The town and municipal area of Albufeira in the district of Faro, Algarve Portugal, on the south coast of Portugal. It covers an area of approximately 140 km² with more than 30.000 resident inhabitants.
July 25, 2008
July 1, 2008
Gerês national park
The Peneda-Gerês National Park (Portuguese: Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês), also known simply as Gerês, is the only national park in Portugal (although many Natural Parks, Protected Landscapes and Reserves exist across the nation). It is located in the Norte region, in the northwest of Portugal.
The park was created on May 8, 1971 due to its national and international scientific interest, with the aim to protect the soil, water, flora, fauna, and landscape, while preserving its value to the existent human and natural resources. Education and tourism
The park comprises a ridge of mountains, Peneda, Amarela, and Gerês. These form a barrier between the sea shore plains to its west and the plateaus to the east. The highest peaks are Nevosa (1,545 m) and Altar dos Cabrões (1,538 m) located at the border with Spain, so this mountains continue into Spain where they are known as Xurés.
Vilarinho da Furnas, village and damAn important feature of the landscape is the constant presence of water. Brooks and waterfalls are common at every mountain slope and the park is crossed by several rivers, namely: Cávado, Lima, Homem, Rabagão, Castro Laboreiro and Arado. There are dams across most of these: Alto Rabagão, Paradela, Caniçada, Vilarinho da Furnas, Lindoso.
The park’s mountains formed between 380 and 280 million years ago, from the Devonian to the Permian Period. The mountain tops are dominated by granitic rocks, the oldest of them, at Amarela, date from 310 million years ago. Veins of minerals of tin, tungsten, molybdenum, and gold are present and were mined at the now closed mines of Carris and Borrageiro. Mostly at the northwest extremity, at Castro Laboreiro, there are outcrops of schist and quartz.
Some valleys show signs of glacier influence due to the glaciations in the Pleistocene Epoch.
The valleys have an exuberant display of vegetation. The most common are several oak species (Pedunculate oak, Pyrenean oak, Portuguese oak, and others), Portugal laurels, Holly, strawberry trees, and birches; also, next to rivers, yews and silver birches. Some woods, such as Albergaria and Cabril, are notably well preserved.
Moving towards the mountain tops the vegetation gets scarcer, both because of the harsher climate and the increased human pressure since the middle of the 20th century. Here plentiful heath, gorse, broom and juniper can be found.
There are endemic species of lily and fern.
Maize is the main agricultural product.
The Gerês’ fauna is not as prolific as the flora is, possibly due to a greater negative effect from human presence. Bears disappeared from the region in the 17th century and the extinct Pyrenean Ibex, locally known as Gerês Goat, was last seen in the 1890s.
However, many species find at Gerês one of their last harbours not only in Portugal but in the whole Iberian Peninsula. Wolves and Golden Eagles, seen as a threat to livestock, were almost eradicated due to hunting. They have been protected by law since the end of the 20th century.
Some other, relatively numerous, wild species include mammals such as Roe Deers, Wild Boars, otters, Wild Cats, Beech and Pine Martens, and squirrels; birds such as Red Kites, Common Buzzards, Eagle Owls, falcons, and Whinchats; reptiles such as vipers, Water Snakes, and Schreiber’s Green Lizards; and amphibians such as newts, salamanders and Disc-Tongued Frogs.
Worthy of mention are the Garrano, a breed of small horses. They mostly live in the wild but, since they are also bred, they have no significant fear of humans.
Two domestic animals also deserve being noted. The Barrosão Ox, a very rustic cattle once used in agriculture as labour force, is nowadays damous because is amazing meat quality; as is also the Castro Laboreiro dog, a sheapear big dog.
April 14, 2008
Braga – Roman Ruins
Roman Ruins – Baths. Located in a restaurant!!! “Frigideiras do Cantinho” In Braga, Portugal
April 6, 2008
Oporto
Bridges and port wine are what characterises Oporto, Portugal’s second largest city after Lisbon. The main reason tourists or travellers visit Oporto is to sample its legendary port wine.
Also you can visit right next to Oporto, Vila Nova de Gaia or you may choose to take a river cruise along the Douro. The whole district is filled with prosperous cities, as industry and commerce thrive there, however you can drive along many calm roads with wonderful views over the river or enjoy a rugged and still unspoilt coastline.
Oporto is also known for its characteristic sailboats, the “Barcos Rabelos”, which used to ship Port downstream from the vineyards.
