Clinging to the western edge of Europe, this small country encompasses an unexpectedly broad and seductive spectrum – from stunning, varied landscapes to a multilayered past, majestic monuments, beautiful beaches, top golf courses, and succulent regional food.

Portugal is most definitely not pretentious. Reputedly reserved, the Portuguese are in fact a warm, independent-minded, polyglot people – so all the more excuse to get to know them. Surfers and sunbathers adore the 850 kilometers Atlantic coast, which starkly contrasts with the rugged mountains of the stars, throbbing nightclubs of Lisbon, the medieval hill towns and castles, the stunning terraces of the Douro Valley, the evocative baroque gardens, and the sharp contemporary architecture.

With 10 million people in an area of 91,836 square kilometers, Portugal has one of the lowest overall population densities in Europe, descending to a mere 17 people per square kilometer in central Alentejo. Lisbon, the capital, lies at the heart of the most densely inhabited region, and its urban area is home to nearly 2 million, while Porto, the second largest metropolitan are, leads the north with 1.5 million inhabitants.