This small country (140 miles wide and 380 miles long) remains a favourite holiday destination for many tourists each year. With Spain as a neighbour to the east and a coastline stretching from the Atlantic Ocean on the west to the Mediterranean Sea in the south, this country offers such variety of landscape and beauty that people return year upon year to enjoy it.

This northern part of the country including the Minho region is renowned for its rich, verdant scenery. There are many winding rivers, tree-lined valleys and spectacular mountains to explore. This part of Portugal also has its fair share of beautiful, sandy beaches -wild and unspoilt even in summer. The Douro Valley is renowned for its port wine and the Peneda-Geres National Park, which dominates this region, reveals the wilder, natural beauty of Portugal.

This area lies to the west and north of the capital - Lisbon. At one time it used to be the winter destination for the wealthy.

The coastline is a series of sandy beaches often with a backdrop of majestic cliffs. Apart from some concentrated areas around Lisbon and Porto the resorts are generally quieter than the South and more Portuguese in flavour.

This southern area is perhaps the most visited part of Portugal. With long sandy beaches, often punctuated by rocky coves and a mild sunny climate for most of the year the Algarve has become a popular year-round tourist destination. Spring starts in February and the warm weather continues well into October.

This is definitely a perfect destination for those seeking the sun!

Possibly more bustling than other parts of the country the Algarve is suited to those holidaymakers who enjoy activity and lots of "buzz". For families where the kids have outgrown the beach and are looking for more to do this is the perfect place. Many resorts offer excellent tennis/water sport/ riding attractions and don't forget that the Algarve boasts over 10 championship golf courses!

Even in the Algarve you can escape inland and discover a more traditional landscape of olive groves, picturesque villages with white painted houses and markets selling local produce.

The weather in Portugal is temperate making it an ideal holiday location for many months of the year.

In the north the winters are mild with a good deal of rain and the summers are fairly short.

In the South the summers are long (March until October) and warm with very little rain, except in early spring and autumn.

North: 50F/10C - 68F/20C

Central and east: 57F/15C - 78F/26C

Algarve: 60F/16C - 90F/33C

Lisbon (Lisboa), the country's capital is a favourite with many visitors.

The Monastery of Jeronimos can be found here and is one of Portugal's most interesting buildings. It was built in the 16th century and sailors would spend their last night here in prayer before setting off on their frightening voyages of discovery.

Nearby is the Torre de Belem, a Manueline-style tower that stands in the Rio Tejo, and is probably the most photographed monument in Portugal.

Other places of interest are the districts of Baixa and Alfama. The cobbled streets, alleys, markets and colourful buildings are worth a visit to take in the wonderful atmosphere of this old part of the town.

Sintra was once a very popular destination for the wealthy Portuguese and English. It is said that Lord Byron was a frequent visitor. To day it is still very pretty with an abundance of beautiful villas and romantic gardens. There are various palaces and convents worth visiting here particularly the Palacio Nacional da Pena that dominates the town.

The walled town of Evora is delightful and full architectural interest. Visit the Roman temple, monasteries dating from the 12th Century when the kings of Portugal made it their capital, together with architectural remains from the Moorish occupation and you will get a real flavour of the history of this country. The narrow, winding streets and quaint cafes add to the charm of this town.

The Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones) is worth seeing. The walls of this macabre room are lined with bones and skulls laid out in intricate and sometimes ingenious patterns. NB Try not to visit on a Monday as many of the tourist attractions are closed!

Obidos is perhaps Portugal's best-preserved walled town. It is like a postcard with its brilliant white houses with brightly coloured tiles and narrow cobbled streets make this a fairy-tale place

It is known as the "Wedding City" - Portuguese kings bestowed it as a wedding present their queens until the19th Century.

Braga has been Portugal's religious centre since the 12th century. It boasts over three hundred churches and many chapels.

The famous hilltop church of Bom Jesus, just outside Braga, is a place of pilgrimage,

Take a good, deep breath before you tackle those steps! And remember that the more devout pilgrims actually ascend on their knees!

The surrounding area is pretty with leafy parks, picnic tables, restaurants and cafés.

Porto is Portugal's second city. It is situated on the river Douro, which provides a beautiful, view as you approach the city. There are few bridges over the river that provides various entrances to the city. Years ago wine barges brought the grapes down this river from the upper Douro Valley. The wine was produced in the lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia and Portugal became famous throughout the world for its fine wines.

Praia da Rocha is one of the most popular resorts of the Algarve. The beach still remains fabulous despite the rapid growth of tourism. The esplanade itself meanders along the rugged cliffs which provide such a stunning backdrop to the beach below. Views over the bay can be enjoyed from the old fortress in the town, which has a selection of restaurants and shops to cater for all tastes.

Things to look out for are leather goods, tapestry, porcelain, china, embroidery, lace, glassware and silver and of course wonderful painted tiles!

Lisbon is a logical choice for most things, although Porto is worth a visit for silver and its wines. Madeira is well known for its embroidery. Glazed tiles called Azulejos for the colour blue are found throughout the country. Hand-woven rugs, hand-knit sweaters and intricate embroidery can be found throughout the country.

Portugal (Blue Guides) by Ian Robertson

Discover Portugal (Berlitz Discover Guides) by Martin Gostelow

Eyewitness Travel Guide: Portugal (2000 Edition)

Lonely Planet - Portugal

CALENDAR OF EVENTS IN PORTUGAL

Each village has their own patron saint and a single day is set-aside for each saint. When this day arrives the village really celebrate in style. There are far too many saints to name them all, if you come across one of these celebrations you simply must join in. You can be sure that it's not just a tourist attraction!

