The first question I'd like to pose to you today is: have you ever met anyone who has ever visited Portugal. Most likely not. You might have seen a travel show highlight it and thought, "Wow, what a nice, beautiful country," but never thought of it again. Here are the top 10 reason you should visit Spain's next-door neighbor:
1. Most cities outside of Lisbon have no tourists (Lisbon doesn't have that much either) so the country is seriously authentic.
2. Architecture: like many parts of Spain, this country boasts several styles of architecture that co-mingle including Gothic and Moorish.
3. Fado; I can't explain it other than to say it's a unique Portuguese music that might make your heart melt.
4. Water; whether its a beautiful beach looking to the Atlantic or a picturesque River town like Porto.
5. Speaking of Porto, yes Port (the beverage) was originated and has been mastered here.
6. Climate: the weather in Portugal doesn't sway much, allowing for visits all year-round.
7. Value and Time: It's the cheapest and closest Western European country!
8. It's an up-and-coming country and you might just get to see it before it becomes as popular as Spain.
9. It's unique, referring to above, who have you ever known that has been to Portugal?
10. If you learn some Portuguese, you will be able to get by in Brazil, too (Rio, here I come!)
My only tip, if you go and you speak Spanish, ASK them if they speak Spanish first and do not assume. Some Portuguese do not like to speak the language even though they are similar due to socio-political reasons.
What is your favorite country most people don't know about? Share we us so we can all learn, we'd love to hear from you!
Don't forget, Three Sheets is on tonight at 10 PM on FLN. It's a great show worth any travelers' viewership. Tonight's episode features St. Martin.
ReplyDeleteNot most Portuguese. We don't speak Spanish. We speak Portuguese. If you speak Spanish we'll understand it but we'll just assume you're from Spain.
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