What Do You Know About Portugal?
Usually, I do not discuss travel destinations on this blog. However, Portugal is one of my favorite countries, so I wanted to share with you some information about it in case you ever want to visit it. I am sure you will find some of the information quite interesting.
Portugal is a country situated in the South Western part of Europe. It comprises not only of mainland, but also of islands of Madeira and Azores. Today, Portugal is a well developed country being a member of European Union since 1986, United Nations since 1955, as well as a few other organizations.
This Southern European country has a very rich history and is famous for its wide explorations and colonization of the world. The so-called Age of Discovery started with the reign of Henry the Navigator who became the main sponsor of numerous voyages that aimed at discovering new territories overseas. Among the most renowned explorers we can find Vasco da Gama, Pedro Alvares Cabral, and Afonso de Albuquerque. Throughout its colonial bloom, Portugal conquered many lands in South America, Africa, and Asia. There are also some interesting speculations that it might have been Portuguese who first discovered Australia.
Portugal is a country which is a popular holiday destination for citizens from Western and Northern Europe. What attracts tourists is its pleasant climate with hot summers with no rain, numerous sandy beaches, attractive architecture, and rich history. The annual temperature ranges between 13 and 18 Celcius degrees. This makes Portugal one of the warmest countries in Europe. The main holiday resorts are spread across the seashore with many of them being situated in the Algarve coast which is in the south. The capital city Lisbon, also known as Lisboa in Portuguese, is visited by many tourists due to its historical and architectural richness.