Portugal

Porto (Oporto)
Portugal's second-largest city is also the gateway to Northern Portugal and the port wine region. The city occupies a stunning site on granite hills overlooking the Douro River, and the Atlantic Ocean is just a Metro ride away.

Cálem Port Wine Lodge, Porto
In Vila Nova de Gaia, across the River Douro from Porto's old town, you can see how Port wine is made and sip the finished products.

Lisbon
Browse our illustrated travel advice and Web links for a city with great scenery and a perfect climate.

Lisbon's Museu do Oriente
A stunning new museum in a former salt-cod warehouse traces Portugal's historic and cultural role in the Far East, introduces Asian gods, and has temporary exhibits drawn from a collection of more than 13,000 objects.

Oceanário de Lisboa
Lisbon's Oceanarium is the second-largest acquarium of its kind in the world, and the largest in Europe. It has more than 16,00 fish, mammals, and other species in a striking modern building along the River Tagus.

Sintra's Pena National Palace
Take a suburban train to Sintra, just 40 minutes outside LIsbon, where a 19th Century Moorish- and medieval-style castle is perched on a rocky ridge above a romantic hillside park.

Pastéis de Belém
No visit to Lisbon's Mosteiro dos Jerónimos or the Torre de Belém is complete without a visit to this bakery-café next door to the monastery, which has been serving delectable custard tarts since 1837.

Lisbon-Madrid Night Train
The Lusitánia Comboio Trenhotel is jointly operated by CP Portuguese Railways and Renfe Spanish Railways. Accommodations range from reclining seats to "Gran Clase" staterooms with private sink, WC, and shower.

Hotel Rural Casa dos Viscondes da Várzea, Lamego
Portugal's most celebrated mother has reclaimed her family's Douro Valley wine estate and converted the 17th Century manor house into a delightful country hotel.

Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo
Dine, stay, and learn about wines on a hillside estate whose cellars date back to 1764. You'll be surrounded by 85 acres of 210 acres of Class A grapevines. (Free wine and walking tours are also available, and special "harvest programs" are offered during the grape-picking season.)

The Algarve
Great beaches, spectacular scenery, pleasant towns, and reasonable prices make Portugal's Algarve delightful--especially in winter, spring, or fall.

Buçaco (Bussaco), Portugal
This beautiful forest has 1,400 years of history, and its former royal palace may be Europe's least expensive grand hotel.

Conimbriga Ruins
When you're driving north from Lisbon, don't miss the largest and most impressive Roman archaeological site in Portugal.

Moving to Portugal Made Simple
James Cave's 336-page handbook is essential reading for anyone who dreams of living in Portugal.

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