Portugal

Quintessentially and sublimely Mediterranean, Portugal promises its visitors something quite different, something astonishing. Just like its Spanish neighbor, Portugal has forged itself a dazzling cultural identity over the centuries, with its historical heritage radiating throughout the world. 

Diverse and welcoming the Lusitanian nation is a land of contrasts and pleasures, sun and ocean. Like a sorceress, her most modest marvels are moving while her most grandiose treasures are quite staggering. Because as prestigious as her legacy might be, it's in the air we breathe, in the disarming atmosphere that characterizes a view of the Tagus, Lisbon's river, which represents the country's wealth. Simply strolling around in Alfama, listening to the nostalgic melodies of fado or succumbing to the sweetness of a pastel de nata (a delicious flan) quickly starts to feel like a dream. Marrying this feeling of eternity with the rhythm of idyllic beaches such as those of the Sintra region, the country of Portugal showcases an utterly divine natural setting. And the traveler is sure to experience this with a visit to the island of Madeira. A floating scene of oceanic splendor off the coast of Morocco, the Portuguese archipelago makes its guests part of a stunning waltz dictated by nature with grace and lightness. For it is indeed a romance that you'll find here, where you rest your gaze, and all the more so when you head off to Porto. There, on the banks of the immortal district of Ribeira, the whole soul of Portugal echoes around the colorful walls of the houses in this unforgettable district. This is an essential place to visit for the traveler who wants to discover the country's secrets since all the gentleness of this nation, with unparalleled flamboyance, is found there. If you visit one of the wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia or look over the brick roofs from the Douro, you'll find that poetry in the style of Pessoa is being recited before your very eyes.