Portugal
Portugal - One of the most fascinating destinations in Europe Portugal is an extraordinarily diverse little country. Only 560km long and 220km wide,it packs in a fantastic range of attractions, from lush green valleys and high mountain ranges in the north to balmy beaches and dreamy olive groves and cork plantations in the south. Cultural gems are everywhere, including Unesco World Heritage Sites at Evora, Porto, Guimaraes, Batalha and Alcobaça.
Entertainment is among the hottest in Europe, with bars and clubs staying open till dawn in Lisbon, Porto, Cascais, Lagos and Albufeira. And if you're after outdoor action you can find it at championship surf spots all along the coast, at top-notch golf courses in the Algarve, or on challenging bike trails in the unspoilt hinterlands.
Best of all, none of this is hard to reach. You can take a train from Faro, the Algarve's capital in the south, to Porto, in the north, in just seven hours; or cross the waist of the country, west to east, from Lisbon to Elvas, in under four. Not that anyone likes to rush in Portugal. Savouring life slowly is a Portuguese passion.
And much of the best is humble -traditional folk festivals celebrated with fervour in the tiniest village; food that is simple and honest, often drowning in olive oil; music that pulls at the heart strings, recalling past loves and glories; and markets that overflow with fish, fruit and flowers. Only relatively recently has all this begun to be appreciated.
At the southwesternmost corner of Europe, Portugal has long been considered a land apart, overlooked on Western itineraries. For centuries it was ruled by Romans and then Moors, and perennially in Spain's shadow. But in the 12th century it emerged as a nation-state, making it one of Europe's oldest countries.
Two hundred years later its brave mariners ventured into the unknown, ultimately discovering a sea route to India and turning Portugal into one of the richest, most powerful kingdoms in the western hemisphere. It was an extraordinary achievement for such a tiny country and one that shaped the people's relationship to the sea forever.
But the Golden Age couldn't last; by the 17th century Portugal had begun to slip into chaos and obscurity on Europe's forgotten hem. Political turmoil, a devastating earthquake in 1755 and complicated wars seriously weakened the nation. The modem turning point came in 1974 when an almost bloodless revolution finally brought 48 years of dictatorship to an end.
Portugal's African colonies were given their independence, and anew constitution committed the country to a blend of socialism and democracy. Thanks largely to massive European Union (EU) funding, recent changes have been fast and furious: new highways to Spain, new urban development, new enterprises and new confidence.
Events such as Expo 98 encouraged major infrastructure development, transforming the capital and restoring its pride. The country steps into the limelight again in 2004 as host of the European Football Championships, providing a further boost to national prestige. The growing affluence of the past decade has altered the lifestyles of many young Portuguese and introduced better facilities everywhere.
Largely gone are the cobbled, potholed roads, donkey carts and simple guesthouses which many earlier visitors found charming. But Portugal's long isolation has left much that is extraordinarily, often appealingly, old-fashioned. Even the capital, Lisbon, remains one of Europe's most attractive and relaxing cities, successfully introducing modem improvements while rejuvenating its historic areas with sensitivity.
Much the same is true of the countryside. Although patches of Portugal's coastline (in particular along the Algarve) have been overdeveloped, there is plenty still left that is wild, unspoilt and stunningly beautiful, protected within a network of parks and reserves that host an amazing variety of flora and fauna.
While the south, particularly the Alentejo, seems carpeted with vast fanning estates (originally founded by the Romans) and yawning vistas of cork oaks and wheat, the north reflects an even older agricultural system of tiny smallholdings. Socially, too, there are obvious north-south divisions: southern Portuguese tend to be outgoing and 'Mediterranean', while northerners are more conservative and religious, taking their traditions very seriously.
In remote parts of the rural north of Portugal, where EU funds have yet to trickle down, life seems to have changed little in centuries. As a traveller in this still underexplored corner of Europe you've got some enviable choices: stick to the Algarve with its lively resorts, golf courses and water sports; loiter in Lisbon with its upbeat attitude and lively nightlife; trek into remote mountains where Portuguese themselves rarely go; or follow a cultural trail that could include im- maculate hill-top villages, such as Monsanto, Monsaraz or Marvao, or the famous Alto Douro port wine region, another Unesco World Heritage site.
Accommodation is admirable, the wine is wonderful and the food, if not refined, is certainly plentiful. And although prices are rising as facilities get upgraded everywhere, you'll generally find excellent value for money.
Add to this a generous supply of sunshine and you've got one of the most attractive, alluring destinations in Europe. Rare is the visitor who fails to be affected by a touch of saudade -a wistful longing for the past. As soon as you leave Portugal, you'll want to return.
