Portugal has a rich seafaring past, superb beach resorts, wistful towns and a landscape wreathed in olive groves, vineyards and wheat fields. Littered with UNESCO World Heritage sites and graced by one of Europe's most relaxed and attractive capitals, it also remains refreshingly affordable.

Savouring life slowly is a Portuguese passion, and much of the best is humble - traditional folk festivals; simple, honest food drowning in olive oil; music that pulls at the heart strings, recalling past love and glories; and markets overflowing with fish, fruit and flowers.

Museu Calouste Gulbenkian
This museum, the jewel in the crown of the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, is a Lisbon must-see. It's one of Europe's unsung treasures, and surely Portugal's

Parque National da Penada-Gerês
This wilderness park in the far north of Portugal has spectacular scenery and a wide variety of flora and fauna. It's extremely popular with Portuguese ...