20^th-27^th February during Madeira Carnival the town comes alive with celebrations in the capital Funchal

Lisbon is infiltrated with joggers of all shapes and sizes at the beginning of April for the Lisbon half marathon.

8^th-15^th April - Holy week in Braga, a mixture of praying and celebrations.

30^th April - Feast of our Lady of Piedale in Loule.

4-27^th May each yearCastelo Branco host an International Music Festival, with a full range of concerts.

12-13^th May - The important religious town of Fatima (Roman Catholic) celebrates the Annual Pilgrimage to Fatima, where on May 13^th 1917 the Virgin Mary visited three shepherd children in the fields.

May - students liberate their souls as they take to the streets to celebrate the end of University; ritually burning the ribbons that mark which faculty they belong to.

Mid-end May The Algarve Film Festival is Portugal's oldest cinema event

1^st-2^nd June in Amarante the Festa de Sao Goncalo, an ancient fertility ritual, unmarried people exchange phallic cakes as a token of their affection. Not for the easily shocked!

mid June- Mid July - Sintra Music Festival - a nine day show of ballet and chamber-music, whilst the Estoril Music Festival has 5 weeks of great music with some of the larger concerts taking place in Lisbon itself

Beginning of June the National Agricultural Fair in Santarem, bull fighting, dancing and culture are all on display during this show.

Beg/ mid July Festa do Colete Encarnado at Vila Franca de Xira

Throughout July The Festival of the Sea in Cascais sees the local young men strutting their stuff in front of all the young ladies of the town. Quite entertaining for the observant I should expect.

The Free BAIX Anima street festival in Lisbon runs through July to September, there is music, sport, dance, circus and many more activities.

2^nd Saturday in August the Festival dos Oceanos is an opportunity to discover 'real' Lisbon, exhibitions, food, films and performances.

24^th August, The Procession of the Holy Dip in San Bartolomeu do Mer. A procession of pilgrims accompanied by flowers and statues

the 1^st Sunday of every September sees the emptying of all the cellars in palmela to make room for the fresh harvest of grapes/ wine.

mid-end September the Lisbon Gay and Lesbian Film Festival is fast becoming an extremely popular event

Start of December in Porto the International Puppet Festival caters to all ages and tastes, an International event with puppeteers of all languages.

WHAT DOES IT COST?

Food is not expensive in Portugal and as the local people eat out regularly, restaurants generally offer good food at reasonable prices. Restaurants are usually open for lunch between 12.00 and 14.00 hours and dinner between 19.30 and 23.00 hours.

In tourist areas there will usually be a 3-course special menu (ementa turistica) on offer with a glass of wine or beer. The variety of food will change little from restaurant to restaurant but it is always worth looking out for local dishes. Seafood is particularly popular and is usually more expensive than meat.

Typical Portuguese dishes include bacalhau (dried cod cooked in over 130 different ways), porco a alentejana (pork cooked with clams) and sopa de marisco (shellfish soup).

Portuguese wines are reasonably priced. Red wines (Dao) and green wines (vinho verde) are worth trying. The latter is the name given to young wines that are slightly sparkling and can include red, white and rose.

For families it is a relief to know that the Portuguese love children. Eating out can therefore be enjoyable with high chairs on request, half portions available and a tolerant attitude to noise and dubious table manners!

HOTELS IN PORTUGAL

Hotels in Portugal are clean and provide very good service. Hotels are graded from two up to five stars, as are the smaller inns. The hotels 4 star (first class) and 5 star (deluxe), also provide a Continental breakfast daily which is included in the rate.

Palacio in Estoril is a grand European style hotel is set in parkland overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Cascais Bay. About 20 minutes away from Lisbon it has an outstanding reputation for service. The restaurant is luxurious and provides an excellent standard of cuisine. There is a very attractive pool area and 18 outdoor all weather tennis courts. The ultimate in luxury, this hotel boasts its own 18 hole championship golf course. Prices during high season for a double room with breakfast included would be approx £90 per person per night.

Pousada. These are located at significant locations throughout the country. Pousadas are located in castles, palaces, or other historically important buildings. They are noted for their excellent cuisine and wines. Pousadas are very popular - it is worth booking in advance

Why not try out the Pousada Castelo in Obida to capture the flavour of this old town? Built within the medieval walls of the town where the Portuguese court used to retire for the summer months this has been restored carefully in the style of the old 16th century summer palace. Price per person sharing a double room during the high season would be about £76

Manor Houses. Accommodation is available in the main house or cottages on the estate. The Manor Houses are located in convenient locations throughout the country

VISAS AND INNOCULATIONS

Visitors to Portugal from the UK do not need to apply for entry or a transit visa, requiring only their passport or Identity Document. They may remain for a period of up to 90 days

There are no immunisation requirements however, if you have not previously been immunised against diphtheria, polio or tetanus this is an ideal opportunity to have the immunisations carried out.

The tap water is safe to drink but may taste stronger than English water. If you are prone to upset stomachs, drink bottled water. Take care against dehydration and over exposure to the sun, by drinking lots of (bottled) water and use high factor sun creams.

PHRASE BOOK

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Green Line

This is a free help line set up by the Portuguese Tourist board to help with hotels, sightseeing and restaurants. The number within Portugal is 0-800-296-296

Post Offices (Correios)

Usually located in the centre of towns and opening hours are 09.00-12.30

and 14.30-18.00

Electricity - 220V. You will need a continental adapter

All major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, etc) are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants, and shops. The rate is exceptionally good and no extra charge is added to the bill for using the card.

Normal banking hours are weekdays from 8.30 am to 15.00 PM.

There are flights to Faro from 15 UK airports, and to Lisbon and Porto from 3 UK airports.

The main airlines are British Airways and Air Portugal (TAP)

Journey time is approximately is approximately 2 1/2 hours