Portugal wears the ornaments of modernity and the artifacts of the past with equal elegance. With the oldest established borders in Europe, Portugal broke free from Moorish rule to reach great heights as a superpower during the Golden Age of discovery and imperial expansion, but plummeted to lows as a vassal under Spanish and French dominion. These extremes of fortune have contributed to the Portuguese concept of saudade, a yearning for people, places, and times that are gone, an idea that finds its greatest expression in the musical style fado. Saudade may be stitched into the soul of the nation, but Portugal is a vibrant country with pulsing cities, animated festivals, and a fervent passion for soccer. From the quiet forests of Douro and Minho to the rollicking coastal scene of the Algarve, cosmopolitan Lisboa to the sun-drenched, castle-dotted interior towns, the country is a treasure trove of landscapes, art, and architecture. Portugal has something to offer every traveler, including a sense of saudade when it comes time to leave.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, Portugal ruled a wealthy empire that stretched from America to Asia, and was one of the most powerful nations in the world. While the country’s international prestige ...more
The European Union declared Portugal a full member of the EU Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999, and the nation continues its quest to close the economic gap with the rest of Western Europe. Political ...more
Although this softer sister of Spanish is closely related to the other Romance languages, modern Portuguese is an amalgamation of diverse influences. The majority of Portuguese is derived from Latin ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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