More Oporto pictures
Photo by: Sitomon
Evora
Évora was wrested from the moors by Geraldo the Fearless (geraldo giraldes o Sem Pavor) in 1166 and flourished as one of the most dynamic cities in the Kingdom of Portugal during Middle Ages. The court was resident here for long spells and Évora became the scene for many royal weddings and a place where many important decisions were made. Particularly thriving during the Avis Dynasty (1385-1580), it was formerly a major centre for the humanities. The university was founded by the Company of Jesus in 1551. In the 18th century, the Jesuits, was expelled, the university was closed and Evora went into decline. The university was reopened in 1973.
The many monuments erected by the major artists of each period now testify to Évora’s lively cultural, artistic and historical past. The variety of architectural styles (romanic, gothic, manueline, mannerist, baroque), the palaces and even the squares and narrow streets are all part of the rich heritage of this museum-city.
Today, the beautiful historical centre has about 4000 buildings and a surface of 105 ha.
Picture By: PhillipC
Viana do Castelo
Viana do Castelo is a city and a municipality, seat of the district of Viana do Castelo, in Norte region, Portugal. The city proper had 36,148 (INE, 2001)[1] inhabitants, and the municipality has a total population of 91,238 inhabitants (2006) for a total area of 318.6 km².
It is located at the mouth of the Rio Lima. Photo by rivo
Azores
The archipelago of Azores lie in the Palearctic ecozone, forming a unique biome the macaronesian subtropical laurissilva, with many endemic species of plants. The uniqueness of the islands gives them a very distinctive aspect.
The nine islands have a total area of 2,346 km² (906 sq mi). Their individual areas vary between São Miguel’s 759 km² (293 sq mi) and Corvo’s 17 km² (7 sq mi). Three islands (São Miguel, Pico and Terceira) are bigger in size than Malta (composed of three different islands), São Miguel Island alone being twice as big.
The nine islands are divided into three groups:
* The Eastern Group (Grupo Oriental) of São Miguel, Santa Maria and Formigas Islets
* The Central Group (Grupo Central) of Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial
* The Western Group (Grupo Ocidental) of Flores and Corvo.
Picture of Seven Cities Lake “Lagoa das sete cidades” by: MJorge
Coimbra
Coimbra is the former capital of Potugal during the first dinasty period and home to the University of Coimbra, the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese-speaking world. Like most university cities, it comprises a large number of dislocated students from outside Coimbra among its residents.
Coimbra is one of the most important urban centers of Portugal after the much larger Lisbon Metropolitan Area and Porto Metropolitan Area conurbations, and plays a role as the chief urban centre of the central part of the country. The city contains important archeological remains of structures dating from the time when it was the Roman town of Aeminium, such as its well-preserved aqueduct and cryptoporticus, as well as from the period when it served as the capital of Portugal (from 1139 to about 1260). In the Late Middle-Ages, declining as the political centre of the Kingdom of Portugal, Coimbra began to evolve into a major cultural centre with the foundation of the University of Coimbra in 1290. The university, one of the oldest in Europe, attracts visitors from around the world due to its monumental buildings and history, making the city an important touristic destination.
Photo by: Truques
Braga – Bom Jesus
Braga is the oldest archdiocese and one of the major Portugal cities. Braga is also the center of the Greater Metropolitan Area of Minho with a population of 798,137 one of the fastest growing urban areas in the European Union. Under the Roman Empire, as Bracara Augusta, it was capital of the province Gallaecia. The urban area extends from the (river) Cavado to the (river) Este. Braga is serviced by regional and fast trains to Porto and Lisbon. The city of Oporto (Porto) is about 53 km. In this picture a view from “Bom Jesus do Monte”
Photo de Ahron de Leeuw more Braga Pictures
March 21, 2008
Aveiro
Aveiro is known by the Portuguese Venice, due to being enclosed by lovely and romantic channels. Instead of Gondolas were we have Moliceiros, but the enchantment of the City is amazing.
More Aveiro pictures
Image by Portuguese_eyes
Guimarães Castle
The Castle of Guimarães is on basis of the foundation of Portugal like independent nation, from Spain.
Read more about Castle of Guimarães history
Photo by Portuguese_eyes
March 16, 2008
Alvados Caves
The Serra D’Aire e Candeeiros near Lisbon is known for it’s inumerous caves, between them these Caves of Alvados in the picture.
Photo by Portuguese_eyes
Madeira Island
Madeira Island the Portugal best known as Pearl of the Atlantic, the floating Garden.
They are a fantastic vacation destiny, due to his temperate climate, beautiful beaches good food and amazing sceneries.
A view from: Porto da Cruz by Portuguese_eyes
January 16, 2008
Alentejo landscape
A common landscape of the rural Alentejo, Portugal.
More about Alentejo – Portugal
Photo by: sparkyfaisca
Pictures of holidays in portugal 