Portugal
Holiday apartments, homes and villas (2)

Treasured memories are waiting to be collected outside of Lisbon for travelers that journey either nearby or up and down the Atlantic coastline.

Costa de Prata (Silver Coast) reaches from Lisbon to Oporto or Porto in the north. Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. In a city famed for its bridges and port wine you can dally at museums, monasteries, castles and churches. The ocean is a magnet for windsurfing at the taffy-stretched beaches crowding the shore.

Gaily colored "moiceiro" boats harvest seaweed in the expanse of the saltwater lagoon at Aveiro. The canals that spread out like lines in cracked glass are punctuated with camel hump bridges.

Try a cruise on the mighty Douro River, visit the bustling University town of Coimbra where thousands of students in black capes share the narrow streets, or join pilgrims making their way to the Fatima shrine.

While Coimbra is considered the intellectual hub of Portugal there are plenty of art, sports, and dining activities nearby. You can visit ancient Roman ruins by day and visit a casino at night.

It's fun to take time for small towns on and off the beaten path. Nazere is a favorite vacation spot where people enjoy the safety of the enclosed bay and gorgeous Sao Martinho do Porto beach.

Fishermen still sport shirts with checkered patterns over their dark pants while the women mending nets and drying fish are decked out in short skirts covering six or seven layers of traditional petticoats in Nazere.

Costa do Estoril connects conveniently to Lisbon via the "Marginal", a sea hugging road that transports you through the towns that were favored by wealthy nobles and kings. Today it is a favorite retreat for vacationers that choose to call Cascais, Estoril, or Oeiras their home for a few weeks each year.

Welcome to the Portuguese Riviera! Chic resorts gleam in the night where you can follow the walkways lined with towering palm trees to a variety of after dark entertainment choices.

After a day filled with tennis matches, golf, or water sports it is far too easy to be induced into sampling some of the guilty pleasures at the local supper clubs. Just inland is the city of Sintra where you find the coned chimneys of the National Palace and the dreamy Pena Palace.

People who holiday in this area frequent the fairs and market. Marechal Carmona Park is the place to stock your kitchen with spices, fresh eggs, sweets, olive oil, fruit and vegetables.

Collect the perfect memento at the antiques and artifacts fair with genuine crafted items where you can visit with the artisans.

The golfers will enjoy visiting all five courses in the region. In 2007 they earned the title "Golf Destination of the Year (Europe)" and armed with a golf passport you can play unlimited rounds at each site.

The big lure remains the amazing beaches that triggered all the improvements and awesome services in the region. Not far from Lisbon you will find beaches lined up like contestants in a beauty pageant and every single one is a winner.

Close to Lisbon is the Santo Amaro de Oeiras beach at the maw of the Tagus River. Near the municipal gardens, this popular spot has a few snack bars, showers, and restrooms. Beach football and volleyball are hosted under lights after sun disappears.

Spread out in the shadow of St. Julian of Barra fortress, Carcavelos beach is favored by surfers for the waves and everyone enjoys the nearby bars and restaurants. You can attempt the skate half pipe, pitch basketballs, or join in a volleyball game.

Carcavelos beach actually has rental beds and shelters on the sand. Try to master a new skill by visiting the surfing and windsurfing school at the beach. This beach also has facilities for disabled visitors.

The ability to feel at home anywhere along the coast is easy. Leaving is biggest challenge you will face in this part of Portugal.

Down home southern hospitality – in Portugal? Smile after smile and mile after mile you will find out why so many people return to the southern coast of Portugal and the region of Algarve.

Kick off your exploration in Vila Do Bispo where Prince Henry inaugurated his school of navigation five hundred years ago. Hang out with surfers at the lively beach bars dining on quail and wild boar. Get a "to go" box for goose barnacles to snack on as you drive past a 16th century church on your way to Lagos.

Check out the regional market, museum, and Governor's Palace while in Lagos. Talk to the local fisherman on the promenade away from the marina to secure a boat and tour of the grottos. Low tide is the best time to see some of the water caves hidden by the sea and a grotto tour should definitely be on your bucket list.

The blue ocean you've always imagined washes ashore at Portimao, where the blond sand beach enjoys a backdrop of rocky cliffs. The craftsmen use only traditional materials, methods, and designs to make incredible treasures. Wicker, palm, and cane baskets, embroidered cloth, intricate lace, earthenware and utensils from copper are cherished collectibles.

After shopping, plan on a long lunch at one of the outdoor restaurants along the quay. Grilled sardines cradled in potatoes and salad and served on hot bread with a glass of chilled white vino will give you the energy to head towards Carvoeiro.

Think about a jeep safari in Carvoeiro that lets you get up close and personal with the area. The 4-wheel tour takes you to carob farms and small villages where you can buy raffia baskets and fill them with fresh fruit and local craft items.

Lagao offers a break from the ancient to for something purely fun! Picture a 16,000 acre water park where attractions have interesting names. Kamikaze and Black Hole pique your curiosity. "The Snail" is a spiral slide while Bonzai and Jacuzzi are body slides. You can easily fill a full day with fun at this park.

When you reach Albufeira you will relish the slender streets of old town, whitewashed houses suspended above the inviting beach, and inspecting the brightly painted fishing boats. Ask one of the locals why so many watercraft are decorated with animals, stars and eyes. For the adventurous soul you will really enjoy the quad riding and pubs that somehow blend with the Moorish arches and the old castle.

