Discovering the Real Portugal
British holidaymakers have enjoyed the many splendid facilities and superb weather that can found on the Algarve and the Portuguese holiday islands of the Azores and Madeira. But Portugal has so much more to offer.
Rich in heritage but geared for the future
Portugal is one of the oldest countries in Europe. A seafaring nation, like Britain, the Portuguese discovered ocean routes to India, Brazil, China and Japan as well as founding settlements in East and West Africa.
Their cultural heritage is still to be found in the Portuguese speaking nations around the world.
In recent years, time and money have been spent on improving the infrastructure for tourism. The growth in hotel and conference facilities, has led to increasing numbers of visitors drawn by the wonderful natural resources that the country has to offer.
The Regions of Portugal
Porto and the North of Portugal is the oldest region and include the area around the Douro River that is lined with terraced vineyards that produce the famous Port Wine. This part of the region has a rich cultural heritage and includes everything from prehistoric cave paintings, medieval castles, Romanesque churches and Baroque mansions. The coastal area of Minho has beautiful beaches, summer resorts and a huge, mountainous, national park.
The main city of Porto is classified as a World Heritage Site. Its features include an international airport, many buildings of historical interest and the famous Port lodges in Vila Nova de Gala.
The Beiras is the Central Region of Portugal and features extensive beaches and fishing villages along the coast whilst inland mountains and plateaus are the dominant features.
The bigger towns of such as Coimbra, Aveiro, Viseu, Guarda and Castelo Branco reveal a plethora of treasures but around every corner of the region there is something of interest for the visitor.
Lisbon, the capital of Portugal since 1255, stretches along the banks of the Tagus River.
As well as being a centre of culture and heritage, Lisbon is steeped with a wealth of artefacts from across the ages. It also has many fine hotels, superb shopping and a vibrant nightlife.
Beyond Lisbon the rich river valley supports such towns as Abrantes, Constância, Vila Nova da Barquinha and Santarém. As well as popular music and dance, horseman in traditional costume can still be seen rounding up their cattle.
The vast golden plain of Alentejo provides traces of successive cultures such as dolmens and cromlechs, Roman and Arab, as well as numerous early Christian churches. Magnificent medieval castles can be found at Nisa, Castelo de Vide, Marvão, Portalegre, and Alter do Chão. The coastline to the west offers many magnificent Atlantic beaches.
Conquered in 1292 by the Moors, the Algarve offers a lot more to visitors than they might think.
In the north the mountain ranges of Espinhaço de Cão, Monchique and Caldeirão shelters the coast from the strong winds and is renowned for fig trees, orange groves and almond trees.
The southern coastline provides fabulous sandy beaches, rugged cliffs, a diverse range of accommodation from five star luxury hotels and quaint holiday resorts. Activities include water sports, tennis and golf.
Ease of accessibility
The close proximity of Portugal to the UK and excellent air links from UK airports has made the country an important destination for the tourist and business traveller alike. The many hidden gems' that Portugal has to offer, make it an ideal location for an event manager looking for something really different.
Providing support for Conferences and Events
Ambient Events Limited has developed close links with the tourist offices throughout Portugal. We have also set up a comprehensive database of hotels, conference venues, and attractions. Ambient has developed close links with a select number of Destination Management companies in the country who work with our project managers to ensure your event meets all your expectations.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|