal and North America. They once served as a
stopover for transatlantic flights; today, they attract visitors with their
isolation, natural beauty, and traditional way of life.
Lisbon
Lisbon
europeforvisitors.com
Portugal's capital has a mild climate, a spectacular setting, and plenty of
monuments and other sights to keep you busy. Read about it in my 20-page
illustrated article, which includes links to
Lisbon hotels, hostels, and
other accommodations.
Sintra's Pena National
Palace
europeforvisitors.com
Take a suburban train to Sintra, just 40 minutes outside LIsbon, where a
19th Century Moorish- and medieval-style castle is perched on a rocky ridge
above a romantic hillside park.
Pastéis
de Belém
europeforvisitors.com
No visit to Lisbon's Mosteiro dos Jerónimos or the Torre de Belém is complete
without a stop at this bakery-café next to the monastery, which has been
serving delectable custard tarts since 1837.
Madeira
Madeira Tourism
The island of Madeira lies off the African coast, on the traditional shipping
routes between Southern Europe and the Americas. To fully appreciate Madeira,
you'll want to see the dramatic coastal cliffs from an excursion boat or the
Porto Santo ferry.
On
Madeira, Bottled Treasure
Register (free) to read this New York Times article on Madeira's
namesake wine, which can be "immensely rewarding" at the age of 10 or 100.
Porto and Northern Portugal
Porto (Oporto)
europeforvisitors.com
Portugal's second-largest city is also the gateway to Northern Portugal and
the port wine region. The city occupies a stunning site on granite hills
overlooking the Douro River, and the Atlantic Ocean is just a Metro ride away.
Cálem
Port Wine Lodge, Porto
europeforvisitors.com
In Vila Nova de Gaia, across the River Douro from Porto's old town,
you can see how Port wine is made and sip the finished products.
Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do
Carmo
europeforvisitors.com
Not far from Pinhão, in the heart of the Douro Valley, the Amorim
family has created an award-winning "wine hotel" and winery amid 85 hectares or
210 acres of vineyards. During harvest season, you can pick and crush grapes
with the locals.
Hotel Rural Casa dos Viscondes da Várzea, Lamego
europeforvisitors.com
Portugal's most celebrated mother has reclaimed her family's Douro Valley wine
estate and converted the 17th Century manor house into a delightful country
hotel.
Other Places
Buçaco (Bussaco)
europeforvisitors.com
This beautiful forest has 1,400 years of
history, and its former royal palace may be Europe's least expensive grand
hotel.
Conimbriga Ruins
europeforvisitors.com
When you're driving north from Lisbon, don't miss the largest and most
impressive Roman archaeological site in Portugal.
For more information, see
Welcome to Portugal, the country's
official tourism site.
| 
Durant
& Cheryl Imboden's
