Sintra.
The town of Sintra is located northwest of Lisbon.. It is under the protection of UNESCO. Sintra was loved by the Portuguese monarchs; here is – Palacio Nacional da Pena – a unique monument of the era of romanticism, which housed the summer residence of the Portuguese kings. From the height of this palace, you can see the entire city. Another interesting palace is the Palacio Nacional de Sintra, whose architecture is a mixture of Manuelian and Gothic styles. Not far from the city are the gardens of Monserrate, and a little further away is the Convento dos Capuchos, a 16th-century rock-hewn dwelling with some rooms upholstered in cork wood. Of the churches, the most notable are the Romanesque of St. Martin, the Romanesque-Gothic of St. Mary, St. Peter Penaferrimsky, Santo Antonio do Penedo (all built in the 15th-16th centuries), the Peninha Chapel, lined with tiles in the Baroque style. Sintra has a unique Toy Museum, the exhibits of which cover the period of the 16th to the 20th centuries. According to Top-mba-universities, the mild and humid microclimate of the city contributes to the development of lush vegetation, here you can find plants of the rarest species that are not found anywhere else in Portugal. This is a real green paradise with unusually healing mountain air.
In the vicinity of Sintra are the Capuchin Monastery (XVI century) and Cape Roca. Cape Roca is the westernmost point in Europe. On a stone stele 140 m high, it is written: “Here the earth ends and the sea begins.” You can buy a certificate to remember your stay in this place.
Porto.
Porto – the second most populous city in Portugal, which gave the name to port wine and the whole country. It is located in the north of the country and stands at the mouth of the Douro River. Porto has preserved the originality of the Middle Ages and literally “breathes” history. The old city in Porto is smaller than in Lisbon, but its labyrinth of streets and lanes is no less bizarre and intricate. The pride of the architectural heritage of Porto are both medieval houses and buildings in the Baroque or Art Nouveau style. The main attractions of Porto – Se Cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace, the Stock Exchange building, the City Hall, Liberty Square with beautiful buildings of the 19th-20th centuries, Rua das Flores, the coastal Ribeira quarter with picturesque facades of houses. On the river Douro you can take a walk on a pleasure boat. Four bridges connect Porto with its satellite town of Vila Nova de Gaia, home to the famous port wine vaults for more than 300 years.
Albufeira.
Albufeira is one of the most visited places in Portugal. The charm of the city is in its small fishing port, rocks and white houses. Here you can sunbathe on the beach, visit an amusement park with an aquarium, as well as performances with dolphins and seals. You can take walks in a balloon, hang glider, paragliding, scuba diving, go down the river.
Faro.
Faro has been the capital of the Algarve province since 1756. The city witnessed the heyday of the Roman Empire and Arab rule, it was very favored by the royal house of Portugal. Faro gained such importance that in 1540 the episcopate from Silves was transferred here. The main attractions of the city: the fortress wall, the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral, built in a mixed architectural style; monastery of the Assumption of the Virgin (1543), the Church of St. Francis (XVI – XVIII centuries), the Church of St. Peter, the Church of Karmo in the Baroque style (1719). Of great interest are the city museums: Henry the Navigator, local history and St. Antonio di Alto. At the exit from the Algarve in the direction of Olhao, there is an observation deck that overlooks the natural park of Ria Formosa. This reserve is home to many birds, more than a hundred species of fish, shellfish.
Coimbra.
Coimbra is the main city of central Portugal., shopping and transport center. It is famous for its university, founded in 1290. In Coimbra, you should see a collection of sculptures from the 16th century, a Roman aqueduct, a cathedral from the 12th century. in the Romanesque style, the 16th century Santa Cruz Church, the Church of Santa Clara, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To the south of the city is located the largest monument of ancient Roman architecture in Portugal – the ruins of Conimbriga.
Fatima, a world famous pilgrimage site, is located 16 km southwest of Coimbra. Two kilometers from Fatima, on May 13, 1917, the miracle of the appearance of the Virgin Mary to children took place. Since then, every year at this time, hundreds of thousands of Catholics come here to bow to Our Lady of Fatima. The center of pilgrimage is the large esplanade in front of the Basilica of the Virgin of the local white limestone (to accommodate all the faithful, the area was made twice as large as St. Peter ‘s Square in the Vatican) and the Church of the Vision, built on the site of a miraculous apparition. Nowadays, the city has gained international importance, religious ceremonies are regularly held here, and many religious orders have arisen under the Basilica.
Evora.
Evora is the largest city in the province of Alentejo in the center of Portugal. This city, founded by the Romans, is included in the list of World Heritage Cities under the auspices of UNESCO. Here are such unique monuments as the Roman temple of Diana of the 2nd century (the only surviving Roman temple in the country), the Romanesque-Gothic museum of church art, the Gothic-Moorish chapel, the church of St. Francisco with a chapel made of bones, the Cathedral of Se.
Tomar.
Tomar is located in central Portugal. It is the former capital of the Knights Templar. The most significant monument of the city is the majestic Monastery of the Knights of Christ, built in 1160. Even in the city, it is worth seeing the church of Igreia de San João Baptisto, the Renaissance basilica of Igreia de Nossa Señora da Conceicao, the monasteries of Santa Iria, Anunciada, San Francisco.
Peneda-Geres National Park.
The national park is located in the north of Portugal near the city of Bragança. Here you can get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the country. The park is often visited by locals on holidays and weekends, they are accommodated in the main campsites and hotels and are rarely found in the remote corners of the park. It has its own railway with stops at places where you can swim, ride a horse, mountain bike or canoe.
Portuguese bullfight.
When visiting Portugal, you can not ignore the bullfight. During the festivities, bullfighting is organized in many cities of the country. And in order to find out its features, you need to go to the province of Ribatejo – the country of Portuguese cowboys, where bulls and horses have long been bred. This festival takes place only in May, once a year. The rest of the time, bullfighting is shown exclusively for tourists.
