Portugal — Globe Hopping with Irma

WHAT TO DO IN PORTUGAL IN FIVE DAYS

Portugal is one of the prettiest and safest countries in Western Europe. Whether you are travelling with your partner for a romantic getaway, or with your family for an annual vacation, there are so many things that you can do and see in this lovely Mediterranean country. I have been to Lisbon twice and find it incredibly romantic and so rich with culture. Porto, in the north, is also beautiful. And the food- it is one of these countries where you can find the best and freshest seafood in the world, and can be combined with a variety of spices. But most of all, it is the people who I find the most attractive feature of this country: they are nice, friendly and helpful. This makes such a huge difference when you travel somewhere and could not speak their language.

I have not yet been to Algarve, southern part of Portugal where it is very famous for its beautiful beaches, and is a favourite holiday destination for European travellers. Therefore, I will only cover two cities, Lisbon and Porto, in a travel period of five days. There are so many historic and tourist sites, especially in Lisbon, but I feel you can explore many of them in three days. Then I recommend you fly or drive to Porto and spend at least two days there. If you have time, perhaps you should fly down to Faro and explore Algarve’s famous beautiful beaches.

The Republic of Portugal is the westernmost country in continental Europe, and is located on the Iberian Peninsula. To the west and south is the Atlantic Ocean and to the east and north is Spain, where the border runs over 1,200 km long.

Portugal has a long and rich history dating back to prehistoric times, and followed by the Pre-Celts, Celts, Carthaginians, and Romans. In the year 711, the Moors took over the Iberian Peninsula making it part of Muslim Al Andalus. In 1139, Portugal was born and became independent resulting from the Christian Reconquista, where the first Catholic King, Afonso Henriques was proclaimed. By the 15th to 16th century, Portugal became the world’s first global empire. Portuguese explorers pioneered maritime exploration, including the famous Vasco da Gama’s sea route to India at the end of the 15th century, and the discoveries of Brazil and Cape of Good Hope well as the military occupations in Asia.

The Lisbon earthquake of 1755, together with the Napoleonic Wars, Brazil independence and Liberal Wars in the mid 19th century destroyed Portugal’s economy and the country’s world power disintegrated. The 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy and the country became a republic. After a long period of right-wing authoritarian regime, democracy was restored in 1974. Today, the country has left a strong cultural and architectural influence all over the world, where about 250 million people speak Portuguese. It is also the 5th most peaceful country in the world and has a population of over 10 million people.

Because of its very long and rich history, you can find ancient castles and ruins throughout and near the large cities in Portugal. And together with the strong Catholic influence in the past, there are countless numbers of old and ancient churches throughout the country.

Recommended Airlines:

International: TAP Portugal, British, Emirates, Qatar, Lufthansa, and Swiss.

Domestic/Continental Europe: TAP Portugal, British Airways, and Easyjet.