Читать книгу 101 Romantic Weekends in Europe - Sarah Woods - Страница 4

TIME DIFFERENCE GMT +1

TELEPHONE CODE +351

CURRENCY Euro

LANGUAGE Portuguese

POPULATION 10 million

SIZE OF COUNTRY 88,889 sq km (34,667 sq miles)

CAPITAL Lisbon

WHEN TO GO Mainland Portugal’s winters are exceptionally mild, especially in the Algarve region. Cooler inland temperatures typify inland provinces, with snowfall in the Serra da Estrela mountains. Autumns are pleasantly warm, turning steadily cooler into December. Islands offer year-round temperate conditions – 18ºC (64ºF) in winter and 22ºC (72ºF) in summer.

TOURIST INFORMATION Portuguese National Tourist Office Tel: 0845 355 1212 Fax: 020 7201 6633 Email: tourism@portugaloffice.org.uk www.visitportugal.com

On the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal’s 830 km (515 mile) Atlantic coastline flanks the nation to the south and west with the Spanish border to the north and east. The River Tejo provides a neat division across the country, stretching out to meet the waters of the Atlantic in Lisbon. Portugal’s 17 islands and atolls include the archipelagos of Azores and Madeira. Many of Portugal’s sleepy fishing villages of brightly painted sardine boats, cobbled streets and whitewashed houses sit alongside pristine beaches. Rugged, windswept coastal enclaves evoke the nostalgia of Old Iberia and are blessed with over 300 days of golden sunshine each year.