Whether it’s a fun filled city break in the hustle and bustle of Lisbon or a leisurely golfing holiday in the Algarve, Portugal has long been one of the world’s top twenty holiday destinations.
Blessed with stunning natural beauty and year-round sunshine, Portugal offers crystal clear seas and a wealth of activities to suit even the most discerning world traveller.
Holidays in Portugal offer food lovers the chance to enjoy some of the best-kept culinary secrets anywhere. And with luxury villas in Portugal offering a perfect base from which to discover this wonderful country, there has never been a better time to experience everything that makes Portugal special. The Portuguese are food fanatics. Portuguese cuisine is characterised by rich, filling and flavourful dishes that rely heavily on a Mediterranean influence but also incorporate a spice-influenced direction to create a unique blend unlike anywhere else. Because of Portugal’s links to the Spice Islands of Indonesia and the Pacific Rim, spices like tumeric and vanilla feature heavily in Portuguese deserts and pastries. The most popular deserts in Portugal are rice pudding flavoured with cinnamon and vanilla, caramel custard and sweet pastries, originally developed by nuns to generate revenue.
With many fishing fleets operating along the coast, fish is a major part of Portuguese cuisine. The country has the highest fish consumption per capita of any country in Europe and is one of the top four fish-eating nations in the world. As a result, Portugal is a mecca for lovers of fishy food, with a huge selection of fish dishes from soups through to stews and boiled or fried recipes. Sardines and Atlantic tuna are the most popular ingredients in many fish dishes, although dried and salted cod is still an important part of the cuisine. Shellfish also features heavily on the menu, and one of the most basic forms of Portuguese cuisine is a fish stew that allows visitors to sample a wide selection of flavours in one simple meal.
The Algarve is atypical sun and sand holiday destination attracting tens of thousands of Europeans every summer. Although the region has much to offer both the package holiday maker, independent traveller and, of course, golfer, many visitors to Portugal fail to get beyond the trappings of the holiday resorts and sample the real Portugal.
Outside of the Algarve, Portugal has a long and illustrious history. An independent nation since 1143, Portugal is one of the oldest nations in Europe and it’s location on the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula dictates a long history of sea faring and discovery. A vast monumental and cultural legacy has been left for modern visitors to enjoy. The tourist information site gives an interesting and informative overview of the cultural and historic attractions of the country as well as useful guides to the regions and cities of Portugal.
