Portugal

Portugal faces the Atlantic rather than the Mediterranean, and that gives it a character of its own: brighter light, cooler sea, a long seafaring history and a slightly melancholy streak heard in fado music. It is compact enough to travel from north to south in a week, and its people are known for being patient and warm with visitors.

Lisbon spreads over seven hills above the Tagus, with old trams climbing through the Alfama and Belém's monuments to the age of discovery on the waterfront. Day trips run to the palaces of Sintra, the walled village of Óbidos and the surf town of Nazaré. Porto, in the north, is all granite, azulejo tiles and river views, with port wine lodges across the water in Vila Nova de Gaia. In between lie the university city of Coimbra, the canals of Aveiro and the sanctuary at Fátima. In the south, Lagos is the Algarve at its most dramatic. The Douro Valley, east of Porto, is the home of port wine, with terraced vineyards falling steeply to the river and quintas offering tastings and lunches.

Food is simple and very good. Grilled sardines in summer, bacalhau (salt cod) cooked in countless ways, octopus, cataplana stews and, of course, pastéis de nata. Porto's francesinha sandwich is a meal in itself. Wines go far beyond port, with Douro reds and crisp vinho verde.

We offer Lisbon and Porto city breaks, day tours including Fátima, Sintra and the Silver Coast, guided walks and photography sessions. For longer trips there is a Portugal self-drive tour from Lisbon, Spain and Portugal rail tours, and private van tours that combine both countries. Self-drive suits Portugal well, since roads are good and distances are short, and Alentejo towns such as Évora make a calm stop between Lisbon and the Algarve.