Examine the remains of a 12th century Arab castle in Loule that was one of many landmarks destroyed by earthquakes. Stock up on supplies at the fabulous indoor market favored by people on self catering holiday in Loule. Grilled fish, home baked cakes, just picked fruit, and fresh veggies are great for the home or a road trip.

Tavira will knock your socks off! The camera loves Tavira for its ivory colored homes, ornate chimneys and Roman style, pyramid shaped tile roofs. This city with the dramatic Moorish Castle was born around 2,000 BC.

The best architectural details are found in this distinctive town balanced on both sides of the River Gilao and River Segua. The use of wrought iron on the pedestrian bridge that links the city over the rivers, are reflections of the balconies hovering over the homes that line the water.

The beaches are packed in the summer and the city responds with festivals, weddings, and parades that fill the streets. The Roman bridge has seven arches, the homes are noble and some medieval with their Gothic windows and entryways guarding the view of the water. You can understand why Tavira is often called the "Venice of the Algarve".

Spain is about a homerun ball away from Tavira. This is a good time to relax at one of the characteristic markets with coffee and catch the local flavor of the people. This is Algarve region of Portugal and everything about it encourages you to renew your spirit as you take a holiday from stress.

A 100 year old tram clatters along the streets of modern Lisbon where nostalgia painted buildings lie at the feet of St. George's Castle. High atop the 7 hills that grip this European capital city is a view that you will remember sharing with kings and commoners.

Sketch artists along the chessboard squares of cobblestone streets, unhurried people with espresso and pastries at a Brasileira cafe, dog walkers and shoppers headed for the designer boutiques on Avenida da Liberdade, are part of the bubbly activity in Lisbon.

Religious sites, museums, historic landmarks, a unique aquarium, and plenty of leisure activities vie for your attention. Padrao dos Descrobrimento salutes the famous explorers of Portugal where navigators, cosmographers, monks, cartographers, and even Henry the Navigators Mother are represented in stone.

The maritime museum shows off hundreds of ship models starting from the 15th century that include warships, fishing boats, merchant vessels and more.

People on self catering holidays shop where the chefs purchase ingredients. The enormous Ribeira Nova market is stuffed with giant cabbages, huge carrots, and giant stalks of bananas, juicy peaches, and fresh fish.

Each morning after the fishing boats reach port, you can find swordfish, cod, bass, and squid displayed on hard marble tables.

Depending on the time of year, you might participate in a full or half marathon, check out annual Red Bull stunt flying competition and air race, or spend an evening with the national orchestra.

Portugal is a country where you can play football (soccer) and experience the pageantry of bullfighting. Locals consider football more exciting than the drama of costumed combat with a snarling bull.

The nightlife is varied. Rock, hip-hop, and dance music at the Plateau, million dollar views from 30 stories above the ground at the cosmopolitan Panorama Bar, or a dress up for a night at the ballet. From quietly romantic to musical chaos there is a night to remember for everyone in Lisbon.

Water tours on the mighty Tagus River, hours of shopping in the Baixa downtown, and relaxing with hand food near the Belem Tower can be part of your Lisbon memories.

This beautiful, modern, and historic city is a wonderful base camp for journey to Portugal. Lisbon is the perfect jump off spot for discovering a country and people that produced some of the world's most famous explorers.

Have you ever heard of a European Tropical Island? Welcome to Madeira! Of all the discoveries made by legendary explorers from Portugal, this has to be the best! Poets, pirates, priests and partygoers belong to the past and the present on this island paradise.

A self-catered holiday in the Santa Cruz area promises relaxation and reflection near the edge of excitement. Local pubs, restaurants, and cafes will expose you to the delicious foods favored by natives.

Santa Cruz has a premier aqua park that can handle over one thousand sun soaked swimmers in search of a cooling thrill or a terrific tan. Five toboggan rides, four high velocity slides, and two swimming pools are surrounded by a lazy floating river. Relaxing at the pool bar is a favorite place for old and new friends.

The 2001 World Surfing Championship introduced the world to the gilded beaches of Calheta. The main beach is protected by boulders shaped like a horse shoe to prevent the waves from crashing to shore.

The yellow sand is actually imported from Morocco and the beach features restrooms, medical personnel, and a state of the art marina that attracts boats from all around the world. It's fun to rent canoes, windsurfing boards, or skim the crystal waters in a catamaran.

A long lunch or late supper is available on the main avenue that ends at the beach. You can easily find a wonderful outdoor restaurant to try the local seafood specialties with a cold bottle of white wine.

You are not in the snowy Alps so you may be surprised to know that the people of Monte have used toboggans to go to Funchal since the mid 1800's. Picture yourself on a 2-seat wicker love seat with wooden runners that is pushed and steered by a couple of men decked out in matching straw hats and white cotton shirts and pants.

Now imagine how you will feel as you are launched downhill for nearly 1.5 miles at speeds reaching 30 mph as you remember that the only brakes are the rubber on the bottom of your driver's boots.

Madeira is an enchanting departure from our routine lives. Daytime offers sedate tours or frothy stimulation. Nightlife is a cozy club or thrumming disco. Treat Madeira like a sweet scented bakery and try a bite of everything.