Cities, Towns, Villages and Areas of Portugal
Évora
Lagos
Lisbon
Obidos
Porto
Praia D'El Rey
Sintra
Vigo City
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Évora
The walled town of Évora is one of the architectural gems of Portugal.
Situated in a landscape of olive groves, vineyards, wheat fields and brilliant
spring flowers, it's a charming town with one-way back streets so narrow that car
wing mirrors have the potential to be lethal.
The focal point is the Praçado, and its attractions
include the Sé cathedral, which has a museum of ecclesiastical
treasures; the picturesque Roman temple; and the Igreja de São
Francisco, which contains a ghoulish ossuary chapel constructed with the
bones and skulls of several thousand people.
Lagos
Lagos, on the south coast of the Algarve, is one of the country's most popular
tourist resorts. Most visitors are drawn to the superb beaches which include Meia
Praia, a vast strip of sand to the east, and the more secluded Praia do
Pinhão to the south. The town has abundant facilities for renting bicycles,
mopeds and horses, and there are also boat trips from the main harbor. Apart
from the sun and sand, the resort's other highlight is the municipal museum,
which has eccentric displays of ecclesiastical treasures, handicrafts, and
preserved animal fetuses.
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Lisbon
Lisbon (Lisboa), the country's capital, stands breezily on the banks of the
Rio Tejo. The city's low skyline, unpretentious atmosphere and pleasant blend of
architectural styles conspire to make it a favorite with many visitors.
Orientation is fairly straightforward - apart from the puff required to
negotiate the hills - with most of the daily activity centered in the lower part
of the city.
A clear choice for Lisbon's finest attraction is the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos.
Construction began about 1502 and was completed towards the end of the century.
It survived a great earthquake in 1755, and is today the principal remnant of
Manueline architecture found in the city. Nearby is the Torre de Belém,
a Manueline-style tower which stands in the Rio Tejo, and is probably the most
photographed monument in Portugal.
Lisbon has a number of attractive museums including the Museu
Nacional do Azulejo, which contains superb displays of decorative tiles; the
Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, which houses the national collection of
works by Portuguese painters; and the immense Museu Calouste Gulbenkian,
considered the finest museum in Portugal, with exhibits of paintings,
sculptures, carpets, coins and ceramics from around the world.
Other places of interest are the districts of Baixa and Alfama. Here you'll find some of the city's oldest and most rewarding sights: anarchic cobbled streets, squares and alleys; markets and craftspeople, and colorful buildings and brooding castles. Lisbon has a wide range of budget accommodation and cheap eateries, mostly found in the central parts of the city. Lisbon's nightlife is boisterous, and includes drinking in bars, raving at discos, bopping to jazz and African rhythms or puzzling over fado. Local soccer matches and bullfights are the biggest daylight thrills.
Lisbon has a Metro system with 4 different lines -- purple for Linha da Gaivota, yellow for Linha do Girrasol, green for Linha da Caravela, and orange for Linha do Oriente. Tickets are inexpensive and are purchased before entering the station barriers. The Metro operates from 0600 hrs. until 0100 hrs. in the morning. The stations are decorated with interesting works from contemporary Portuguese artists making them worth a visit just from an art point-of-view. New stations and further line extensions are under construction.
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Lisbon
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For information about low cost airport and hotel transfers in Obidos, click on The Transfer Store! The Transfer Store offers taxi, minibus, coach, and limousine transfers between airports and accommodation at low rates and our system is quick and easy to use- just click on the map to get started! You can book return trips or one way going in either direction, up until 3 days before you travel. For additional information and other world wide locations, CLICK HERE! |
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Want to get around on your own while you are in Europe? IdeaMerge offers auto and RV rentals, along with short-term auto and RV leases throughout Europe. Click on RV Rentals Worldwide, and Tax-free Auto Leases in Europe for additional information, or to rent or lease a vehicle of your choice in Europe. |
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Praia D'El Rey
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Sintra
The town of Sintra lies immediately north-west of Lisbon and was long favored by Portuguese royalty and English nobility (Lord Byron was mad about it) as a
summer destination. Its appeal is still evident today, with its thickly wooded
setting, romantic gardens and ramshackle glamour. Dominating the town are a
number of palaces and ruins, including the Palácio Nacional de Sintra,
an interesting amalgam of Manueline and Gothic architecture and the Palácio
Nacional da Pena. Just outside the town are the rambling Monserrate
Gardens, while further out is the Convento dos Capuchos, a tiny
16th-century hermitage enclosed in forest, with cells hewn from rock and lined
with cork.
Vigo City
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