Portugal

Portugal attracts many tourists each year. Tourism is playing an increasingly important role in its economy.

Portugal, in Southern Europe, shares the Iberian peninsula at the western tip of Europe with Spain. Geographically and culturally somewhat isolated from its neighbor, Portugal has a rich, unique culture, lively cities and beautiful countryside. Although it was once one of the poorest countries in Western Europe, the end of dictatorship and introduction of Democracy in 1974, as well as its incorporation into the European Union in 1986, has meant increased prosperity -- and increased prices for travelers. Still, it may be one of the best value destinations on the Continent. This is because the country offers outstanding landscape diversity, due to its North-South disposition along the western shore of the Iberian peninsula. You can travel in a single day from green mountains in the North, covered with vines and all varieties of trees to rocky mountains, with spectacular slopes and falls in the Centre, to a near-desert landscape in the Alentejo region and finally to the glamorous Algarve. If you want a condensed view of European landscapes, culture and way of life, Portugal might very well fit the bill.

If you want to spend your holidays in the countryside, you might want to visit Braga, Viana do Castelo, Castelo Branco, Guarda, or even Viseu. If you are more into visiting beautiful monuments and enjoy remarkable views, then Lisbon, Porto, Setubal, Braga, Sintra, Bragança and Évora are some of the cities with wonderful and magnificent monuments. On the reverse, you have the Algarve's beaches and sport's clubs. At night Setubal, Lisbon, Porto and Algarve are the best choices as you have major places of entertainment. And even if you wish to observe wild life in its natural state, Madeira and Azores Islands are places to remember.

Surrounded by sea in almost it's entirety, the Portuguese beaches are well worth visiting. A lot of activities are offered, from surfing, to kite-surfing, and during the summer months the most frequented beaches offer sand based activities such as aerobics. If you're not the type of breaking into a sweat during holidays, almost every single public beach will have a bar where locals sit, eat/drink and socialise.

Ski resorts

Serra da Estrela

Beach resorts

Praia da Ilha da Culatra, Praia da Falésia, Praia da Arda, Praia da Torreira, Praia da Barra, Praia de São Pedro de Moel, Fajã do Mar, Praia da Marinha *Praia Dourada*, Praia de Santa Eulália, Praia da Ilha da Fuzeta, Praia das Maçãs, Praia da Aguda , Praia da Figueira da Foz , Praia de Maceda Aveiro, Praia de Moledo Viana do Castelo, Albufeira, Alvor, Carvoeiro, Monte Gordo, Olhos d'Agua, Praia da Falesia, Praia da Rocha, Vilamoura

Spa resorts

Moinhos Velhos, Choupana Hills Resort & Spa, Real Bellavista Hotel & SPA, Grande Real Santa Eulália Resort & Spa Hot, Alvorecer, Penha Longa Hotel and Golf Resort, Jasbah - City Spa; Sesimbra Hotel & Spa, Sesimbra; Tivoli Ocean Park, Funchal, Madeira; Grande Real Santa Eulalia Resort & Hotel Spa, Albufeira, Algarve; The Savoy Resort, Funchal, Madeira; Vila Vita Parc Resort & Spa, Porches, Diana Spa , Sheraton Porto Hotel & SPA

Golf regions

Porto, Lisbon, Lagos, Faro, Vila Sol Golf Club, Vilamoura Golf Club. Pinhal Course, Vilamoura Golf Club. Millennium Course, Vilamoura Golf Club. Laguna Course, Vilamoura Golf Club. Old Course, Alto Golf and Country Club, Boavista Golf Course, Benamor Golf Course, Castro Marim Golf Club, Colina Verde Golf course, Palmares Golf Club, Parque da Floresta Golf Club, Penina Championship Golf Course, Pine Cliffs Golf Course, Pinheiros Altos Golf Club, Quinta da Cima Golf Club, Quinta da Ria Golf Club, Quinta do Lago Golf Course. South Course, Quinta do Lago Golf Course. Ria Formosa (North Course) Quinta do Lago Golf Course. Salgados Golf Club, San Lorenzo Golf Course. Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo Ocean Course, Vale do Lobo Royal Course, Vale de Milho Golf Course, Victoria Golf Club, Vilamoura Golf Club. Old Course, Hotel Palacio Estoril, Estoril; Tivoli Marinotel, Vilamoura, Algarve; The Savoy Resort, Funchal, Madeira; Vila Vita Parc Resort & Spa, Porches; Hotel Quinta da Marinha Resort, Cascais