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PortugalPortugal is the westernmost country of continental Europe. It lies on the Iberian Peninsula. Spain-- Portugal's neighbour to the east and north--covers most of the peninsula. Western and southern Portugal face the Atlantic Ocean. Lisbon is the country's capital and largest city...More Information on Portugal. Also Read: Special Feature on background on Portugal Full country name: Portugal History of PortugalThe Iberian Peninsula has been occupied for around 500,000 years. Paleolithic art dating back 22,000 years has been discovered on rocks in the Vale do Côa. About 5500 BC Neolithic fortified hilltop villages appeared in the lower Tagus valley. Portugal's history goes back to the Celts, who settled the Iberian Peninsula around 700 BC. The region soon attracted a succession of peoples and was colonised by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Visigoths. In the 8th century, the Moors crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and commenced a long occupation that introduced their culture, architecture and agricultural techniques to Portugal. But resistance to the Moors grew and they were finally ejected during the 13th century. In the 15th century, Portugal entered a phase of overseas expansion due to the efforts of Prince Henry the Navigator. Mariners set off to discover new trade routes and helped create an enormous empire that, at its peak, extended to India, the Far East, Brazil and Africa. This period marked the apogee of Portuguese power and wealth, but it faded towards the end of the 16th century when Spain's Felipe II claimed the throne. Although Spanish rule lasted only a few decades, the momentum of the empire declined over the following centuries...more on History of Portugal Overview of Portugal EconomyGDP: US$227.7 billion Also Ready: Special Feature on Economy of Portugal Political System of Portugal- Defense and Military of Portugal Climate, Vegetation and FaunaIn 1990 wheat was the leading Portuguese grain crop, followed by corn, which was grown mainly on the small farms of the north. Rice, although occupying less than one-tenth of the area of either wheat or corn, was a remarkable grain crop. Potatoes and corn silage were found throughout the north. Portugal's leading edible tree crop was olive oil. In spite of the importance of olive oil for the economy and the increasing production of other edible oilseeds, such as safflower and sunflower, Portugal was a net importer of vegetable fats and oils. The nation produced a mixture of horticultural crops, some of which were exported. As an example, Portugal was a leading world exporter of tomato paste. Although grazing land was scarce, farm animal constituted a remarkable share of total agricultural production. Because of growing domestic demand for animal products and low farm animal productivity, Portugal had to import about 10 % of its meat requirements. Three-fourths of the mainland's milk was produced in the northwest's coastal areas. The mainland's farm animal numbers in 1987 included over 1.3 million head of cattle, over 5 million sheep, nearly 3 million pigs, and 745,000 goats. About 18 million chickens supplied the nation's poultry industry that year. Culture: As a result of change wrought by the Revolution of 1974, Portugal in the 1990s would be almost unrecognizable...more on culture of Portugal. Education: Even before Portugal emerged as an independent nation in the twelfth century, it had monastic, cathedral, and parish schools...more on education in Portugal Languages: Roman Catholicism is the faith of more than 94 % of the Portuguese people...more on Languages Spoken in Portugal Life: The patricentric and nuclear family traditionally served as the norm and the ideal in Portugal. Until the constitution of 1976...more on life and lifestyle of Portugal People Of Portugal: Although population estimates are available for earlier years, the first official Portuguese census was taken in 1864...more on People Of Portugal Environment: Portugal lies immediately west of Spain, and is buffeted along its southern coast by the Atlantic Ocean. To its west...more on Envoirnment of Protugal Facts for the TravelerVisas: None required for EU nationals. Nationals of Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the USA can stay for 90 days visa-free. Everyone else needs a visa. Being a member of the Schengen Agreement, business travellers from the Schengen group of nations can obtain a 90 day Schengen Visa when entering Portugal.
Health risks: sunburn (In the tropics, the desert or at high altitude you can get sunburned quickly and seriously, even through clouds. The southern reaches of the continent suffer from scathing ultraviolet, so be extra careful there. Use a strong sunscreen, hat and barrier cream for your nose and lips. Calamine lotion and aloe vera are good for mild sunburn. Protect your eyes with good-quality sunglasses, particularly if you will be near water, sand or snow) Time Zone: GMT/UTC 0 Dialling Code: 351 Electricity: 220V ,50Hz Weights & measures: Metric Also Read:Money and Cost Required | List of Public Holidays in Portugal When to Go to PortugalPeak tourist season is roughly from mid-June to September, except in the Algarve where it really only quiets down in the dead of winter. Carnaval and Easter are two holidays celebrated with gusto all over the country and are worth going out of your way for. Also Read: Getting Around Portugal | Portugal: Getting There and Away What to See in PortugalMajor Tourist Attractions in Portugal Other Tourist Attractions in Portugal
Events in PortugalPortugal abounds with romarias (religious pilgrimages), festas (festivals) and feiras (fairs) that bring whole towns to a standstill. At the core of many are religious processions. The further north you go, the more traditional and less touristy these celebrations get. Carnaval is one of the biggest events, featuring partying, parading and painted faces about six weeks before Easter. There are vast and colourful processions during Braga's Easter or Holy Week Festival. The Festa de São João in June is biggest in Porto where everyone dances through the streets, amicably hitting each other over the head with leeks. The Feira de São Martinho (Golegã, November) showcases all manner of horses, riding contests and bullfights.
The city is serviced by comprehensive rail connections, with frequent east-west trains servicing Vienna, Munich, Innsbruck, and Zürich, including daily high-speed ICE services. The city also acts as a hub for south-bound trains through the Alps into Italy. Salzburg Airport has scheduled flights to European cities such as Frankfurt, Vienna, ...
