Enjoying a Vacation in Portugal

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Enjoying a Vacation in Portugal By J. Foley

If people want a different world near the sea where the inhabitants savor life with parties and other festivities, the best place best to visit on the southern part of Europe is Portugal.

This coastal community once had a vast empire that stretched as far as Brazil. North America could have been colonized if only the king that time did not turn away Christopher Columbus who sailed for the kingdom of Spain.

The country of Portugal flourished until the great earthquake of 1755 that devastated much of the countryside. Since then, a lot of reconstruction projects have tried to bring back the old glory. This is evident in the architectural designs of the buildings and houses that are a mix from the Romans, the Goths, the Moors and the Baroques.

Visitors can take a plane for a non-stop flight to Lisbon that is the capital of Portugal. The national carrier Air Portugal as well as other airlines have direct flights from England, Spain, United States, Canada and France.

There are five hotels to in Lisbon which the person can choose from. These are namely the Sofitel Lisbon, the Hotel Marques de Pombal, Hotel Roma, Hotel Botanica and the Holiday Inn Lisbon.

If the price in these places are too expensive, there are smaller inns that accept reservations and bookings. Each these places are minutes away from the airport and a cab will gladly take the passengers to the chosen destination.

The city of Lisbon is divided into three areas similar to a how a mall has different sections that cater to the taste of many customers. The individual can get a brochure from the local tourist office to know where to eat and find out what upcoming musicals and plays are going to be shown in the theatre.

One of the places regularly visited is the Castello de San Jorge. This garrison was once held by the Moors until this was liberated by Don Alfonso Henriques in the 12th century from the Moors.

When the Moors were finally kicked out, battlements had to be setup to make sure the country would never be invaded again. One of these is the Belem Tower that built a few centuries later which also served as a prison.

Animal lovers will truly enjoy the different creatures found at the Lisbon Zoo. To date, there are over 2000 animals comprising more than 370 species. Unlike other zoos around the world, visitors are allowed to bring food inside and even have a picnic in the garden.

The place is huge so it has a cable car for the people to get one from end of the zoo to the other.

Another tourist attraction is the Elevador da Gloria. This cable car is often compared to the one in San Francisco that will take tourists up a mountain to get an aerial view of the castle before going down again.

Portugal can also be accessed by train for those who are coming from Spain. There are also chartered boats that people can get from Italy or Greece then cross the Mediterranean Sea before landing in one of its ports then proceeding inland.

The country known as Portugal may be small but it has a lot to offer to the tourist. It takes some time to appreciate the architecture, the history and the culture to be able to appreciate the wonders of this beautiful place.

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Article Written By J. Foley