Hello! My name is Emma and I am here to share with you my experience as a foreigner in Portugal.
Portugal is a pretty much easy going country, and with lots to explore and easy to travel in. Although a small country, with an area of 92,389 sq km (35,672 sq miles), Portugal is a country full of surprises, it’s landscape, for example, is very rich and varied.
If you have the opportunity to travel through the continent and the islands, you will be able to experience different sceneries, ranging from mountainous landscapes, to a green interior and a sweeping coastline, spectacularly sited castles, medieval villages, and excellent beaches.
Speaking of beaches, you must be wondering about the weather. Well, Portugal has a temperate climate and is warm from April to Late September/October, but there are exceptions in the North during winter (where there is plenty of rain and temperatures can go way down) and in the South during summer (where the heat can get to be unbearable).
In the wintertime you can even build your own Snowman, snowfall is common in the mountains, particularly in the Serra da Estrela area, Portugal´s the highest range (peaking at Torre, 1993m/6540ft).
Next to it’s landscapes and weather, one of Portugal’s main attraction is its traditional cuisine. All regions of Portugal have some local delicacies, and they can range from cheeses, to desserts, to meat and fish dishes. You can get a good meal (and for a good deal!) at nearly every café , and you will find those practically everywhere.
Some of the typical meals include sardinhas assadas (charcoal-grilled sardines), pastéis de bacalhau (cod fishcakes) and caldo verde (a soup of cabbage and potatoes). Seafood dishes such as linguado grelhado (grilled sole) and bife de atúm (tuna steak) are also a must.
I hope you will enjoy your trip as much as I did, and hope that you get a sense of all Portugal has to offer.