Einar's homepage: Destination Portugal

This page is divided into to sections. The first section contains general information about Portugal and the secound part contains information about all the cities in Portugal I have been to.

Portugal ins one of two countries on the Iberian Peninsula and is populated by 10 million souls. The country gained its influence on the world during the Age of Discovery which gave Europe among other things, sugar and potatoes from the americas. Portugal is one of the poorest countries in Europe and has benefited from its membership in the EU.

Traveling within Portugal is easy as long as you travel along the coast. The railways is operated by Comboios de Portugal and bus is operated by InterNorte, InterCentro and InterSur depending on what part of the country you have planned to visit. If you have planned to travel long distances you could save some time by travel along the coast before you travel to the destination inland. Portuguese are quite good at speaking english and is a friendly and open people.

Which part of Portugal you should visit depends on what you want to do. In Algarve you will find white beaches and lots of sun. The climate in the southern part features mostly rolling plains and a climate somewhat warmer and drier than in the north. In northern Portugal the landscape is mountainous in the interior with plateaus indented by river valleys. The largest cities, Porto and Lisbon, offers an relaxing atmosphere and friendly inhabitants.

Pastéis De Belém is the best pastery I have ver tasted. If you buy them outside Bélem they are simply called Pastéis de nata as they do not come from the original recipe. The largest bakery in Belém makes 25.000 Pastéis De Belém each day. Francesinha is a dish from Porto which is tasy. The Portuguese cuisine is influenced ny their former colonial possessions and is closely related to the Mediterranean cuisine.

If you have planned to visit Lisbon you should visit Bélem as well. There you will find the Belém Tower and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos which are famous landmarks in Portugal. Both of these are monuments are related to Portugal's Age of discoveries. In Bélem you will also find Jerónimos Monastery and marine museum which are worth a visit. Right next to the monastery you will find Casa Pastéis de Belém where they make Pastéis De Belém. Pastéis De Belém is the best pastries I have ever tasted.

Cabo Da Roca is the westernmost point in mainland Europe. The point is located 42 km west of Lisbon.

I recommend a trip to Cascais and Estoril which is located 40 minutes from Lisbon by train. Cascais and Estoril have long been the playground for the richest families in Portugal. During World War II many of Europe's royal families lived here because Portugal was neutral. In Estoril you will find Casino Estoril which is supposed to be the largest casino in Europe. Both cities are famous for their beaches.

Faro is the capital in the Algarve coast. The town is famous for the white beaches and tourist resorts and there is really not much to see in Faro from a cultural-historical perspective.

Lisbon is the largest city in Portugal. In the case of Lisbon city, it is quite a lot to see. Everything is in walking distance from each other so you do not need to use tram or bus to get around. The fortress Castelo de São Jorge is located on a hill in the middle of town and allows a 360 degree views over Lisbon and surrounding areas. The Lisbon cathedral is a 5-7 minute walk from the castle. Ponte 25 de Abril bridge is the name of the sister bridge to the Golden Gate in San Francisco and worth a visit. The bridge was named Ponte Salazar after António de Oliveira Salazar who was a dictator in Portugal from 1932 to 1968. The name was changed to Ponte 25 de Abril bridge after the revolution in april 1974. On the opposite side of the river that Lisbon is located at the statue Cristo-Rei which is a statue inspired by Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.

The Alfama neighborhood in lisbon is quite close to the castle. This is the oldest part of Lisbon and it can be a bit tricky to navigate your way in the narrow streets. Baixa is the heart of Lisbon and has a relatively new architecture. In Baixa you will also find the Santa Justa Lift which was designed by Raul Mesnier de Ponsard who was s pupil of Gustave Eiffel. Parts of Lisbon was destroyed by the great earthquake of 1755 which is why there are mainly new buildings in the city. Chiado is the shopping area of town where Luís de Camões Square is located. Chiado is named after António Ribeiro. Bairro Alto is another part of central Lisbon and this is where the best nightlife of Lisbon exist.

If you have planned to stay a couple of days in Lisbon you should do a daytrip to Bélem, Cabo Da Roca, Cascais, Estoril and Sintra.

Porto is the secound larges city in Portugal and is situated in northern Portugal. The city is called Oporto in english and is located at the banks of the Douro river. The Alto Douro (a wine district in Portugal) is situated upstream from Porto. The historic centre of Porto is declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Vila Nova de Gaia lies on the opposite side of Douro than Lisbon. The latin name of the city, Portus Cale, is the origin of the name of Portugal. In porto there are lots of shoe shops. The Oporto cathedral is the longest surviving structure in Porto and one of the most important Romanesque monuments in Portugal. In Porto everything is within walking distance.

Sintra is in many ways a unique place. The town is on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Visiting Sintra you should visit Pena castle, The Pena Park and the Castelo dos Mouros which was built by the Moors. Pena castle has a very special architecture, which is definitely worth visiting. The Pena Park is one of the nicest places I have ever been to and could look somewhat similar to what Middle-earth would look like.

Vila Nova de Gaia is on the other side of Duoro river from Porto and is where the world famous Port wine is stored and aged. The lodges where the Port wine is stored have become a major tourist attraction and is worth a visit.