A Taste of Portugal

http://www.freefoto.com/preview/908-21-1383/Flag-of-Portugal
Photo by: Free Foto

Since I am a half Portuguese I have a soft spot for the beautiful country of Portugal. Located on the SW corner of Europe, Portugal inhabits about 10.5 million people. The mountainous region to the north, the beaches on west coast and the desert region to the south separate Portugal’s geographic landscape. Since Portugal is a very small country (approximately 7 times smaller than Alberta) it is very easy to see the many attractions that Portugal has to offer in a short period of time.

Photo by: Mateo Abella

The north central region of Portugal is a mountainous region with lots of agriculture, forests, and streams. While this area of Portugal is away from the hustle bustle of the city it may allow tourists a chance to get a true taste of the Portuguese culture. The best time to visit this area of Portugal would have to be in the summer time when the festivals are in full force and many people are on their summer vacations. Many people who moved away to France or Switzerland as young adults to find work come back to their hometown during the summer months to visit. This transforms the small quiet towns into a partygoers heaven.

Photo by: Silvia abella

While you are in the northern region of Portugal you can make your way to the coast and visit the city of Porto. This wonderful city is famous for inventing Port wine, which is a sweet wine made from crushed grapes from the Douro valley mixed with a sweet brandy containing 77% alcohol. This can be a great dessert wine but watch your portions because this wine can catch up to you quickly!  

After visiting Porto you can travel south along the coast line to Lisbon. Along the way you can stop at the many beaches that Portugal has to offer along its Atlantic coast line. If you are feeling brave enough you can throw on a wet suit and go surfing in Nazare, Portugal which is known for some of the biggest waves on the planet. In November 2011 Garrett McNamara officially surfed the biggest wave in world located off the coast of Nazare as seen in the video below. 

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X7d9hMVJWQ&feature=fvwrel

Photo by: F H Mira

http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-2855714424

After surfing the waves in Nazare you can take a pit stop in Sintra right before you enter Lisbon and take a look at Arab geographer Al-Bacr's amazing architecture. This town is located on the top of high mountain surrounded by huge castle walls.

    

Photo by: Rosemary Abella

Once you hit the busy city of Lisbon you can take a tour throughout the city to see the many amenities such as the great architecture, castles, awesome restaurants and of course the great nightlife. During the day you can take a tour down to the Belém Tower which was ordered to be built by King John II as a defence tower against enemy armies. You can then make your way downtown to Bairro Alto and look through the many small streets for a small restaurant to eat at. Afterwards you can make your way down to Campo Pequeno for a bull fighting event which is an old Portuguese tradition. If you are still feeling up to it you can make your way down to one of the many nightclubs located in Lisbon. But be prepared to stay out till the early hours of the morning because the nightclubs don't open until 2am. I would recommend heading to the "Docas" since there are over 20 pubs and clubs to choose from along this dockside setting. 

This is my basic overview of the north central regions of Portugal. I will be making a second blog on the Algarve region Portugal since there are so many things to see and do in the region. Please feel free to leave a comment below and give me some feedback on your views of Portugal or how your views may have changed.