An independent kingdom since 1143, Portugal established its continental frontiers in 1297 and is one of the oldest nations in Europe.

The natural advantages of a sunny country with such diverse geographic features have turned Portugal into a chosen destination for many holidaymakers, an ideal place for practicing water sports and playing golf, offering modern tourism facilities, and quaint and personalized means of accommodation, such as 'turismo de habitação' (privately owned homes ranging from wonderful farmhouses to manor houses), 'hotéis de charme' or 'pousadas'.

Most visitors to Portugal head for the sandy coves, pretty fishing villages, and manicured golf links of the Algarve. But beyond the south coast resorts lies the least explored corner of Western Europe: a country of rugged landscapes, sophisticated cities, rural backwaters and sharply contrasting traditions.

Portugal in the western extremity of the Iberian Peninsula has existed within borders virtually unchanged for nearly 800 years. Its ten million people speak their own language, follow their own unique cultural traditions, and have a centuries-old history of proud independence from neighboring Spain.

For a small country, the regions of Portugal are immensely varied. The rural Minho and Trás-Os-Montes in the north are the most traditional. These two regions have magnificent landscapes and are a must to visit.

The south of the country could not be more different. The Algarve, blessed with the beautiful sandy beaches and a wonderful, warm Mediterranean climate all year around, has been transformed into a vacation playground for North Europeans.

Two great rivers, the Tagus and the Douro, rise in Spain and then flow westward across Portugal to the Atlantic Ocean. From the wild upper reaches of the Douro valley comes Portugal's most famous product - Port Wine, from steeply terraced vineyards hewn out of the mountainsides. The Tagus, by contrast, is wide and languid, often spilling out over the flat and fertile Ribatejo flood plain where fine horses and fighting bulls graze.

The official tourist site for Portugal is http://www.portugal.org