Portugal
Portugal is a southern European country on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain. Its location on the Atlantic Ocean has influenced many aspects of its culture: salt cod and grilled sardines are national dishes, the Algarve's beaches are a major destination and much of the nation’s architecture dates to the 1500s–1800s, when Portugal had a powerful maritime empire - which made the country a true global power. Portugal today is home to a wide array of beautiful cities, landmarks, landscapes, and much more - so let's take a look at this iconic and unique country.
Our trip to Portugal begins in the iconic city of Lisbon. Lisbon is Portugal’s hilly, coastal capital city - and from the imposing São Jorge Castle, the old city’s pastel-colored buildings, and it's beautiful waterfront along the Tagus River, it's one of the continent's most beautiful cities.
Another view of Lisbon's historic Old Quarter from high above.
With its grand 18th-century arcades, lemon-meringue facades and mosaic cobbles, the riverfront Praça do Comércio is the most magnificent plaza in Lisbon, and one of the highlights of the city.
Another one of Lisbon's most unique waterfront landmarks is the Portugal Pavilion. Constructed for the 1998 world fair held in Lisbon - Expo98 - it's amazed locals and tourists ever since.
Our last sight from Lisbon is the Belém Tower - officially known as the Tower of Saint Vincent, this 16th-century fortification served as a point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers over the centuries and stands as a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon.
After exploring Lisbon's iconic sights and landmarks, we head south along Portugal's Atlantic coastline until we've arrived at the Algarve - a southern region of Portugal noted for its beautiful coastline and beaches. The Ponta da Piedade is one of the Algarve's most iconic sights - this headland with a group of rock formations along the coastline of the town of Lagos consists of yellow-golden cliff-like rocks up to 20 meters high and are one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.
For the next couple of scenes, we'll be exploring Portugal's hilly interior. The country is home to a number of notable rivers bringing much needed irrigation to the region, such as the The Douro - and the Douro Valley is well known for containing some of Europe's best wine country. Here we see a scenic view of some of the vineyards flanking the surrounding river.
The Castelo de Montemor-o-Novo is one of the country's most impressive landmarks and is a National Monument - the fort's walls, built during the reign of King Dinis, remain surrounded by eleven massive turrets. The Alcazaba (currently in ruins) was constructed during the reign of King Sancho I and is protected by two towers - a popular photo destination.
After exploring many of mainland Portugal's most impressive sights and landmarks, we catch a plane for The Azores - an autonomous region of Portugal, located roughly 1,000 miles west of Lisbon in the Mid-Atlantic. The islands are characterized by dramatic landscapes, fishing villages, and green pastures - and despite their northerly location, they're also noted for their mild climate. São Miguel, the largest of the islands, is known for its beautiful lake-filled calderas, as seen below.
The trip concludes with a visit to Sete Cidades - this municipality of the Azores is located on a twin lake situated in the crater of a dormant volcano, and is one of the island's most popular destinations and beautiful locations.
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-korver
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