The Salzburg Card is highly recommended for visitors as it allows for unlimited public transportation, admission into several of the city's main attractions, and discounts at various places.
By Air
The Salzburg Airport W.A. Mozart is located 2 miles southwest of the city centre. The Airport has regularly scheduled domestic and international ...
By Bus/Tram
The city buses and trams provide quick, comfortable service through the city center from the Nonntal parking lot to Sigsmundsplatz, the city-center parking lot. Buses stop running at 11pm. Travelers can get a direct shuttle bus from Munich International Airport to Salzburg. The city itself is served by ...
Salzburg’s economy is strongly export-oriented, especially exports to the member countries of the EU. For many years Salzburg’s economy has occupied a leading position in Austria. On a European scale the province is one of the most dynamic regions.
In a recent survey of European regions Salzburg is listed as ...
Salzburg is at the Northern edge of the Alps and has a typical Central European climate with hot summers up to almost 40 degrees Celsius and cold winters down to minus 20 degrees Celsius.
So most of the year Salzburg has moderate weather conditions and should not keep you from ...
Maria Plain: church of pilgrimage
A church of pilgrimage and a Baroque gem in the outskirts of the city. Easily accessible by public bus, Maria Plain is the ideal destination for a quick trip.
Kleßheim Castle
A Baroque castle near the city that now hosts a Casino.
Liefering Parish Church
A mix ...
Salzburg's long history can be traced back to the Stone Age - but only in Baroque times it got really exciting! Here you will find a timeline with the most outstanding key events. Maybe you would also be interested in browsing the list of the Prince Archbishops. The first signs ...
Salzburg is on the banks of the Salzach River, at the northern boundary of the Alps. The mountains to Salzburg's south contrast with the rolling plains to the north. The closest alpine peak – the 1972 m Untersberg – is only a few kilometers from the city center. The Altstadt, ...
Salzburg is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Salzburg's "Old Town" with its world famous baroque architecture is one of the best-preserved city centers in the German-speaking world, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The city is ...
Upper Austria enjoys a moderate continental climate: summers are warm and pleasant with cool nights, and winters are sunny, with snow levels high enough for widespread winter sports. Summers are warm and pleasant with cool nights, and winters are sunny, with snow levels high enough for widespread winter sports.
In ...
Travel Chronicle: Europe Destination GuideUtah Beach Utah beach stretch for appromately 30 km south from st-vaast from 6:30 am onwards on D-day 23000 men and... Tchantes Tchantes This is the name of the most popular folklore puppet of the Outremeuse part of Liège. Legend has it... Culture Of Croatia Twentieth century sculptor Ivan Mestrovic is the pride and joy of Croatia's art world. His work can be seen in... Travel Chronicle: Germany Destination GuideFirst-aid Kit I'm always surprised at how much I use my first-aid kit, and how useful it proves to other people.... Sleeping pad Sleeping pad Campers should bring a thick sleeping pad, as much for insulation as for padding. A self-inflating type will be... Visas Visas A visa is a special notation, stamped or glued into your passport, that allows you to enter and exit a... Travel Chronicle: First Time in EuropePrivate Clubs and Private Thugs While we're on the subject of no-neck bouncers, many of the clubs and dance spots in... Six great day-trips Six great day-trips 1. San Gimignano via Florence. San Gimignano is a little town about an hour's bus ride from... Losing Things Losing Things Now here is a subject that I am truly a world expert on; the kind of expert Albert Einstein... Travel Chronicle: Europe Destination GuideWarning: main() [function.main]: php_network_getaddresses: getaddrinfo failed: Name or service not known in /home/tworld/domains/europe-chronicle.com/public_html/includes/bar14.php on line 8 Warning: main(http://europe.travel-chronicle.com/europe-travel/random.php) [function.main]: failed to open stream: Success in /home/tworld/domains/europe-chronicle.com/public_html/includes/bar14.php on line 8 Warning: main() [function.main]: php_network_getaddresses: getaddrinfo failed: Name or service not known in /home/tworld/domains/europe-chronicle.com/public_html/includes/bar14.php on line 8 Warning: main(http://europe.travel-chronicle.com/europe-travel/random.php) [function.main]: failed to open stream: Success in /home/tworld/domains/europe-chronicle.com/public_html/includes/bar14.php on line 8 Warning: main() [function.include]: Failed opening 'http://europe.travel-chronicle.com/europe-travel/random.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/tworld/domains/europe-chronicle.com/public_html/includes/bar14.php on line 8 Browse the Europe Destination Guide Warning: main() [function.main]: php_network_getaddresses: getaddrinfo failed: Name or service not known in /home/tworld/domains/europe-chronicle.com/public_html/includes/bar14.php on line 10 Warning: main(http://europe.travel-chronicle.com/europe-travel/drop.php) [function.main]: failed to open stream: Success in /home/tworld/domains/europe-chronicle.com/public_html/includes/bar14.php on line 10 Warning: main() [function.main]: php_network_getaddresses: getaddrinfo failed: Name or service not known in /home/tworld/domains/europe-chronicle.com/public_html/includes/bar14.php on line 10 Warning: main(http://europe.travel-chronicle.com/europe-travel/drop.php) [function.main]: failed to open stream: Success in /home/tworld/domains/europe-chronicle.com/public_html/includes/bar14.php on line 10 Warning: main() [function.include]: Failed opening 'http://europe.travel-chronicle.com/europe-travel/drop.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/tworld/domains/europe-chronicle.com/public_html/includes/bar14.php on line 10 |
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