1. Albufeira Beach, Algarve ©Jose Manuel / Turismo de Portugal
PortugalFrom the medieval quarters of Lisbon to the miles of amazing beaches and
world-class golf courses on the Algarve, the sun always shines on Europe’s
west coast.

2. WITH THE ATLANTIC OCEAN
TO THE WEST AND SOUTH
AND SPAIN TO THE NORTH
AND EAST, PORTUGAL IS
MAINLAND EUROPE’S MOST
WESTERN COUNTRY AND
INCLUDES THE AZORES AND
MADEIRA.
Once a great imperial power, Portugal is now better known for
sunshine, golf and fortified wine. The Costa de Prata, the Estoril
coast and Costa Azul all compete for the attention of tourists,
but best known are the beaches and year-round sunshine of the
Algarve in the far south.
Nature has blessed Portugal’s 850km of coastline with a bit of
everything, from enchanting beaches to varied, breath-taking
countryside and the Atlantic coast is prized by surfers and
windsurfers across Europe.
The coastal towns are also rich in Portuguese heritage, discover
the colourful seafaring and fishing traditions and end your day by
sampling some of the finest fresh fish in the world.
You will find everything you need for the perfect
holiday on the ALGARVE from the casinos in
Lagos, Vilamoura and Monte Gordo to theme
parks like Atlantic Park, Loulé or Zoomarine,
near Albufeira where you can see dolphins,
seals, sharks and crocodiles.
As for beaches, one of the most beautiful, wild
and untamed with lots of waves is Arrifana on
the Costa Vicentina, whilst the lively ones
amongst you will like Praia da Rocha in Portimão,
Galé in Albufeira or Praia da Oura and Vilamoura
where you will find plenty of facilities and nightlife. Two
of the finest resorts are Vale de Lobo and Quinta do Lago.
MADEIRA has a varied oceanic sub-tropical climate,
influenced by its geographical position and mountainous
landscape. The Laurisilva Forest, in the Madeira Natural Park,
is the largest evergreen forest in the world - a fact that has
earned it classification as a world heritage site. Madeira offers a
sophisticated holiday with top quality accommodation, amazing
spas and a pleasant temperature with the hottest months being
August and September. Madeira is a delight for the eye, the sea
is visible from wherever you are and exotic flowers and fruits add
colour to this visual masterpiece.
Porto Santo is a two and a half hour boat trip from Madeira and
is one of Europe’s most attractive island paradises with
golden sands stretching for 9km and famous for their
healing properties.
Nine islands make up the AZORES, all are
different and offer their own surprises. Pico
Island is classified as a world heritage site with
a mountain, dramatic cliffs and vineyards
formed from black basalt. Or you can enjoy the
hot waters and steam escaping from Volcano
vents on the island of São Miguel. The Azores are
ideal for climbing, walking and whale and dolphin
watching.
LISBON is a city full of life and extremely welcoming to
visitors and quite unique that it has both a river and a coastline.
Visit the medieval quarters of Alfama and Mouraria above which
stands a castle, play golf, go surfing or dance the night away in
one of the many riverbank discos.
Lisbon
is blessed with
natural beauty and
steeped in fascinating
history and the only
European capital
with Atlantic
beaches.
Choice Villas & Apartments 2010 47
Zambujeira do Mar, Alentejo ©Turismo de Portugal

3. Fact file
THE AZORES are situated in the Atlantic Ocean
between Europe and North America and consist of
nine islands. It takes about two hours to get from
the Azores to mainland Portugal by plane.
Portuguese people are sweet toothed! Their
specialities include at least two hundred different
types of PASTRIES. In the 17th and 18th
century, the convents became famous for their
pastries, as can be told by the names of their
specialities: "toucinho do céu" - heaven's lard, or
"barriga de freiras" - nun's belly!
Every year after Easter, FUNCHAL is the setting
for a truly sumptuous spectacle, the city’s Flower
Festival. Madeira celebrates springtime and the
exuberance of the flowers that typically bloom in
that season, and here with even greater intensity
due to Madeira’s subtropical climate.
From the North to the South, the country is
wealthy in GOOD WINES and, apart from the
unique Port from Madeira, there are more than one
hundred different varieties of wines, ranging from
table wines to special ones, all of them reflecting
the individual character of their respective soil.
Portugal has more than 70 GOLF COURSES,
and the mild climate makes it possible to play all
year round. Major tournaments on the international
circuit, such as the Portugal Masters are hosted
here.
Explore the whole country in just one day as you
take the children to the Portuguese miniature
exhibition in the region of BEIRAS, central
Portugal. This precursor of the theme park is
dedicated to the main architectural monuments of
Portugal from the north to the south, and all built
on a reduced scale!
Veu da Noiva Waterfall, Sao Vicente, Madeira ©Turismo de Portugal
Pinhal Golf Course, Vilamoura, Algarve ©Lusotur Golf, Turismo de Portugal
Choice Villas & Apartments 201048
Cascais, Lisbon ©Jos Manuel, Turismo de Portugal
Tourist Office
www.visitportugal.com
0845 355 1212
info@visitportugal.com
Official language Portuguese
Average summer temperatures (Jun–Aug)
Lisbon 27ºC
Algarve 27ºC
Azores 24ºC
Madeira 24ºC
Currency Euro
Average flying time 21/2 hours
Capital Lisbon
Did you know?
Mainland Portugal is split by its main
river, the Tagus. The northern
landscape is mountainous and the
south features mostly rolling plains
and a warmer and drier climate than
in the north.
Portuguese is the third most spoken
European language in the world and
the native tongue of about 200
million people.
Portugal's highest point is Mount Pico
on Pico Island in the Azores. This is
an ancient volcano measuring
2,350m (7,710 ft).
Local time GMT

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10. James Villas are offering one
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Suites in the Algarve.
With 26 years experience, James Villa Holidays
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What’s more, James can book everything for you
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To be in with a chance of winning
this wonderful holiday, visit
www.choicetravelinfo.com and
enter your details under
‘Competitions & Giveaways’.
Closing date for entries is Wednesday 31 March
2010. Terms and conditions apply and are on the
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www.jamesvillas.co.uk
WIN a seven
night holiday to
the Algarve
Choice Villas & Apartments 2010
Monte da Quinta Suites, Algarve