Looking towards the Atlantic, Portugal has traditionally been a nation of great explorers, and is a country that in turn deserves to be explored itself. Spend a little time here and you will discover a beguiling mix of traditional and modern, where the bustle of the towns and cities contrasts with the tranquillity and simplicity of rural life. This is not the only contrast - there are great differences in the scenery too, especially between the long, rugged coastline of gold-sand beaches and the interior of green, rounded hills where beautiful displays of wild flowers light up the slopes each spring. Wherever you go, you will be struck by the distinctive, almost tangible, timelessness, and by the tasty cuisine featuring dried salted codfish (bacalhau) and dishes such as pork with clams.
Algarve
There are two very different sides to unspoiled western Algarve, both equally rewarding to discover. On the coast, undulating paths lead along the top of weathered, honey-coloured cliffs punctuated by sleepy, whitewashed fishing villages and crumbling fortresses such as that at Sagres. Beneath the cliffs lie secluded, sandy bays that stretch westwards towards dramatic Cape St Vincent, the very edge of Europe, where the Romans believed that the sun sank into the Atlantic every evening. Inland is a different scene entirely, even lesser-known than the coast. Here, groves of orange and almond trees give way to the rugged, cork-oak clad hills of the Monchique Sierra whose paths reward you with wide-reaching views.
Looking towards the Atlantic, Portugal has traditionally been a nation of great explorers, and is a country that in turn deserves to be explored itself. Spend a little time here and you will discover a beguiling mix of traditional and modern, where the bustle of the towns and cities contrasts with the tranquillity and simplicity of rural life. This is not the only contrast - there are great differences in the scenery too, especially between the long, rugged coastline of gold-sand beaches and the interior of green, rounded hills where beautiful displays of wild flowers light up the slopes each spring. Wherever you go, you will be struck by the distinctive, almost tangible, timelessness, and by the tasty cuisine featuring dried salted codfish (bacalhau) and dishes such as pork with clams.
There are two very different sides to unspoiled western Algarve, both equally rewarding to discover. On the coast, undulating paths lead along the top of weathered, honey-coloured cliffs punctuated by sleepy, whitewashed fishing villages and crumbling fortresses such as that at Sagres. Beneath the cliffs lie secluded, sandy bays that stretch westwards towards dramatic Cape St Vincent, the very edge of Europe, where the Romans believed that the sun sank into the Atlantic every evening. Inland is a different scene entirely, even lesser-known than the coast. Here, groves of orange and almond trees give way to the rugged, cork-oak clad hills of the Monchique Sierra whose paths reward you with wide-reaching views.