Portugal
Geography
TERRITORY
Located in Southern Europe, facing the Atlantic Ocean,
in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula, it borders only with Spain
and has about 830 kilometers of coast to the south and west, washed by the ocean.
Its territory, corresponding to the ancient Roman province of Lusitania, occupies a long strip of territory
about 700 km and 150-200 km wide which from the reliefs of the Iberian Meseta descends to the Atlantic coast.
Climate
TEMPERATURES
In the north, the climate of Portugal is predominantly Atlantic, mild and very rainy in all seasons.
In the south, the climate is typically Mediterranean and therefore dry. The innermost lands, towards the border with Spain,
undergo a transition phase from oceanic influences to more continental characteristics.
In the Azores archipelago, the climate is temperate and humid and the spontaneous vegetation is reduced to short stretches of forest.
During spring and summer the climate is sunny and temperatures are very high especially in July and August, with the highs ranging between 35°C and 40°C inside,
and 30°C and 35°C in the north. .
Airports
The largest airport in Portugal is Lisbon Airport located 6 kilometers north of the center of the capital Lisbon, to reach the airport you have to take the extension of the A12 motorway. Since 2016 it has taken on the name of Humberto Delgado Airport. Other international airports located in Portugal are, the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport located about 10 kilometers from the city center of Porto, Faro International Airport, served by many low cost airlines operating connections with Northern Europe and the United Kingdom, the international airport of Madeira, located in the archipelago 16 kilometers northeast of the capital Funchal, immediately after the tourist resort of Santa Catarina, and finally the Ponta Delgada airport in the Azores archipelago. The national airline TAP Portugal currently serves more than 40 destinations in Europe, Africa and America, flying over 6.5 million passengers.
First company in the world for connections between Europe and Brazil, TAP Portugal focuses on Portugal's connections from Lisbon with i Countries of Europe and with Latin America, where it is the first company in the world for connections between Europe and Brazil. From Italian airports it guarantees connections to Lisbon and Porto from Rome, Venice and Milan with arrivals at Malpensa Airport and Linate Airport . In America it is possible to reach with TAP Portugal Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Salvador, Recife, Natal, Fortaleza; Venezuela: Caracas; United States of America: New York. Connections with the destinations of the former Portuguese colonies in Africa such as Guinea, Senegal, Cape Verde, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa, Angola are also developed.
Language
The official language of Portugal is Portuguese, fifth most spoken language in the world and third in the West.
Beaches
Characteristic and popular are the beaches located in the coastal area of the Algarve. The water on the south coast is calm and warm compared to the west coast, influenced by the marine currents of the Atlantic Ocean. For surfing the fabulous beaches along the coast west near Lisbon and Peniche. To visit too the beaches of the Costa Vicentina, in the Alentejo region.
The most famous ones are,
Espinho, near Porto, on the Costa Verde, to the north.
Figueira da Foz, near Coimbra, on the Costa de Prata, central region.
Peniche
Praia das Maçãs and Praia Grande[Sintra], Carcavelos and Estoril[Cascais], near Lisbon.
Zambujeira do Mar, on the Costa Alentejana and Vicentina.
Salema, Praia da Rocha, in the Algarve.
Hotels
for flight choices and hotel reservations we recommend the specialized site booking
Major cities
the major urban centers are,
Albufeira, Almada, Amarante, Aveiro, Braga, Coimbra, Évora, Lighthouse, Fatima, Look, Guimaraes, Lisbon, Porto, Setubal, Silves, Tavira, Villa Real, Vise
The capital of Portugal Lisbon is located on the right bank of the great Tagus estuary. Standing on seven hills, it is a lively city with a Mediterranean character. owns large colorful tree-lined avenues and neighborhoods that develop on the surrounding hills, with lush almost tropical vegetation. The banks of the estuary, are connected by two bridges, a giant iron bridge, called XXV de Abril and the other the very long Vasco da Gama Bridge, about 18 km long. The port of Lisbon is the largest in the country and some of the major industries are located here.
Capital of the "Norte" region, Porto is located on the Atlantic and on the Douro River, it is a city rich in medieval and Renaissance works of art. It is crossed by the Douro River and is the main port of shipment of Portuguese wines widely exported all over the world, the most famous of all the Port. Its historic center, which includes the old Ribeira district, has been declared by UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Local transport
Trains from Lisbon reach all the most important cities such as Porto, Braga, Aveiro, Coimbra, Evora, Faro. The fast Alfa-Pendular trains are comfortable and first class is excellent. These trains stop only in the main cities, Braga, Porto, Gaia, Aveiro, Coimbra, Lisbon and Faro.