7 Things that makes Portugal Special

What makes Portugal special and is missed by those who have visited or lived in the country?

  1. Climate. 

Lisbon is the third sunniest city in Europe (after Valletta, Malta and Marseille, France). With 2,799 hours of sun annually, it tops the total for Stockholm, Sweden by close to 1,000 hours. But it’s not just the number of days with rays that’s so important. 

The cherry capital of the country, near Fundão, we enjoyed temperatures around 50F in the winter, 60F to 70F in spring and autumn, and 80F in the summer months. 

  1. People. 

The most agreeable folks can be found in Portugal. Whether it is giving directions, meeting new neighbours or just simply running into a local, they are friendly, helpful and a sheer joy to be around.

  1. Food. 

Known for their comfort food, you can pop into virtually any café and order one of their local dishes or treats.

  1. Café Society.

These delightful establishments are not just about food, or wine, for that matter. Although since I brought it up, I don’t know where else you can get a small glass of pleasant wine for little more than a dollar. 

For a few dollars each, you can enjoy the finger-sized, pillowy potato and cod cakes known as pasteis de bacalhau and a beer or glass of wine as we linger for hours on an outdoor patio shaded by colorful, striped umbrellas. Great people watching, and no tab until you ask for one or closing time, whichever comes first.

  1. Language.

A stress-timed language, Germanic in origin, the sound of Swedish is a world away from the Romance languages with which I am so comfortable. Portuguese has been likened by author Barry Hatton to “windsurfing through consonants,” and I missed the mysterious, “sh-sh-shushing” sounds of the language. 

  1. Road Trips. 

Portugal’s size makes it an ideal country to drive in. You can get from Lagos in the Algarve to Porto in the north in just under five hours. But add a couple of hours more and you can pass through Lisbon, the popular expat community of Caldas da Rainha, the surfing mecca of Nazaré, and Aveiro, “The Venice of Portugal.” Of course this does not include time spent visiting the locations, but you get the picture. 

  1. Beaches. 

Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Gulf of Cadiz on the south, it’s often easy to be within striking distance of a beach in Portugal. Even inland it’s possible to be refreshed and enjoy the amenities at one of the country’s 200 praias fluviais. Take a dip in the crystal clear waters of the river beach in Loriga, in the Guarda district of central Portugal, surrounded by rocks and mountains, and you may just decide you’ve found the best of all water worlds.