Portugal and her Isles Tours & Travel | April 2019

Portugal is a traveller’s dream come true. You’ll find fortified towns with cobblestoned streets, well preserved castles dating back to the medieval period, glorious beaches, food and wine to die for and magnificent coastal and inland scenery. It has no less than 15 UNESCO-listed cultural and natural sights! All-the-more fascinating when you consider this tiny country is just 92,000kms - meaning it can fit into Australia over 82 times. The fact that it is a small country, means getting around and seeing the core sites is easy. You don’t need to spend long days travelling from place to place. In the morning you can be on a beach, by lunch time in the mountains and in the afternoon, a vineyard! Portugal is relatively inexpensive in comparison with some of her European neighbours – especially the wine! On arrival into Portugal you might notice how tall you are in comparison with the locals! Due to genetics, the average height of the Portuguese is considerably shorter than many other western societies. It makes sight-seeing through crowds, just that much easier!

Once a medieval super power due to its superior navigational skills, Portugal has history at every turn. It was visited – invaded – by the Romans, the Celts, The neighbouring Moors and Christians. Today, the country is primarily a Catholic society with over 80% of the 10.5 million inhabitants, identifying as being Catholic. Today, Portuguese is the 6th most spoken language in the world. This is mainly due to the colonisation of countries like Brazil, Angola, Mozambique and even parts of India and the subcontinent.

On our small group tour to this fascinating country, you will not only visit the best on offer on the mainland,

you’ll also visit some of the Isles off the coast in the Atlantic - Madeira, Sao Miguel, Faial and Pico in the Azores. The scenery on these volcanic islands will take your breath away, as will the fresh seafood at the numerous fishing villages on the coast. Grab your camera, hat, sun glasses, bathers and appetite!   

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

1. Tram and funicular rides through Lisbon’s Old Town
2. District of Belem – don’t forget the famous tarts
3. Beautiful Sintra with her palace and castle
4. The Duoro wine region of the north – postcard perfect
5. The medieval fortified cities of Obidos, Evora and others
6. The stunning Azores and Atlantic islands