Portugal

Portugal has a long maritime history and boasts one of the best coastlines in Europe along its breathtaking Algarve coast.

The capital Lisbon is an intriguing mix of cobbled streets, open and airy piazzas and hilly suburbs sitting on the river Tejo. Its oldest districts are the Baixa and Alfama, where one can see the city's most rewarding sights: from bustling markets and craft stalls set among colourful buildings and brooding castles, to quiet alleys, ancient cobbled streets and placid plazas.

Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, the principal remnant of Manueline architecture is one of the only buildings to survive the great earthquake of 1755. Nearby is the Torre de Belém, standing on the river and probably the most photographed monument in Portugal.

Lisbon has many museums, primarily the Museu Nacional do Azulejo, the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, and Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, with exhibits of paintings, sculptures, carpets, coins and ceramics from around the world.

Oporto’s attractions include the Old Relação Prison, Commercial Restaurant, and the Wine Institute Building, with its marble memorial stones describing dates and facts of the history of wines from the region.

Faro is the hub of the Algarve region with both modern and ancient architecture, it is full of monuments and cathedrals, most notably the Nossa Senhora da Assuncão Convent and São Francisco Church. The old city is also a delight, still surrounded by Roman walls. Also worth visiting is the city’s Archeological Museum, set in a 16th Century Convent.