Charming Portugal a great European destination
Q: We are thinking about going to Europe. We've been to Germany, France and Italy. Now we want to go someplace different and we thought it might be Portugal. Have you ever been there? Would you go again? Can we rent a car? Should we go other places other than Lisbon?
A: Have I been to Portugal? Yes. Would I go again? In a heartbeat.
I love everything about this little country - its friendly people, its sunny climate, the diverse provinces, its wine and its needlework.
Lisbon, once a fortress, is the charming capital that stretches along the banks of the Tagus River and is loaded with medieval charm. Beautiful monuments, picturesque houses decorated with ornate ceramic tiles, museums and palaces are just waiting to be explored.
One area within the city not to be missed is the Alfama, the ancient quarter where, in small restaurants, you can listen to fado, the soul music of the country. Singers croon about love affairs gone awry, life's problems and other melancholy themes.
By all means, if you have the time, go to surrounding areas. Not far from Lisbon lies the town of Sintra with its gorgeous National Palace, a toy museum with more than 20,000 pieces from the 16th to the 20th centuries and the Peninha Chapel, which has an interior that is covered with baroque tile works.
Porto, in northern Portugal, is another destination to consider. On your way there, between Mesao Frio and Pinhao, you'll see the valleys lined with terraced vineyards that produce the famous port wine. In Beiras there are extensive beaches and ancient fishing villages lying along the coast.
The Algarve, with its sun-washed beaches in the far south, is the playground of the country. Here you'll fine the strong Moorish influence that has remained since the Moors were conquered by Portuguese King Dom Alfonso III in 1292.
Accommodations range from fine hotels to old monasteries, castles or palaces called pousadas. Pousadas are divided into three categories - regional, historic sites and national monuments - and advance booking is a "must" for these. Car rental is available in all the main towns and at the international airports. Portugal is a member of the European Union, so the currency is the euro.
There are all kinds of wonderful items to bring home: wicker baskets, copper utensils, embroidery and lace, pottery, ceramics, glass and crystal. I bought a large embroidered tablecloth, 12 matching napkins and guest hand towels for a fraction of what I would have paid in the United States.
Information and instructions on how to obtain brochures for the various regions of the county are available on the web at www.orderportugal.com. You also can obtain information from the Portuguese National Tourism Office at (800) 767-8842 and at www.portugal.org.
Send your questions at least sixweeks prior to travel to MadelynMerwin in care ofTravel,Daily Herald, P.O.Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006, or e-maildpmerwin@sbcglobal.net.