Portugal Attractions

The one place to start from to get the best of Portugal attractions is Lisbon, the capital city. Then, there is the rocking nightlife in most of the major cities of the country. One will get an opportunity to savor some exotic cuisine and enjoy the sights of the scenery in medieval villages. The tourist attractions in Portugal are an excellent opportunity for the travelers to accumulate the grandeur of the country’s culture, castles and cathedrals.

The capital city is well known for its fado, furniculars, feasting and frolicking. The capital city even today represents a stunning site with its position on seven low hills right beside a river. Moreover, the cultural diversity that the city has to offer is a delightful blend of architectural beauty and a laid back attitude and all enjoyable in a most economical budget. The beauty of the capitals attractions lies in its wide avenues which are lined with trees and encompassed by Art Nouveau buildings. The church towers and domes are worth a view.

Initially known simply as ‘Lisbon Castle’, the name has been derived from the 14th century from the time of King Joao I. Here there is a former citadel of Alcazar and twelve gateways. Seven of these lead to the Santa Cruz do Castelo parish. The building has been converted to a National Monument since 1910.

The place stands out distinctly on the vast horizon of the Alentejo plain, atop a gentle hill and is dominated by an imposing cathedral. The historical centre has a vast ring of fortified walls and a landscape which is urban and also exhibits features of architecture from other countries, chiefly Brazil. One generally finds a tourist to the beautiful Evora city with a visit to the cathedral. The cathedral is a fortified church supposedly the largest cathedral. On the outside are two asymmetrical towers. One of them, the north tower is where a part of the collection of the Sacred Art Museum is housed. There is an expressive group of Apostles flanking the main portal and showcase a very seemingly inviting atmosphere. The most famous landmark of the city is in the square where an elegant Roman Temple is situated. One can also visit the Palacio dos Duques de Cadaval which is surmounted by an imposing tower and is a fabulous example of military architecture.

The Chapel of Bones in Evora has decorative line of skulls, femurs and tibias of perhaps thousands of the dead whose remains were ransacked by monks and nuns in order to create a formidable monument in the honor of religious and soulful purification and mortality.

The festival held in the first week of July in the open air at the Quinta Magnolia Gardens is a jazz enthusiast not to be missed function. One will simply not want to miss out on the three summer nights complete with unmistakable sound of jazz which reverberates the air and is gaining prominence each year. Many musicians come together to perform in this famous national and international jazz attraction in Madeira with people flocking to the streets and bars. The festival is marked with street performances and other attractive activities over the three day period of attraction.

The main port town of Madeira is an architecturally pleasing port which has decorative paved streets as an added attraction. The rugged beauty of the peaks are enough to simply smitten the visitors to the island. An attraction here is the 15th century Convento de Santa Clara where one can pick up the tragic story of Maria Clementina, the nun. Here one can also visit a number of museums which represent sacred art to local handicrafts. To see the over 20000 cottage industry workers of the world known Madeira Lace is simply quite an experience. One must not forget to gobble some of the famous Madeira wine which actually is quite an attraction for many tourists.