Portugal: Western Europe's Pearl

Portugal is one of the most beautiful nations in western Europe but yet it is one of the least known travel destinations in Europe.

Portugal is a country with 900 years of history. Its geographical location provided the Portuguese with the opportunity to navigate and discover new lands around the world. Because of this, Portuguese culture is rich and diverse.

The country is divided into five regions and two autonomous regions. The major and most well known cities are Lisbon, Braga, Coimbra, Porto and Guimaraes. Here you will be able to find a wide range of museums, historical sites, restaurants and malls. It is in the cities that you will see how the ancient meets the modern as the beautiful architecture of Portugal's plazas and churches still prevails.

This is a country with 530 miles of coastline and it is here where you can enjoy the gorgeous beaches and great sea food Portugal has to offer.

Portugal is also home to some of the best wines in the world. Some of these wines go well with fish dishes. Portuguese food is also delicious and has influenced the food of many countries in the American and Asian continents.

In Northern Portugal you will be able to see historical sites that date back to the Baroque period. And in the southern part of Alentejo the forests and mountains draw an incredible landscape that will leave you breathless.

In short Portugal is an amazing country that although small has an array of diverse scenery and culture. So next time you plan to tour Europe don't forget to include Portugal in your list.

You can find more information about Portugal in this website:
http://www.visitportugal.com/

You can also check out these two videos for more information and pictures (the first video is a National Geographic Clip in Portuguese and Spanish):