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Portugal

✨ The land of explorers and azulejos

Portugal is a country in southwestern Europe, on the western side of the Iberian Peninsula. It borders Spain to the north and east and faces the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south. Lisbon, the capital, lies near the mouth of the Tagus, the country’s longest river.

Portugal covers about 92,000 km² and includes the mainland plus two autonomous island regions: the Azores and Madeira. Its landscapes range from greener mountains in the north to the plains of the Alentejo and the warmer Algarve. Torre, at 1,993 metres in the Serra da Estrela, is the highest point of mainland Portugal.

The Atlantic strongly influences the climate, while altitude and latitude also affect local conditions. Geography has strongly shaped Portugal. Its Atlantic coastline supports fishing, ports, tourism and maritime activities. Fertile valleys and plains favour farming, while vineyards are important in several regions, especially the Douro Valley, known for its terraced wine landscapes.

Cork oak forests are characteristic, and Portugal is a leading producer of natural cork. Today, Portugal is a parliamentary republic and EU member. Portuguese is the main official language, while Mirandese also has official status in its area of use.

💡 Did you know?

Do you know what 'Azulejos' are? They are magnificent ceramic tiles, most often decorated in blue and white. In Portugal, they are used everywhere: on house facades, inside churches, in train stations, and even in the subway! They often tell stories of the country's history or depict geometric shapes. It's as if the walls of the cities were covered in an immense ceramic comic strip.

Portugal holds an impressive world record thanks to the small fishing village of Nazaré. Here, because of a giant underwater canyon, the ocean creates the largest waves in the world! In winter, they can reach the height of a ten-story building (about 30 meters). Extreme surfers come from all over the world to try to slide down these giant mountains of water before the eyes of spectators massed on the cliff.

Everyone loves them: the 'Pastel de Nata'! This delicious small creamy custard tart in a crispy flaky pastry was invented by monks in Lisbon over 200 years ago. It is said that the monks used egg whites to starch their clothes, so they had many egg yolks left... that's how they created the recipe for this cake! It is often eaten sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar.