Portugal

Culture

The culture of Portugal is the result of a complex flow of different civilizations during the past millennia. From prehistoric cultures, to its Pre-Roman civilizations (such as the Lusitanians, the Gallaeci, the Celtici, and the Cynetes, amongst others), passing through its contacts with the Phoenician-Carthaginian world Roman period (see Hispania, Lusitania and Gallaecia), the Germanic invasions and consequent settlement of the Suebi and Buri (see Kingdom of the Suebi) the Visigoth (see Visigothic Kingdom), Sephardic Jewish, and finally, the Moorish Umayyad invasion of Hispania and the subsequent expulsion, during the Reconquista, all have made an imprint on the country’s culture and history.
The name of Portugal itself reveals much of the country’s early history, stemming from the Roman name Portus Cale, a Latin name meaning “Port of Cale” (some argue that Cale is a word of Celtic origin – Cailleach-Bheur her other name; the Mother goddess of the Celtic people as in Calais, Caledonia, Beira. She was the one who, with a hammer created mountains and valleys; the one who hid in stones and trees – Mother nature), later transformed into Portucale, and finally into Portugal, which emerged as a county of the Kingdom of León see County of Portugal) and became an independent kingdom in 1139. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal was a major economic, political, and cultural power, its global empire stretching from Brazil to the Indies, as well as Macau and Japan.

Portugal, as a country with a long history, is home to several ancient architectural structures, as well as typical art, furniture and literary collections mirroring and chronicling the events that shaped the country and its peoples. It has a large number of cultural landmarks ranging from museums to ancient church buildings to medieval castles, which testify its rich national cultural heritage. Portugal is home to fifteen UNESCO World Heritage Sites, ranking it 8th in Europe and 17th in the world.

Nature

Portugal may be only a small country, but the variety of its landscapes and species is such that any trip, however short, is a pleasure of discovery.
From the towering mountains to the vast plains, from the wide sandy beaches with their gently rolling waves to the jagged coastline battered by rough seas, the country has a little of everything.

And there are also the islands of Madeira and Azores, oases of calm and tranquillity in the middle of the Atlantic, with lush vegetation, extinct volcanoes and caves full of natural carvings.

Wherever you are, the sun shines all year round, offering a mild climate that is ideal for enjoying nature and the outdoors.

Some of these places are true sanctuaries that have been preserved intact since the beginning of time. And many are the habitat of rare species of flora and fauna that enjoy here the ideal conditions to develop.

You can discover them on a walk for observation and contemplation, or in more adrenaline-filled sports and radical activities. They are unforgettable moments, and you will go away with the best holiday memories.

Climate

Portugal is classified as Csb climate; a warm temperate moist forest climate, with wet winters, dry summers and the warmest month above 22°C on average.