Portugal's warm Mediterranean climate makes it popular with holidaymakers, especially the Algarve, which boasts some of the best golf courses in Europe.

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is growing in popularity, offering both golf and beach holidays, but also culture and history too. The Lisbon region is wonderfully diverse, with places like the Alfama, Lisbon's quaint old town, the majestic palaces of Sintra, the serene fishing village of Sesimbra and the windswept coast of Guincho, all nearby.

The north of Portugal, especially the city of Porto and the Douro valley, is also becoming more popular with discerning tourists, and the tranquil terraced valleys of the Alto Douro Wine Region are another of Portugal's Unesco World Heritage sites.

The rest of Portugal remains largely unexplored, but offers wonderful potential for the more adventurous tourist, particularly the unspoilt Silver Coast (Costa de Prata) and the Alentejo's undulating sun-baked plains, with historic town of Évora, also a Unesco site, at its heart.

The Portuguese are a polite and friendly people with a great history and rich culture. Their famous explorers were the first Europeans to cross the equator, round the Cape of Good Hope and reach India by sea, establishing trading posts in Brazil, India, Macau and Africa.

Today, Portugal still reflects its seafaring heritage in its culture, but from being the richest nation in the world during the 16th century, Portugal is now one of the poorest in Europe.