Do You Already Know Portugal?

Let's get started with some general information about Lisbon

"Fantastic beaches, pictorial cities, magnificent monasteries and always sun ". With over 3.000 hours of sun in the year, it belongs to the golden beaches of the Algarve, where holiday-makers are spoiled climatically. In addition, the silver coast (Costa Prata) or the Green coast and historical pregnant cities such as Lisbon and Porto make of the journey in the southwest of Europe a unique experience. Excerpt from "FREIZEIT REVUE" (where the world is most beautiful) Edition April 2002: One of the last Holiday-paradises in Europe: Portugal is a wonderful country in the south of Europe, one of the last Holiday-paradises without too much Tourism.

The capital of Portugal - Lisbon Lisbon the capital of Portugal has a special flair as it is not only a modern large city with a perfect infrastructure but it offers also to the visitors a lo of history and culture. There are plenty of famous buildings and monuments to visit, an old tradition and culture to see and to feel.

The capital of the north - Porto This gracious capital of the north is Portugal's second largest city and a thriving industrial hub, successfully blending commercial efficiency with an atmosphere of unpretentious charm. Rich from centuries of trade, modern Oporto is as much a cosmopolitan centre as it is a city steeped in the historical events of the past. Magnificently situated on the great gorge of the River Douro, which spills into the Atlantic after its scenic 927 km journey from Spain, the 'granite city' is best known for its striking bridges and the much celebrated Port wine, which is stored and savoured by wine lovers all over the world.

A new rising star is born - the Costa Prata The Costa Prata, also mentioned silver coast, with its delightful landscape, is situated in the middle between Porto and Lisbon and combines everything that one can dream of a holiday country. Here you find nearly deserted sand beaches and crystal-clear, clean water, green, flowering dunes and hills, with wonderful trees up to the beaches and naturally innumerable palms and cactusses, in order to call only some points of this delightful coast. Behind the coast you will find an intact nature with smooth hills, rivers, lakes and forests.

The climate of Portugal Portugal offers a healthy, mild climate with much sun, also during the winter months. The high summer at the Costa Prata brings temperatures of maximally 30 degrees, and in the winter the temparature falls rarely under 15° at the day and 10° at night. This year it happens the first time since plenty of years that the silver coast has seen some snow.

The sporting possibilities in Portugal Of course Portugal offers also a large choice of sport activities. First of all I have to mention golf as Portugal is known as the Florida of Europe regarding golf facilities. Beside of this there are many other sporting facilities like waterskiing in each form, diving, surf, wind surf, fishing, riding, tennis, kite flying, etc. In addition, the Serra-da-Estrela offers you winter sports possibilities for skiing. This area is located in the center of Portugal.

The culture of Portugal Portugal still is full of culture and old traditions. You also get a culturally very rich variety of historical buildings, monasteries, cathedrals, castles, fortresses etc. The Portuguese are very tradition conscious and maintain their traditional customs, also in the practice of their occupation. In many localities you meet fishermen and market-women in folcloristic clothes who do their work invariably, as before one hundred years. The Portuguese are also very friendly and merry people, who celebrate gladly and often, the carnival in this region is one of the most spectacular events. The cost of living in Portugal The cost of living in Portugal are quite low compared with other European countries, this concerns also food, craftsman costs etc. Also real estates, houses, properties or mansions at the sea are affordable and in relation to different holiday-regions still favorable.

Other facts about Portugal However the criminality rate is substantially lower than in the other southern countries and in some regions you can still leave the doors open and nothing will happen at all. Portugal has very good road connections, and a fantastic highway between from the north to the south. The medical supply is as well very good organized. Therefore Portugal offers ideal conditions for an unforgettable vacation in one of the comfortable holiday houses or apartments, and is also suitable for domiciliation as a continuous guest or as second domicile for older people.