. . . discover the country that discovered two-thirds of the world

Once upon a time, Portugal was the most powerful and the wealthiest country in the world. Two thirds of the world was discovered by the explorers and sailors of Portugal, and the Portuguese founded the first modern empire. Despite its turbulent past Portugal is a stable country. After a peaceful military coup in 1974 Portugal saw the start of a rebirth. With the oldest national boundaries in Europe, this country is both ancient and newborn. Part of Portugal are the popular hoilday island destinations of the Azores and Madeira.

Portugal, with its long Atlantic coast, lies on the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. The land consists of highland forests in the north and rolling lowland in the south. It tends to be wetter and cooler in the north whilst the south can be hot and is the area most visited by thos e on holiday. Most of the Portugese population live along the coast, with a third of the population living in the urban areas of Lisbon and Porto.

Portuguese food is one of the most pleasant surprises for tourists visiting the country. With a vast coastline, seafood plays a major part in Portuguese cuisine and the quality of the seafood and freshly caught grilled fish is beyond compare. You should try one of the mainstays of thecuisine, bacalhau, dried and salted cod from the far reaches of the Atlantic. And to round off your meal, do not miss one of the delicious desserts, made according to the ancient recipes of monks and nuns. The Portugese wines are of exceptional quality too. The Port and Madeira wines are already world famous, whilst the table wines are one of the best kept secrets in Portugal.