Portugal's Tourist Destinations

Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a unitary semi-presidential republic. It is located in South-Western Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula, and it is the westernmost country of mainland Europe, being bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east. Aside from continental Portugal, the Portuguese Republic holds sovereignty over the Atlantic archipelagos of Azores and Madeira, which are autonomous regions of Portugal. The country is named after its second largest city, Porto, whose Latin name was Portus Cale.

The land within the borders of the current Portuguese Republic has been continually fought over and settled since prehistoric times. After a period of Roman rule followed by Visigothic and Suebian domination, in the 8th century most of the Iberian Peninsula was conquered by Moorish invaders professing Islam. During the Christian Reconquista, Portugal established itself as an independent kingdom from Galicia in 1139. In the 15th and 16th centuries, as the result of pioneering the Age of Discovery, Portugal expanded western influence and established the first global empire, becoming one of the world's major economic, political and military powers, and ultimately dividing the world with Spain.

Portugal is still considered a developed country with an advanced economy and high living standards, listed with the nineteenth-highestquality of life index rating in the world as of 2005. It's one of the world's most globalized and peaceful nations. It is a member of the United Nations, European Union, Eurozone, OECD, NATO, WTO, Schengen Area, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. On 31 May 2010, Portugal became the sixth country in Europe and the eighth country in the world to legally recognize same-sex marriage on the national level. The law came into force on 5 June 2010.

Sintra National Palace

There are many interesting tourist destinations to visit in Portugal. Check out some of tourist attractions that attract all tourists coming to Portugal:

• Sintra National Palace
• Duero
• Lisbon Oceanarium
• Belem Tower
• Pena National Palace
• Praia da Rocha
• Quinta da Regaleira
• Castel of Sao Jorge
• Tavira Island
• Peneda-Geres National Park
• Jeronimos Monastery
• MEO Arena
• Bathala Monastery
• Serralves
• Cristo-Rei
• Mafra National Palace
• Alqueva Dam

Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal